“I think you know what I want.” He shoved the paper toward her.
Kate glanced at the papers and then back at Bigsby. “You expect me to sign over the deed to my home.”
“I expect you to save your lover’s life.” He continued to hold out the papers with a smirk on his cruel lips.
Kate cocked her head. “And if I don’t?”
His smirk faltered. “Then I will call the cops and that loser will be spending a life sentence in Louisiana.”
Kate’s heart lurched. She clung to the purse with both hands. The thought of Braxton being locked up forever chilled her to the marrow. She couldn’t imagine Braxton going submissively with the police. He’d fight to the death.
She snatched the papers and pen out of Bigsby’s hand.
“That’s a good girl. I knew with that soft heart of yours, you’d let a man take away everything you had.”
Kate froze. “What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about Tom, your ex-boyfriend. You let him get away with stealing all your savings without even pressing charges.” Bigsby snorted. “And now you’re giving your home away for a man. You’ll never learn.”
Kate gripped the pen in her hand and eyed the pulsing vein at the base of Bigsby’s neck. All she wanted to do was stab that asshole and watch him bleed to death.
She sucked in a deep breath and focused her gaze on the unsigned papers in her hand. She walked to the altar and set them down, her pen poised.
“Kate, stop!”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kate jerked upright. Standing at the door of the chapel was Braxton, looking very angry and incredibly dangerous.
“Kate, I’m warning you, you’d better sign those papers.” Bigsby’s eyes bulged as he reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.
“Don’t do it, Kate.” Braxton stalked down the aisle, his gray eyes glinting lethally.
Bigsby fumbled with his phone as he punched in numbers.
She held up her hands to stop him. “No, Braxton, you don’t understand…”
“Back off, freak. One more step and I’ll hit dial. The cops will be all over this place in a matter of minutes.” Bigsby held his phone in the air.
Kate put her hand on Braxton’s massive chest. “Braxton, you need to leave. I can handle this.”
Braxton dragged his gaze from Bigsby to Kate. His expression softened. “You think I’d let you sign over your house to this douchebag? Just to keep him from turning me in?”
“Do you know who I am? No one speaks to me like that!” Bigsby pressed his lips into a thin line until they disappeared, his face turning scarlet.
Braxton glared at him. “I know exactly who you are. You are nothing more than a spineless little prick that can’t get laid unless you pay for it.”
Bigsby sputtered, his face growing redder by the second. Either no one had ever spoken to him that way or Braxton had hit a nerve. Kate bit her cheek. Maybe both.
“What do you know? You’re a murderer,” Bigsby snarled.
Braxton turned to face Bigsby. A slow, lethal grin crossed his lips. “Then one more dead body won’t matter.”
Bigsby yelped and ran for the door. He only made it two steps before Braxton grabbed his collar and lifted him off his feet by his shirt.
Bigsby screamed and flailed in the air like a fish on a hook. He glanced down, realizing his phone was still in his hand. Before he could dial, Braxton snatched the phone away
“You won’t be needing this.” Braxton squeezed the phone, crushing it into a million plastic shards.
Bigsby’s terrified gaze landed on Kate.
“Braxton, let him go.” Kate tugged on his muscled arm.
“But…”
“Now!” Kate crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
“Are you tapping your foot at me?” Braxton’s gaze drifted to her tennis shoe.
“Braxton.” She glared back at him.
An amused grin crossed his lips and he loosened his grip. Bigsby fell on his ass.
“She’s not signing her home over to you.” Braxton narrowed his eyes at Bigsby as the man scrambled to his feet and began backing to the door. “She is making enough money to catch up on her mortgage payment. She will survive this. And she’ll be safe from you.”
Kate nodded at Bigsby as Braxton reached for her hand and squeezed. “He’s right. In fact, I’m going to the bank today as soon as it opens.”
Bigsby froze, his hand on the doorknob. He turned. A strange look came across his expression. And he laughed.
Kate stepped closer to Braxton.
“You have no idea, do you?” Bigsby grinned maniacally.
“What are you talking about, Bigsby?”
“It doesn’t matter if you go to the bank with a million dollars, the house will go into foreclosure anyway. The bank president seems to have a secret addiction. Gambling. And he owes me a great deal of money. I promised him I’d forgive the debt if he’d get me your house. I need that land so I can build my next hotel.”