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“Wade,” Annabel said. “She’s not running to the courthouse today. If they’re going to get married, they’re doing it at the church with a pastor.”
“You guys are nuts. We need to tell her.”
“Just let me get a little more information from my guys. They’re looking into Clark as we speak. And if we can find a connection to Madeline, maybe we can make sure she doesn’t try anything like this ever again.”
Wade’s eyes darted from Shane to Annabel. The man made a good point. And what would it hurt if they waited for a day before they swooped in and rescued Brielle from the villain of this story?
25
Brielle
The last time Brielle was in this position, things had been so different. The first time she got married, it had been on a whim. She’d been pushing against the rules that her father had set out for her.
It had been purely rebellion.
Of course, she’d realized her mistake after the fact. And everything had turned out okay—well, as okay as it could.
Right about now, she really wished she’d just told her father what she’d done and fixed it. At least then, she wouldn’t be in her current mess.
She wrung her hands together tight enough that her skin turned white. Zeke Callahan had changed. He probably wouldn’t bat an eye when she walked into his office to tell him she was going to get married. There was just one problem. She was already married. The ceremony Tad had in mind was purely for show. He wanted her town, her family, even Wade to know they were together.
Brielle continued to stare at the door that would grant her entrance to her father’s office. How many times had she stood right here, worrying about the consequences that her father would dish out?
Too many.
She took in a deep breath and released it, but it didn’t help soothe her battered nerves. Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin and rapped her knuckles on the wooden door.
“Come in,” his voice grumbled.
Brielle took hold of the cool metal knob and turned it. She pushed her way into the office and offered her father a weak smile. “Can we talk?”
He held a piece of paper in his hand, and the glasses he wore only when he was reading were perched on his nose. He looked over the rims at her and his brows furrowed. Great. He knew. She didn’t know how, but her father had figured out what she was about to bring up.
Zeke placed the paper on his desk, then settled back in his seat. He gestured toward the chair that was positioned in front of his desk without a word. Her father had always been intimidating—even to his own daughters. And this moment was no different.
Brielle wished she could tell him everything. She would go all the way back to the beginning and confess to every last bit of what she’d done wrong—and how she needed his help to fix it just like he’d fixed her broken toys when she was a little girl.
Emotion burned at the back of her throat, searing every inch of it with an ache that would likely never disappear. Ironic that she had finally realized just how much she needed him.
But she’d figured it out too late.
Zeke stared at her; his eyes seemed to be hunting the secrets she harbored. He waited, expectantly, full of patience. She’d taken him for granted for the majority of her life.
Brielle let out a heavy sigh and looked down at her hands, shoving away the tears that threatened to make an appearance. She forced a smile. Brides were supposed to be happy. She needed to be happy. “Tad asked me to marry him.”
Her father didn’t respond right away. He lifted one brow, arching it higher than what seemed possible. “Tad.” Zeke looked away, lifting his hand to rub his jaw as he murmured something unintelligible. His fingers scratched at the stubble on his chin and his eyes flitted back to meet hers. “What about Wade Keagan?”
She froze. “Wade?” Her voice was barely a squeak as she uttered Wade’s name. There was no telling how much her father knew about her dating escapades, though she wasn’t surprised he was aware that she’d been spending a lot of time with Wade and Tad as of late. “What about him?”
Zeke shifted in his seat, the old leather cracking with the effort. He placed an elbow on his armrest and then his chin in his hand. His pointer finger tapped his temple, but he didn’t speak right away. That was the worst part, and perhaps the reason so many people disliked being scrutinized by him. He took a deep breath then let it out through his nose. His eyes narrowed and his voice was quiet. “This Tad. You love him?”
Of course he wouldn’t answerherquestion. That would require that he relinquish a little bit of power during this discussion. Brielle opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her instincts to lie her way out of this conversation had finally failed her.
No, she didn’t love Tad. She knew that much. If she had even a small amount of love for him, this might have been an easier burden to bear. Tad didn’t deserve her love. He was the monster she’d left unattended for too long, and now he was back to claim his pound of flesh.
Her eyes dipped to the floor and she said, “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
