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Rhett glances over his shoulder at a livid Griff talking to his parents. I fight off laughter and he shakes his head. “So you thought today was the day to say something? You could have done it when you kidnapped her. Or when she came to the hospital.”

I keep one eye on Griff, knowing I can’t fight him one-handed and he probably knows it. “Figured I needed to make it showy.”

Rhett chuckles. “Showy?”

“Yeah. Impressive.”

“I’m not sure I’d call this impressive.” He turns toward me and there’s amusement in his eyes. Underneath it though, I can tell he’s irritated with me. “You know he’s going to attempt to kick your ass now.”

I shrug. “And he’ll probably succeed.”

He nods and positions himself between me and Griff, the exit of the church clear now. “What are you still doing here? Go get her.”

Right. He’s expecting me to go after her. And I suppose I should. I just broke up her wedding. Might as well make sure she chooses me this time.

But, as I’m leaving, Griff finds me. I knew I’d have to face off with him, and it takes every fiber of my being not to hit him. For obvious reasons.

“Why?” He wants an answer. One I don’t have.

I chew on my bottom lip and then shrug one shoulder. “You know why. Her place is with me.” He squares off with me and I nearly laugh. Cute, bitch. But I can lay him out with only one arm and break those surgeons fingers he needs. My eyes drop to his fists clenching and unclenching. He wants to fight me. Swallowing, I read his posture, his intent, and nod. “If I was you, I’d be mad too. But, you were never going to be the one she needed,” I remind him, because it needs repeated.

He’s a foot away, his eyes lost, the devastation in them clear, and though it’s masked by rage, I know it’s there. He lost her and he’s ego is wounded. “What makes you think you are?”

“Because she begged me last night to end this,” I pause and motion to the space behind him. I shake my head. “I don’t expect you to understand, but that girl was mine long before she sucked your dick man.”

By the gasps around us, I probably could have gone without saying that, and the scowl I get from Rhett tells me it was a tad inappropriate. Or a lot.

I smirk at the man before me, waiting.

“You don’t deserve her,” Griff snaps, hatred in his eyes.

“And you do?” Jealousy begins to stir in my chest, the need to remind him, everyone, Abigale Lockett has always been mine drowning out my rational thoughts.

I don’t hold back.

I’m done holding back when it comes to her.

Griff shakes his head with disgust, his brother beside him now. He shoves me back and I stumble against the pews. I think he’s going to hit me when Rhett and Abbi’s dad, Keith stand between us.

“That’s enough,” Rhett barks. “She made her decision an y’all are gonna have to deal with it.”

I swallow and stare at Griff, waiting. He rights his jacket and runs his hands down his chest. “You’re not worth it.”

I nod. “Maybe I’m not, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving I am to her.”

Griff glares at me, completely silent, without any intention of replying. He knows it. And maybe he knew from the beginning but it’s glaringly obvious now.

CHAPTER31

Stupid Boy

ABBI

What do I do?

You’re probably wonderingwhere I went? Well, I got sick in the parking lot in a rose bush, and Josie and Lillian help me escape.

“That was romantic,” Lillian says as Josie jumps a curb in her dad’s truck.