Page 1 of Triumphant Kings

Chapter 1

Sadie

“Mark Taylor and his lovely bride, Erin Taylor.”

My head is spinning, and I feel like I’m going to pass out any moment. I can’t believe I’m about to do this.

What the hell was I thinking?I wasn’t; that's the only explanation on how I got myself into this situation. All I could think about was Collin being forced to marry someone else, and I panicked. I mean, the idea wasn’t a horrible one if Collin agreed to do it, right?

Licking my lips, I try to focus on my mother. Smiling up at her husband, she takes his outstretched hand in hers and lets him help her down the grand staircase that leads into the party below.

The party that the rest of my boyfriends are currently at, probably wondering where the hell I am.

God, I’m the worst. My stomach rolls, guilt hitting me like a punch in the gut. They don’t know about any of this, and I’m about to force them to find out in front of everyone.

I should have told them. I wanted to, so badly. Collin insisted that the less people who knew, the better.

Warm, strong hands slide down my arms, making me jolt in surprise.

“Breathe.” Collin’s breath fans the side of my neck as he presses a kiss just below my ear. My eyes flutter closed as I lean back into his arms, taking comfort in his touch. I try to do as he says, taking slow, deep breaths, in and out.

Doesn’t do much for the fact that I feel like I’m about to throw up all over the nice marble floors, though.

“Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

“They’re going to hate me,” I whisper, tears pricking the back of my eyes.

“No, they won’t,” he growls the words low in my ear. “Once we explain everything to them, they will understand it was the only option.”

“We’re blindsiding them, Collin.” I spin around in his arms, looking up at him with wide, panicked eyes. “They should have had a say in this. This affects them too. What if they think I don’t care about them equally, that I picked you over them?”

“Hey, hey,” he soothes, cupping my face. “We’re going to explain everything.”

“Collin Killian, formerly known as Collin Jones...” The announcer calls, and fear spikes through my body.

“Oh fuck. I’m going to be sick,” I breathe out in a panic, covering my face with my hands.Stupid, stupid, Sadie.

“No, you’re not.” Collin takes my hands in his, kissing the back of each of them before giving them a squeeze. “I’ve got you, andwe’vegot this. Everything is going to be okay.”

He takes a step back, shooting me a wink before moving to stand at the top of the stairs.

He stands proudly, a handsome smile on his face. He looks so good tonight—any night really, but especially tonight—with Dark hair slicked back and a black mask in place to match his suit.

“And his new wife—”Oh hey, that's me.

Yup, my big genius plan was to marry Collin, take his last name, and be his wife, so that his slimy monster of a father can’t touch me.

The wedding was just the other day, in the middle of his office, and I was only dressed in some jeans and a warmred sweater. Just us and the officiant. Who happened to be his lawyer. Knowing his father had eyes on us, going to the courthouse would have given us away. And having anyone outside the normal people who visit his place might have caused suspicion.

Taking a steadying breath, I stand straight and try to look like I have all the confidence in the world despite not having an ounce of it right now, and take Collin’s hand.

He smiles lovingly at me. “I love you,” he mouths before looking out at the growing crowd below.

“Sadie Killian.”Ah, yeah, and he also changed his last name. That one's gonna cause some waves.

We just made two major moves on this fucked up chessboard in the game that my guys are forced to play in.

With every step down the stairs, I try to focus on not tripping over my feet and tumbling down the stairs instead of the fact that I know Preston, Grayson, and Declan are all watching right now, wondering what the hell is going on.

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