The Men In Uniform Collection. Barbara McMahon
Читать онлайн книгу.
long time ago,” Tanya reminded him.
The lawyer shrugged. “So maybe it’s about money now. He’s probably not making much working for his family. But marrying you...”
“You think Cooper is marrying me for my money?” She nearly laughed again since it was really the reverse. She was marrying him for her money. “That’s ridiculous.”
She’d overheard his argument with his family. The last thing he’d wanted to do was marry her.
“Then have him sign a prenup,” he suggested, and he patted his ever-present dark leather briefcase, “and prove that he has no interest in your inheritance.”
She shook her head. “I can’t ask him to do that...” Not when he was already making a sacrifice for her. Or, actually, for Stephen. He had only agreed to marry her in case someone demanded a ransom for his return.
He hadn’t been missing a whole day yet. There was time. Time to bring him back safely from wherever he’d been taken.
“If you can’t ask him, I will,” Mr. Gregory offered as he turned for the door.
Tanya grabbed his briefcase to stop him. “No!”
The last thing she needed was her grandfather’s lawyer insulting Cooper as her grandfather must have all those years ago. Was that why he’d said they should just be friends? What would he have done if she’d disagreed with him?
Too many years had passed. The past was the past. She had to accept that she would never know now.
“You don’t trust him either,” the lawyer remarked. “You think he’s only marrying you for the money. Tanya, it’s not too late. You need to stop this wedding.”
She shook her head.
“Take a little time,” he urged her. “Think about it. You’ll realize you can’t marry a man that you can’t trust.”
It wasn’t Cooper that she wasn’t trusting at the moment. She opened the door for the lawyer to show him out. “I’d prefer to have Logan Payne walk me down the aisle,” she said, dismissing him.
“I wouldn’t walk you down the aisle to Cooper Payne anyway,” he told her. “Your grandfather would haunt me for certain.”
Maybe that was who was causing Tanya all her grief—her grandfather’s ghost. She wouldn’t put it past the old man to haunt her, especially if he had any idea what she’d intended to do with her inheritance.
But first she had to marry to inherit. She drew in a deep breath to brace herself before reaching for the zipper on the garment bag. As she pulled down the tab, bits of lace and satin fell onto the floor like those black petals from the dead roses.
Someone had hacked the heavy material into small pieces. How much hate did it take for someone to be so vindictive? So malicious?
Tears stung her eyes and she shuddered in dread.
The doorknob rattled. Maybe whoever had cut up her dress had returned to do the same to her.
His exit blocked, Cooper was trapped inside the blood-spattered groom’s quarters. The police had only just released the crime scene that morning. Cooper hoped they’d found something when they’d processed the room that would lead to whoever had taken Stephen. He wanted his friend safe and unharmed. But Stephen wasn’t his only concern...
“Get the hell out of my way,” he threatened, “or I’ll show you what I learned in the Marines—all the ways I learned how to hurt someone.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me,” Parker said, but a tiny flicker of doubt passed through his bright blue eyes. “I kept you safe last night.”
“I saved your life,” Cooper reminded him.
Parker shook his head. “I was talking about later.” A furrow formed in his brow. “Or was it earlier this morning? I stood watch so you could get some sleep.”
“You stood watch? On your back?” Cooper chuckled. “You kept me awake with your snoring.”
“It wasn’t my snoring that kept you awake,” Parker said.
And he was right. It hadn’t been concern for Tanya’s safety either—he’d trusted that Logan wouldn’t leave her again, that he would definitely make sure she arrived safely at the church. It had been concern for his own sanity—after that kiss—that had kept Cooper from getting any sleep.
“Wedding jitters kept you awake,” Parker said. He tugged at his bow tie as his neck reddened. “I don’t blame you. This damn thing feels like a noose.”
“It’s going to feel more like one if you don’t let me pass you,” Cooper threatened.
Parker chuckled. “I understand wanting to make a break for it, but I promised Mom that I wouldn’t just get you to the church but I’d get you to the altar, too.”
“I have to go to the bride’s room,” Cooper said.
Parker shook his head. “You’re not backing out now.”
“Don’t worry,” Cooper said. “It’s too late for Mom to get your name on the marriage license instead of mine.”
“It’s too late for you to back out, too,” Parker said, “because if this is about the ransom and she doesn’t get the money...”
Stephen would be killed. “Has anyone called with a ransom demand?” The last he’d heard nobody had yet, but that had been hours ago...in Tanya’s hotel room right before they’d kissed.
“According to Logan,” his twin relayed, “no.”
“This isn’t about ransom,” Cooper said, “but it is about the money.”
“You think you’ve figured it out,” Parker realized.
He shrugged since he had no proof. His biggest concern was that his suspicions were correct. And that the bride was alone with the person who wanted her dead.
Instead of reasoning with Parker, he just shoved him aside and hurried out into the empty church. No guests had arrived yet. Hell, it was his wedding, and he wasn’t even sure who had been invited. Only the wedding party had arrived. Him as the groom and Parker as his best man.
According to Logan, the bride had arrived safely, too. But had she stayed that way?
He rushed down the aisle to the vestibule and knocked on the door next to the restrooms. No one responded, so he pounded harder. “Open up!”
The lock clicked and the door creaked open only a couple of inches. A chocolate-brown eye narrowed and glared at him. “What are you doing here?”
He lifted a brow and then made a show of glancing down at his tux. “I don’t know. What am I doing here—in a monkey suit?”
“You’re a monkey?” his sister teased.
His heart lurched at her laughter. God, he’d missed his family. He’d missed his siblings’ relentless teasing and his mother’s relentless bossing. He had missed someone else, too.
Her voice called out to his sister. “Nikki, is that Cooper? Has he changed his mind?”
“He has if he’s as smart as you’ve always said he was,” a bitter voice chimed in. Despite her hysterical outburst the night before, Rochelle had showed up to support her sister. Or sabotage her?
“You can’t see her,” Nikki told him. “Mom would have a fit over the bad luck you’d have if the groom saw the bride before the wedding.”
Mom and her damn superstitions...
He assured her, “I don’t want to see the bride.” Again. He’d already