he was seconds a

ett...

nched teeth, each syllable he

control, Sadie reached out an

id softly, her voice trembling. "At the end o

, guilt-stricken face

ed Sadie over and over again-sh

ie had neve

for "taking him away," for e

omeone be t

to her," Sadie whispere

a moment, then fin

stood in fron

g about h

. In their place came

ed you," she said with a sneer. "Honestly,

wed, irritation flick

es," she said flatly. "But don't

curved

ing's in three day

ief

tle the

heart

nd, unease flickered

Scarlett

vanished as qu

her gaze fu

thing," she said with a

rpened, turn

what you do, you'll always be nothing

s is

ther? Mi

y lost, Scarle

the way someone might

htly, her expression

ou're celebrating

t giving up?"

y at James-making sur

r hand and sl

AC

er eyes fill

ault! I shouldn't have taken James from you! I-I didn't mean t

e of disgust watchi

d

ys fools willin

ward, pulling Sa

Are yo

red weakly. "Don't blame

nd tear-streaked face

aring at Scarlett,

?! If you're angry, take it out on m

e drifted lazi

't touc

it?!" James snapped,

t a quiet, almo

n pro

ve

roze, confusion flashi

hing like that

er of them

raised

h

AC

shed out l

ct was e

mbling in circles before crashing h

l into compl

swelled almost instantly, t

opened

pour

th sever

d utterly

Scarlett in shoc

zen, his mind c

had e

t would actu

inly not

silence, Scarlett

d lightly. "That's what it lo

sisted on

'd make

just

rget

ds trembled

o apologize

et out a s

di

at, he still

er sparing him

er heel, she

oared, lunging forward and

stopped

es dar

harp. D

, she shifted slightly-eff

she m

a

his wrist,

smooth

m over her

n a clean arc before slammin

a

ing crac

hed from

e drained o

cted James t

.. t

oward Scarlett, disbelief

was she t

is feet, wiping the

looked at S

ure h

ed her fist, a wild gr

Want

a step

away-again and again-putt

t out a moc

the

through him, but

fter

walked toward the ca

ck, she lifted a h

he wedding in

have time t

eople she ne

ptive p

brot

e y

en five l

mn

h so hard it felt lik

one standing above ev

to

umiliated lik

only

airport with his father to

to force Scarlett to s

at did

th

ed ever

cause

rle

ession d

i

how up at the wedd

rf

e she paid fo

terrifying strengt

need

s t

ake he

e

.

ugh the rearview mirror. She had changed into c

to, Com

ied calmly. "And from now on, call me

erst

t t

denly ran i

hi

ked the wh

barely avoiding t

d open, her hand gripp

happ

d ran

she pushed the door

ground ahead, struggl

ut four or fi

asked, hurrying over and

h

fr

oy's

look so muc

d's eyes

t her, brig

econds, he

wly, unc

.Mo