An Arranged Marriage, To Mr. Cocky Over There? [COMPLETED]

Runaway Bride

CHAPTER 15

Rhys' POV

I stood at the top of the aisle, watching all the people sitting on the rows of chairs. Their gazes were turned behind, not on anyone specifically but on the two double doors that were wide open. Sasha had reached the top of the aisle and there was still no sign of Kacey entering.

My stomach twisted, hoping that maybe someway she'd changed her mind. Decided to actually pull through with the marriage. I knew she hated me from walking in on me sleeping with Keira but the regret I felt right after killed me. Seeing the amount of pain that crossed her face killed me. After she'd told me at the pier she basically didn't want to marry me, my rational thinking went out the door. Keira came over that night to work things out with Mark, I on the other hand saw my opportunity to feel something. The old Rhys use to do things like that. I knew for Kacey I wanted to be something better. She made me happy and I think the reason I did it was because my feelings for her were strong. It only took me messing it all up for me to realise it. I hated myself. I had wanted to talk to her today before the wedding, try to work things out. But some stupid rule about it's bad luck to see each other the day of. Screw the bullshit, I should have just tried harder.

People were starting to form confused faces. The music stopped and Kacey's mother basically ran through the door. I think everyone at that point in time was coming to the slow realisation something wasn't right. I felt it in my bones that her mother wouldn't find her. She'd told me she was going to pretend faint but props to her for taking it a step further. Disappearing.

I deserved it. I couldn't lie to myself.

"She's gone," her mother sobbed, falling to her knees. I remotely wondered if she was crying her daughter was gone or that the wedding wasn't going to happen again.

Most people's eyes turned to look at me. Trying to gauge my reaction. Poor boy, they must've been all thinking. I cringed their pitiful stares.

"We need to find her," her father stated calmly. The poor lad, his daughter embarrassing him like this was not a good picture.

"You son-of-a-bitch," Sasha turned to spit at me, one finger waving pointedly at my face, "what did you say to her? What did you do?"

I didn't reply to her, it wasn't her place to know. Chatter erupted, filling the thick tensioned air. Everyone was confused and probably trying to figure out where Kacey was. I saw as Maggie, her mother and several other people call her. None got through.

Mark marched to my direction, fury swirling in his eyes, "What did you do Rhys? How did you mess it up this time?"

I contemplated telling him. My mind battling with itself. I knew Keira was eventually going to tell him, I was surprised she hadn't already. I decided might as well lay all my cards on the table.

"I slept with Keira, Kacey walked in on us," I tried to make it seem so casual. As if it wasn't a big deal. I don't know why it sounded logical in my head but I regretted it as soon as it was too late.

"I'm going to kill you," Mark spat through clenched teeth. Before I knew it I saw a fist come into my periphery, slamming into my jaw. Shit, that hurt.

I rubbed my sore jaw, knowing that it would be hurting later, "I deserved that," was all I could think of saying. It sounded like the most appropriate response in my head.

He didn't say anything more to me and I knew I was dead to him. It would take a while to mend the shit I caused. But I wasn't worried, it would happen eventually. What I was worried about was my runaway bride.

I hated that I had caused her to go to such a length as to run away. It killed me on the inside, breaking my heart. Kacey meant more to me than I'd ever let her know and I always found ways to fuck it up.

Hours passed and she still didn't show up. A lot more people were starting to get worried. Kacey where are you, I thought to myself feeling the agitation rise.

My dad and mom had gone to the police station after seven hours passed but they said some bull about having to wait forty eight hours.

Kacey's dad however, spent the entire seven hours with her mom driving all over the entire region. Asking anyone they could, if they'd seen a girl in a white wedding dress.

I had been calling anyone who I knew in the city if they spotted her anywhere. Not one soul did. Every failed phone call I made, defeated me further and further.

When we did find her I was convinced I'd apologise to her. Make her want to give me a second chance. We'd start over from scratch for the second...no wait third time. I needed her to see that she was the only one I wanted. No one else but her. We'd make it work because it killed me to admit it but I think I was in love with her. I fell in love with her since childhood. She was always the one I could count on. I use to get jealous when a guy even watched in her direction. I never knew what it had meant but three years of not having her with me broke me down piece by piece. She made me whole and I knew I'd always been a better person with her at my side.

The time was moving so slowly. We'd run out of options and just prayed she'd eventually come to her senses and show up.

Minutes to midnight, Sasha got a text message from her. It killed me that she hadn't texted me but I think her parents even more that their own daughter didn't text them.

We were all huddled in my, wait no, our penthouse as she read it out:

Hi,

So I know you and probably everyone else is worried sick about me and I'm sorry. Tell everyone I'm sorry for being selfish but I needed to for once. I'm not going to choose anyone else's pursuit of happiness over mine anymore. I love you all but I need time. Please give me that. Tell my parents don't worry about me. Tell Maggie, stay strong for you. I'll see you in a while, don't try to find me.

X Kace

I felt like everyone's hearts broke at that moment. Mine especially. She hadn't even mentioned me once in the message and I knew if I ever got the chance, mending this between us was going to be hard, near impossible. But I know I love her and love is worth fighting for.

So I'd fight, till my very last dying breath.