Page 52 of The Marriage Negotiation

Peter suddenly dropped to his knees. He fumbled for a moment before pulling a black velvet box out of his pocket. When he popped the lid open, I recognized the engagement ring I had left with Peter's parents when I married Patrick.

"Look, Zaq," Peter said. "I have your ring right here, the one you picked out when we went ring shopping."

I squinted at the man. "Are you may be confusing me with your girlfriend? We never went ring shopping."

I would have remembered.

"No, no, this is your ring." Peter held it up closer to me as if I didn't recognize it. Was he not getting the other part of what I said?

"Yes, Peter, I recognize that ring as the one I returned to your parents when our engagement ended. It's the same ring you picked out one your own and gave to me when you proposed. You remember? You tossed it to me and said "Hey, let's get married. Our parents arranged everything". Remember that?"

Worst marriage proposal on earth.

"Get this through your head, Peter. I don't love you. I never loved you. I was going to marry you because that's what our parents wanted. Not for any other reason."

"No." Peter started shaking his head. "You love me. I know you do."

"I love Patrick."

I felt Patrick jerk next to me as if he hadn't been expecting me to say that, but it was true. I'd been happier with him in the last couple of months than I ever had with Peter. Patrick was who I wanted to spend my life with.

The decision was an easy one to make.

"No!" Peter shouted as he jumped to his feet, pulled something silver out of his pocket, and lunged at me. "You're mine!"

I cried out as Patrick grabbed me and spun me out of Peter's grasp. Out of the corner of my eye I saw two flashes of black and then there was a lot of screaming.

By the time Patrick set me on my feet, we were several steps away. Jackson stood between us and the screaming man pinned to the ground by two men dressed in black. A knife lay on the ground right in front of Peter.

"Holy shit!" Patrick gasped before turning to me and starting to pat me down. "He didn't get you, did he?"

I aimlessly shook my head, unable to take my eyes off of Peter. "He tried to kill me," I whispered. "He really tried to kill me." Of all the things Peter could have done, that was not one I had expected.

"Jackson, call the police," Patrick ordered.

"They are already on their way, sir."

Patrick gave me an intense look. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not hurt, but..." I shook my head. I wasn't physically hurt, and I certainly wasn't emotionally hurt. I was freaked out because someone had literally just tried to take my life.

Anyone would be freaked out.

Chapter Fifteen

~ Patrick ~

Saying I wasn't freaked out would be the biggest lie in history. I was plenty freaked out. I was also shocked that my brother had done something so heinous.

But mostly, I was pissed.

As soon as the guards pulled him to his feet I stepped over and grabbed him by his shirt. "I can't believe you tried to kill Zaq, Peter," I snapped at him. "Are you insane?"

He had to be.

"He's mine!" Peter yelled. "You can't have him."

Probably wasn't a good idea right now to mention I'd already had Zaq, several times.

---