Chapter 19

Today is the day, and I can't believe it. I am waiting for the door to open so my father and I can walk down the aisle. I cling to my rose bouquet with a shaky hand. The butterflies in my stomach have been fluttering all morning.

"You look beautiful, baby doll!" Daddy looks down at my dress. I mimic him.

My wedding dress is a giant ball gown with a sweetheart neckline. It is coupled with a two-tier lace veil and lace gloves that go up to my elbows. Mom and dad bought me a pair of emerald earrings and a matching necklace.

The cost? Close to six-million dollars.

I'm not too thrilled about it, but it is my wedding day. I deserve a little pampering.

The wedding march begins.

The doors open slowly as the entire church stands to watch me walk down the aisle.

As we begin walking up, I start to feel the butterflies intensify. Red roses are everywhere in the church. Even the aisle is covered in red roses.

I look for Ryder and see that he is standing at the altar alone. His back is towards me. I don't even see the priest.

"Daddy? Where's the priest?" I look over to him, and my dad isn't there. In fact, no one is in the room. I spin around in confusion. Where did everyone go?

I suddenly realize I don't care. All I need is Ryder.

Throwing the bouquet down, I grab the bottom of my dress. Running towards Ryder, I hear what sounds like a gun being cocked, stopping me dead in my tracks.

No, I tell myself. I look around the room and see no one. I yank the veil off my head as I approach Ryder. No one is going to ruin this for us.

For me.

I place my hand on his shoulder, and he turns to me.

I scream as my worst nightmare stands in front of me, grinning!

Max.

"Hello, my blushing bride. You look beautiful," he says, looking at me up and down—hunger in his eyes. Yanking me to him, he continues, "you are everything I've always hated and everything I will destroy. I cannot wait until we are joined again. For better or for worse. In sickness and in health. Till death, and only death, will we part." Max's smile disappears as he grabs my face roughly and kisses me.

****************************************************************

My eyes flicker open as I feel a pair of hands pulling me out of the car. I moan in pain as I feel the shattered glass underneath me. Smoke fills the area. I want to scream for Ryder, but I can't. Everything is still in a haze, and I am in such pain. Did we all survive?

Where are Freddie and Joe? I have to make sure everyone is okay. I slowly regain consciousness. I look up and see a woman dragging me away from the wreck. Her back is towards me as she lets me go. She then runs around the car.

I slowly move my neck. I stop when pain radiates from my neck to my head. The woman is walking toward the driver's side. Ryder is going to be pulled out of the car next. I try to turn my head again to follow her. That's when I got a good look at our car. How can away walk away from this? The rental is flipped upside down with the back passenger door missing. The vehicle is destroyed, flattened like a pancake.

"Joe!" I try to yell but begin coughing violently. Oh, god! He was sitting behind me.

"Hello?" I try to scream, but I can't. The smoke filling the air is hitting me directly. "Please, is everyone okay? Is my fiancé okay?" I start to cry. Where is everyone? I tried to turn onto my side. I can't see Ryder. I have to see with my own eyes that he is okay.

The woman slowly walked around the car. She has a massive grin on her face.

No! Oh my god!

I am in so much pain, but I manage to sit up and try to crawl away, only using my left elbows. I can't believe it! The same woman who cut the brake lines is the same person who fought me in the storm. I look back at her, out of breath. It's so hard to stand.

"You?" I whisper. She had on a black, leather corset, with matching jeans and heels. Her pants have slits on the knees.

"Yep! Me! And you shouldn't be awake!" She says a little louder. I suddenly feel an arm grab me from behind. It then lifts me as another hand puts a napkin, soaked with chloroform, on my face.

I punch and kick to no avail. The woman crosses her arms and stands in front of me as the other person holds me in place.

A short, round, older man is getting out of a truck a few feet from us. Once he climbs out of the truck, he limps to the woman, looking from her to the flipped car. "Good Lord! Is everyone okay?!" He then stops when he sees me. "W-what are you doing to that young lady?"

He turns around and tries to run away.

The woman has an annoyed looked on her face. She pulls out a gun from behind her waist and shoots the trucker twice in the back. The man falls to the ground and never moves.

Where is Ryder?! Where are Freddie and Joe? I try desperately not to inhale. The woman then turns to me and begins to click her tongue. She looks upset that it's taking me so long to go back to sleep. Lord knows I want to rip her tongue out, but I have to stay awake for as long as I can.

My lungs start to ache, as it desperately needs oxygen. I'm not able to hold my breath anymore. Giving up, I take a deep breath. After a couple of seconds, I feel the side effects and become lightheaded.

"Nighty night!" A voice comes from behind me.

***************************************************************

Ali's Point-of-View

This entire plot went without a hitch. We knew cutting the brake line wouldn't guarantee death. In fact, I wanted all four of them to live. Ryder would make sure of it, and he didn't disappoint. They were all knocked out.

Except for little miss sunshine.

We load everyone into the white van and drive off; within seconds, the sounds of police and paramedics wail in the distance. I am so impressed with myself as my brother and I race down the road.

"I'm so glad this is over! Don't you agree, Ari?" I ask him, running my hand through his hair. He doesn't look too thrilled as we come to a red light and stop. Lately, he's been so annoying. I don't know why he seems bothered. Maybe it's because we are almost done with this whole vengeance trip, and he doesn't want that.

His phone suddenly rang.

"Hello, sir!" He says, grabbing his phone and shifting in his seat, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the phone. "Yes, sir! We have them all. Thank you, sir," Ari continues as he smiles as the voice on the other line keeps talking. He then hangs up.

"Well?!" I ask, shaking with excitement. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to congratulate us. The others are disposable, as long as we keep Ryder alive. It's all he wants." Ari's frown turns to a huge grin.

I smirk and turn on my seat, looking at the sleeping bodies behind us. "Oh, how delicious! This is going to be a memorable night!"