The Wedding Trap (Second Service) (15 page)

"He fell out of bed in the middle of the night." It came out more question than answer.

Isobel stared at her for a second before throwing her hands up in the air.

"Okay, you’re going to tell me what’s really going on here.”

"Isobel," Mrs. Munoz shouted from across the room. "It's time to get your makeup done."

"Right after the ceremony," Isobel said to Beth. She poked her finger into Beth's chest for good measure. "Promise?"

"Promise," Beth said.

A reprieve. Thank God.

Beth shrugged the white beaded sweater over her shoulders. It wasn’t the greatest match, but at least it covered the holes.

“How do I look?” she asked Alex, going to stand in front of him.

"You look great," he said. He looked like he meant it.

"The sweater doesn't make me look too matronly?"

He shook his head. He obviously wasn't in the mood to talk about sweaters. There was something else on his mind.

"We have to go downstairs to meet John. That isn't going to be a problem, is it?”

"I don't think so," she said. "There’s still a little time before we have to make our way to the garden. I'm all ready, so I doubt anyone is going to miss me."

"Good." He laced his fingers with hers as he led her from the room. They walked slowly down the hall, Alex checking every turn and doorway before allowing Beth to pass by.

They found John standing against the balcony doors in the lobby. He looked up as they approached, nodding at Beth.

"You look nice, Miss Bradley."

"Thank you," she said. She had the feeling that a compliment from John was a rare thing indeed.

Beth opened the doors and stepped out on the balcony as Alex and John talked. She wasn’t interested in hearing about more intercepted communications, or how secure the perimeter around the hotel was. All she wanted was half a minute to herself.

Alex didn’t stop her, so she figured she was safe enough. He was just on the other side of the glass door. Besides, a bit of fresh air and quiet was worth the risk.

She went to the railing and looked out over the bay. The wind was calm, the temperature mild. A few puffy white clouds dotted the sky, but nothing threatening. It was a perfect day for a wedding.

Beth offered up a little prayer that everything would go as planned today, and not just because that would mean that she wouldn’t get wheeled from the Kensington in a body bag, but because Isobel deserved a perfect day.

Maybe one day Beth would get a wedding day of her own.

If she lived that long.

Beth looked down at the sound of passing footsteps. And froze.

It was him. Dear God, it was
him
.

The man she had seen in the laundry room. The man who had been with Salvatore. The man who wanted her dead.

Their eyes locked. Beth's fingers curled around the railing. She tried to open her mouth to call out for Alex, for John, for anyone, but nothing came out.

The man stared back, recognition showing in his narrowed eyes. He slipped his hand into his jacket.

He was going for a gun. He was just going to shoot her right here and now. And why not?  She was practically handing him his chance on a silver platter, standing stock-still, waiting patiently to be shot.

A switch turned on inside. She refused to go out quietly.

Beth opened her mouth and screamed. Full-throated and loud as a siren.

The man below her winced. More importantly, he hesitated.

In the space of heartbeat, the balcony doors flew open and Alex was at her side. He grabbed her by the arms and spun her around.

"Are you all right," he asked, looking her up and down for injuries. "What is it?"

"He's here," she said. She couldn't keep her voice from shaking.

"Where?" John asked. His eyes were already scanning the parking lot.

"Down there." Beth pointed to the spot directly under the railing. The man had already disappeared. "He's gone."

"It's all right. We'll find him." Alex said.

Beth shook her head. "He went for a gun. He was going to shoot me. I panicked. I'm sorry."

Alex wrapped his arms around her. "Don't be sorry. You did what you had to do. And it was effective."

Alex pulled her closer to the door, but not all the way inside. John flanked her on the other side.

"I'll alert the team," John said.

"No need," Alex said with a hint of a smile. “I’m sure everyone in a three block radius heard that scream."

Beth smacked him in the shoulder. "I told you I was sorry."

John stared down at the pair of them, confusion on his face. She didn't blame him. She and Alex were a mismatched pair. But whatever was going on between them, it worked.

