"You're wearing a vest."
Beth barely had time to react to the object he tossed across the room at her. It landed
with a hard thump against her chest.
"Oh come on, Alex. Let's be realistic," she said, lifting up the heavy thing to get a
better look at it. It was thick and bulky and jet-black.
"Exactly. I am being realistic, Beth. There is a man out there who wants you dead.
He's armed and he's determined. Your choices are wearing that vest or me shoving you in
the back of a van and shuttling you clear across the country with me." He didn't sound
like he was joking.
Beth gave the vest a good long look. She wasn't going to lie—the last option wasn't
without allure. But she had already ruled out running. The same went for hiding. She'd
been doing those things most of her life, and if there was one thing that she'd learned, it
was that neither really worked out. Lies had a way of catching up with you.
Of course, there wouldn't be much to catch up to if she wound up with a great big
hole in her chest.
She flicked her gaze between the vest and Alex. Alex and the vest.
Damn it.
"Okay, help me get into this ridiculous thing."
He pulled down the zipper of the dress and slid on the vest. It was hardly a flattering
accessory. It flattened her chest. So much for the expensive push-up bra that she'd
splurged on. To hell with the slimming effect of her smoothing undergarments. Right
now she had the sexy silhouette of a hospital patient waiting for an x-ray.
The zipper just barely made it up her back. Same with Isobel's sweater. She had to
stretch the material to its limit just to button it. Beth risked a look in the mirror.
Damn, she looked like a linebacker.
The only upside was there wasn't any time to think about it. Her phone buzzed and
she answered.
"Where the hell are you?" Isobel practically screamed into the phone.
"I'm coming. I'm coming. I still have five minutes. I'll be there, I promise." She kept
the phone on as she ran down the hall to the elevator. Alex matched her step for step.
"You need to tell me what the hell is going on right now, Beth. I'm starting to freak
out," Isobel said on the other end.
"Nothing. Everything is fine," she said breathlessly into the phone. Running with the
vest on was almost impossible. It weighed a ton. Her lungs struggled to expand.
"Like hell it is. My parents heard you screaming on the balcony. Jordan saw you
running back to your room with Charlie. I don't care about delaying the ceremony if I
have to. I just want to know that you're okay."
"I'm fine. I swear. I'll be there in one minute. Two minutes tops."
"You need to put the phone away," Alex said at her side.
"Is that Charlie?" Isobel demanded. "This is because of him, isn't it? I don't know
what you've gotten into with this guy, Beth, but you've got to ditch him."
"I can't do that."
"Of course you can. Just lean back and kick him straight in the—"
Whatever target Isobel had in mind was lost as Alex ripped the phone out of her
hands and tossed it over the railing. It disappeared into a blooming azalea bush.
Beth shrieked in alarm.
"I hate that damned phone," he said.
The wedding party was waiting by a copse of trees at the edge of the Rose Garden.
Beth was totally out of breath by the time she reached them. Everyone turned and stared
at her like she was crazy.
She'd made it. Just barely, but she'd made it.
Alex tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'll be in the front with John," he said. "He's got this place well covered. You're
going to be fine. I'll come and get you the second this is over."
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard.
There were a couple of gasps, one loud cough and, after he had pulled away, a whole
lot of eye rolling. For the first time since she could remember, none of it bothered her.
She had bigger worries.
Isobel started toward her, glaring at Alex.
"You better go," Beth whispered. She didn't want to be the cause of an even bigger
scene before the ceremony.
He nodded, but didn't move. He opened his mouth like he was just about to say
something. Something important. But Isobel was there before he could get it out.
"You," she said, looking straight at Alex. "You need to leave."
"You're right," he said. But he didn't look happy about it. His hand was still linked
with hers. She didn't want to pull away. "I won't be far away. I promise."
Isobel waved her hands like she was shooing away a stray dog. "Go," she said.
Alex slowly turned and walked away. It was the first time in three days that she'd
been away from him. Three days, but it felt like forever. In a good way. In a way that left
her wondering how she ever got this far without him, or how miserable it was going to be
to go on without him.
Fortunately, she didn't have much time to dwell on it. Isobel swiveled around, and it
was Beth's turn to face her.
Beth gave her a wan smile.
"Beth, I don't know what you think you are doing, but I do know that that guy is
nothing but bad news. He—" Isobel's face faded from red to white in an instant as she
took in Beth's dress. "What the hell are you wearing under there?"
"Nothing."
Isobel pulled back the sweater. Her eyes went wide. "Is that a bulletproof vest?"
Beth pressed a finger to her lips. "We'll talk about it later," she said.
"Why on earth are you wearing a bulletproof vest?"
"Later," Beth repeated. "I promise I will explain everything later."
Isobel didn't look convinced, but Beth was saved when the music started up.
Everyone in the wedding procession took their places. Beth found her spot next to
Spencer. He looked her up and down and laughed.
"You look like a hot mess, Beth," he said.
Beth smiled as she took his arm. "Go fuck yourself, Spencer."
