The Unwavering Heart That Broke (Nathalie and Lance) novel Chapter 540

Damaris's hands clenched tightly into the tulle of her wedding dress. Slowly, she stepped out from behind Bagot's protective stance and began walking toward Lawrence. He was right. She had absolutely no leverage. All she could do was submit. “Damaris, no!” Bagot grabbed her wrist firmly. Damaris pulled her arm free with a sad smile. “I'm not letting anyone die because of me.” She turned back to him, forcing a reassuring look. “I'm going to be fine. Don't worry about me.” She paused, her eyes softening with genuine gratitude. “Thank you for everything you tried to do for me. I really mean it.” Turning her back on him, she walked straight into the lion's den. “Damaris!” Nathalie screamed, trying to launch herself off the chair, but Lance wrapped his arms around her, pinning her in place. “Let me go! She can't go with him, he's a psycho! He's going to ruin her!” Nathalie thrashed in his grip, completely blinded by panic. She needed to save her best friend. Lance held her tight, his voice a low, urgent growl in her ear. “He has a loaded gun aimed at the crowd. If you run out there, he will shoot you. Do you want to die?” “But what about her...” Nathalie sobbed, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Nathalie.” Damaris looked over her shoulder, flashing her best friend a bright, entirely fake smile. “Don't cry for me. I'll be perfectly fine. I'll even help you out when I can.” She gave a playful little wink before turning back and stepping right up to the barrel of Lawrence's gun. She let out a shaky breath. “Mr. Lawrence. I honestly had no idea you were holding onto that night so tightly. If you're that furious that I didn't stay to take responsibility, then take it out on me. Leave them out of it. If you need to vent your anger, just shoot me.” She stared straight into the dark abyss of the gun barrel, her voice trembling violently, but her gaze was resolute and unflinching. If she was the thorn in his side, she was going to let him pull it out himself. That way, nobody else would get hurt. Lawrence looked her up and down, his predatory gaze devouring her. He lowered the weapon and violently yanked her into his chest. “I'm not going to kill you,” he whispered fiercely. “I just want you to take responsibility.” Without warning, he crushed his mouth against hers in a brutal, passionate kiss. It was the exact taste he had been craving. The second his lips met hers, the agonizing, suffocating tension in his bones finally melted away. “Get your hands off her!” Bagot roared. Blinded by fury, he charged straight off the stage at Lawrence. BANG! The gun went off. Bagot buckled instantly, dropping to one knee on the stage stairs as blood bloomed across his thigh. “Bagot!” Eleanor screamed in pure horror before collapsing entirely, passing out from the shock. Arthur Crawford managed to catch his wife. He looked up at Lawrence, his face pale but furious. “She said she'll go with you, so take her and get out! We won't try to stop you. I'll have the divorce papers drawn up immediately!” Lawrence broke the kiss, looking incredibly satisfied. He glanced at Arthur with an approving smirk. “You're a very smart man. I've always appreciated smart men.” Keeping a possessive grip on Damaris's waist, he turned and walked out the door. “Damaris...” Bagot gasped, still down on one knee. The veins in his neck strained, his eyes bloodshot and blazing with helpless, agonizing rage as he watched the love of his life get dragged away. “Bagot, snap out of it! You almost got yourself killed!” Arthur stormed over and slapped his son hard across the face. “I kept wondering why you were rushing this wedding! You two planned this entire circus just to trick us!” Mrs. White, completely paralyzed by the chaos, snapped her head toward him. “What are you talking about?” Arthur sneered. “Isn't it obvious? Damaris hooked up with a lunatic, and they threw this wedding together to hide from him! What a complete joke!”