Page 1 of Heartbeat

CHAPTER 1

RAVEN

I’m sitting in the church on pins and needles waiting for my cousin to walk down the aisle. The groom is standing with the priest looking like every bride’s wet dream; Jagger Hanlon is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. His whiskey-colored eyes and light brown hair makes every woman I know swoon, but the scowl that’s marring his handsome face makes me frown.Why would anybody look so angry on their wedding day?

“He’s so handsome, isn’t he Rae?” My mom whispers to me with a girlish giggle.

I nod and smile at my mother. She can’t help herself. Weddings and love make her all mushy and googly-eyed. I don’t blame her one bit. In fact, I probably have the same love-struck expression on my face. I’ve always dreamed of my wedding day: the big white dress, the flowers, the diamonds, the whole shebang. I’ve had my entire wedding planned since I was ten-years-old. The only thing I’m missing is the groom. I sigh, beginning to feel sorry for myself.

However, before I can get too caught up in my pity party, the wedding march begins. Everyone in the small church stands, waiting for Ainslee’s big entrance. This wedding is one of the biggest weddings of the year on Founder’s Island, and it was an honor to be here. Founder’s Island is its own country not far from the United States. It has approximately two-million people, and it’s one of the wealthiest places in the world. My family, the Bishops, are one of the most affluent families on the Island. And Ainslee is one of the first of our generation of Bishops to get married, which is why this particular wedding is such a huge deal.

However, even though I’m related to the bride, the Bishops family is humungous. So getting an invite wasn’t a guarantee, but because my father and Ainslee’s father are first cousins and in business together, we made the cut for the coveted affair.

“Ooooh, look, Rae!” My mother giddily whispered.

“I see her, Mama.” I giggled.

“Shhh.” My father turned and gave both my mother and me a deathly glare. My father, Alejandro, has always been a serious man. But lately, he’s been almost unbearable. He’s never been too particularly kind to me anyway, so I’ve learned to read his moods and stay out of his way. And I can tell by the glint in his gray eyes that mirror my own that he’s irritated.

I turn around quickly before I burst into flames from the evil eye my father sends my way. My older sister, Robin, shakes her head and scowls at my father before turning to me with a small smile and a wink.

Robin is my hero. She’s bold, independent, my protector and my best friend. She also has the one thing that I will never have no matter how hard I try… my father’s undying love.

My sister is seven years older than me and does everything right. At least, to my father. He’s always compared the two of us. So much so, I often wondered why he and my mother continued to have children after having such a perfect firstborn. And although my father always did his best to pit us against one another, it never worked. Robin has always been stubborn, and the thought of anyone mistreating her little sister was grounds for a fight, even if the fight was with our father.

She even stands up for our younger sister, Dove, who at twenty-one is the wildest, most out of control person I’ve ever known. As a matter of fact, Dove ditched the wedding because she was off partying with some boy she’d just met the day before.

My father never so much as batted an eye at Dove’s antics, but I couldn’t even fucking giggle at my mother without getting the stare of death. I sigh at myself. There’s nothing I can do to earn my father’s love, so I might as well stop trying. But I’m an overachiever, so it’s just not in me to quit.

“Fuck that!” Ainslee and Jagger shout at the same time, bringing me out of my musings.

The anger displayed on both of their faces is so confusing to me. This is a happy occasion, but the bride and groom look like they’re about to kill one another.What in the actual hell?

Before the priest could chastise them for cursing at their wedding, in a church, in front of their guests, Ainslee flips Jagger off and throws her bouquet down before stomping off back down the aisle.

The crowd gasps at their antics. I’ve never seen Ainslee act this way before in my life. I just moved back to the Island two years ago, so we aren’t really that close anymore. But at every function, she is the perfect “Belle.” The “Belles” is a group of Founder’s Island socialites. They are the definition of class and grace, and Ainslee’s mother is their leader.

“Damn! Dove is going to be pissed. She missed all this good tea,” Robin chuckles under her breath. I shake my head with a frown. There is nothing funny about a cussing bride.

Then the unthinkable happens. Jagger picks up Ainslee’s bouquet and throws it at her.

“Holy shi…” Robin doesn’t finish her sentence because my mother turns and glares at her. Now, we may not be “Belles,” but we have home training. And a good Southern Mama like mine will tan our hides if we ever thought we could curse in the house of the Lord.

“Sorry, Mama,” Robin smiles sweetly, and I chuckle.

Before Mama can reply, Ainslee is on Jagger’s back, and they are fighting. He’s dragging her down the aisle and out the door with her screaming and fighting. Everyone is standing with their mouths hanging open at the fuckery that is happening right before our eyes.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Hanlon,” the priest says sarcastically with a shake of his head.

“What in the world?” My mother is clutching her pearls, and my sister and I do our best not to laugh at her. Josephine Bedeau-Bishops’ Creole Southern sensibilities can’t fathom the atrocity of a cussing, fighting, everything but blushing bride.

“This reception is about to be lit,” Robin laughs out loud.

My mother turns to both of us as everyone starts to file out of the church, “If either of you even thinks about pulling some mess like this, it will be your very last day on Earth.” My mother is appalled, and it is funny as hell.

“Yes, Mama,” we say in unison like we did when we were little.

My father hasn’t spoken a word since the wedding started. He takes my mother’s hand and follows behind the rest of the crowd.

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