Adrenaline (Speed #2) (36 page)

Janet cleared her throat and said, “Okay, Landon and Sophie will be going first, then Adaline, followed by Annie.”

Glancing back to me, she flashed a huge smile. “Don’t trip!”

I moaned and said, “Oh, why did you say that!”

Elizabeth wrapped her arm around me tighter as I felt the tears threatening as I thought about when I asked her to walk me down the aisle. I’d never seen her cry before that day.

Janet gave me a wink and said, “I’ll motion when it’s time for you and Elizabeth to start walking.”

“Got it,” Elizabeth said in a chipper voice.

The music started and I watched Sophie guide Landon through the doors. My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it. The sound of the guitar playing “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” warmed my heart. As a little girl I used to dream that song would be played during my wedding.

As I stood off to the side, I watched as Adaline began walking. Annie turned and smiled before she started walking. The violins played as I looked at Elizabeth.

“I’m scared.”

She smiled warmly and said, “You’re not scared. You’re nervous.”

“It’s the same thing.”

With a light chuckle she said, “There is a very big difference.”

Janet nodded and Elizabeth and I moved into position. Swallowing hard, I watched everyone stand and look directly at me.

“Okay, now I’m scared and nervous!” I said as Elizabeth grinned bigger.

“Paislie.”

My heart dropped at the sound of my father’s voice. Turning, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“Shut the doors, Janet,” Elizabeth said. “Let everyone know everything is okay; we just need a few moments.”

The tightening in my chest was causing me to have a hard time breathing.
What in the hell is my father doing at my wedding?

“You’re not welcome here, Mr. Pruitt, and I kindly ask that you leave please.”

I was stunned at how calm Elizabeth sounded.

An evil smile spread over his face. “Oh, I have no intention of missing my little girl’s wedding. How much did that dress cost, pumpkin?”

With a quick glance at my dress, my head snapped back to him. “I think if you want this day to go off without a hitch, you’ll spread the wealth.”

“You unbelievable evil man. You’re actually standing here bribing your daughter before her own wedding!”

“Sister, why don’t you for once keep your habit out of my families business?”

Elizabeth walked up to my father and stood directly in front of him. “The day you dropped Paislie off at St. Patrick’s, you gave up any right to call her your family. She is my family. Our family here at the church, so why don’t you just take a few steps back and leave before I have you thrown out on your . . . on your . . . on your ass!”

I gasped when I heard Elizabeth curse. My father was as stunned as I, but what happened next I was pretty sure neither of us was expecting.

Pushing Elizabeth out of the way, he said, “Get out of my way, you bitch.” Elizabeth spun around and stepped back in front of him and punched him square in the jaw.

Not being able to hold the scream back, the doors opened and Father Tim came rushing out as Janet shut the doors and walked over to me. Father Tim quickly walked up to Elizabeth and pulled her close to him.

“Elizabeth, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head and took a few steps away from him. “I’m fine, but Father forgive me for I have sinned.” They both turned and looked at my father holding his chin.

“She hit me! She called me an ass and then hit me!”

Father Tim took my dad by the arm and pulled him toward the door. I quickly turned to Elizabeth.

“Where in the heck did you learn to punch like that?”

She shrugged and said, “I took a class on self-defense.”

Janet attempted to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

Letting out a gasp, I took her hand in mine. “It’s swelling up.”

She brushed it off like it was nothing. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it after the wedding.”

Father Tim walked up to us and blew out a breath. “Okay, let’s try this again. Let me head back down and let your worried fiancé know everything is okay. Once the music starts, please open the door and let’s pick up where we left off.”

My heart was still pounding, but everyone else acted like what had just happened wasn’t that big of a deal as my eyes bounced between them all.

A few moments later, the music started, the doors opened and I my eyes were pierced by the bluest of blue. “Malcolm,” I whispered as I let my gaze move across his body. He was dressed in a black suit and a white tie.

“He looks amazing,” I said with a wide smile.

Elizabeth replied, “He certainly does.”

I tried to pull my eyes from him to smile at our guests, but I couldn’t. I was in a trance and I never wanted him to stop looking at me like he was that very moment.

When we finally made it to him I heard nothing but the sound of his breathing and mine. “Is everything okay?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“Everything is perfect,” I responded.

After Elizabeth placed my hand in Malcolm’s, we turned and made our way to the altar. The next forty minutes was a total blur. The moment Father Tim announced us as Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Wallace, I couldn’t contain my tears. Pressing his lips to mine, I lost myself in Malcolm’s kiss as the entire church erupted in cheers.

When we started down the aisle, I smiled and waved to friends and family, as well as complete strangers who knew Malcolm either from racing or were distant relatives. The thought of meeting all those people at the reception seemed daunting.

Walking out the door of the church, I sucked in a breath when I saw the Rolls Royce Phantom car parked out front. After quickly searching for my father, I breathed a sigh of relief when we finally slipped into the car and drove off.

My head was spinning from the two different emotions swimming in my head. Happiness and shear fear that my father would be waiting outside the church for us.

Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing down.

“Are you going to tell me what happened back there at the church so I don’t wonder for the rest of my life if you had second thoughts about marrying me?”

I snapped my head up and looked into Malcolm’s eyes. “I’ve never once had second thoughts. It wasn’t anything like that.”

He let out the breath he had been holding as I took his hand in mine.

Knowing he was going to be angry, I braced myself for his response.

“My father was at the church. He tried to bribe me into giving him money, but it didn’t work and he was removed from the church.”

I’d never seen Malcolm look so angry.

Pulling out his phone, he hit a number. “You have some explaining to do. He showed up at the church.”

