“The Basilica. 4pm. I’ve got to go.”
“Carmen!”
The line goes dead.
I squat down, my head in my hands, feeling like the ground just shifted beneath my boots. I feel a hole in the pit of my stomach. “Jesus Christ.”
“What’s wrong, brother?” Bandit asks.
“She’s getting married. Today at four.”
“Holy shit.” He glances at his phone. “That’s in less than an hour. What are you gonna do?”
“I love her.” Even as I say the words, I know they don’t hold a candle to the way I feel. It’s gone far beyond love. I’m obsessed with her. She’s the definition of a good girl. Sweet, gentle, soft-spoken. But underneath it all, there’s a wild side to her I’ve awoken. Underneath is a fire that burns scorching hot just for me.
I should stay away.
I should keep my distance.
But I can’t.
“Blue?” Bandit waves a hand in front of me.
“She doesn’t love him. I know she doesn’t. She can’t, because it would break me,” I whisper.
“Then you better do something real quick to stop it, brother.”
“I won’t let anything or anyone come between us. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her walk down that aisle and give herself to another man.”
“How you gonna stop it? It’s not like you can swoop in and carry her out of there. And even if you think that’s exactly what you’re gonna do, you better think a minute, cause taking her would bring consequences.
“I don’t give a damn.” All I want to do is corrupt her and make her mine. Consequences be damned.
In my head, I see me waiting out front of the church on my bike. All she has to do is run out on her wedding and hop on the back with me.
If she’s brave enough.
“Sounds like we have a wedding to stop,” Bandit mutters then walks to the door, pulls it open and whistles.
A minute later my brothers come outside and join Bandit and me. Mauler, Zig, Bagger, and Rio. Rio’s old lady is here too. She squats down in front of me.
“What’s wrong, Blue?”
“His girl’s having his baby and marrying another man at four o’clock. We’re goin’ to stop the wedding. Who’s with us?” Bandit asks.
“That true, Blue?” Rio snaps.
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s go.”
Shelby puts a hand on my shoulder. “Wait. If you’re going to do this, you have to do this right.” She pulls off her ring and holds it to me. “You’ll need a ring. Use this until she picks out one of her own.”
“No way,” Rio barks. “Put that back on.” He hauls me to my feet. “You serious about this girl?”
“Yes.”
“Then we make a stop at the jewelry store in town, and you’ll get her a ring.”
