The Runaway MC Princess

Chapter 04

ANDY

My heart raced as I watched him move closer to the woman he always said was just a colleague. He’d told me there was nothing to worry about.

The chanting grew louder around us.

"Kiss her! Kiss her!"

Brea looked down, her cheeks turning red as Gideon leaned in.

I held my breath when he put his hand on her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.

The room erupted in applause as fellow officers praised how perfect the couple looked together, but I barely registered anything else.

I couldn’t stop staring at my husband holding another woman, who looked at him with the same affection I'd shown this morning before he left.

I couldn’t look away, even with my heart tearing itself apart inside my chest.

For just over three years, I gave him everything. In return, I received forgotten birthdays, lonely anniversaries, and a lifetime of excuses.

The intensity of the kiss picked up; there was lots of whooping and encouragement for them to “take it to the office.”

Gideon, seemingly agreeing to that idea, picked Brea up and her legs instinctively wrapped around him. They wrapped around with an ease that clearly came from practice between them.

He took two steps towards the same office they;’d just come out of not too long ago, but I couldn’t let that happen. I needed to make my presence known to the room first.

So I stopped recording. I had enough proof to get my divorce from this a*shole.

I began to clap.

Unlike Gideon's friends, I clapped slowly and deliberately, one clap at a time.

The sound was unusually loud and mocking, drawing the attention of those around me.

I walked down the center of the aisle between the desks, and as I moved, the encouraging cheers slowly faded.

Gideon broke away from Brea once his eyes found mine, and finally, Gideon’s expression changed.

He no longer looked like a man in love with his mistress. Now his eyes widened with shock.

"Andrea?" He was the only one, aside from bill collectors, who called me by my full name. That really should have been a red flag years ago, but it’s not too late to fix my mistake.

I ignored him and kept walking, straight into the middle of his little spectacle.

Brea flicked between us, her confusion just a little too rehearsed. Why else would she have used my number for today’s confirmation call, if not to make sure I showed up?

"Gideon? Who is she?" she whispered, acting for the crowd. She knew exactly who I was, but I let her pretend.

He didn’t answer, but his eyes never left mine.

By the time I reached them both, the entire room had gone silent.

I looked at Gideon more closely than I probably had during our whole marriage.

This was my husband. The man who made promises when he gave me this wedding band, and has officially broken them all in one moment.

"I think," I said quietly, "you've forgotten to introduce me."

Gideon's jaw tightened. "Andrea, this isn't the place for your theatrics."

I smiled bitterly.

"No. You wanted to keep this secret, didn’t you? But shouldn’t everyone here, who was so happy for you, know who I am to you, Gideon? It’s only fair I tell them; after all, I do see a few familiar faces. Curiously, they would encourage something as disgraceful as this display, but I guess men in blue stick together, eh. Right or wrong. Is that right, Dale?"

I looked at one of the sergeants who stood as a witness to us signing our license. Dale lowered his eyes to the floor and didn’t respond.

“Why are you suddenly so quiet? Moments ago you were just encouraging my husband to take his w***e to the office to f*ck—what happened? Did I sour the celebration?”

Someone in the crowd whispered. "Wife?"

I turned toward them. "Hello everyone, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Andrea McCormick."

No one said a word.

"I have been Gideon McCormick's lawful wife for three years now, and I don’t believe the world would think too highly of such public affairs celebrated in police stations like this, but I could be wrong." I turned to Gideon briefly. “Am I?”

The silence broke, and people gasped all around the room.

People started talking over each other.

"What?" "His wife?" "He's already married?"

Brea turned completely pale.

Her mother, who had proudly boasted to me a moment ago, covered her mouth.

The room erupted again, but this time with questions.

Gideon raised his hands to calm the room. "This is not what you think."

"Then explain it!" I said immediately after he spoke.

Gideon's eyes flicked toward me and, for once, he looked uncertain about how to proceed, and I nearly laughed.

For three years, I never had a voice in our marriage. Now, suddenly, just being honest made me the problem.

“Well, since you thought it was a good idea to have your wh*re call your wife to bring this folder to you, here’s the folder you wanted.” I pressed it hard against his chest. “And here’s the anniversary dinner you skipped. I hope it was worth it.” I tossed the lunch bag at his feet and turned to leave the station with my head held high, already thinking about my next move.

“Andrea, wait—” Gideon rushed out, but before he could take a step towards me, or say anything more, Brea reached out and gripped his arm.

"Gideon—" Brea’s voice trembled.

He turned immediately. "Brea? What’s wrong?"

She pressed a hand against her chest. "I can't breathe."

Her mother rushed toward her. "Brea, look at me."

But Brea's breathing became faster; her eyes darted around the room.

Brea wanted me to discover the truth about Gideon. I knew it was her who most likely acted alone when she made the call because Gideon looked genuinely surprised to see me there, and I watched his expression become confused when I mentioned him needing the folder. It was obvious what was happening here. Brea wanted me to see them together and move out of the way.

Well, she got what she wanted. She can have him.

I doubt she expected all of this. She probably thought I’d see them and run, but that’s not who I am. Deep down, I’ll always be a Kane. And when you attack a Kane, we attack back even harder. Every single person here was now aware of their illicit affair, and that's not including what I planned to do with the video and voice recording.

"I can't—I can't—" Her knees buckled, and Gideon caught her before she hit the floor.

"Quick! Someone call an ambulance!"