Page 59 of The Billionaire's Ride

“Kate Golden,” Collin interrupts, appearing to my dad’s right like a shadow. “So, you actually brought her?” My date drops my arm and steps back. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Kent rushing over. He darts his panic-stricken eyes to the back of our dad’s head and stops short, then signals me toward him. He’ll need to wait.

“Kate, this is my mate, Collin,” I say.

Collin stares at my date. “We’ve met.”

Met? “When did you—” I turn to Kate, whose bright blush has disappeared from her cheeks. She says nothing, but the look on her face says everything. My mind races, and I quickly put the pieces together. She knows Bonnaire Capital. She knows Collin. A venture capitalist. But it can’t be. Can it? Collin wouldn’t. Or would he?

“Nice to see you again, Kate,” Collin adds, then flicks a cold glance my way, and I know it’s true. A furious heat swells in my chest, and I clench my fists. I’ll kill him. Right here in the middle of Westminster fucking Abbey.

Trembling with anger, I glare at Collin and plant my patent leather foot back, ready to throw down. Just as I’m aboutto swing, someone pulls me back. “Whoa, whoa,” Kent says, keeping a tight grip on me, and Kate gasps.

Dad steps in between Collin and me, so close that his nose could poke me out of my eye. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but I will not have a scandal at your brother’s wedding. Do you hear me?”

I shoot a biting glare at Collin, then at my dad, who’s waiting for compliance. He’s right. This is Mick’s wedding. I’ll take care of Collin later. I step back and take a breath. Kent releases my arm.

“I should go,” Kate says, taking two steps back.

“What? Why?” I reach for her hand, but she’s already heading for the exit as if she can’t get out of here fast enough.

I follow her down the aisle. “Kate! Where are you going?”

Kent grabs my arm, pulling me back. “Just let her go. We’ve got bigger problems.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

DREW

Kate’sred hat is lost in the sea of the wedding crowd. I need to get her back.

“Drew!” Kent grunts, forcefully tugging my arm again.

“What!” I yell back.

Kent looks left, then right, and leans in. “The wedding’s off.”

Dad approaches us with a clenched jaw as I try to process everything. Kate. Collin. Kent’s words. “I don’t know what is going on, but you two are making a scene,” he growls through gritted teeth so no one but us can hear.

Kent shoots him an apologetic look. “Sorry, Dad.”

I stare at Kent while he puts on his innocent act. Dad has no idea. There may be a scandal at his precious son’s wedding after all.

But what about Mick? Is he all right?

“We have to get back,” Kent says, pulling me away from the crowd. I look back once more for Kate, feeling sick over what’s happening. I want to go to her. I want to clobber Collin. But my brother needs me right now, so I stay close behind Kent and call Kate’s mobile. No answer.

We make it outside to the courtyard, shaded by a gray sky. Church bells ring overhead. Mick’s standing near the fountain with his head lowered in his hands.

“Hey, Mick.” I pat his shoulder, and he looks up, tears puddling in his blue eyes. “Are you all right?”

“No, I’m not all right. I have to go out there and tell all of London, including the fucking Prince, that the wedding’s off because my fiancée’s a gold-digging slag!” he shouts so loud that I’m pretty sure he doesn’t need to make the announcement again.

“What happened?” I look to Kent, who’s clenching his jaw, then back at Mick.

Mick drops his head. “I got jittery about the wedding, a bad feeling or something. So, when I got here I went to look for Davina so that I could at least talk to her. To know everything was okay. When I found her, some twit was fucking her against the counter. In her wedding dress.”

“Who was it?” I ask. Collin? I wouldn’t put it past him right now.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over.” Mick seems to be taking in his own words and becomes emotional again. “She had the nerve to come after me, trying to convince me that it wasn’t anything. That she loved me and wanted to marry me. Even after that?”

---