Page 74 of Ruthless Love

A few more steps, and I see that most of the guests are actually his bodyguards, and each has a date. With everyone seated in this chair and that, they’ve managed to overdo the thug factor in what would otherwise be a beautiful crowd of tastefully dressed attendees. Thankfully, none of the people I cherish are here.

At the end of the aisle, my father places ceremonious kisses on both my cheeks, and I claw back the desperate need to kick the man square in the nuts.

Though Dimitri’s arm wings out in invitation, I don’t take it, tightening both my hands around my elegant bouquet of white lilies. Which are appropriate because this feels so much more like a funeral than a wedding.

I’m grateful when he doesn’t make a fuss, and we both turn to face forward as the scripted wedding begins.

“Dearly beloved—”

“I object!”

My breath hitches when Austin’s voice booms across the lawn. Though Dimitri’s bodyguards are on the ready, each posturing to draw their weapons, I watch as an equal number of guests—all women—point their own handguns against each of the men’s heads. The small smile that starts to form is overrun by nerves as I watch the showdown play out.

“You know what? I can’t marry the two of you.” Like an insane person, Paco steps down from behind the altar, placing his robed body between Dimitri and me.

God, I hope the lining is Kevlar.

Before Dimitri can pull his own weapon, Austin’s pistol is at his temple, and Paco’s is at his throat. In seconds, Paco has fished the gun Dimitri had cloaked in his suit and pockets it.

Dimitri gives Austin a sideways glance. “Evelyn will marry me today. Won’t you, Evelyn?”

I peek my head from behind Paco’s shoulder, though he seems intent on keeping my body behind his. Confident, I correct him. “The priest was right. He can’t marry us today.”

The threat in Dimitri’s glare would have been alarming even a few hours ago. But in this moment, not so much.

With the tables turned, I taunt him. “Aren’t you going to ask me why?”

The veins throb in his temples, and the sick joy I have watching them is exhilarating. “Why?” he asks, his voice furious and low.

Paco answers for me. “Because she’s already married. I married Austin and Evie less than an hour ago. The wedding was a little rushed, but legal and public.”

Austin pulls his cell from his back pocket and opens it to Instagram. “We posted the live feed of the ceremony and the signed marriage certificate for all the world to see. What can I say? You snooze, you lose.”

Crinkling his brow, Austin takes another look at the phone before showing it to me. “Look, honey, the well-wishes have climbed to over a thousand since we went live.”

My smile vanishes when Alexei stalks up behind Austin with a handgun so huge, I’m not sure it doesn’t actually pass for a rifle. Austin turns and rattles off something to him in Russian, and from what I can tell, the man is fluent, which I’ll have to fully process later.

Alexei only nods, then shoves the weapon hard into Dimitri’s side, forcing a gruff, feral noise from his throat. Alexei towers over Dimitri, wrapping his enormous hand around the back of his neck and marching him away.

A wave of fear makes me grip Austin’s arm. “What if Alexei is helping him escape?”

Austin’s look of assurance calms me instantly. “Trust me. He’s not.”

I glance around for my father but don’t see him, disappointed that his stealthy departure must have gone unnoticed until it was too late.

As if reading my mind, Paco leans over to whisper in my ear. “The Feds are outside waiting for him. They’ll do everything as quietly as possible. For your sake, and that of your family.”

I’d rather shout from the rooftops that Garrett Banks is a dick, but deep in my gut, I know Paco’s right. It’s better this way. And knowing that the wealthaholic will probably rot in jail for the rest of his life gives me some small sense of victory.

But neither Austin nor Paco will give me the slightest clue what’s going to happen to Dimitri.

Chapter Forty-Seven

AUSTIN

Arriving at the unimpressive building the next day, I know what the facility lacks in architectural interest, it more than makes up for in state-of-the-art secure technology.

Equal parts thrill and dread always fill me when I enter. It represents a life I swore I’d give up, but it keeps calling me back. Because right or wrong, when it comes to mind-fucking someone until they give up every last secret buried deep in their soul, I’m the best in the goddamn business.

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