There wasn't time for any more pleasantries as they made their way down the aisle.
She earned a few odd looks and whispers, but Beth didn't pay them any mind. She kept
her eyes open for the man that she'd seen from the balcony. But he wasn't anywhere to be
seen. Neither was Salvatore Munoz.
Alex was there, sitting in the second row. John stood at the edge of the roses, not
doing anything to hide his presence. His team was easy enough to spot. They were the
ones scattered around the perimeter of the garden looking away from the ceremony.
Beth's attention was pulled away from the crowd as Isobel started her march toward
the altar. Her best friend looked more beautiful than ever. Every trace of worry and anger
was swept from Isobel's face the second that her eyes locked on Jordan.
Beth smiled as the strings stopped playing and Isobel's father placed her hand in
Jordan's. She felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. Isobel walked up the three gazebo
steps to her place in front of the priest. Beth dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of the
sweater.
Everything was right. Just as it should be.
"Dearly beloved," the priest began. Everyone sat.
And Beth was hit.
It came out of nowhere. There was no sound. No slow motion shot of the bullet
ripping through the air at her heart. One moment she was fine, ready to bawl her eyes out
as her best friend got married, and the next it felt as though someone was bashing her
square in the chest with an iron hammer.
Beth crumpled to the ground. She couldn't breathe. She opened her mouth, desperate
for air, but nothing happened. No sounds, no screams. Panic took over. She opened her
eyes wide, but all she saw was the bright blue blanket of sky above her.
A few blinks later, Alex's face came into view.
She saw him mouth her name, but she couldn't hear his voice.
Shock, she realized. She was in shock.
There wasn't any comfort to be found in Alex's face. He looked every bit as
panicked as she felt. His fingers ripped at the bodice of her dress, searching for a wound,
feeling for blood. He loosened the sides of the vest, and shoved it aside. Some of the
pressure left her chest. His hands pulled away clean.
"Look at me, Beth," he said. His voice sounded tinny and far away, but at least she
could hear him now.
Her eyes went to his. He cupped his hand around the back of her neck.
"Try to breathe," he said, his voice shaking.
She opened her mouth again, but nothing happened.
"Again," he said.
Nothing.
"You just got the wind knocked out of you," he said. "You're going to be okay."
This time when she tried, the air rushed in. And everything else came with it.
She heard the pandemonium that had erupted—shouting and running and chairs
being knocked over. She managed to turn her head as Isobel came into view.
"Beth, what happened?" When Beth couldn't answer, she looked at Alex. "Dear God,
somebody shot her."
"Everything is under control," Alex said.
"Like hell it is. What is going on?" Isobel screeched. Alex waved his hand and
suddenly Jordan was there, wrapping his arms around Isobel's waist.
"We have to get everyone out of here," Alex said to him. Jordan was as white as a
sheet, but he nodded. People might not know who Alex was, but they knew to listen to
him.
Alex hooked his arms under Beth's back and legs and lifted her up. He started toward
the hotel. Most of the crowd had already scattered…except her parents. They were
running toward her, tears in her mother's eyes.
"Is she all right?" her mother shouted from a good twenty feet away.
Alex nodded. Her mother rushed over and took her hand, crushing it with a ferocity
that surprised her.
"Oh, my baby girl," she said, pushing back her hair. "Who would want to do such a
thing to you?"
"I'm going to be okay, Mom." Beth forced the words out. It hurt to talk. Hell, it hurt
to breathe.
"I have to get her inside," Alex said, without breaking his stride. "We need to get
somewhere secure."
Her mother nodded. "Of course."
"I can walk," Beth said.
"No, you can't," Alex said, his voice like steel. "You're in shock, Beth. It's going to
be a while before you can do anything."
His arms tightened around her as he carried her the rest of the way through the
garden.
Her mother never let go of her hand. If she was going to die today, at least she
wouldn't be alone.
***
Alex stopped short as he stepped through the hotel door. The chaos from outside had
spilled into the lobby, but the crowd stopped jostling and talking the moment he and Beth
came into view.
Alex hesitated. Anyone could be waiting in the crowd with gun in hand to finish the
job.
He took a right instead and headed toward the lounge, kicking the glass doors closed
behind him.
It wasn't much protection, but he'd take what he could get. He carried Beth to a
loveseat against the far wall and laid her down on it. It was early enough in the day that the only other person in there was one very confused bartender prepping for the reception.
He'd known something like this was likely to happen, and he was still shaken all the way to his core.
Mrs. Bradley came running into the room. "I need you to do me a favor," he told her.
"I need you to go out there and find a man named John Ryman. I need you to tell him
where we are."
He gave her John's description, and she nodded. But he saw all his own fears
reflected in her wide eyes. "I don't want to leave her," she whispered.
"I understand." And, dear God, he did. "But we need to get her to a hospital, and John is the only one I trust to make that happen."
