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He moves his lips from side to side. “That’s where you’re wrong. You do this and you’re taking it back.”
As the music gets louder and louder, I know that Madison is seconds away from making the biggest mistake of her life.
I’ve traveled over one hundred miles to see her, and I haven’t even told her everything I came here to say. Until I have, until I really try, then I can’t give up. I saw it in her eyes. I felt it on her skin. I heard it in her breathless whispers. She still loves me.
And I’m not leaving until she tells me otherwise.
My father didn’t raise a coward. And my mother didn’t raise a bastard. They taught me to fight for what I want, and I want…I’ve always wanted Madison Roberts.
“That’s my boy.” Hunter grins, slapping me on the back as I stampede past him and sprint around the corner.
The moment I see Madison is halfway down the aisle, my senses kick in, and I run like a star quarterback juiced up on his daily fix. I don’t care that a hundred sets of eyes are on me as I sprint toward the red carpet. All I care about is…
“Madison!” I stop running, suddenly terrified to take another step.
She comes to an abrupt stop, her bare feet digging into the carpet. She slowly looks around at the bewildered crowd, knowing that she indeed heard what she thought she did.
Turn around, I silently will her.
And she does.
She spins around gradually, as we both know what will happen when she does. Her eyes meet mine, a look of confusion, anger, and a hint of relief speckled in their depths. “Dixon…what?”
But I don’t allow her to finish. She’s done enough talking, and now, it’s my turn. I’m about to tell the entire world something I should have done the moment she left me.
“I object!”
Love makes you do stupid things. I should know. I’ve participated in my fair share of stupidity over the years, but stopping Maddy from walking down that aisle isn’t one of them. This is the best kind of stupid.
The curious guests turn to look at one another, hushed whispers filling the air, asking exactly what I object to. But Maddy and I never break our connection because she knows shit is about to get real.
“Dixon…”
I storm forward, not allowing her to say a single word. “It’s my turn to talk.” She doesn’t argue.
“Madison, I—” The pianist is still playing loudly, drowning out my confession. I turn to her. “Can it, sister!” The last note sounds like a strangled cry for help.
We have everyone’s attention, but I don’t care. I’m not ashamed of how I feel. “Madison, I’m sorry. I think I’ll forever be saying sorry because I’m not perfect. I know I’m impulsive, stubborn, impatient, and most of the time, insanely jealous. But I’m also loyal, faithful, and completely and utterly…in love with you.”
The guests gasp while Maddy’s eyes dampen.
“I can’t guarantee that I won’t fuck up again, but I can guarantee that I’ll love, honor, and cherish you for the rest of my life. These past nine months have been hell, but I’m glad they happened. I’ve finally become the man I’ve always wanted to be, and that’s because of you.”
Unfastening my bow tie and opening up the top button of my shirt, I reach inside and yank out my chain. “I’ve found the journey I want to be on. And that’s the journey with you. I want you to know that I will always be your home. No matter how far you roam, I’ll always be here, waiting for you to come home,” I conclude, reciting the same words I said to her in Rome.
She covers her mouth, muting her cries, but the stream of tears betrays her anguish. I can only hope they are happy tears.
For some unknown reason, Hunter chooses this moment to intervene. “Ah, Dix. Can I have a word?”
Seriously? He wants to talknow? I ignore him, my eyes never leaving Maddy’s. “I love you, Madison. I never stopped. Therefore, I can’t stand by andlet you make the biggest mistake of your life.”
She wipes her eyes, sniffing. “Mistake?”
“Yes. I can’t—”
“Dude, seriously, we need to talk.”
“Not now, Hunter!” I snap, spinning on my heel to look at him. “I need to tell Madison she can’t go through with this.”
