Real Girl (Aston Creek High 4)

The guards scramble and start coming for us as Lucien and more of his men come in from behind.

“Are you good?” Slade demands, pulling hard on my arm and bringing me right into his side, right where I belong.

“Never been better.”

“We don’t have time to play catch-ups,” Shay says. “We have to go.”

We start racing back up the aisle, collecting Damian on the way. All we have to do is break out through the door and we’ll be free, but then come the guns which I’m sure will be aimed at our backs.

Lucien steps on the long train of this stupid dress and my body is instantly hauled back. Slade pulls but I’m trapped and the second of hesitation gives the guards a moment to catch up. Before they were just doing their job, but now they’re pissed.

They go for Slade and Damian first as they’re the biggest threat while leaving just one guard to grab Shaylee. He wraps his hands around her, locking her arms by her sides. He lifts and her legs instantly kick out, but it’s no use. This man is huge and Shaylee is tiny like me.

He starts taking her to the exit while I scramble for freedom, listening to Shaylee’s cries of protest.

Lucien grabs me and starts to pull me back and I claw my nails against his arms, desperate to get to Slade as the guards crowd the boys. There’s too many of them. They can’t fight them all off. They’re incredible fighters, but against all those trained guards and taking Slade’s healing bullet wound…fuck. It’s like taking a knife to a gunfight.

Shay is pushed through the door and Damian is slammed down to the floor while Slade is tackled into a headlock.

Lucien drags me back and I scream. “SLADE.”

“Just hold on, Virago,” he calls back as they start to drag him out, hauling Damian right along with him. “I’m coming for you. Fight. Don’t fucking give up, do you hear me?”

Within seconds, Slade disappears and I’m pulled into a side room with the door slamming behind us.

Chaos erupts outside of the room and not a moment later, Marcus walks in, disheveled, and bloodied with a pissed off Maria at his side. I’m pushed down into a chair as Marcus strides forward, stalking me like some kind of predator.

His hand slaps hard across my face making my teeth cut into the inside of my cheek. “If they ever come back, I’ll fucking kill them.”

I spit a mouthful of blood onto the floor, grinning as half of it stains my dress. “Just fucking try me,” I tell him, grinning like a fool knowing that no matter what, they’re coming for me.

My will has returned with a vengeance and this time, I won’t fail. This time, I’m exactly where I want to be.

The love of my life is alive and I’ll be damned if I ever let him down again. I might be married to this motherfucker, but I will always belong to Slade Cruz and it’s only a matter of time before he takes me home.

Chapter 12

I sit at the bridal table, glaring across the room at my new husband. He’s such a pig. I know he’s a rich prick, but couldn’t Lucien have picked someone a little more…classy? Maybe someone with style, rugged good looks? Hell, maybe even someone who isn’t going to make me hurl when his disgusting morning breath hits me at six am every day for the rest of my life?

Rest of my life? What the fuck am I talking about? I’m getting out of here. The rest of my life is going to be spent by Slade’s extremely alive side while helping other women get out of abusive homes. Screw going to college and becoming an art major. I want to do something more. I want to make changes in people’s lives and be that person I wish I had when I needed out.

I want to make a difference. I’m positive that I’m not the only woman out there who’s suffered at the hands of a man. No one deserves this. No one should feel as though they need to be watching over their shoulder, waiting to see if today is going to be their last day. I won’t stand for it anymore.

I’ve got some work to do. I barely even know how to help myself let alone others, but I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to dedicate my life to it.

I glance out at the guests. This is such a joke, but right now, it’s nearly impossible to wipe the smile off my face. For the first time in twelve days, I’m freaking ecstatic. I don’t even care that I’m at my own damn funeral…wait. I mean wedding. All that matters to me is that Slade is alive and that he came for me.