“I’m taking her back upstairs,” Alex said.

Beth shook her head. "You can't do that."

"Of course I can."

"It’s almost time for the ceremony," she said.

“And you’re missing it.” He pulled her through the doors into the relative safety of the lobby.

“Like hell I am. What good am I to anyone up in our room? I can't identify anyone. I can’t draw anyone out.”

"But I can keep you safe."

“For how long? What happens if this doesn’t end this weekend while I still have the cavalry around me? Do I just go home? Do I go into witness protection?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already promised that I won’t leave you.”

“I don’t want you to be my bodyguard, Alex. I want you to be my lover. Nothing else is going to work.”

John coughed behind them. Beth didn’t so much as blush.

Alex raked a hand through his hair. He looked down at her. His lips were a tight line. He knew as well as she did that what she said was true.

“Now, I am going to be in that wedding, and I am going to help you catch that son of a bitch. So if you want to keep me safe, you better come up with a new plan, and you better do it quick.”

Chapter 13

"You're wearing a vest."

Beth barely had time to react to the object he tossed across the room at her. It landed with a hard thump against her chest.

"Oh come on, Alex. Let's be realistic," she said, lifting up the heavy thing to get a better look at it. It was thick and bulky and jet-black.

"Exactly. I am being realistic, Beth. There is a man out there who wants you dead. He's armed and he's determined. Your choices are wearing that vest or me shoving you in the back of a van and shuttling you clear across the country with me." He didn't sound like he was joking.

Beth gave the vest a good long look. She wasn't going to lie—the last option wasn't without allure. But she had already ruled out running. The same went for hiding. She'd been doing those things most of her life, and if there was one thing that she'd learned, it was that neither really worked out. Lies had a way of catching up with you.

Of course, there wouldn't be much to catch up to if she wound up with a great big hole in her chest.

She flicked her gaze between the vest and Alex. Alex and the vest.

Damn it.

"Okay, help me get into this ridiculous thing."

He pulled down the zipper of the dress and slid on the vest. It was hardly a flattering accessory. It flattened her chest. So much for the expensive push-up bra that she'd splurged on. To hell with the slimming effect of her smoothing undergarments. Right now she had the sexy silhouette of a hospital patient waiting for an x-ray.

The zipper just barely made it up her back. Same with Isobel's sweater. She had to stretch the material to its limit just to button it. Beth risked a look in the mirror.

Damn, she looked like a line backer.

The only upside was there wasn't anytime to think about it. Her phone buzzed and she answered.

"Where the hell are you?” Isobel practically screamed into the phone.

"I'm coming. I'm coming. I still have five minutes. I'll be there, I promise.” She kept the phone on as she ran down the hall to the elevator. Alex matched her step for step.

"You need to tell me what the hell is going on right now, Beth. I'm starting to freak out.” Isobel said on the other end.

"Nothing. Everything is fine," she said breathlessly into the phone. Running with the vest on was almost impossible. It weighed a ton. Her lungs struggled to expand.

"Like hell it is. My parents heard you screaming on the balcony. Jordan saw you running back to your room with Charlie. I don't care about delaying the ceremony if I have to. I just want to know that you're okay."

"I’m fine. I swear. I'll be there in one minute. Two minutes tops."

"You need to put the phone away," Alex said at her side.

"Is that Charlie?” Isobel demanded. "This is because of him, isn’t it? I don't know what you've gotten into with this guy, Beth, but you've got to ditch him."

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can. Just lean back and kick him straight in the—“

Whatever target Isobel had in mind was lost as Alex ripped the phone out of her hands and tossed it over the railing. It disappeared into a blooming azalea bush.

Beth shrieked in alarm.

"I hate that damned phone," he said.

The wedding party was waiting by a copse of trees at the edge of the rose garden. Beth was totally out of breath by the time she reached them. Everyone turned and stared at her like she was crazy.

