054. Run With Me

Raven

Every step I took down the aisle was terrifying. My fingers were trembling around the bouquet. People were staring at me, some with loving eyes and some with nonchalance.

I don't know any of these people. This was not how I had imagined my wedding to be. In a crowd of unfamiliar people and marrying a man I barely know.

Am I being stupid?

Probably yes because there's only one explanation for why my heart is pounding like crazy as I walk down the aisle towards him.

I'm scared.

Deep down…I feel like I'm making a mistake. I don't have to marry him and I'm even more scared and worried since he handed over the evidence to the cops. He had told me the cops were on standby for Killian. The moment he shows his face at my wedding, they'll arrest him, and he'll finally pay for all the things he did to me. Now I feel like this wedding was the trap to lure Killian out.

I should be happy, right? So why am I not?

Why does it feel like I'm missing something, like I'm walking straight into the lion's den? I shake the feeling up like I had done a thousand times today.

I got to the altar and Nero took my hand, giving me a warm smile.“ You're doing the right thing, Raven?” He said kissing my knuckles.

Am I?

" You'll be fine.” He added and we both turned to face the priest.

He starts preaching his sermon while I fade away from reality. There was a part of me that believed Killian wouldn't show up to you, so he wouldn't get arrested. The other party wanted him to crash this wedding.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My mind is a rollercoaster, I can't keep going back and forth in my thoughts like this. I have to take a stand so I did.

I braced myself as the priest continued talking, and in a matter of minutes, it was time to take our vows.

I'm shaking now, sweat slipping down my face and neck threatening to ruin my three thousand dollar make-up.

Nero went first, reciting his vows like a happy groom.

“ Do you, Nero Alexei Markov, take Raven Lopez as your lawfully wedded wife?”

He flashed the crowd a sweet smile and answered.“ Yes, I do."

Then the priest turned to face me, my heart hammering in my chest and lips pressed into a thin line underneath the veil. Somewhere amidst the loud piano, I heard the blaring of a motorcycle.

I listened intently to see if my ears were playing tricks on me but the sounds only got louder. The priest drew my attention back to him but I kept my eyes peeled for any sounds.

I don't know why it had my hopes up that something miraculous was going to happen. I guess I'm going crazy already.

“ Do you, Raven Lopez, take Nero Alexei Markov as your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asked and the whole crowd grew silent.

I took in a silent heavy breath. Here goes nothing!

I opened my mouth to speak when the sound of the motorcycle grew louder, the crowd murmured, some turning their heads in different directions trying to locate who the hell was riding a Motorcycle in a chapel while a wedding was going on.

Then the door burst open, the sunlight blinding me and everyone else for a brief moment. I couldn't see clearly yet but someone with guts just burst through the door and rode a motorcycle into the chapel and down the aisle.

The crowd gasped and murmured, some people even running from their seats thinking it was an assassin because the biker was holding a shotgun.

The biker turned off his motorcycle, stopping a few feet from me then slowly took off his helmet.

It took me a good twenty-five seconds to register his face in my head.

“ Say those words and everyone dies. You're not an exception, Dollface. If I can't have you, then no one else should….not even in the afterlife.” Killian snarled, the gun pointed straight at me.

I should be scared, right? He's actually threatening to kill me if I say my vows, but guess what? I'm so sickly relieved.

My eyes watered as the crowd went into an uproar, some screaming and calling 911, some running out of the hall.

“ Killian…..” I gasp, the first tear sliding down my cheeks as strange relief washed over me.

Relief that he was okay….he looked better than I last saw him and he had come to crash my wedding.

“Walk towards me, Dollface!” He raised the gun and aimed for my heart.

My eyes went to Nero who appeared too calm to let this be happening. He didn't say a word, he just stared at me and then at the gun.

I did as he said and walked towards him in slow steps leaving Nero standing behind.

“ Hop on and grab onto my waist.” He ordered and I obeyed. For the first time, I thanked God I didn't choose a ball gown, or I would have been having difficulties getting on the bike. I kicked off my stilettos and grabbed his waist.

“ So long, brother….next time, don't try to take what doesn't belong to you,” Killian said, glancing over at Nero who had one hand in his pocket.

He smirked, the gesture terrifying and calculated. Then he removed his hand from his pocket bringing out a pistol with it.“ You're not the only one who came prepared, little brother!”

Oh crap.

Killian kicked off the motorcycle and turned us around just as he fired. I screamed at the loud bang, pressing my face into Killan's back as he rode off.

I breathed in relief as we got out of the chapel. Thank goodness we weren't hit, and we made it out.

We had ridden a few metres when the police sirens started wailing in the distance, and I panicked.“ They're here for you Killian ... .Nero called the cops, he….”

" I know …it was broadcast all over the news that I'm a wanted man." He replied and I only felt worse.

Did I do the right thing?

Killian took a turn, entering a narrow bend then stopping right in front of a car with tinted glass.

“ Killian….” I started , getting down from the motorcycle.

He took off his helmet and I noticed the pained expression on his face. My eyes slid down his body as my pulse quickened then I caught sight of blood soaking his side.

I gasped in horror.“ You…you're bleeding. You've been shot.”

I ran over to him, trying to remove his jacket but he grabbed my hands. " I'll be fine, my wound just reopened!”

Tears slide down my cheeks as guilt clouds my chest." No….no….you've been shot …."

He grabbed my cheeks, his eyes staring into mine deeply.“ Listen to me….I need you to trust me and go with Alex. I swear when all this is over, I'll come clean…I promise.”

I shook my head, my vision blurred from too many tears.“ No….I don't understand”

The wailing of the sirens grew louder, the panic in Killian's eyes growing.“ Please, Raven. Trust me, just this once, okay? I can't explain everything now …but I want you to know that yes, I made some mistakes, I did some awful things to you, but not what he showed you, okay? I didn't push you down the stairs …..and about Holly and Viktor……”

“Nero doesn't love you ....I swear he doesn't but I do. He just wants to get back at me so he's framing me and….and…..”

I grabbed his hand, placing a finger on his lips.“ Stop….come with me and we'll talk about this.”

His lips quivered, then he placed a kiss on my knuckles.“ I'm a wanted man, Raven. I can't run from the cops but I promise once I get out of this, I'll come back to you. I need you to just wait for me, no matter what."

I shuddered.“ Come with me, Killian."

“ Wait for me…. please." He let go of my hand just as a man came up behind me. The same man who had been with him in the hospital, Alex.

“ No….Killian….come with me.” I cried, my lungs burning.

Alex took my hand and dragged me off to the car that was parked at the end of the narrow road. He forced me into the car and shut the door just as the cops surrounded Killian.

They forced him to his knees, brought his hands behind his back and handcuffed him.

Everything had gone silent including my screaming. I couldn't even hear my own voice as I watched the cops point guns at him.

This is all my fault.

He raised his head one last time to look in the direction of the car. I don't know if he can see me because the windows were tinted but he flashed me a grin before he was forced into the cop car.

And just like that, they took him away.