Page 87 of Bronson

“Oh, Bronson!”

“Paige. My sweet, sweet Paige.”

“Don’t hurt him,” she whispers.

I knew it. I knew she wouldn’t want that.

It takes every ounce of my self-control to do what I do next. Leaning down, I pick up the bag from the ground.

Her father stands, watching, shaking.

I toss him the bag. “If I ever see your face again, you are dead.”

He scrambles for the bag, climbs in the van. It speeds off.

My men will track the van.

We will have to decide what is to be done. But that can wait.

We are to be wed.

I stroke her hair, her back. The feel of her trembling body in my arms is the single most wonderful thing I’ve felt.

Tears sting my eyes. I whisper, “I’m so sorry. I should have kept you with me. I should have protected you.”

Paige shakes as she speaks. “It’s not your fault. It’s my—I can’t even use that word for him. What a piece of⁠—”

I say, “You don’t need him. Not anymore. You have me.”

Her beautiful eyes look up at me. The only good thing her father has ever given her is those eyes. She says, “I don’t even want to talk about it, Brauny. I’m almost more upset that we’ve missed our wedding. Oh—you’ve got your tux on!” Her eyes rove over me, appraising me.

“It’s our wedding day. If you are still⁠—”

“It’s the only thing I want. It was all I could think about. But we’ve missed the church service and…” She gives a shudder.

“Shh. Let’s not worry about it, now. You need rest.” I wrap my arm around her. My driver, sensing our intimate moment of reunion is over, pulls up beside us.

We get into the car. She snuggles underneath my arm.

I rest my chin on the top of her head, inhaling her scent.

Moments later, she’s asleep, snoring softly against my chest.

“She had a long night. Why don’t you do a few laps around the city—let her sleep.”

“Yes, sir.”

I watch the setting sun as we round another block. We will be married. Tonight. I have a plan.

Paige

Want to know what sucks even more than your parents not wanting you in the first place? Them finding out you’re engaged to a wealthy man and kidnapping you for ransom. Yep. I win the award for suckiest parents. Ever.

How stupid was I to think that when my dad showed up at my door, after the rehearsal dinner, that he was there to congratulate me? What an idiot. I guess children like me never quite get it through their heads that their parents don’t actually love them.

It’s a hard concept to swallow.

Long story short, once I was on the street, my dad and some ruffian acquaintance threw me in a van, where I spent the night. My mother was nowhere in sight, but I know she was in on it too. He kept telling me not to worry, that everything was going to be fine. He was just collecting a debt.