The Scarlett Legacy (Woodland Creek)(43)

“Someone better answer me,” he said through clenched teeth. When his eyes flickered from Evie to Parker, his face reddened almost as bright as his hair.

Evie watched him clench his jaw and turned back to Parker to see what everyone stared at.

Seeing Parker on one knee before her sent her tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t care that she was ruining her makeup. She wanted this more than anything in the world.

“Evie,” Parker said. He looked to her mother. “Adelaide told me everything.”

She grinned, a weight lifting from her shoulders. Her secret was out. The man she loved knew everything now. Liberating didn’t begin to describe how she felt.

Sniffling, she went to her knees with him. She clutched his hands in hers, never wanting to let go again.

“Do you still love me?”

His blue eyes glistened with fresh tears of his own. He smiled through them. “I could never stop loving you. I knew something was wrong when you left that day, and now I know why.” His eyes hardened when he glanced at Avalon.

Adelaide held Avalon back. “This scene is for Evie. Don’t interfere by trying to make one of your own, or I will ruin you. Understand?”

Evie didn’t bother to look back at Avalon. All she wanted was to taste Parker’s mouth.

She kissed him, not caring that everyone watched. When they broke away from their kiss, he held out her engagement ring.

“This,” he said, taking her hand to put the ring on her finger. “Belongs to you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I will say yes to you every day for the rest of our lives.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Parker said. He stood and pulled her to her feet.

Everyone cheered.

Everyone but Avalon.

When Evie dared to look at him, she was surprised to see hurt in his eyes. Not anger. Not rage. Genuine hurt.

She almost wished she’d seen the anger at that moment. Hurting anyone, even someone like Avalon didn’t make her feel good.

She offered him a smile. The roar of the crowd filled her ears as she mouthed ‘sorry’ to him.

“Be a good sport, Avalon,” Adelaide said.

“Please,” Evie said, letting go of Parker’s hand for a moment. She didn’t need to rub it in his face. She could have, but she wanted to be sensitive to his feelings.

Avalon pulled his arm away from Adelaide. Wes took a step closer.

“All will be forgiven,” Wes said.

“Yes,” Evie said, nodding. “I beg you. Please… just let me go.”

The crowd cheered for the new couple. Her family waited for Avalon’s reply. Everything seemed to hinge on Avalon’s next move.

And then the ballroom went black.





“RUN, EVIE,” Adelaide shouted over the screams of the crowd.

“No,” Evie said. “I know what to do.”

Evie stood there in the pitch black, her eyes adjusting. She scanned the crowd, searching for Avalon.

So much for being a nice girl.

She grabbed Parker’s hand and pulled him to her. “Listen,” she said to him, her eyes still looking for Avalon.

“We need to get out of here,” Parker said, wrapping an arm behind her back and pushing her toward the exit.

“Baby, you know all of my secrets now, and I will never keep anything from you ever again. But I need you to trust me right now.”

“What? No. We need to get out of here.” He held tighter.

A glow came from the floor, lighting the room dimly. Evie gave Wes a nod, thanking him for helping light the exits for the partygoers.

Wes nodded in return, the palms of his hands glowing. “You should come with us, Parker. Evie has to do this on her own.”

Parker faced her, his eyes worried. He clutched her to him.

There was no way he was going to let her go.

“I can’t lose you again,” he whispered.

She kissed him, closing her eyes against the warmth of his mouth. She missed his kisses. She never wanted to be without them ever again.

“Parker, I promise that you won’t.”

Wizard’s fire blew toward them, lighting the entire room a bright blue color. Gasping, Evie shielded Parker from the flames.

Evie’s eyes glowed gold as she picked him up and flew him straight through the house and out the door. Parker’s eyes widened as they shot through the hallway, Evie’s body deflecting the flames, sending them back to the source.

They both heard a loud cry of pain, and she clenched her jaw, knowing the voice.

Once outside, Evie and Parker rolled onto the ground.

“Oops,” she said. “I’ve never flown with someone before.”

“It’s okay,” Parker said, breathless. “You really are incredible. You know that?”

She kissed him.

“You’re incredible for being here tonight. Despite all that you know.”

“I wouldn’t leave you with that psychopath.”

Evie stroked his cheek. “Please, go with my family and stay safe until I return.”

Parker nodded.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you more.”

Evie flashed a quick smile and ran back inside.

Her eyes widened with surprise when she bumped into Quinn in the foyer, just as hordes of guests ran past her the other way.