Page 34 of Claimed By The Other Brother

"Scarlett." My father's voice is gentle.

"Sweetheart, maybe we should—"

"No." I cut him off. "No, he's coming. He's just late. He's—"

Barbara reaches me first, her heels clicking on the marble floor.

"Scarlett, dear, what's happening? Where's Miles?"

"I don't know." My voice breaks. "He's not here. He's not answering his phone."

Dax is right behind his mother, his face a mask of controlled fury.

"What do you mean he's not here?"

"He never showed up," Christina says, wringing her hands.

"We don't know where he is."

Dax pulls out his phone immediately and dials. I watch his face as he waits, jaw clenched, eyes hard. The call goes to voicemail.

"Miles, it's Dax," he says into the phone, his voice clipped.

"Where the hell are you? Call me back. Now."

He ends the call and tries again. Nothing. Barbara tries next, her hands shaking as she holds her phone.

"Miles, honey, please pick up. Please."

Voicemail.

The music is still playing. The guests are all turned around now, watching the chaos unfold. Whispers are spreading through the ballroom like wildfire.

My father has his hand on my shoulder. Jane and Sarah are on either side of me. Barbara is crying quietly. Dax is pacing, fury radiating off him in waves.

Eric appears from inside the ballroom, walking toward me with slow, deliberate steps. His face is somber, his eyes red. My heart stops.

"Scarlett," he says quietly, coming to stand directly in front of me.

"I'm so sorry."

"What? Did something happened to Miles? You were together last night, I—"

The words comes out as a whisper.

"Miles just called me." Eric's voice cracks.

"He said—"

"What did he say?" I interrupt, my voice rising.

"Tell me what he said, Eric."

Eric's eyes are full of pity.

"He said he can't go through with it. He's not coming."

The words hit me like a physical blow. My knees buckle, and my father catches me before I fall.