Alex knew that this woman had no reason to trust him. She had no idea who he
really was, or what role he played in her daughter's life. But she didn't yell, or demand answers. She just looked over his shoulder at Beth.
"It's okay, Mom. Do what Alex says. He's here to help," Beth said in a small voice.
"Alex? I thought his name was Charlie," Mrs. Bradley said.
"I'll explain everything later, Mom. I promise."
Mrs. Bradley nodded and gave Beth one long last look before turning for the door.
Alex slid a table in front of the doors as they closed behind her, blocking the way. It wasn't much protection, but it was the best he could do.
Beth struggled to sit up as he brought her a glass of water. Her hands were shaking so badly she couldn't take the cup. He got down on one knee by her side and held it for her.
Her breath was coming easier now, and her face regaining its color, but not enough to calm him completely. She tried to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"I guess you won the bet," she said, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Looks like I'm not going to die today."
She drew in a deep breath and winced. The impact from the bullet had been enough
to bruise the hell out of her ribs. They might even be broken. And there was no telling what other injuries she might have. He had to get her to the hospital as soon as possible.
But first he was going to have to wait for John's team to clear out the area. He wouldn't be taking any more chances with her life.
Never again.
Alex pushed back her hair and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. At least he meant it to be gentle, but there were too many emotions warring inside his chest—fear, relief, guilt—and he might have pressed a little harder than he intended.
"That's not funny," he whispered against her ear.
"Come on," she said again. With every breath he could see her getting stronger. "It was a little funny."
He smiled despite himself. She was starting to sound like herself again. It was a good sign. It meant that the worst of the shock was starting to fade.
She tried to sit up, but he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You need to lie down."
"But I'm feeling better, I swear."
"It's just the adrenaline. You're going to be twice as shaky when it fades."
She gave him a glare before slumping back down against the cushions. "Okay."
"Anyway, there's nowhere to go. Not until John gets here."
He knelt at her side, stroked her hair back, and stared into her eyes.
"Is something wrong?" Beth asked after a minute of silence.
"Not anymore."
"But your hand is shaking," Beth said. She'd never sounded so surprised.
He laughed a little. "Of course, it is. For a minute there I thought that I'd lost the woman I love."
Beth's eyes widened. "Love? You love me?"
"Madly," he said.
Now she was the one that was shaking.
"So you're not leaving after all of this is over with?" she asked.
"I can't promise that," he said. "But if I have to go, I'd like you to come with me."
"I'd like that too." Her voice wasn't so little anymore. He pressed his lips to hers, but had to break the kiss a moment later when there was a hard rap on the glass door.
John was standing on the other side. He didn't look too happy. A small crowd of onlookers peeked around him.
Alex slid the table away and let him in.
"We lost him," John wasted no time saying. "There's no trace of the shooter."
"How could that happen?" Alex demanded. "You said you had every inch of these grounds covered."
"I thought we did. Your guy found the only place that we didn't."
Alex cursed and hit the table in front of him. He didn't want to tell Beth that they'd failed. That she'd taken a shot to the chest for nothing. That she was still in danger.
"The only good news is there's no sign of anyone leaving. If he's still here, we'll catch him," John insisted.
Alex didn't want to hear it. He was done with promises. He would catch this son-of- a -bitch on his own if he had to. Then he would gut him. Simple as that.
Alex had only taken a single step when the sound of an opening door caught his attention. The side door that led to the service hallway swung open. He hadn't secured it.
He'd forgotten all about it. Salvatore Munoz leaned out from the hallway.
Alex had barely curled his fingers around the gun at his waist when the shot was fired. Munoz ducked back behind the door. Alex pulled his weapon and wasted no time returning fire. John was right behind him. They dove behind a table.
Beth shrieked at the sounds of the shots. The crowd outside the glass doors scattered.
Pandemonium exploded in the hallway as people tumbled over themselves to get to safety.
Alex looked over his shoulder at Beth. "You have to get out of here," he shouted.
"Go to the room. Get my gun out of the closet and shoot anyone who comes to the door who isn't me. John and I will cover you."
Beth struggled to stand. Her legs were still wobbly, but she managed. Alex and John both unloaded their clips as she ran for the door. She fumbled with the lock, but made it out.
He prayed to God that he'd made the right decision.
***
Beth stumbled into the lobby. Her legs felt like rubber bands beneath her, but there was enough adrenaline running through her system to keep her upright.
The lobby was mostly empty. There were still a few people huddled around the far
door, some pushing and shoving to get out, others trying to sneak one last look. She didn't recognize anyone.
Good, that meant that everyone she cared about was far away and out of danger.
Beth tried the door to the stairs but it wouldn't budge.
Crap. Somebody had probably panicked and locked it as they went in there for cover.
Beth went to the elevator and pressed the button. Miracle of miracles, the doors opened immediately. She stepped inside.
She drew in a deep breath, her first since she'd been shot. She was letting it out when
she realized that someone had slipped in behind her just before the elevator doors slide closed.
Beth spun around and came face to face with the man who wanted to kill her.