“They’re going after Declan.” I ran my hands over my hair, and heavily sighed. “I’m impatient for this all to be over.”
“They have gathered enough evidence of his illegal activities to put him away for a long time. Your father has agreed to testify, and I’m presuming, if asked, that you will do so.” He raised a brow in question.
I nodded.
“I thought as much. From what I know, Carter hadn’t been the only one on the inside.” He smiled. “Now, I plan on keeping your father here so he doesn’t get caught in the crossfire as he is a star witness. He won’t like it, but that’s how it is going to go down. In exchange, I want you to help keep my daughter safe. She is strong willed and won’t hesitate to get in the middle of chaos.”
I smiled. “I promise, although I should imagine she’s the first person that Carter will go to protect.”
“Yes.” Jordan disappeared into his office, and when I turned to head out, I found my father and Carter watching me.
“You heard.”
“Yes,” my father said. “I don’t like being told to stay here, but when he put it like ‘star witness’ I had to agree that he was right, just…be careful.” He stepped forward and hugged me.
The first time in ten years.
I went to push him away, but found my arms wrapped around him as I returned his hug.
“I love you, son.” With those words, he disappeared upstairs.
Carter cleared his throat. “We need to leave.”
With one last glance upstairs, I followed Carter out of the house to the SUV.
Evie
MY MOTHER HAD DREADFUL taste in dresses, which was why I looked like a meringue. The bodice was fitted and beaded, and the only thing right with what I wore. The skirt had layers and layers of frills, which did remind me of a dessert or little Bo Peep. I wasn’t really bothered because the wedding was a farce so it held little interest for me.
The thick veil hid my distress as Millie entered the room in the pink bridesmaid dress that my mother had also chosen. At least, her dress was plain silk and looked lovely on her.
“Your father is waiting for you.” She took my hands into hers. “God, your hands are so cold.” She tried to rub some warmth into them.
“I’m so cold.” My voice broke on a sob that I tried to control.
“Evie?”
“I have to do this. I know that. Will you promise me something?” I clutched her hands tightly to me as she nodded. “Promise me that you’ll find Jake and tell him how much I love him. I need him to know that I’m doing this for him. I don’t want him to think that I used him or don’t care.”
“Oh Evie.” She hugged me close. “I promise he already knows, and if he doesn’t then he will have no doubt once I’ve spoken to him.”
I swallowed back my sorrow and pulled away from her. I straightened my spine, closed my eyes and inhaled. “Let’s get this over with.”
Millie followed me out of the door and downstairs to where my father waited. He looked handsome in his tuxedo, and I wished with all my heart that I were about to walk up the aisle to Jake.
My father moved close and grasped my shoulders. He rested his lips against my forehead, over the veil, and whispered, “I love you, Evie.” He sighed heavily, and placed my arm through his.
I cast a glance back to Millie who looked just as unhappy as I was. I knew that she worried about Carter and I hoped that, after today, she’d get to be with him. I prayed one of us got our happily ever after.
It didn’t take as long as I’d hoped to reach the seating outside.
Everyone turned to look at me, and as I scanned the guests who I didn’t know, I saw Declan at the front beside his wife. He looked agitated and constantly looked around him, as though he waited for someone or something to happen.
Patrick stood at the top of the makeshift aisle, and beside him was Oliver, the man who he’d been showering with. The man looked just as unhappy as Patrick did. My groom—the thought was like ashes in my mouth—offered me a wry smile before he passed a quick glance to his father.
My nerves had already been jumping but now they jumped higher than ever. Something more was going on here and seeing how Declan and Patrick acted got my hackles up.
I tried to have sympathy for Patrick because, in a way, he was in a similar situation as I was. Neither of us could marry the man we loved.