�I ain�t letting you do this, Sugar Bear,� I repeated and she looked at me. �I can�t sit here and watch you make the biggest mistake of your life. I refuse to do it.�
�Didn�t you hear me, Nicky?� Evangelique asked. �I can�t marry CJ now or in the future.� She looked at Cameron. �I�m really sorry, but if I do this I won�t be happy.�
�Evangelique, what are you doing?� Christopher asked.
�I�m sorry, Daddy,� Evangelique said, as she started walking from Cameron, but he grabbed her arm. I could feel the anger build up in me, but something was holding me back from going after him. I looked and saw Aaron.
�Don�t do it, Bro,� Aaron said and I looked at Evangelique and Cameron.
�Why can�t you marry me?� Cameron asked.
�Get your hand off my daughter,� Christopher said.
�Answer me, Evangelique,� Cameron demanded.
�Hold it,� a familiar voice said from the back and we all looked.
�Horizon?� mostly all of us said.
�Am I too late?� Horizon asked. �I hope I�m not.�
�For what?� She walked to the front.
�What are you doing here?� Cameron asked like he knew who she was.
�Don�t act like you don�t know, Cameron,� Horizon rebutted.
�You know her?� Evangelique questioned.
�For the past five years,� Horizon answered.
�What?� everyone said.
�Don�t listen to her, Evan,� Cameron said.
�Stop calling me that!� Evangelique yelled and we all looked at her. �And why can�t I listen to her? I�m not marrying you anyway.�
�And why not?� Cameron wanted to know, as did I. She didn�t say anything and we all continued looking at her.
�Because�� Evangelique began and she looked at me.
�Why not?� Cameron demanded and she looked at him. �Well why not? And this better be good.�
�Because I�m in love with Nickolas,� Evangelique blurted out and I just looked at her. It felt like a katrillion pounds was lifted off me.
�What are you talking about?� Cameron asked, as everyone started talking at once. �How can you be in love with Nick?�
�I don�t know how it happened, but I am,� Evangelique stated. �Everyone�s been telling me for so long, but I just ignored it. I realize how true it is now and I can�t marry you.�
�But he�s your best friend,� Cameron said.
�Anything�s possible.� Evangelique looked at me smiling.
�Tell her now,� Aaron, Brian, Riley, and Gabrielle said.
�Tell me what?� Evangelique asked.
�I-I-I love you the same way, Sugar Bear.� She just looked at me. �I should�ve told ya when I first realized it, but I didn�t want to ruin our friendship.�
�This is insane,� Cameron said.
�You�re in love with my little girl?� Christopher questioned looking at me closely.
�Yes, Mr. Washington, sir, general, sir.� I could feel the sweat going down my forehead. He was a three star General of the United States Army and he scared the shit out of me.
�Why didn�t you tell me last night?� Evangelique asked. �When we were together.�
�I was afraid you wouldn�t feel the same way. I didn�t want to chance ruining our friendship.�
�Well you should�ve, because I probably would�ve realized it sooner and neither of us would be standing here.�
�I was too afraid.�
�But I asked you to give me a reason not to marry CJ.�
�I know.�
�Then why?�
�Wasn�t us making love all night reason enough?� There were gasps from the guests and Evangelique and I just looked at each other and I could feel her father�s eyes on me. �Don�t think about denying what happened.�
�I wasn�t going to.� She gave me an innocent grin and I gave her one back.
�Back up a minute,� Cameron said making Evangelique look at him. �You slept with him?�
�Why does it bother you, CJ?� Horizon asked. �Like you�ve been faithful to Ev since ya got together.�
�Stay out of this,� Cameron said.
�We�re part of this.�
�You slept with him the night before our wedding?� Cameron questioned.
�Yes and it was great,� Evangelique said and I smiled. �It went all night into the early morning hours.� I lowered my head and smirked.
�I can�t believe I�m hearing this,� Cameron said.
�Well you are.�
�Ya want to know something else, Cameron,� Evangelique asked and he just looked at her. �Last night wasn�t my first either, but it was my second. I haven�t been a virgin for the past five years. I lied, because Nick and I didn�t want anyone to know.� The guys looked at me and I shrugged while grinning. �If I had gone through with marrying you today I didn�t want you to be my first in five years. I wanted it to be Nick and now I know why.�
�Bitch!� Cameron yelled and back handed her across the face and she fell to the floor.
