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Sound slowly returned. The judge was yelling and the courtroom door flew open. More police swarmed in with their guns drawn. Madden began moving us toward the open door, still shielding me from the other side of the room.
“Wait,” I said, twisting around in his grasp. His face was pale and his jaw looked chiseled from stone. I met his stormy gaze. “Am I shot?”
“What?” He jerked and held me out at arm’s length while his frantic stare moved over my body.
“I heard a shot,” I said hoarsely.
His shoulders relaxed instantly and he pulled me against his chest. “The deputy shot Jacob when he pointed the gun at you. He went down then tried again, but they got him the second time. He’s dead Skylar. It’s over for good now.”
I should have felt something besides relief, but nothing came. I was free. Really and truly free. I wrapped my arms around Madden and buried my face in his neck. “Can we go home now?” I asked.
He kissed my temple then we walked out of the courtroom side by side.
Epilogue
“Do you Madden Alexander Cross take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the minister asked.
Madden looked at me, his eyes bring with emotion. “I do.”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. We stood in the backyard of Madden’s home six weeks after her proposed, in our home, with a small crowd of friends and family watching us exchange vows.
Once the story had broken about Madden, he decided that he needed to fully reconcile with his past. He found his mother who had since sobered up and was a nurse’s aid in Oregon. She’d remarried and she had not stopped crying or apologizing since he had them flown to Boston.
She’d followed his success over the years and had wanted to reach out, but after being such a horrible parent, she thought he was better without her. Tears filled my eyes every time I saw her watching him with so much pride that she glowed with it.
Company executives and their wives looked on with smiles on their faces. I expected to be ignored or shunned or any number of things that the rich do when a poor person infringes upon their circles when we were all introduced, but it never happened.
They had made me feel welcome from the moment they arrived.
Many more people from the company sat in the chairs facing us. People I had met as they arrived in a whirlwind of names and congratulations and well wishes. It was obvious that Madden was a well-liked and respected boss.
I glanced at the front row where Lindsay sat, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She represented my family and that was okay. My father had another five years on his sentence and my mother was nowhere to be found, though Madden had tried.
My only regret was that Gran wasn’t there to see me walk down the aisle. I knew that she’d approve of Madden.
“Do you Skylar Ella Kinsey take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” the minister asked me. I stared up at the most amazing man I had ever met. Tears filled my eyes. “I do.”
I never thought I could be this happy. Half a year ago my life looked so very different. I had accepted how it would be. Who knew that one moment of courage could have led to my happily ever after.
As soon as the minister said, “you may kiss the bride,” Madden had me bent back over one of his arms and he was kissing me like he’d never get enough. People in the crowd whooped and clapped. When he finally stood me upright, my face was red and my heart threatened to beat right out of my chest.
And I could not stop smiling.
“May I present Mr. and Mrs. Madden Cross,” the minister shouted. “May your life be full of happiness and love.”
I took Madden’s hand and together, we walked back down the aisle, now husband and wife.
* * *
“You took my breath away when you came down the aisle, but right now, right this moment, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
I stood on the threshold of our bedroom wearing a long nightgown made entirely of black lace. A slit ran up the side and ended at my hip. The front dipped down low and formed a V that ended just above my naval. The material slashed down across my barely covered bre**asts and Madden had not taken his eyes off them since I walked into the room.
When he finally lifted his gaze, the love that shone from his eyes took my breath away.
“I am the luckiest man on earth,” he said, reaching for me.
I slipped my hand into his and he led me to the bed. It would be the first time we made love as husband and wife and I was strangely nervous. I already knew we had this part down very well, but something about getting into bed with the man you pledged your life to only hours earlier made it real.
“I love you,” I said.
