Angel Eyes

Truly Blessed

Jamie's POV

Before I could blink, Brantley had shifted me behind him with a low growl slipping past his lips. I peeked around his arm watching Brock stride closer to us. I reminded myself I was made of sterner stuff to keep me from shrinking slightly from the malice rolling off of him in waves. His normally perfectly styled hair was messy. Both eyes were almost swollen to the point of being closed. There was a bandage across his nose that testified to it being broken. Bruises marred his cheeks, and his lips were scabbed over. He looked like hell. Josh stalked closer reaching Brantley's side about the time that Kolby did. All three men stared down my ex-fiancé with cold eyes. Brock narrowed his eyes and turned to my father who stepped closer. I knew something had happened, but I wasn't expecting the state Brock was in. Then again, I guess I should have if Brantley knew about the encounter last night before I fled the rehearsal dinner.

"Patrick!" Brock roared getting in my father's face. Josh stepped forward only to be stopped by a hand held up from Dad. "You seriously allowed this wedding to happen! I thought you were bluffing when you brought me her ring back today! He is no good for her! Better yet, where is the money you promised me!"

"What money?" I murmured making Brantley stiffen as Josh looked back over at me with a wince. I stepped in front of both of them making my new husband's eyes narrow down at me because I stepped out of his protective area. I narrowed mine back at him before whirling to look at Dad. "What money? Did you bribe that bastard to marry me?"

"No pumpkin," Dad said with a weary sigh shaking his head. Brantley's hands landed on my shoulders pulling me back gently into his chest. "Your grandfather, as old fashioned as he could be, set aside a sum in his will to be put in a trust to be handed over to the man that married you. Brock, well...."

"I stood to gain a hefty sum for marrying your pathetic ass," Brock snapped with a dark laugh. "About the only good thing that would come from you. I mean...."

"What you mean," Josh said with an evil smile. "Is that you needed the money from that trust to bail you out of debt. Seems that mistresses get expensive don't they. Also had drawn up papers to sell Jamie's half of her practice out from underneath her once you were married. You have done enough to my sister. Oh and I'd be expecting the IRS to come calling soon."

"But if...." I asked started looking at Dad then looking back at Brantley who had a smirk twisted on his lips. "I married you, so..."

"And I signed paperwork this morning for your dad," he said turning me around to look at him lacing our fingers together. "I waved any right to it. It will be set aside for you to do what you want with it. That is all yours Angel. That and well with me there is no prenup because everything I have is yours, baby girl."
"You owe me, Patrick!" Brock roared shoving my dad backward. Brantley stalked forward getting in his face with murder in his eyes. "And you! The cops should be here soon to take care of you and these other delinquents. Look at my damn face! Good luck spending your wedding night in jail asshole!"

"I don't think so," Brantley snickered shoving Brock backward into PJ's waiting hands. Steve flanked the other side wrestling him towards the walkway leading out of the reception area. "You come near my wife or her family ever again it will be hell to pay for you Brooke."

"How are you getting away with this!" he yelled fighting the guys the entire way. Brantley smirked throwing his head back with a deep laugh.

"Because I am Brantley Fucking Gilbert you son of a bitch," he said with a wink wrapping his arms around me. "And don't forget it." A hand landed on my arm prompting me to look over at my father looking down at me with remorse in his eyes.

"I am so sorry pumpkin,'' he murmured shaking his head with regret. "I put you through so much that I didn't even realize that I did. I ignored how unhappy you were just because I thought I was doing what was right for you when in fact, you knew what was right for you all along sweetheart." He gave Brantley a rueful smile that was returned full force before leaning down to kiss the top of my head. "After much eye opening, I am thankful Brantley has always been there for you honey. I'm sorry that I stood in the way for so long."

"It's all in the past now Daddy," I whispered stepping out of Brantley's arms to hug him kissing his cheek. "Thank you for this. You made all my dreams come true today. It truly was a fairytale wedding."

"Take care of her son," he said releasing me and reaching out to shake Brantley's hand with a big smile. "The smile on my baby girl's face today is something I will always treasure. Thank you for loving her."

"Will til my dying day sir," Brantley said tightening his hold on me. "There is no doubt about that."

6 Months Later......

Brantley's POV

"Well my friend," Bobby Bones said with a laugh adjusting his headphones over his hat giving me a wink. "I must say, married life looks good on you man."

"Thanks, buddy," I snickered glancing down at my ring with a big smile. "I know it came as a shock to everyone, but it was truthfully a long time coming. Jamie has been a quiet part of my life for a long, long time."

"You have been pretty quiet about it, so I have to ask, how did you meet her?" he asked leaning over with a big grin wanting all the details I would give. I heard Aaron snicker from the other side of the room. I rolled my eyes at him before he went back to answering emails on his phone. No doubt texting my wife about the questions I was getting asked getting a laugh from her. Jamie was actually relaxing on the bus downtown waiting on me to get down with this interview before rolling out to the next tour stop. She had made the decision to cut back on working to travel with me when I was on the road. In all honesty, there was always someone out of the band or crew needing some kind of medical attention due to our antics anyway, so it fits. "Landed a doctor at that buddy."

"That she is," I said with a laugh leaning back in my chair spinning my wedding ring around on my finger. "She has her own practice at home with an amazing partner then travels with us when we are on the road. In fact, Luke Bryan's accident prone tail has tried to steal her away just for that reason. I told him he was gonna be sporting bullet holes if he wasn't careful. Funny that you laugh about her being a doctor, what is even funnier is that a rough and rowdy son of a gun like me landed the preacher's daughter. I think some days my father in law is still scratching his head trying to figure out what she sees in me."

"You are full of it," Bobby challenged whipping his head around to look at Aaron who nodded in confirmation. "You are truly blessed then, man. Truly blessed."

"That I am," I said with a wide smile. "I really am. She is an angel in every sense of the word, and I have been in love with her since I first laid eyes on her. I have been blessed in every way. God knew what he was doing when he sent her my way."

The End