�Evvie!� The girls ran over to her and the anger just took over me. �Forgive me Father for I�m about to sin.� I went after Cameron, before Christopher had a chance and tackled him to the floor. We started wrestling around on the floor, as everyone else got loud.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Kevin�
I never saw Nickolas so angry in the past twelve years, as I saw him at this moment. I never saw him go after someone like that. In fact I never saw him go after anyone. There would be a couple hits towards us, but nothing like this. I guess when it comes to Evangelique everything changes with him. I walked over to Evangelique and the girls, as Aaron, Alexander, Brian, and Howard tried to get Nickolas away from Cameron. I knelt beside Evangelique, as she stayed curled on the floor and her face buried, crying.
�Ev.� She didn�t answer. �Maybe we should get her out of here.�
�Good idea,� Amanda said.
�Kris, go bring the car out front.�
�Right away,� Kristin said getting up and running out.
�I can�t believe that punk,� Evangelique�s mother, Ivy, said. �Did he forget who her mother is? And her father?�
�Ivy, it�s alright,� Gabrielle said. �Please stay calm for Ev.�
�You�re right,� Ivy said. �I will deal with him first thing Monday morning.�
�I�m going to get her out of here.�
�And take her where?� Christopher asked.
�Home; Nick can meet her there.�
�Alright,� Ivy said and I went to pick Evangelique up.
�Leave me go,� Evangelique said through tears.
�I�m going to get you out of here.�
�No one ever hit me before,� Evangelique said. �Not even my parents or strangers or friends or anyone.�
�It�ll be all right,� Leighanne said. �Let Kevin take you home.�
�No,� Evangelique said.
�Nick, c�mon, man,� Alexander said and we all looked, as they got Nickolas away from Cameron. �He�s not worth it.�
�Nobody hurts Ev and gets away with it,� Nickolas said, as Cameron got up off the floor. �And I mean nobody.�
�She�s just a little tramp,� Cameron said and it took all I had not to go after him myself.
�Why does it matter to you, CJ?� Horizon asked. �You were never faithful to her.� I looked at Evangelique, as she sat up. �You were never honest with her about anything.�
�Neither was she,� Cameron said.
�All she kept from you, CJ, is that she gave herself to Nick,� Terrilynn said. �You didn�t even have the decency to tell her you�ve been married three times already.�
�What?� Evangelique said.
�Or the fact that you and I have been dating for the past five years,� Horizon added. �And you�re only marrying her for her connections, money, and power.�
�Shut your damn mouth, bitch,� Cameron said.
�Let her speak,� Ivy said.
�It�s all true,� Horizon said. �He never loved your daughter, Mayor, he just wanted that power. He never loved me either. He was going to divorce her in, like, a year anyway after he took everything from her. Her money, her business, her friends, family, and her confidence. He was going to take it all and leaver her alone. That�s what he does. He did it his last three marriages, but lucky for them they got their lives back.�
�She�s lying,� Cameron said.
�I don�t care if she�s lying or telling the truth,� Nickolas said. �You still hurt Ev, and I ain�t letting you get away with it.�
�Now�s not the time,� Howard said.
�Save it for outside the church,� Brian said and I just looked at my cousin.
�If I�m going to sin I might as well do it now,� Nickolas said. �In God�s house, because at least he�ll witness it first hand.�
�Nicky,� Evangelique said and he looked at her. She reached out her and he walked over to her. He knelt in front of her and they looked at each other.
�Are you all right?� Nickolas asked.
�Are you?� Evangelique asked in return and he smiled.
�Here, Gabi,� Nickolas said handing her his keys. �You and Aaron take my truck.�
�Alright,� Gabrielle said taking his keys.
�Let�s get you out of here,� Nickolas said picking Evangelique up and we watched him walk away.
�That�s how it should be.� I smiled
�Yeah, the little tramp and her pimp,� Cameron said and I looked, as Brian stepped in front of him.
�I may be a church going guy,� Brian started, �but that might all change if you keep it up.�
�Is that a threat?�
�It�s a promise.� Cameron just glared at him then walked out.
CHAPTER 27
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