Page 31 of Nova

“You!” Everyone waiting at the bar stops and looks at her screech.

“Perfect,” I mutter as I square my shoulders to face off with my family.

“Mother, you’re making a scene,” Sandra says, but my mother could give a good goddamn.

“You are not welcome here!” She grabs my arm and yanks me away from Maddox.

“Mrs. Gauthier, I mean this with all the disrespect in my soul. If you do not let Simone go, I will forget you are a woman and the manners my parents taught me.” He takes a single step in our direction before I feel my mother’s hands drop away from me.

“You will regret this for the rest of your life, Simone.” She hisses at us before storming off.

“What on Earth was that about?” Tim asks of Sandra, who pats his chest while rubbing her expanded belly.

“She’s not marrying your brother.” Her whisper isn’t as low as she thought.

Nor were his when the words finally clicked.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Tim turns on me but Maddox is there is a heartbeat.

“Unless you want to end up like your brother, you better back the fuck up.” Tim deflates in front of my eyes.

It’s clear on his face that he doesn’t know what to do without Tyler here to back him up.

Bullies never do well alone.

“Where is my brother?” Kudos to Tim for actually taking a small step into Maddox, who has about five inches and probably fifty pounds on him.

“Finding a new shirt, I’d expect.” Tim frowns at that tidbit.

“Honey, come on. Let’s go greet our other guests.” Sandra tries to pull him away.

Tyler decides to arrive in that moment and he’s not alone.

Two police officers enter behind him, and as soon as he sees us by the bar, his hand raises to point. Crap, this can’t be good. The officers trail after Tyler, making a beeline to us.

“Hold these, Dove. You call a man named Abel if they arrest me. Understood?” His phone and wallet get shoved into my hands the next second.

“Ms. Gauthier?” The officers ask, and I nod.

“Your fiancee informs us that this man was holding you against your will?” What the fuck?

I turn angry eyes on Tyler’s smug face.

“No, sir. Maddox is my fiancee and wouldn’t ever hurt me.” The officer closes his little notebook and stares at Tyler.

“Mr. Reid, filing a false police report is a felony.” The smug look drops off his face.

“Since you’re here, maybe you can help me with the matter of Tyler breaking into my home today.” The second officer perks up and smiles at me.

“I did no such thing!” Tyler says, looking around the room for help.

“Mrs. Gauthier, my mother-in-law, gave me the key.” I shake my head as I lean into Maddox’s chest.

“She is not and never will be your mother-in-law. Unless polygamy becomes legal in Canada, and you marry Sandra too.” Several gasps echo around us.

“How dare you!” My sister cries out immediately, starting to cry.

As if summoned from the depths of hell, my mother appears at her side.

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