Wicked Sinner (Dangerous Love 2)

Asher jumped to his feet and growled, “Stop. I object.”

Remy turned to him, eyes huge, but for one split second, Asher swore he caught a hint of a smile. A smile that she once only gave to him. The shock of seeing her look at him with such warmth and affection stuttered his mind, until he spotted the prick next to her shift slightly. Damon still held her hand and a ring. Yeah, he was a good-looking scumbag. But Asher saw Damon for what he saw, a slimy bastard who didn’t just break hearts but left a trail of shattered women behind him.

Determined to ensure Remy wasn’t one of them, hot adrenaline pumped through Asher’s veins as he charged forward, the crowd in the pews a blur around him. Damon went to take a step back, but Asher was there a second later, grabbing him by the arms and taking him down swiftly to the ground.

“Asher!” Remy bellowed. “What are you doing?”

“Saving you from this fucker.” Asher dug his knee into Damon’s back while he reached for his cuffs. As he grabbed Damon’s wrist, he snarled, “You want to tell her the truth. Or am I going to do it?”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Damon snapped. “Get him off me.”

Around Asher, and in the deep silence of the church, he felt the weight of everyone’s gaze. After he got on the second cuff, he glanced back over his shoulder, finding Boone frowning and Rhett grinning from ear to ear. With a moment to breathe, Asher cursed softly. Perhaps he hadn’t handled this well, but he wouldn’t apologize for shit. He blew out a slow breath to steady himself and then rose, bringing Damon to his feet.

Rhett grasped Damon’s arm, pulling him back away from Remy. “And here I thought I was the one who always fucked up,” he said quietly to Asher. “Good luck dancing your way out of this.”

Next to him, Boone cringed, staring over Asher’s shoulder.

Fuck. Asher knew he had to face the inevitable, so he turned around. Tears flooded Remy’s pale face. Beside her, her bridesmaids—the blond-haired woman was Boone’s fiancée, Peyton, and the dark-haired one glaring was Boone’s sister, Kinsley. They were both wearing light purple dresses and holding Remy’s hands tight.

“You better explain yourself, and pronto, buddy,” Kinsley spat.

Peyton looked from Asher to Boone rapidly, her hazel eyes unable to find whatever they were looking for. Probably an explanation.

Asher’s heartrate began to slow. He took in the minister, Remy’s coworkers and friends in the pews. Shit.

“Asher,” Remy snapped.

He turned back, finding a thousand questions in Remy’s pretty green eyes. While he wanted to give her all the answers she needed, this was also his chance to fix the past. Asher’s leaving her was part of the reason she’d given up on all her dreams, and nearly married a con man. She’d lost everything, all because he was a stupid kid full of fear and despair.

He wasn’t that kid anymore.

Though the truth remained as it had all those years ago. Asher couldn’t give her his heart. Remy was safer and would be happier without him. But he had this one chance to right his wrongs and set her life back on the right track. No missteps this time. “We don’t have to do this here.”

She dropped Kinsley’s and Peyton’s hands and stepped forward. “Tell me. Now.”

To keep the conversation private, Asher sighed and closed the distance, becoming more aware of her trembling body. His fingers twitched to grab her, bring her close, and keep her safe until she remembered all the things she once wanted for herself. “This man isn’t Damon Lane,” he explained gently. “His name is Kyle Fanning. He’s a con man who has swindled more than three million out of his past three wives, all under different aliases.”

Before Remy could even respond, Kinsley lurched at Damon. “You motherfucker.”

Gasps came from the pews as Boone caught his sister by the waist, holding her back while Kinsley did her best to murder Damon with her bare hands. Kinsley and Remy had been best friends since they were both ankle biters, and Kinsley had distrusted Damon as much as Asher had.

The minister’s skin had turned ashen at some point, and he raised his hands to the crowd. “Please, everyone, let’s calm down.”

Remy slowly stepped closer to Damon. “This can’t be true. Damon, tell me this isn’t true.”

Asher glanced back and found the bastard’s head hanging, shoulders slumped.

“You were only after my inheritance,” Remy squeaked, tears welling in her eyes.

Asher ground his teeth against the pain in her expression and reached for her, desperate to take her away from all this shit. “I’m so sorry, Remy.”

She blinked, wobbling slightly. “Don’t be sorry,” she said to Asher without looking at him. Her gaze wasn’t focused on anything specific, so far away from there. “I’m sorry for all this. I’m sorry I believed that you loved me,” she said to Damon, and then she glanced over the crowd behind Asher in the pews. “Most of all, I’m sorry I wasted all your time today.” She took one final look at Asher, her heartbreak seeping into the air between them, and then she grabbed the hem of her dress and ran down the aisle.

Asher cursed and chased after her, meeting her by the big oak tree outside. He grabbed her arm. “Remy.”

She whirled around, tears flooding her face. “Why did it have to be you? Boone or Rhett could have stopped the wedding, why did it have to be you?”

Asher released her arm slowly. “Because this is what I do.”