Page 100 of Ashes of Sin

“Okay.” Her reply is soft and my heart bursts open.

I kiss her once more as my brothers surround us, keeping Pierce, her shrieking mother, and her angry father at bay.

“Uh uh, give them a minute.” Parker holds out his hands.

“Who the fuck are you?” Derek demands.

“How rude. Did you hear that, Trav?” Parker asks and I almost laugh, but while Pierce screams out demands, our eyes lock for the first time in over fifteen years.

It’s like a bomb goes off inside me.

The hate I feel pouring from the pores of my skin is more than any one person should feel in one lifetime. I’m bigger than him now. Strong enough to overpower him, strangle him until he takes his last breath.

Kyra’s hand on my cheek snaps me out of the moment and I drop my eyes to her.

“Please get me out of here.”

That’s when I know something is wrong. There’s something in her voice that wasn’t there before. Before I let her be taken from me.

What has he done?

It’s more than not just wanting to marry Pierce; I hear fear, and I hear pain. I recognize her anguish in her voice and my eyes fly back to Pierce.

“What did you do?” I slide her down my body and glare at him.

A smirk appears on his face.

That fucking asshole.

“Maddox. Please,” she pleads.

“Maddox,” Parker warns, turning.

Every cell in my body wants to rip the gun out of my jacket and shoot him right in his dead fucking heart.

“You want to go to jail?” He grabs my wrist. “Take your girl and let's go.”

“What did he do to you?” I rasp as Kyra’s palms flatten on my chest.

“Not here.” She tucks herself under my arm and I feel her shaking.

Mack walks over. “You need to go.”

“Take my daughter and I will be calling my lawyer.” Derek threatens.

“I am a grown woman, Dad,” Kyra says, leaning into me. “You don’t own me. I’m not marrying Pierce.”

About goddamn time.

I’m so fucking proud it takes the edge off the urge to murder Pierce. Just the sharp corners. Not completely.

“Honey, let’s talk about this.”

“Mom.” Kyra shakes her head. “Don’t.”

“Let’s go baby.” I nod at Mack and lead her out of the church.

This is going to go viral, but I don’t care. I am marrying this woman, so the world is going to work it out sooner or later.

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