Page 81 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2

"Wow, I did not see that coming," James said and put his arm around my shoulders.

I smiled. "I think they'd actually be really good together."

"Yeah? They're both such strong personalities though."

"I'm just saying I could see it."

Melissa laughed as Matt kneeled down in front of her. He lifted up her skirt and slid the garter up to her thigh. She put her hands on his shoulders to steady herself and squealed when he kissed her thigh.

"Now it's time for the bride and groom to go get busy!" the D.J. said.

"Oh God." I put my hand over my face and James kissed my cheek.

When I opened my eyes again, everyone had formed two lines for us to walk between. And everyone was holding sparklers.

I thought the night already looked magical. But with those, it was just perfect. James grabbed my hand and we laughed and ran through all the smiling faces. When we reached the end of the line, James grabbed me and kissed me. Everyone cheered. It felt like I would never stop smiling. Like life could always be this perfect. James let go of my waist and we turned to wave to everyone.

I heard a loud boom.Fireworks!I turned to look up in the sky. But nothing was there. Just the stars that had magically appeared for our wedding. I felt James's hand on my shoulder. A second boom rang out before I had even turned back toward him.

When my eyes met his, I could see it in his face. Terror. Pain. His hand on my shoulder grew even heavier as he stumbled forward. He coughed and blood splattered onto my dress. I looked down at the red that was spreading across his dress shirt.No. No!

It wasn't like you see in the movies. He didn't whisper my name and say he'd always love me. It was just fear in his eyes. A terror that had to match my own. And time didn't slow down. If anything, it sped up.

Everyone started screaming. Sirens wailed in the distance.

"Get down!" someone shouted.

"James." A third shot rang out and he fell to his knees, pulling me down with him. "James!" I screamed. I pressed the skirt of my dress against the wound I could see. "Somebody help him! James, stay with me." I pressed down more firmly on his wound, but it just seemed to make it worse. His stomach was covered in blood. His arm was covered in blood. His chest was covered in blood. "Baby, please. Please." It wasn't desperation in my voice. It was despair. Because he was no longer looking at me. He was staring blindly at the stars.

The sparklers fizzled out as I watched the life drain out of my husband's face. The darkness of the night seeped in around us.

Devotion - Chapter 17

Saturday

Someone pulled me off of him.

Porter bent down over James and ripped his shirt open. I could see the hole in his stomach. I could see the hole right below his chest. There was so much blood. Porter pulled off his jacket and pressed it against both of the wounds as he put his ear to James' chest. "Briggs!" he yelled.

Briggs released me from his grip. His hands replaced Porter's as Porter began performing CPR.

James wasn't breathing.This can't be happening.I felt frozen. I kept blinking, thinking what was happening in front of me would change.

An ambulance screeched to a stop and paramedics burst out of it.

Briggs stepped out of the way of the paramedics and scanned the top of the buildings that surrounded this side of Central Park as Porter shouted instructions.

"West side," Porter shouted. "Check the rooftops."

Briggs cursed and took off running.

I closed my eyes. Please let me be imagining this.

"Penny," Porter said and grabbed my arm. "Get in the ambulance. We'll meet you at the hospital."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"You need to get in the ambulance."