Page 2 of My Fiancé's Brother 2

The door opened.The entire room shrunk and the world took on color again. Jackson shut the door behind him. He stared at me, and I stared back. His black suit faultlessly hugged his huge form. I realized I had never actually seen him without some version of a beard on his face. The effects of his shaven face were stunning. He had the most beautiful jawline I had ever seen, and his cheekbones were so angular they looked like they could cut glass. I melted beneath his intense stare. His eyes roamed over me, taking in my hair, my dress, my trembling lips.

I realized at that moment, the only reason I hadn’t called off the wedding was I needed to see this man one last time. I loved him to the point of being heartsick. How could I feel so much for him and he felt nothing back? How was it possible that love this big, this real, this intense could be so one-sided?

His jaw tightened. “You look perfect.”

I worked my throat, trying to find something to say, but I could only stare back at him.

Moments ticked by.

He cleared his throat. “I got my papers. I'm being released from the outpatient program, and they’re sending me for training in a couple of weeks. I'll probably be gone by the time you and Matt get back from your honeymoon.”

I dropped onto a crouch and put my face in my hands. His words stabbed into my heart. I wanted to curl up in a ball and never get up.

“Are you okay?” he crouched down beside me.

“Why are you telling me this?” I looked up at his face. My heart was breaking in two.

“I wasn’t sure if I would have a chance to say goodbye to you.”

My eyes squeezed shut. I took several big breaths. “I don’t want to say goodbye.”

“Emily.”

A sharp rap on the door and then Beth stuck her head in. “They’re about to cue the music.”

She glanced at Jackson and me and then backed out.

“You ready?” his voice was low.

My mind raced. This was a monumental mistake. He pulled me to my feet. I looked up at his face and willed him to look at me. I needed to see what he was thinking. I wanted to know what he was feeling. One flicker of emotion in his gaze and I would pick up my skirts and run to the doors.

He avoided my gaze and instead offered me his arm.

My shaking hand clung to the solid muscle of his forearm. This man had somehow become my rock. When I let go of him, I would simply wash away.

We stood at the entrance of the sanctuary. The music changed to Canon in D, and then there was a soft rumble as a hundred people stood up and turned to look at me. Matt stood at the front of the church beside the minister.

My legs shook so hard that I almost couldn’t walk. I clung to Jackson, and slowly we started up a thousand mile long aisle. We walked and walked, and like a bad dream, we never seemed to reach the front.

I can do this, I told myself. Just get through this.

At the front, Jackson proffered his hand and helped me up the steps. I got to the second top step and looked back into his face. I saw a flicker of something in his expression. He dropped my hand, but my fingers clung to his. He was my lifeline. My protector. The person I loved. The father of my child. I didn’t want to let go of him. I felt his grip re-tighten around my hand.

The audience shifted behind us. Whispering started. Matt cleared his throat, and then he stepped down towards me and offered me his hand. I looked at it and then looked back at Jackson’s face. Green eyes watched me.

I looked back at Matt and shook my head.

Matt whispered. “Sweetheart, come on. Let go of poor Jackson. You’re embarrassing him.”

Tears pricked the back of my eyes. I started to let go of my lifeline, but Jackson’s hand tightened around mine. Our eyes met again.

I swallowed, staring at the man I loved. Unable to look at the man I was supposed to marry.

Matt stepped down beside me, and his grip tightened like a vice around my wrist. “Come.”

“I can’t marry you, Matt.”

Matt gave me a beguiling smile, his tone soothed. “Emily, come on.”

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