Page 136 of The Betrothal

“Before God and these witnesses,” I repeated. “I promise to love you–”

My words were cut short by the sound of crashing coming from the foyer, echoing loud through the vaulted church.

“My apologies!” The priest waved towards the direction of the noise and he raised his voice in an attempt to bring the attention back to the service, his face now glowing with embarrassment. “Please continue, Isabelle.”

I sought the words out, Teddy’s grip on my hands now punishing.

“I promise to love you, to cherish you, to protect you, to be faithful to you and to obey you.”

The doors to the foyer flew open and everyone twisted to look, me included. The motion made my head spin too fast, my vision refusing to settle on the figures that stood there, or maybe figure.

The faces of the people split and merged, my leg buckled beneath me. Teddy clutched me to him to prevent me falling.

“Stop!” the man called out. “I will speak with Edmund Blackthorne.”

The priest spluttered.

“Sir, this is not the time, you are interrupting a wedding!” he scolded. “Remove yourself from this room.”

More men appeared behind the man, or men, in the doorway, several others moving from positions at the back corner of the church to intercept them. There could have been a few or a dozen.

“But that’s exactly the point, sir,” the intruder replied. “I’d rather discuss this privately, with Edmund.”

My father stood at the second demand, clearing his throat. “I do not know you, and you are interrupting a private ceremony. Leave or be removed.”

The figure at the back of the room stepped forwards.

“Okay, I’ll gladly leave. If you’ll just allow me to collect my wife, then I’ll be on my way.” Footsteps approached, the voice clearing in my head.

“Alex?” I mumbled.

A low snarl rumbled in Teddy’s chest beneath where he clutched my head to him.

“Sebastian, please collect Isabelle.”

A dark figure strode towards me, his form crystallising into a body the closer he came, a swaying body, but a body, nonetheless.

“She is no-one’s wife, she is unwed.” My father was unmistakeably angry now.

Murmurs of confusion, mixed with entertainment, were breaking out across the church.

“Incorrect, she was wed to me less than a week ago,” Alex argued.

“Alex!” Sebastian was both stationary and fluid at the base of the steps below me. “We’ve got a problem.” His voice quietened. “Killer?”

I whimpered.

“Come here, honey,” Seb coaxed, reaching for me.

The sound of a scuffle at the entrance of the room had drawn almost all attention from where Teddy and I stood.

I pulled against Teddy’s hold, but he only tightened his grip.

“Teddy!” Sophie’s voice entered the fray.

The commotion ended with the thud of flesh on flesh, then footsteps pounding down the aisle towards us brought the huge frame and furious frown of Alex into my swimming vision.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” my father called out.