Page 16 of Her Mountain Man Protector
The cop makes a disapproving sound. “Weird family. Anyway, we’re still very concerned about Mila Van Alstyne and finding her is our priority, so please call us if you see anything unusual. Even the smallest thing could end up being relevant.”
“Understood. Thanks, Officer.”
I hear the door close. In the silence, my heartbeat thumps in my ears, fear churning in my gut as I hurriedly pull on my clothes. I need to get to Grace. She can’t go through with this—I won’t let her pay for my mistakes.
Hang on, Grace. Just hang on for a few more minutes.
When I’m dressed, I burst into the living room. Holden is waiting, already holding his keys. When he sees me, he reaches out to grab my hand, jangling the keys in the other.
“Ready to crash a wedding, sugar?” he asks.
He always makes me feel like he’s on my side, no questions asked. I want to kiss him more than ever, but there’s no time.
“Let’s go,” I say, gripping Holden’s free hand.
We hurry out of the cabin together, racing toward his giant truck. The cop is already gone. We might pass him on the road, but I don’t care if he sees me. None of that matters now. All that matters is getting Grace to safety. We need to get to Highcrest Castle before my sister makes the worst mistake of her life.
Holden floors it through the trees as soon as the doors are closed. It doesn’t take long to reach the castle, and my heart sinks as it looms ahead of us. My parents are in there right now, forcing my sister down the aisle the same way they forced me. They don’t give a crap that I’m supposedly missing somewhere out in the mountains. All they care about is boosting their status and forming ties with the wealthy Kingsley family, no matter the cost.
As Holden’s truck skids to a stop outside the chateau-style mansion, I turn to him, gripping the door handle.
“I should do this by myself,” I tell him quickly. “You’ve done so much for me, Holden, and all I’ve done is drag you into my family’s drama.”
He’s already shaking his head. “I’m with you. Always. No way am I letting you face this alone.”
Before I can protest, he jumps out of his seat and opens the door for me. I get out, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze to show my gratitude. Then we rush for the castle, fingers entwined. My heart is pounding so hard it hurts, but I’m happy to have Holden by my side. His presence fills me with renewed courage as we burst through the entrance doors. The house looksstrangely deserted—the corridors are empty, everything quiet. For a second, I wonder if the cop made a mistake. Then it hits me.
“Oh God, they must be in the chapel already!”
Please don’t let me be too late.
I guide Holden toward the chapel, my chest spasming when I hear the unmistakable sound of the minister’s voice coming from inside. I’m trembling all over, but I don’t waste another second. With a steadying breath, I open the chapel doors and step inside.
Most of the guests who were at my wedding have clearly gone home. Only the first few rows of chairs are filled, and I feel eyes on me as people turn. Even the minister falters when he sees me come in, his voice uncertain. But I ignore everyone. I only have eyes for Grace.
My sister is standing opposite Julian Kingsley, wearing a white dress almost identical to my own. I can see tear marks on her face from here, a blank sort of resigned misery in her eyes. But when she hears us come in, she looks up. Across the aisle, we stare at each other, and then suddenly we’re both running, barreling toward each other until we meet in the middle. We hug tight, my heart aching as my sister starts to sob.
“Am I in time, Gracie?” I ask her desperately.
She nods, looking at me with tear-filled eyes, the same color as my own. “Y-yes. I’m sorry, Mila. I c-can’t do it. I w-wanted to do this for you, f-for us, but I don’t think I can b-bear it. I’m so sorry.”
I hold her tight. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s sorry. I never should have left you here all by yourself.”
In the background, I hear an indignant rumble coming from the guests. I catch sight of the groom’s angry face, his family standing up and complaining to the minister. My parents arejust visible in my peripheral vision, and my dad’s voice rings out above the din.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Mila? You stupid girl!”
I block it all out, but I feel Holden shift, positioning himself in front of me and Grace like a human shield.
“You better watch how you talk to my girl,” he snarls at my dad. “We might be in a chapel, but don’t think I’ll hesitate to punch your damn lights out.”
I can’t help but smile. With Holden here, I feel invincible. None of these people can get to me—none of them matter. They can shout and complain all they want. Grace is safe now, and that’s all I care about.
“Mila, who is that man with you?” she whispers.
“Long story. But he’s going to protect us, Gracie. Both of us.”
My sister casts a nervous glance toward Holden. I can see why she’s unsure. He looks bigger and wilder than ever as he faces down the wedding guests, towering over all of them. I feel a surge of pure affection for him as he stands his ground, shouting down everyone who tries to get too close.
