Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

QUINN

I can't believe this is happening…

I spent years of my life dreaming about marrying Declan and becoming Mrs. Quinn Evans. The path we took to get here was tumultuous and full of heartache, but we're here. It looks different from what I had imagined— a ready-made family— but I wouldn't trade that little girl for anything.

"Quinn?" Tristan knocks on the door and cracks it slightly. "Are you decent? Or am I going to get an eyeful when I come in?"

"You're justgoing to have to takeyour chances," I chuckle.

" Tátúgohálainn ," Tristan marvels as he enters the room. "Absolutely beautiful, Mrs. Evans. I've never seen you happier."

"Stop," I sniffle, rapidly blinking to hold back the tears as Tristan closes the distance between us. "You're going to make me cry, and this makeup took forever."

"I wouldn't want to do that." He gives me a tender hug and kisses my forehead. "I'm taking Layla, Fiona, and Declan to the church. Conor, Finn, and Rory are waiting for you downstairs."

"Is the armed convoy really necessary?" I huff.

"It's the only way he's willing to let you out of his sight." Tristan places a soft kiss on my cheek. "We'll see you at the church, beautiful."

"Let them know I'll be ready in about five minutes," I call to Tristan as he walks toward the door.

Standing before the mirror, I glance atmyappearance while I wait for Declan to leave the house. Having such little time to pull this together, I am still in awe of the dress Layla found. It's classic and modest, with a full tulle skirt that makes me feel like a princess. The spaghetti-strapped lace bodice ties at the back, making it fit like a glove without needing to deal with the hassle of fittings and alterations, even if we'd had time.

It's the perfect finishing touch for this fairytale.

I garner Finn's attention first. His eyes rake over my body as I walk down the stairs, and he exclaims, "You're a right feek !"

"Too fucking beautiful for Declan. But you always were," Conor croons, taking my hand at the landing. He pulls me close, places a kiss against my cheek, and whispers. "And too good for him. Too good for all of us."

"I love you too, Conor," I kiss his cheek.

"This is fucking bullshit," Finn teasingly huffs. "First Layla, now Quinn. You'll probably wind up scoring Liam'sgirl, too."

Slipping from Conor's light embrace, I step closer to Finn. I stand on my tippy-toes and place a chaste kiss at the corner of his lips. "And I love you too, Finnigan."

Arm in arm with both of them, they walk me to the two SUVs waiting in the driveway. "You're going to ride with Rory," Conor informs me. "Finn and I will be in the SUV behind you to watchthe cars around you."

"You look beautiful," Rory shares as he helps me into the backseat of the Suburban. The three of them ensuremy fluffy dress is tuckedinto the car before shutting the door. Rory climbs into the driver's seat and pulls to the gate before stopping to wait for the boys. When they approach behind us, he pushes the button to open the gate and merges into traffic.

Uncharacteristically, Rory makes casual small talk with me as we drive. While he's still a little curt and rough around the edges, it's nice. I also think I've learned more about him in the past fifteen minutes than I have in the months I've spent with him as my bodyguard.

"Shit!" Rory exclaims, his eyes darting between the rearview mirror and the road before us as he drastically decreases his speed. Craning my neck to look over the backseat, I see a garbage truck parkedinthe side of Conor and Finn's crumpled SUV.

"Stop, Rory!" I gasp. "Conor and Finn!"

Instead of braking, Rory stomps on the gas. I watch the odometer climb as he weaves in and out of traffic.

"Rory!" I yell over the lump in my throat. "What if they're hurt?"

"You know I can't stop, miss," he apologizes with his eyes fixed on the road before him. "I'm sure they'refi?—"

Rory's wordsare cutshort when a pickup truck darts from an alleyway and slams into thedriver'sside of our SUV, causing my body tobounce around the backseat like a ragdoll. My head bangs against the window, and my vision goes hazy andbegins to blackenaround the edges.

"Quinn… Quinn!" Rory's shouting of my name grows increasingly louder as he pulls at me from the front. "Come on, Quinn. Fucking wake up."

Pushing myself from the seat, I grumble at the pain radiating through my scalp. I apply pressurein an attempt to alleviate the throbbing, only to wince when my palm presses against my wet, sticky hair.

"My leg is pinned," Rory tries to hide his panic. "They're coming for us. You need to go."

My heart thumps painfully as panic races through me, only amplifying the pounding in my head. Shaking my head, I mutter, "No. I… I can't."

"Get out of the car, Quinn," he orders. "I'll slow them for as long as I can."

"Rory…" I plead, both terrified to stay in the car and be outside of it with no one to protect me.

"Run," he demands. "Run, and don't fucking stop for anyone."

Kicking off my heels, I push open the door and slide from the backseat. I run from the SUV and toward the nearest side street. The asphalt tears at the bottom of my feet, and the impact of every stride shoots through my skull.

A gunshot fires behind me. Then another. The loud pops reverberate off the surrounding buildings. There are so many deafening shots thatI can't tell which are real and which are echoes. They fire in the distance for what seems like minutes before coming to an abruptstop,the silence alerting me to the shoes pounding against the pavement behind me.

I turn just in time to see a large man lunging at me. His arms wrap around me, and I scream as he violently pulls me from the ground.