Page 31 of A Bride for the Bodyguard

His words are abruptly cut off as my gun connects with the side of his head in a swift, brutal arc. The impact sends him lurching forward, blood spraying from his nose in an uncontrolled spatter. With one hand gripping his lapel and hauling him upright, I level my gun directly at his face with the other.

“I’m going to ask you one more time, George.” I feel the weight of my gun in my hand as I cock it. “Where is my wife?”

From somewhere behind him, Patricia’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “Please don’t kill him!” she cries out desperately. “George, just tell him where they are.”

“Where are they?” I demand, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“Below deck,” George says, sputtering again as he dabs at his nose.

I don’t hesitate. I bound across the dock and swing open the hatch to below deck, descending into the belly of the boat with a purpose that eclipses fear.

“Marlie? Diego?” My voice echoes off the walls. Then, there it is—a muffled reply.

“Here! We’re here!”

I find them tied up, but alive, their eyes wide with fear and relief. With swift movements, I untie their bonds, helping them to their feet. Marlie stumbles into my arms, her body warm and trembling.

“Jack,” she whispers, and the sound of my name on her lips is sweeter than any melody.

“Let’s get out of here,” I say, guiding them back towards the fresh air, towards freedom.

As we emerge onto the dock, Marlie clings to me, her breaths coming in short gasps. I wrap my arm around her protectively, leading her away from the darkness of the boat and the shadows it cast.

“Jack…” she starts, her voice shaky, and I turn to face her, the chaos of the night receding as I look into her eyes.

“Marlie, I—“ Words fail me, because how do you tell someone that they’re your every thought, your every dream?

“Jack, I—“ She stops too, her eyes glistening.

“Marlie, I love you.” It’s the truth, raw and unguarded. “I have loved you since the day I pretended to be your husband, since every shared glance and touch told me you might feel something too.”

Tears spill over her cheeks as she nods, reaching up to cradle my face in her hands. “I love you too, Jack. I was so scared I’d never get to tell you.”

In that moment, as we stand on the dock, the threat of danger now just an echo, I realize that this woman in my arms has become my everything. And whatever comes next, we’ll face it together—bound by a love that’s as fierce as it is unexpected, as enduring as it is true.

EPILOGUE: MARLIE

One Year Later

The golden scissors glint in the late afternoon sun, feeling almost too light in my hands as I prepare to cut the ribbon.

This is it—my dream materializing into a tangible piece of reality right here on the bustling Barton Beach Boardwalk.

My sister Melanie points the camera at me. “Ready when you are, Marlie!”

“Here goes nothing,” I murmur, more to myself than to anyone else.

With a decisive snip, the ribbon falls away.

Applause erupts around me, and a warmth blooms in my chest—a heady mix of pride and joy.

“Congratulations, Marlie!” someone calls out, and I’m pulled into the moment, into the success that’s taken blood, sweat, and more than a few tears to build.

“Thank you so much!” I respond.

My voice is almost lost in the buzz of excitement.

John and Lisa, Jack’s brother and sister-in-law, are among the first to step forward, offering hugs and hearty congratulations.

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