She'd made it. Just barely, but she'd made it.

Alex tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'll be in the front with John,” he said. “He’s got this place well covered. You’re going to be fine. I'll come and get you the second this is over."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard.

There were a couple of gasps, one loud cough and, after he had pulled away, a whole lot of eye rolling. For the first time since she could remember, none of it bothered her. She had bigger worries.

Isobel started toward her, glaring at Alex.

"You better go," Beth whispered. She didn't want to be the cause of an even bigger scene before the ceremony.

He nodded, but didn’t move. He opened his mouth like he was just about to say something. Something important. But Isobel was there before he could get it out.

"You," she said, looking straight at Alex. “You need to leave.”

“You’re right,” he said. But he didn’t look happy about it. His hand was still linked with hers. She didn't want to pull away. "I won't be far away. I promise."

Isobel waved her hands like she was shooing away a stray dog. "Go," she said.

Alex slowly turned and walked away. It was the first time in three days that she'd been away from him. Three days, but it felt like forever. In a good way. In a way that left her wondering how she ever got this far without him, or how miserable it was going to be to go on without him.

Fortunately, she didn't have much time to dwell on it. Isobel swiveled around, and it was Beth's turn to face her.

Beth gave her a wan smile.

“Beth, I don't know what you think you are doing, but I do know that that guy is nothing but bad news. He—" Isobel's face faded from red to white in an instant as she took in Beth’s dress. "What the hell are you wearing under there?"

"Nothing."

Isobel pulled back the sweater. Her eyes went wide. "Is that a bulletproof vest?"

Beth pressed a finger to her lips. "We'll talk about it later," she said.

"Why on earth are you wearing a bulletproof vest?"

"Later," Beth repeated. “I promise I will explain everything later.

Isobel didn’t look convinced, but Beth was saved when the music started up. Everyone in the wedding procession took their places. Beth found her spot next to Spencer. He looked her up and down and laughed.

"You look like a hot mess, Beth," he said.

Beth smiled as she took his arm. "Go fuck yourself, Spencer."

There wasn’t time for any more pleasantries as they made their way down the aisle. She earned a few odd looks and whispers, but Beth didn’t pay them any mind. She kept her eyes open for the man that she'd seen from the balcony. But he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Neither was Salvatore Munoz.

Alex was there, sitting in the second row. John stood at the edge of the roses, not doing anything to hide his presence. His team was easy enough to spot. They were ones scattered around the perimeter of the garden looking away from the ceremony.

Beth’s attention was pulled away from the crowd as Isobel started her march toward the altar. Her best friend looked more beautiful than ever. Every trace of worry and anger was swept from Isobel’s face the second that her eyes locked on Jordan.

Beth smiled as the strings stopped playing and Isobel's father placed her hand in Jordan's. She felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. Isobel walked up the three gazebo steps to her place in front of the priest. Beth dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of the sweater.

Everything was right. Just as it should be.

“Dearly beloved,” the priest began. Everyone sat.

And Beth was hit.

It came out of nowhere. There was no sound. No slow motion shot of the bullet ripping through the air at her heart. One moment she was fine, ready to bawl her eyes out as her best friend got married, and the next it felt as though someone was bashing her square in the chest with an iron hammer.

Beth crumpled to the ground. She couldn't breathe. She opened her mouth, desperate for air, but nothing happened. No sounds, no screams. Panic took over. She opened her eyes wide, but all she saw was the bright blue blanket of sky above her.

A few blinks later, Alex's face came into view.

She saw him mouth her name, but she couldn’t hear his voice.

Shock, she realized. She was in shock.

There wasn't any comfort to be found in Alex’s face. He looked every bit as panicked as she felt. His fingers ripped at the bodice of her dress, searching for a wound, feeling for blood. He loosened the sides of the vest, and shoved it aside. Some of the pressure left her chest. His hands pulled away clean.

"Look at me, Beth," he said. His voice sounded tinny and far away, but at least she could hear him now.

