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Epilogue
Natalia
“Perfect,” I turned in the mirror to look at the back of the beautiful dress, the white lace dipped low in the back the smooth expanse of my back would be on display and exposed to Gavin’s touch when we danced.
I loved the feel of his hands on my skin, so I thought of him holding me as we at our reception, his hand caressing my back as we swayed across the floor—innocent yet arousing. The dress hugged my curves and teased just enough to tempt my groom.
“You’re exquisite, My Beauty.” I turned sharply at the sound of the voice—Derik. His eyes hungrily raked over my body.
“What are you doing here?” I knew, he was my stalker. He waited for me to come out of hiding—waited until he could find out exactly where I would be.
“I tried to tell you how perfect we were together, Natalia. We could have had it all.” His voice took on an edge that sent shivers down my spine.
What do I do? I asked myself. “I’m sorry, Derik. I fell in love with someone else.”
He ran his fingers through his perfect hair, frustrated with my answer. Derik was getting agitated, and I knew that didn’t bode well for the situation.
“Hey,” I forced a smile, “why don’t you go sit out in the church and stay for the wedding. We’d love to have you here.” ‘Right where Gavin and Elijah can arrest you.’ I added silently.
“This is supposed to be our wedding, Natalia. We were supposed to take the fashion industry by storm, the two of us. The it couple. You ruined my plans.” His voice had risen on the last part of his tirade. I prayed someone heard, and I lucked out because the next thing I knew the locked door splintered as it was kicked in.
Gavin had Derik pressed against the wall, his arm a solid band across the other man’s shoulders. Derik was sobbing and screaming about how I betrayed him. I ruined everything.
I covered my mouth with my hand, fear clutching my stomach in a vice. He was demented, and I was on the verge of puking. How could he think that we were anything to each other? We shot photos together once, and I was retiring from the industry to have a family and a normal life outside of the public eye. I’d accomplished what I wanted to in my professional world, now I wanted to accomplish my goals in my personal life. I wanted a home with Gavin and kids.
Part of me felt sorry for him, he was clearly sick and needed help. Uncle E, handed him over to some Mounties I hadn’t met yet. They were all in their formal, red uniforms that matched Gavin’s.
I loved his formal uniform, when it was just us in the room, he hugged me. “Are you okay, Princess?”
“Relieved, it’s over—truly over.”
“It is. The guys are going to take him into custody, so we can still walk down the aisle. Are you ready?”
I nodded and put Derik out of my mind. Despite him, this was going to be the happiest day of my life. “Yes.”
Gavin gave me a long lingering kiss before he pulled back and kissed my forehead, “I’ll see you at the end of the aisle, Princess. Don’t leave me waiting too long.”
“I’m right behind you, Daddy.”
***
The crowd stood as I approached the back doors of the church, my father held my arm, but we could have been totally alone because all I saw was my Mountie at the end of the aisle with his four-legged best man.
The End
