Promised (The Promised Series)

perfect, little wife. Because in a little over four months, that’s exactly what you’ll be. My wife! Not the girlfriend to some Gorger. If I find out you’ve been around him again, I’ll make it so you don’t finish school like you want. And I’ll make it so he never walks again. Do you get me?”
    I can feel the anger radiating from his body, so I nod my head.
    His body relaxes a little against mine and he kisses the top of my head. “Good, now let’s go have dinner.”
    ************************************
    “I’m so happy you joined us for dinner, Shay.” Mom has been giddy ever since I walked in the house with Shay, holding hands (another new stipulation). I half expected her to start jumping up and down like one of the cheerleaders when a touchdown is made, but she at least reined that in, though not much. She fawned over him all through dinner. Forcing seconds down his throat and making him his favorite dessert. I wanted to scream, but instead, I plastered my fake smile on my face and nodded my head in all the right spots, praying that dinner would go quick. It didn’t.
    “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Scott.”
    “Please call me, Mom. You’re going to be family.” Mom’s face is on the verge of exploding from happiness. If she grips her after dinner coffee mug any tighter, it is going to shatter. This is ridiculous and I’m on the verge of shouting just that when Shay speaks again, stopping the verbal meltdown by shock alone.
    “Since you brought up the wedding...” He turns to me briefly, throwing me his cockiest smile and grabs my hand that is resting on the table. Then, turning his attention back to my mom, continues. “Wyn and I were talking on the way here and she is really hoping you two could get started on the wedding plans. Right away.”
    This time, Mom’s head did explode from happiness. And the whole time it was happening, I was staring at Shay with my mouth hanging open. Does he even understand the viper pit he just threw me into? A normal mother planning a wedding could be stressful, but a gypsy mother planning the wedding of her only daughter would be nothing but a lace and crystal covered hell!
    After Mom pulls herself back together from her happiness explosion, she precedes to pull out every wedding magazine she’s ever seen in the super market checkout lines that she has collected in preparation for this very day.
    At the end of the night, my head is so full of cakes, dresses, colors, and favors that I think it’s going to explode. Heck, I hope it does so I can get rid of all the wedding thoughts floating around up there. The way it is at the moment, I’m certain I’ll be dreaming of big, fluffy dresses and cake toppers till I turn eighty.
    By the time I’m able to make my escape from the wedding planning, I’m so exhausted that I fall asleep before I can text Linc to let him know I’m alright.

Chapter 15 – Linc
    ~In A Perfect World~
    “I’m not afraid of him!” I’d spent most of the night and this morning waiting to hear from Wyn, anything to let me know she’s alright. I knew how bad we’d messed up yesterday. And after hours of no response, I’d convinced myself they’d taken off with her and I was never going to lay eyes on her again. She’d be like a dream haunting me the rest of my life.
    Then she showed up to school this morning, riding in that asshole’s truck and I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk to her until lunch. Those were the longest four hours of my life. And they lead us up to now.
    “You may not be, but I am. I’ve seen what guys like Shay are capable of and I don’t want that to happen to me. And I definitely don’t want that to happen to you.” Tears are streaming down her face. Normally I’d be pulling her into my arms to soothe her, but right now, I’m so upset that I can’t calm down enough to touch her.
    She’s pushing me away. Trying to end what we have, to protect me. I’m trying to make her see that I’m not the one who needs the protection, but she’s dead set on playing the martyr.
    “NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME!” I scream and slam my hands down on the library table. We’re hiding in the corner where we normally meet for lunch. But with the noise I’m making, it won’t be long before we have an audience.
    “Please, try to understand.” Wyn pleads through her tears. She’s looking at me with those bright green eyes that are now shinning brighter because of the tears staining them. Normally I can’t