Her eyes went to his. He cupped his hand around the back of her neck.

"Try to breathe," he said, his voice shaking.

She opened her mouth again, but nothing happened.

"Again," he said.

Nothing.

"You just got the wind knocked out of you," he said. "You're going to be okay."

This time when she tried the air rushed in. And everything else came with it.

She heard the pandemonium that had erupted—shouting and running and chairs being knocked over. She managed to turn her head as Isobel came into view.

"Beth, what happened?" When Beth couldn't answer, she looked at Alex. "Dear God, somebody shot her."

"Everything is under control," Alex said.

"Like hell it is. What is going on?" Isobel screeched. Alex waved his hand and suddenly Jordan was there, wrapping his arms around Isobel's waist.

"We have to get everyone out of here," Alex said to him. Jordan was as white as a sheet, but he nodded. People might not know who Alex was, but they knew to listen to him.

Alex hooked his arm under Beth's back and legs and lifted her up. He started towards the hotel. Most of the crowd had already scattered…except her parents. They were running toward her, tears in her mother's eyes.

"Is she all right?” her mother shouted from a good twenty feet away.

Alex nodded. Her mother rushed over and took her hand, crushing it with a ferocity that surprised her.

"Oh, my baby girl," she said, pushing back her hair. "Who would want to do such a thing to you?"

"I'm going to be okay, Mom." Beth forced the words out. It hurt to talk. Hell, it hurt to breathe.

"I have to get her inside," Alex said, without breaking his stride. "We need to get somewhere secure."

Her mother nodded. "Of course.”

"I can walk," Beth said.

"No, you can't," Alex said, his voice like steel. "You're in shock, Beth. It's going to be a while before you can do anything."

His arms tightened around her as he carried her the rest of the way through the garden.

Her mother never let go of her hand. If she was going to die today, at least she wouldn’t be alone.

***

Alex stopped short as he stepped through the hotel door. The chaos from outside had spilled into the lobby, but the crowd stopped jostling and talking the moment he and Beth came into view.

Alex hesitated. Anyone could be waiting in the crowd with gun in hand to finish the job.

He took a right instead and headed toward the lounge, kicking the glass doors closed behind him.

It wasn't much protection, but he'd take what he could get. He carried Beth to a loveseat against the far wall and laid her down on it. It was early enough in the day that the only other person in there was one very confused bartender prepping for the reception.

He’d known something like this was likely to happen, and he was still shaken all the way to his core.

Mrs. Bradley came running into the room. “I need you to do me a favor,” he told her. “I need you to go out there and find a man named John Ryman. I need you to tell him where we are.”

He gave her John’s description, and she nodded. But he saw all his own fears reflected in her wide eyes. “I don’t want to leave her,” she whispered.

“I understand.” And, dear God, he did. “But we need to get her to a hospital, and John is the only one I trust to make that happen.”

Alex knew that this woman had no reason to trust him. She had no idea who he really was, or what role he played in her daughter’s life. But she didn’t yell, or demand answers. She just looked over his shoulder at Beth.

“It’s okay, Mom. Do what Alex says. He’s here to help,” Beth said in a small voice.

“Alex? I thought his name was Charlie,” Mrs. Bradley said.

“I’ll explain everything later, Mom. I promise.”

Mrs. Bradley nodded and gave Beth one long last look before turning for the door. Alex slid a table in front of the doors as they closed behind her, blocking the way. It wasn’t much protection, but it was the best he could do.

Beth struggled to sit up as he brought her a glass of water. Her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t take the cup. He got down on one knee by her side and held it for her.

Her breath was coming easier now, and her face regaining its color, but not enough to calm him completely. She tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I guess you won the bet,” she said, her voice little more than a horse whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Looks like I’m not going to die today.”

She drew in a deep breath and winced. The impact from the bullet had been enough to bruise the hell out her ribs. They might even be broken. And there was no telling what other injuries she might have. He had to get her to the hospital as soon as possible.