Lana uses her abilities to help spirits and humans. No strings attached, Download this FREE short story about her beginnings.
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Read the short excerpt below and/or download a PDF file with a longer excerpt of three or more chapters: BEFORE WE WED – SAMPLE
“Very interesting plot…so engrossing that I couldn’t put it down.”
“The characters, Sarah in particular, are really interesting, and both, Sarah and John have a wonderful complementing dynamic.”
“I enjoyed the plot, strong characters, and mind-boggling mystery.”
Up Next:
Book 3: Crime and Justice – 2023
Book 4: Duty or Truth – 2024
A groom is arrested. A bride seeks the truth. Will justice prevail?
When Sara brought her car into the garage for repairs she was smitten. The manager was handsome, grounded, sensitive, and honest to a fault.
Jon was a divorcé – so busy rebuilding his life (and his business) that he almost missed the dark-haired beauty who walked into his life. Luckily, Sara wouldn’t let him stay oblivious for long.
It felt like fate brought them together. But when state and federal agents crashed their wedding, their fairytale romance took a very different turn.
The collected evidence proves an illegal chop shop has been running out of Jon’s garage. Jon insists he’s innocent, and Sara believes him.
But discovering the truth behind the charges will challenge more than just their relationship.
It may also threaten their lives.
Read Before We Wed, a psychological tale of romance and crime by indie author favorite Kim Cox – today!
The second bridesmaid lifted the train of Sara Martin’s antique wedding gown, revealing waves of delicate lace and satin that cascaded over her arms and flowed to the floor behind her. The scent of yellow tulips filled the room, their honey fragrance symbolizing happiness, cheerfulness, and hope—emotions that Sara wanted to infuse into her special day.
Jon Clayton’s eyes glimmered with love as she glided toward him. He smoothed the lapels of his tuxedo, the deep black contrasting against the stark white of his shirt. Adjusting his tie and clearing his throat, he breathed, “You’re breathtaking.”
Sara returned his smile with an affectionate one of her own. After a moment, she clasped his hand tightly, and they pivoted to face the pastor as one.
Much of the ceremony blurred past her. But soon . . .
A tear slipped down her cheek as she said, “I do.”
The pastor turned to Jon, “Jon, do you take Sara—”
The church’s wooden double doors slammed open, banging against the walls with a vibrating clatter. Sara’s pulse spiked, and she spun toward the noise, the weight of her gown suddenly suffocating.
Two plain-clothes detectives and four uniformed officers rushed into the room. “Police. Stay where you are. No one moves,” one of them barked.
Gasps rippled through the church, the echo bouncing off the high ceilings. Sara clutched Jon’s hand, her grip tightening as dread curled around her chest.
The younger officer drew his weapon, waving it erratically. The older officer, his face reddening with embarrassment, placed a hand on his holster but kept it secured. His eyes swept over the wedding party before he motioned for his partner to lower his gun.
Jenny, her swollen belly stretching the satin of her gown, shot Trevor a bewildered glance. He returned it with a helpless shrug.
“What’s this about?” Trevor demanded, stepping toward the officers.
“Stand where you are, sir. We’re asking the questions here,” the younger officer snapped, gun still half-raised.
Trevor lifted his hands in surrender. “Hold on. Let’s keep this calm.”
“Tom, put that damn thing away,” the older officer hissed. “We’re not here to start a scene.”
Jenny squared her shoulders and stepped forward. “You just barged into a wedding. What is the meaning of this? No one here has done anything wrong.”
A man in a suit pushed past the officers and spoke with crisp authority. “Detective Lawrence Green. I’m in charge here. We have a warrant for the arrest of Jon Clayton.”
Detective Green continued, “We received an anonymous tip that he was holed up at this address. We didn’t know it was a wedding.”
Sara’s breath hitched. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Jon’s grip on her hand faltered. “I’m Jon Clayton,” he said, his voice steady. “What’s going on?”
The detective stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “You need to come with us to the station, Mr. Clayton. Everything will be explained there. We have a warrant for your arrest.”
“Arrest?” Sara’s voice broke. “For what? He hasn’t done anything wrong! This is insane! You can’t just take him—he’s the groom!”
Jon turned to her, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place. “It’s okay, Sara. We’ll sort this out.”
But it wasn’t okay. It wasn’t even close.
Jenny wrapped an arm around Sara’s trembling shoulders. “We’ll fix this,” she whispered.
Tom approached Jon. “Turn around and face my partner.” Jon hesitated, then complied, hands moving behind his back.
The cold snap of metal filled the silence as the handcuffs locked around his wrists.
Detective Green glanced at Sara with something like regret. “Again, sorry for the intrusion. You can carry on with your ceremony—” he stopped, realizing how absurd his words sounded. The groom was gone.
As Tom’s voice droned through the Miranda rights, Sara’s vision blurred. She barely registered the moment Jon was led through the doors.
Then, the weight of it all crashed down. A sob tore through her, and she collapsed onto the floor.
Her wedding day had just turned into a nightmare.
* * *
Still in a daze, Sara watched as Jenny approached Trevor, whispering something to him. Her gaze followed him as he turned toward the gathered guests, raising his hands for their attention.
“Thank you all for coming, but there has been an event change. Unfortunately, the wedding has had to be postponed for now, but we’ll contact you once everything has been sorted.”
Jumping down, he kissed Jenny’s cheek and whispered, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Sara expected a blinding light to stream through when Trevor opened the heavy church doors. Instead, the once-bright day had turned gray, the change mirroring the storm brewing inside her chest.
Jenny and Lynsi helped Sara stand and guided her into the dressing room, away from the prying eyes and murmurs of curious guests.
Inside, Sara sank into a chair, staring blankly at her reflection. Her makeup was streaked, black smudges trailing down her cheeks. Her wedding gown, the one she had dreamed of wearing, suddenly felt like a costume from another life.
Jenny knelt beside her. “Breathe. Just breathe.”
Sara shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t believe this is happening. They just… they just took him.”
Lynsi squeezed her hand. “We’re going to figure this out. But right now, you need to change and pull yourself together. You’re not alone in this.”
A sharp knock rattled the door. “Sara.” Her mother’s voice rang out, clipped and irritated. “We need to talk. Now.”
Jenny muttered a curse. “Of course, she shows up now.”
Sara wiped her eyes, taking a steadying breath before unlocking the door. Her mother, Margaret Martin, strode in with a scowl, arms crossed tightly.
“I knew this would happen,” Margaret snapped. “You always pick the wrong men, Sara. First the losers back home, and now this? A man arrested at the altar? How humiliating.”
Sara stiffened. “Mom, not now.”
“Yes, now. That man is a criminal. You’re better off without him.”
“You don’t even know what he’s accused of!” Sara shot back. “None of us do!”
Margaret huffed, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. The police don’t just arrest innocent men at their weddings.”
Kara, Sara’s twin sister, appeared in the doorway. “Mom, that’s enough. Sara doesn’t need this right now.”
Margaret scoffed but turned on her heel. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
As the door shut behind her, Sara exhaled shakily. “I can’t deal with her right now.”
Kara squeezed her shoulder. “You don’t have to. Just focus on Jon. We’ll figure this out together.”
Jenny agreed, saying, “Trevor’s already at the station. Let’s get you changed and go.”
Sara took a deep breath, steeling herself. Jon needed her, and she wasn’t about to fall apart now.
