Page 14 of Gorgeous

“You did this on purpose. Asking Breck to cater the desserts. You know how I feel about her.” My tone is accusing and Anniston damn well knows it. I am beyond pissed. “Thirty pies, Anniston? Are you fucking kidding me?”

She ignores me, touching a strand of hair and smiling at me like she has a fucking secret. “I don’t understand what you mean. How do you feel about her?”

The low rumble in my chest feels volcanic. I’m two seconds from exploding with rage. I don’t want Breck here. She makes my body react in ways I finished warding off several years ago.

“I feel like she’s annoying,” I lie to Anniston, my arms folded across my chest to ease the tension in my body.

Anniston laughs out an amused sound. “Really? Shit, I had no idea. Maybe we should order the hundreds of jars of jam online then. I thought you liked her brand of wholesome ingredients.”

I cut her a look of death and then amend it with a sigh. “You’re being worse than Theo this morning.” A look of pride comes over her face at the mention of her soon-to-be husband.

“Zip me up, will you?” she asks, thankfully changing the subject.

I almost say no and keep with my attitude about Breck being here, but I know resolve when I see it in the hard set of her jaw. Whatever secret Anniston has, she won’t share it with me anytime soon. She has a plan, and whether I like it or not, she’s going through with it. It’s like I’m back in Afghanistan, butt clenched as I take cautious steps into enemy territory, waiting for the inevitable click of a landmine that will change my life forever.

I admit that’s a little dramatic, but after enduring another nightmare and this damn wedding, I’m feeling a bit mopey and a whole lot of pent-up. The shower I had after my run with Theo this morning did nothing to quell my overactive imagination of Breck with those innocent gray eyes and kissable lips. My dick is like Theo when he sneaks carbs and sugar—hyper as fuck. Hard. Soft. Hard. Soft. The front of my briefs has left my skin raw from the amount of pre-cum saturating the cotton material and rubbing up against me. And Anniston fucking invites her under my nose to hang around for the whole damn day?

This can’t be happening.

“Cade?”

Right, her dress.

With a sigh that rivals all the epic sighs of the world, I move behind her, clasping the tiny zipper between my fingers. I screw my lips up in a sneer and glare at her in the mirror, but my heart isn’t in it because she blows me a kiss and I chuckle.

“I hate you sometimes,” I lie, lifting the zipper along her soft curves before releasing.

Anniston turns, fully aware that I don’t mean what I said, clutching my cheeks in her hands as we stand face to face in silence. Her eyes, full of love and acceptance, seem to reach right down into my cold, dead heart and warm it from the inside out. I know what she’s going to say before she says it. “You deserve to be happy, Cade.”

Same argument, different day.

“Iamhappy,” I repeat for the millionth time.

Anniston pulls me in for a hug. I oblige and hug her back. I know she means well and I don’t want to fight with her on her big day. Anniston doesn’t agree with my “no women” philosophy. Probably because she and Theo think sex solves just about anything. But sex ruined my life.

Sex killed my brother.

I killed my team because of a woman.

And after Anniston changed my life by forcing me out of the ditch and shoving food down my throat, I vowed to never let down the second chance family I’ve gained through her. I don’t need any distractions. Apart from what Theo says, sex does not clear the demons from my head. Well, it’s been so long I can’t remember, but I don’t think it will.

Anniston pushes back and places a soft kiss on my cheek. “Theo wants to hire a stripper for your birthday.” I snort and she continues, lightening the mood. “I voted for a hooker but Hayes said he had girls he could get to do it for free.” She shrugs her shoulders, turning to the vanity and applying a little more gloss to her lips. “You know we like to save money around here.”

After sliding her finger in her mouth, she smacks her lips, verifying no gloss is on her teeth. Theo says the move is total bullshit—the sliding the finger in their mouths to get off the extra lipstick—he thinks they do it to make us think about blowjobs. Had Theo seen that, he would have offered to slide something else between her lips. Trust me, I’ve seen it. He’s not shy about unzipping his pants in front of an audience.

“I appreciate the birthday plans, but a quiet evening at home sounds perfect.”

She rolls her eyes.

Do I know they’ll all do what they want for my birthday? Yep. But there’s no harm in expressing my opinion even if they don’t give a shit.

“Is it time to go?” she asks.

Checking the fitness watch on my arm, I nod solemnly. “It’s time. Are you ready to marry the pain in the ass?”

Anniston smiles big, buttoning up my shirt. “I am,” she says sweetly. I finish tucking it in, foregoing the jacket since Anniston didn’t want anyone formal apart from Theo—I’m sure she has a kinky reason for it—and offer my elbow to my commander of the past year and a half. She doesn’t waste time looping her arm through mine as we head out into the hallway. “I’ll need you to make sure the reception goes smoothly. I might be indisposed for a little while,” she instructs me.

This time it’s me who rolls their eyes. “Of course, Commander.”

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