Page 16 of The Accidental Wife

“Shayla...”

“Don’t!” I shout. “Don’t tell me it's going to be okay because it’s not! How the hell did this happen, Cole?”

“Someone must have seen us going into the chapel and wanted to make a quick dime. I’m going to find the person responsible and make them pay for this.” He explains, and I shrug.

“What good is that going to do now? Is it going to change the fact that our faces are plastered all over the internet? No. Call whoever it is you need to call and make them kill the damn story!”

“I can’t do that, Shayla. Over three million people have seen it in one hour. Besides, it’s not like they sold a fake story. It’s the truth, we are married. I can’t sue them for selling factual news.” He explains calmly, and I feel all the air leave my lungs at the thought of my family seeing this.

“Cole, you don’t understand. My family can’t find out about this. This will crush them. This whole thing has blown way out of proportion. I don’t need this shit!”

“Oh, and I do?” Cole replies, holding his arms out and glaring at me. “Quit blaming everything on me. We were both at that chapel, we both said, ‘I do’ so the both of us need to take responsibility.”

“This was a mistake! And it was supposed to stay between us. How am I going to explain this to my family Cole? Do you have any idea how disappointed they will be with me when they see those pictures of us? My family isn’t like yours. My brother’s going to kill you and then kill me.” I explain, pacing frantically.

“Shayla, just calm down. We’ll figure this out together. If I have to go to your family and convince them that we’re in love, I will. You had my back, and now I have yours.” He assures me and catches my arm as I continue to pace and draws me close to him. I look up, and he wipes the tear that rolls down my cheek with his thumb. “Please don’t cry. We’ll deal with this together.” He adds after a beat, his tone calm and eyes back to the usual startling green I’m accustomed to.

I close my eyes and relax when his fingers brush through my hair gently. I allow him to slowly tug me closer against him. Cole’s free hand comes up to my waist, and he presses his forehead to mine while my hands rest on his well-defined chest. I can feel every thud of his heart under my palm, and it's oddly soothing to me.

The warmth of his breath on my lips sends a mass of tingles cascading down my spine.

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