Page 62 of The Billionaire Babe

“Unfortunately, it isn't the getaway car,” Simone murmurs as she passes me my bouquet and the girls all grab theirs.

“Let’s go.” The event planner walks us to the door. I would not let anyone else up to my apartment. So instead, I have this event planner Abigail hired, who has managed most of today, her planning skills pushed to the limit.

We all fall into line. Levi is hiding in my office, and I see him peeking through the door. He looks scared, so I give him a small nod, hoping to tell him I am okay. The elevator is so quiet I can hear my heart thudding in my chest. My brow starts to sweat a little as we take it to the basement and I step out. The girls pile into one limo, and I stand still, looking at my father who waits inside the other.

This is it. This moment is going to change my life forever. I wring my hands together under the bouquet, and my stomach rolls so violently, I feel like I am going to vomit. As I step inside the car, the air thins, the reception icy, as my father doesn't even acknowledge my existence. We drive through the streets, the two of us completely silent. I have nothing to say to him. He is nothing to me and I am nothing to him. It should be sad that we are now total strangers. That there is no coming back from this, and it is. But is also a long time coming. I never really saw who he truly was before.

We pull up to the library, and my body vibrates with anxiety. Eyes wide, I look around at everyone and everything, trying to spot him, hoping he is here. I see the girls tumble out of their limo in front of us and look around just as panicky. It is bedlam. Media are everywhere; people have their cell phones out. This is chaos and carefully crafted by the very man sitting next to me.

“Chin up, dear. This is the happiest day of your life,” my father says as he opens the car door and steps out. Waving to the crowd with a large smile on his face, he acts like a king to his constituents. Bile threatens to come up my throat, but I swallow and grit my teeth.

My body moves on autopilot, panicking more by the second when I still can’t see AJ. I can’t see Brady or Cody either, even though they promised they would be here. As I step out of the car, the cameras flash. There are paparazzi everywhere, and I pinch the skin at my elbow so hard I am surprised it isn’t bleeding.

I don’t even try to smile. My head continually whips around, looking at everyone, looking at the cars, the buildings. Where is he?

“Hey, Valerie, smile!” a pap yells out, and I scowl toward him. I am pretending to go through with this stupid day because I was threatened, not because I want to. Regardless of the media attention and regardless of what my father says. I am not happy about this, and I am not going to fake it anymore.

I take a few steps toward the girls and suck in a deep breath.

“He isn’t here,” Chloe whispers as her eyes dart around and my heart rate increases.

“This way, my dear,” my father grits out, grabbing my elbow hard and pulling me to the bottom of the stairs so forcefully I almost stumble. His hand digs into my skin, but I don’t cry out. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction, so I bite the inside of my cheek instead, already tasting the blood. My grip on my flowers is tight as I look up. This is a beautiful venue; the stone building and large steps leading up to the front door are really lovely. Just not for me. Not today.

I take one last look around as my breathing becomes more rapid. I need to decide on whether I wait a few more moments or if I bolt and run down the street now. I glance at the girls, all of them white as ghosts, and then I hear it. The roar of a motorcycle. I swiftly turn and look down the street.

“Stupid son of a bitch,” my father grumbles as his grip on me tightens, and he tries to drag me up the stairs, but I remain rooted to the ground. My father laughs nervously, looking around at the crowd of people. “Valerie, start walking, or I will ensure you never walk again,” he threatens in my ear, and I start to shake as he continues. “You stupid, trashy…” But he stops as I look at him, wide-eyed, and can barely breathe.

“It was you!” I say to him, disbelief and shock blanketing me.

“Get inside right fucking now,” he grits out, not letting me out of his grasp.

“The message, the stalking. It was all you!” I say louder, and I hear the girls behind me gasp.

“Valerie…” His fake smile hides his bitter anger. “Get inside now,” he growls; meanwhile, people are starting to notice something’s happening that has nothing to do with a wedding. The cameras don’t stop flashing, but the audience out here now knows something isn’t right.

“How could you?” I ask on a breath, the words barely audible. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. My father is the one who has been sending me those vile messages on social media. He has been the one who has been making me feel unsafe, damaging my self-confidence. “All for what?” Frowning, I look right at him. “After college?”

“I needed you down. I needed you frightened. I needed you to submit and do what you are told. Now get inside!” he says venomously, as most of the air leaves my lungs and my body stills in a mix of fear and anger. The roar of the bike gets louder, snapping me out of my shock, and I look around to see AJ’s Harley turn the corner and ride straight up to the curb, right near my wedding car.

“Oh my God, he’s here!” Chloe says, relief easing her expression.

“Run, girl!” Simone yells at me, and I do. I yank my elbow from my father’s grip, throw my flowers at his face, and pick up the bottom of my dress.

“Valerie!” my father whisper-shouts, still not wanting to cause a scene. I don’t respond to him. I turn from him as quickly as I can in this stupid dress and run. I run so fast, I almost trip in my heels. AJ jumps from his bike and throws his helmet to Brady, who I only now notice has pulled up in a truck nearby, which he has left running with the door open. As I dash to AJ, he sprints to meet me, and we collide, our bodies smashing into each other, his lips on mine immediately. I hear the crowd gasp. The cameras flash incessantly. And we pull apart just as quickly, as AJ wastes no time in picking me up bridal style and running to the truck Brady exited with me in his arms.

“Runaway bride!” someone from the crowd yells, and I look over AJ’s shoulder and see my girls all scattering, jumping in the other truck with Cody behind the wheel.

“Sorry I’m late, sweetheart,” AJ says smoothly, throwing me in the truck. I scoot over quickly as he jumps in. Brady rides the Harley straight down the street, and we pull out and follow. People are shouting, cameras are flashing, and I turn to see my father standing there with a look of rage on his face. I stare him down and swallow roughly.

“Better late than never,” I say as AJ speeds down the street so fast that I can’t see the library anymore and knowing I have left my entire life as I knew it behind.

35

AJ

Cody, Brady, and I drive in convoy back to Val’s apartment in a hurry. We have done defensive driving training, so we know what we are doing. I planned this for the past twenty-four hours since Brady first called me. I had to stop myself multiple times from grabbing her late last night when I got back to Baltimore, but it needed to be at the venue today. It needed to be in front of witnesses. Val is mine, and the fucking world knows it now.

I steal a look at her beside me. Dressed up in white, the gown she is wearing large, the material taking up most of the space in the truck. She looks beautiful in anything, but this is a lot.

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