Page 39 of Keeping My Wife
“Let go of me.” I shook her off and stumbled back.
Cam parked the truck and hopped out, leaving the door open. “Maxie!”
“That’s who you’re going to marry?” She grabbed my arm with enough force to leave marks. “Absolutely not.”
“Get your hands off my wife!” His voice was a near roar as he ran up the driveway.
She looked at me. “You’re getting married today, correct?”
I jerked my arm away. “He wanted to marry me weeks ago.”
The parade of cars all lined up behind Cam’s truck and the Murdock clan all got out and headed for the house. They were all in suits and dresses. My eyes teared up as I recognized Cam’s parents in the mix as well.
Cam ran up the stairs and stood in front of me. “If you touch her again?—”
“You’ll what? Hit me?” Marcella laughed.
“Actually, I’ll just let Maxie press charges.” He lifted his voice. “You can help with that, right Chief Olsen?”
Parker was out of uniform, but she was the Chief of Police for Indigo Valley. “I can definitely call in one of my uniforms to come out and take a report.” Her face hardened as she glanced down at the angry red marks on my bare skin.
I’d been so upset I hadn’t even grabbed my coat.
Cam shrugged out of his suit jacket and wrapped it around me. “You, okay?”
I nodded. “Marcella was just leaving.”
She whirled around, looking at the crowd of people. “This is who you’re choosing over me? These trades people?”
“They don’t just live off a trust fund. All of them actually do things that help this community.”
Cam slipped his arm around my waist. “And we actually love her.”
“They love your money, Maxine.You’re deluding yourself if you believe anything otherwise.”
“I love your daughter. Not that it’s any of your business, but I signed a prenup. Because I want to protect her instead of hurting her like you do every time you open your mouth. Now get out of here. You aren’t wanted at our family wedding.”
Marcella stepped back and stumbled on the stairs. Benny ran up and caught her before she hit the stone steps. She shoved himback with a growl. “I’ll be taking you to court. There’s no way you’re getting my money.”
“You try it.” My whole body vibrated with rage. “I’m keeping this house and the Delacroix name is going to mean something again. It’s going to mean home and hospitality. Not just a monolith looking over the town.”
Marcella shook back her braids. “Hospitality? Your grandmother would roll over in her grave.”
“Maybe she would, but I’d like to think she’d be proud of me for making this place into something amazing again.” I reached down to find Cam’s hand. “I’m going to build a life here. And I have people I actually want to be my family. Now just go.”
I hated that my voice broke at the end.
But then I felt Cam’s lips at my temple. His warmth seeping into the cold my mother left behind.
Marcella stalked over to the car, her ice pick heels clicking on the flagstones. She waited for Benny to open the car door for her.
Even now, she acted like she was royalty.
Maybe the Delacroix family had been at one time. I didn’t want to be that benevolent matriarch on the hill anymore. I wanted to become part of the community. Part of a family.
I turned to Cam. “Do you still want to marry me? Even knowing that viper is part of me?”
“She’s nothing like you. And of course, I do. If I didn’t have the Chief of Police driving like a bat out of hell behind me, I’d have been arrested for breaking the sound barrier to get here.”
