His jaw was clenched hard, the muscle in his cheek twitching as he stared past her shoulder, straight at Daniel. Daniel stood a few feet away, pretending to fix his suit jacket. His posture was rigid, his shoulders high and tense, his eyes darting repeatedly toward the church doors. When he noticed Emma staring at him, he flinched almost imperceptibly, then forced a wide grin and threw up an exaggerated thumbs-up. Everything’s fine, the gesture pretended to say. Emma gave a weak smile back, unease twisting sharp in her stomach. They’re just rattled, she told herself. Anyone would be after that chaos.
The officiant cleared his throat loudly, and the wedding ceremony resumed. Vows were recited, soft nervous laughter echoed, and relieved murmurs rippled through the crowd as guests settled back into their seats. Then Rex started barking again. Not the sharp, warning barks from earlier. This time, the barks were raw, furious, and nonstop. The sound cut through the quiet church like a sharp blade.
A few guests groaned quietly. Someone whispered, “Is he still out there barking?” Another person muttered complaints about poor dog control. Emma’s heart lurched with fear. Vincent stiffened sharply beside her. The barking grew louder, closer by the second. Then the church doors opened.
