Page 62 of Betrothed

I wasn’t afraid of getting in a fist fight with Stan. I sure as hell was afraid Jake was going to hate me for marrying his mother.

“Jake…”

“Mom and Zeke are married,” he exclaimed, and when he smiled, I breathed a little easier.

Stan was silent for a moment before saying with a voice that was barely steady, “I just heard.”

“Mom said she’s happy,” he said, his little face scrunching. “I’m happy if Mom’s happy…”

“I’m sure you are,” Stan said through tight teeth, lifting his gaze as Kenzie approached. She didn’t hesitate even though I could practically see her pulse racing from here. “Go back to the car.”

What the hell? They’d only just got here.

“But—”

“Go,” Stan snapped, instantly revealing how short his patience ran and how harsh he could be.

Tears welled in Jake’s eyes, but it wasn’t until Kenzie nodded and mouthed the word ‘go’ that Jake hung his head and walked with heavy steps toward the lot.

“Stan—”

“This is a mistake, Mackenzie. You made a mistake,” he declared, pointing his finger at the ground in her direction as though she were a child or a dog to be scolded.

“No, Stan. I got married.” She reached for my hand, and instantly I slid my fingers through hers, giving them a squeeze to let her know I was here if she needed me.

“You need me,” he spat. “You have nothing without me. Not your son. Not a life—”

“No, that’s exactly what I have without you,” she charged. “A life of my own.”

There was a beat of tense silence, and something unspoken passed between them. Something thatfelt like ice in my veins.

“We’ll see,” he said cryptically and then looked at me and sneered,“Good luck, Zeke. All she wants is a man to take care of her, and the more you do it, the more she needs because she’s sick. She’ll take and take and take until one day, you’re the one trying to resuscitate her from another overdose that your son had to call in.”

Kenzie swayed toward me, the venom in his words having its intended effect.

“Enough,” I growled. “We’re done here.”

“We’re nowhere near done.” He smiled wide, never taking his eyes from Kenzie. “You’re going to regret this. I gave you everything. I took care of you—of everything you needed, and now, you choose him over our son? Latched onto the nearest man to take care of you and leeched off him like a whore—”

Before I knew it, my hand fisted in his shirt, and I hauled him to me.

“You might know how to save a life, but if you utter another word of disrespect against my wife, I’ll show you how I’ll get away with murder,” I warned in a low voice and then threw him away from me.

Stan stumbled for a second and then collected himself, straightened his shirt, and then let out a tight laugh.

“No idea what you’ve done, Mackenzie,” he said. “No fucking idea.”

And then he stalked off toward his car. Jake had stopped halfway to their car, lingering in one spot like he was hoping Stan would change his mind. Even his face was hopeful until Stan reached him, gripped his shoulder, and forced him away. Jake’s cry of protest echoed all the way to us.

“Kenzie.”

She resisted when I reached for her.

“I don’t need you,” she said quietly, a protest to every accusation he’d lashed at her. “I swear, I don’t—”

“It’s okay, angel,” I swore and hauled her to my chest.“This was a blow to his ego. I know none of it was true.”

It was another of the ties of his control severing. I saw the look on his face—pure shock that debilitates a person who thinks he’s always in control. And he thought he’d always have control over her.