My mouth fell open as I sucked in a breath.

What in the hell was going on, and who in the hell was Malcolm talking to?

I COULD SEE PAISLIE STARING
at me from the corner of my eye as I lit into Kathleen.

“I want you to find out how he slipped by and make sure it doesn’t happen at the reception. Yes, there will be security. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure they know.”

Hitting End, I pushed my phone into my pants and took in a deep breath. I could feel her eyes burning into my body.

“You had my father followed? Why?”

Trying to calm myself down, I took a few more breaths and turned to her. “For this very reason. I didn’t want him showing up asking you for money. I figured as soon as he found out you were marrying me, he’d start trying to contact you. I never dreamed he would actually show up at the church.”

She frowned and I braced for her to lay into me. “Well he did, so whoever you were paying did a shitty job tracking him. Did I mention Elizabeth punched him?”

“Wait, you’re not mad at me?”

Paislie let out a snicker. “Why in the world would I be mad at you? I think it’s sweet you were looking out for me like that. You’ll never know what it felt like to hear his voice when I was moments away from walking down the aisle.”

“I swear to you, Paislie, I’ll never let him near you again.”

Her smile was soft and sweet. “I appreciate you wanting to protect me, but I’ve handled my father my whole life. There was one moment I was caught off guard and that moment was today. It will never happen again.”

I shook my head. “What if he keeps trying to get money from you? I mean, if he tried to bribe you today, who’s to say he won’t try again.”

“Oh he will; I’m sure of it. I’m guessing he is already trying to sell the story of how you married a poor girl from Dallas whose father was a drug addict and dumped her off at an orphanage.”

Anger built up in my veins as I balled my fists together thinking about how her father would do something like that to her. Paislie placed her hand on my arm and gave me a gentle squeeze. “Malcolm, I’m not ashamed of where I come from. It made me who I am today. I have nothing to hide so I don’t care what he tries to do. As long as I know you’ll be by my side, there isn’t anything I can’t handle.”

Her soft expression left me breathless. Paislie was the strongest, most forgiving woman I’d ever met. “Do you know how amazing you are?” I asked as I put my hand around her neck and pulled her closer to me.

“I think you may have to show me.”

A low growl came from the back of my throat. “Baby, if I showed you your hair would be a mess, your dress wrinkled and you’d have my cum running down your leg as we greeted our guest at our reception.”

With wide eyes, Paislie moved about in her seat. The desire I felt for her was uncontrollable.

“I’m willing to take the risk.” Leaning over closer to me, she whispered, “Besides, I’m not wearing any panties.”

My mouth snapped shut and my cock throbbed. “You want to kill me before our wedding night?”

Opening her mouth, she bit down on her finger and slowly nodded her head before saying, “I just want a preview . . . that’s all.”

My eyes looked over to the driver. “Phil, we need to make a quick stop before we head to the reception.”

Nodding his head, he asked, “Where to, sir?”

“It’s my wedding day and my wife wants a preview.”

Peeking over to Paislie, her face flushed.

“The Ritz please, Phil.”

“Yes, sir.”

The damn console separating us was driving me insane as I pictured Paislie soaking wet under that dress.

“The Ritz-Carlton, sir. Shall I . . . um . . . wait?”

The doorman opened the door and helped Paislie out as she dropped her bouquet in the seat.

“Yes, we won’t be long.”

With a naughty smile, Paislie pressed her lips together as I grabbed her hand and lead her into the lobby. People smiled at us as we passed them by, each one congratulating us.

“Hello! Are you staying with us for your honeymoon?” the young blonde at the check in desk asked.

“No, I just need a room.”

Her smile faded some as her eyes glanced back and forth between us. “Oh, okay. Only for tonight?”

With a smile and a wink, I replied, “For about an hour.”

With wide eyes, she typed on her keyboard as Paislie pinched my arm.

“I’ll just need an I.D. and credit card, please.”

I handed her both as I peeked at Paislie who was taking the lobby in. I knew she wasn’t used to this life style, but I wanted to spoil her every chance I got.

“Here ya go, Mr. Wallace. You’re on the fourth floor, room four twenty. I hope you both enjoy . . . well . . . ah . . . I mean um . . . I hope you enjoy your stay with us.”

Taking the card keys from her hand, I pulled Paislie closer to me. “Trust me, we’re going to enjoy ourselves.”

The young girl blushed as Paislie slapped me on the chest. “Malcolm!”

It didn’t take me long to get us in the elevator and up to our room. When the door opened, I swept Paislie up into my arms and carried her into the room.

“Wow, it’s beautiful in here,” she gushed.

If she thought this was beautiful, wait until she saw the cabin I rented in Colorado for our honeymoon. Adaline had picked Paislie’s brain for me about some of the places she had always wanted to visit. Colorado was one of them. She had dreamed of renting a cabin and doing nothing but relaxing and reading. I was about to make her wish come true with a two-week stay at a rustic log cabin outside of Winter Park.

Paislie walked up to the window and looked out over the city. She looked so damn beautiful, I almost hated to touch her.

My lips gently moved across her neck as she let out a soft moan. When my hands came up to unbutton her gown, goose bumps raised on her skin. I loved how my touch affected her.

“Malcolm.”

The sound of my name off her lips had my nerve endings tingling. I needed to feel her up against me.

Once all the buttons were undone, I held her hand as she carefully stepped out of her dress.

My cell phone went off in my pocket, but I chose to ignore it. It was either Emmit or Janet trying to figure out where we were.

My heart stopped in my chest as I looked at my wife standing before me. She was dressed in a strapless lace bra, a garter belt, and stockings. Topping it all off were the shoes I bought her for the wedding.