squeaked, spun around and dashed towards the steps leading back down to the parking lot. He didn’t think, just reacted.
He caught her half way down the steps, her efforts hampered by the heels she wore. She fought like a maniac, legs and arms flying and connecting with his face, neck and shoulders.
He could do nothing but hold onto her. He was surprised at the depth of hurt he felt for her pain, it didn’t matter that she was trying her best to gouge his eyes out.
Finally he had to catch her wrists. She was sobbing and cursing him with every breath she took, he listened and hated himself even more.
“Let go of me, I don’t want to ever see you again,” she screamed, her face contorted with rage.
He closed his eyes against the pain, but nothing would stop him. In a twisted way today had been good for them.
“I can’t do that, Mina. You’re marrying me today.”
Her eyes glowed with impotent fury, she lunged at him, nails bared, he easily restrained her.
“ I will never marry you,” she spat her bosom heaving.
He smiled without warmth.
The pain on her face was terrible to behold and yet … yet he welcomed it. She’d brought so much back to his life. Pursuing her and loving her had coalesced into a new form of hope. He wanted a family again.
Nothing, not even her rage could trump that.
He searched her eyes carefully, waited several moments for her to calm down. “You will marry me now or you’ll never set foot onto another Bronswort property again. You’ll be barred from your home and you and your father will be on the streets before the sun goes down.”
She stopped and searched his eyes. She recoiled from what she saw there, and he knew what that was. The implacable will he’d utilized to become obscenely rich.
His parents’ death, her divisive relationship with her parents made them a good match.
They had both been honed from suffering.
She closed her eyes for a long while, then pulled in several shaky breaths. She tugged her hands from his grip, but not before he felt the fight go out of her.
He released her and watched her walk unsteadily back up the stone steps to the church. Head high, body straight, the only sign of her suffering were her hands, they clutched the lacy hem of her wedding dress in a death grip.
A car roared into the parking lot , the minister popped out and waved cheerily up at him.
He lifted a stiff hand in greeting, then followed his bride-to-be to the church.
Chapter twelve
The moment they were throug h her front door that evening Mina bolted for the stairs, taking them two at a time.
She had to get away from them. Hunter, her father.
They had both betrayed her and she couldn’t stomach the sight of either of them for another second.
Upstairs she slammed her bedroom door with a resounding thud, then stood staring at it, her breath coming in heavy spurts.
She looked around in despair. She couldn’t stay here. That much was clear. She sprinted to her closet and hauled out two carry-ons. Without thought she ransacked her drawers, stuffing whatever came to hand into them.
Minutes later, she slipped her feet into comfortable sandals and sucking in a steadying breath she opened the door and went back downstairs.
Hunter was waiting at the bottom of the stairs , hands crossed against his chest, his broad back to her.
Hermile was nowhere in sight, probably off reveling in finally snagging a loaded son-in-law who would save his precious business. He’d been silent the entire ceremony. She wished he’d had the decency to leave like Desiree before the ceremony began. But he’d stayed to see his master plan go through.
She h eaded for the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Hunter asked blandly as she passed him.
“Away from you, ” Mina hissed.
Hunter sighed and in a blink eliminated the distance between them. He was right in her space.
She stayed put. He’ d have to work harder if he intended to intimidate
He caught her half way down the steps, her efforts hampered by the heels she wore. She fought like a maniac, legs and arms flying and connecting with his face, neck and shoulders.
He could do nothing but hold onto her. He was surprised at the depth of hurt he felt for her pain, it didn’t matter that she was trying her best to gouge his eyes out.
Finally he had to catch her wrists. She was sobbing and cursing him with every breath she took, he listened and hated himself even more.
“Let go of me, I don’t want to ever see you again,” she screamed, her face contorted with rage.
He closed his eyes against the pain, but nothing would stop him. In a twisted way today had been good for them.
“I can’t do that, Mina. You’re marrying me today.”
Her eyes glowed with impotent fury, she lunged at him, nails bared, he easily restrained her.
“ I will never marry you,” she spat her bosom heaving.
He smiled without warmth.
The pain on her face was terrible to behold and yet … yet he welcomed it. She’d brought so much back to his life. Pursuing her and loving her had coalesced into a new form of hope. He wanted a family again.
Nothing, not even her rage could trump that.
He searched her eyes carefully, waited several moments for her to calm down. “You will marry me now or you’ll never set foot onto another Bronswort property again. You’ll be barred from your home and you and your father will be on the streets before the sun goes down.”
She stopped and searched his eyes. She recoiled from what she saw there, and he knew what that was. The implacable will he’d utilized to become obscenely rich.
His parents’ death, her divisive relationship with her parents made them a good match.
They had both been honed from suffering.
She closed her eyes for a long while, then pulled in several shaky breaths. She tugged her hands from his grip, but not before he felt the fight go out of her.
He released her and watched her walk unsteadily back up the stone steps to the church. Head high, body straight, the only sign of her suffering were her hands, they clutched the lacy hem of her wedding dress in a death grip.
A car roared into the parking lot , the minister popped out and waved cheerily up at him.
He lifted a stiff hand in greeting, then followed his bride-to-be to the church.
Chapter twelve
The moment they were throug h her front door that evening Mina bolted for the stairs, taking them two at a time.
She had to get away from them. Hunter, her father.
They had both betrayed her and she couldn’t stomach the sight of either of them for another second.
Upstairs she slammed her bedroom door with a resounding thud, then stood staring at it, her breath coming in heavy spurts.
She looked around in despair. She couldn’t stay here. That much was clear. She sprinted to her closet and hauled out two carry-ons. Without thought she ransacked her drawers, stuffing whatever came to hand into them.
Minutes later, she slipped her feet into comfortable sandals and sucking in a steadying breath she opened the door and went back downstairs.
Hunter was waiting at the bottom of the stairs , hands crossed against his chest, his broad back to her.
Hermile was nowhere in sight, probably off reveling in finally snagging a loaded son-in-law who would save his precious business. He’d been silent the entire ceremony. She wished he’d had the decency to leave like Desiree before the ceremony began. But he’d stayed to see his master plan go through.
She h eaded for the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Hunter asked blandly as she passed him.
“Away from you, ” Mina hissed.
Hunter sighed and in a blink eliminated the distance between them. He was right in her space.
She stayed put. He’ d have to work harder if he intended to intimidate
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