The Billionaire's Beautiful Runaway by Dakota Rebel (novels to read for beginners .TXT) 📕

“Am I happy for you, too?” I asked, looking over at Willow.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jameson said with a sniff. “That woman is a pain in the ass. She followed me to your office, yelling at me the whole way there. When she heard Roz talking about you marrying Laura, she insisted I bring her with me.”

“Okay,” I said, smirking at my little brother.

Everyone who knew Jameson and Willow could see that they’d loved each other their whole lives. Unfortunately, they were the two most stubborn, immature people on the planet, and refused to see it for themselves. The phrase “thin line between love and hate” could have been invented for those two morons.

I walked over to my bride, reaching out to tug on Willow’s hair.

“Why don’t you give my brother a break?” I asked her.

“He’s an ass,” she hissed. “But I don’t want to talk about him. Congratulations, Luke. Laura’s a great girl.”

“Oh, I know.” I wrapped my arm around Laura’s waist and squeezed her into my side. “I’m a lucky man.”

“Sir.” The woman who worked at the chapel approached us smiling. “The current couple is just finishing up. Is your whole party here?”

I looked around and smiled as Rick rushed in the door.

“They are now,” I assured her. “Just let us know when we’re ready.”

The doors to the chapel opened, and I bit back at a laugh as Mark and his fiancée—well, apparently wife now—walked out into the lobby.

“Mr. Malloy!” Mark stopped short when he saw me.

“Mark,” I said, reaching out to shake his hand. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir,” he answered, his tone thick with confusion. “Uh…this is my wife, Melanie. Mel, this is my boss, Mr. Malloy.” He turned his head and caught sight of Jameson. “Oh! And my other boss…Mr. Malloy.”

“Nice to meet you both,” Melanie said, smiling at everyone in my group. “Who’s getting married?”

“That would us,” I said, hugging Laura a little tighter.

“Congratulations, sir,” Mark told me.

“Thank you, Mark.” I nodded to them both.

Mark and Melanie waved to us as they left, and I finally broke down into laughter as soon as I thought they were out of earshot.

“What’s so funny?” Laura asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” I promised. “Let’s go get hitched.”

We all walked into the chapel, and without any direction needed, Jameson stood to my left and Willow took the maid of honor spot for Laura. Rick made to sit in the front row, but I cleared my throat pointedly.

“Get up here,” I demanded.

“Sir, that’s not necessary,” he insisted. “Your brother is here.”

“And you’re like my favorite uncle,” I said firmly. “Get. Up. Here.”

His cheeks turned pink, and his eyes may have gotten a little watery, but he stepped forward and took his place next to Jameson. My brother reached out and wrapped an arm around Rick’s shoulder, squeezing lightly before we all turned to face the minister.

“Dearly beloved,” she began, smiling around at us. “We are gathered here today to join this couple in wedded matrimony. If anyone here has just cause that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“I object!” a strong male voice barked from the back of the room, making me jump. I turned to glare at the intruder but felt Laura stiffen, her lock on my hands growing painfully tight.

“Papa!” she gasped.

Oh, shit.

Chapter Eleven

~Laura ~

“Sir, you have just cause?” the minister asked. Her hard tone told me this wasn’t her first rodeo when it came to last minute objections. The narrowed eyes that studied my dad, Luke and I told me the same story.

“She’s my daughter and I don’t give my permission. She’s promised to someone else, not…not…not this whoever he is.”

She raised an eyebrow then looked at me, her notebook hugged to her chest. “You’re over eighteen, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Almost twenty-three,” I replied with a nod then gasped as pain bit into my arm. Steely fingers bit into my bicep to yank me away. “Luke!” I cried as I stumbled toward my father while he tugged me.

I needn’t have worried. My husband-to-be was there in an instant, grasping my father’s wrist and forcing him to let go of me. Jameson moved beside him, the two Malloy men forming a wall between me and my dad after Luke urged me behind him. Rick joined them. Willow rushed to my side and embraced me, pulling me a few feet farther away.

“You’re engaged to another man?” the minister asked.

“No! My father wants it. I’ve never even met the man.”

“She’s promised!” he bellowed, glaring around the shoulders of the powerful men blocking him.

“I don’t believe I was talking to you,” the minister replied. “But since you’re feeling talkative—”

I almost snorted. This woman…

“—did you have a valid reason to disrupt these nuptials?”

My father glared.

“Laura,” the minister asked. “You want to marry Luke?”

“Yes.” Wasn’t that why we were here?

“Good. Luke? You want to marry Laura?”

“Yeah,” he laugh-scoffed. “I wanted to marry her months ago. And I’m sure as hell ready now.”

“Okay, good, then,” she said, scratching her pen across a paper in her notebook. “Well, we’re done here then. Congrats, you’re man and wife. Make sure you pick up the certificate before you leave. Live long and prosper and all that.”

I stared at her mouth dropped open, while joy and relief filled me. She threw me a wink before refocusing over my shoulder. “Do we need to call security?”

“This is ridiculous! I will have your license,” my father bellowed at the minister.

She nodded. “Good luck with that. I’m just filling in for friends today. In real life, I’m a circuit court judge. Do you want to discuss how you were trying to force your daughter into a marriage without her consent?”

“This is none of your business! It’s a family matter!” he exclaimed.

Apparently deeming it safe, Luke broke away from the blockade and came over to pull me into his arms while Rick and Jameson closed ranks. “Mrs. Malloy,” he said, cupping my face and peering down at me with pure, possessive