The Sweet Addiction Series Collection: Sweet Addiction, Sweet Possession & Sweet Obsession (41 page)

I know I’m supposed to be moving; I’ve walked up this aisle before. I just accomplished the feat last night. But I’m stuck. My two feet won’t budge an inch and I hear the muffled voices of people around me wondering what the hell is going on. Joey is up at the front, motioning for me to start moving and Brooke is trying desperately not to crack up laughing. Meanwhile, Reese is staring at me, eyes burning into mine and I’m melting on the spot. I’ve never seen him look this handsome before and I’m suddenly regretting everything. The break up, the fact I agreed to be a part of this wedding, the shirt I kept. Everything. I force out a shaky breath and glance quickly back at Juls who is trying to remain calm but coming apart slowly. Her father is staring at me and looks unsure what to do as I clutch my bouquet tightly and shut my eyes.
Jesus Christ, Dylan. You need to move. Just start walking and you’ll be up there before you know it.
I shake my head and open my eyes, and if I was unable to breathe before I closed them, I’ve completely forgotten how to work my lungs now.

Reese is making his way down the aisle toward me, purpose in each step and eyes glued on mine as everyone watches him and who he’s walking toward. My lips part and I shift on my feet as he reaches my side, grabbing my hand and looping it through his arm. And without saying a word, he begins walking me up the aisle, earning a few sounds of amusement from the crowd, and smiling politely at them. I’m deposited on my step and he drops my hand, leaving an emptiness inside me as he returns to his place across from me. Our eyes meet briefly and I smile weakly at him, seeing his lip curl up slightly as the wedding march song begins to play.

The rest of the ceremony plays out the way it’s supposed to. Rings and vows are exchanged, and I keep my eyes on the bride and groom who haven’t broken contact since Juls hurriedly reached Ian at the front of the altar. I manage to only shed a few tears but quickly wipe them away before my makeup is affected. And as the preacher announces to the congregation Juls’ official title as Mrs. Ian Thomas, they kiss and everyone stands and cheers. Ian showers her with affection as they begin their walk toward the back of the church, and I move to stand next to Reese who is already waiting and watching me. Always watching. We follow the bride and groom to the doors, not exchanging any words this time, even though I wanted to at least thank him for what he did earlier. I’m not sure I would have made it up to my place on the altar had he not come and gotten me. I quickly release my hand from his arm when we reach the bride and groom and wrap Juls up into a massive hug.

“You’re married,” I squeal. Joey and Brooke come scurrying up behind us and wrap their arms around me and Juls.

“I know. And now, we get to go parrttaaayyy.” I release her with a giggle and turn around, walking over to Ian and giving him a big hug.

“You hurt her and I’ll cut you up into tiny pieces and bury you throughout the city.” He lifts me up and spins me around, a muffled laugh escaping his lips. Trent, Billy, and Reese are all watching and I hear laughs coming from them after my declaration.

He sets me down gently. “Oh, don’t I know it. I’m well aware of your capabilities, Dylan. Even though you sometimes manage to forget how to walk.” He smirks at me and I roll my eyes. I don’t linger with him since Reese is at his side, chatting it up with the other groomsmen. And after Ian and Juls walk down the church steps through a cloud of tiny bubbles, we all pile into a stretch limo and head over toward the reception hall.

The hall is beautiful, immaculately decked out in fall colors and everything to Juls’ liking. It’s also massive and probably close to the size of the Whitmore Mansion, which pulls at my heart strings a bit. But it’s somehow classier because if Julianna Thomas is anything, it’s classy. I’m doing my best to keep some distance between Reese and myself as we all stand cramped inside a small room, waiting for the guests to make their way into the hall so we can all be introduced together. And that part, I fear is what I’ve been dreading the most. Reese and I will be publicly announced together as best man and maid of honor in front of everyone, and we’ll have to make our way through the crowd and onto the dance floor, all eyes on us. This just might kill me.

“All right, everyone, line up. The DJ is about to make your introductions so pair up with your person and let’s get this party started,” the chipper older woman who had ushered us into the room says. I mumble a curse under my breath as we make our way toward the double doors, taking my place behind Billy and Joey who are all over each other.

“You two make me want to vomit,” I say as Reese steps up beside me, grabbing my attention immediately. His scent is intoxicating, and I almost stumble as it fills the air around me. I shake my head quickly and regroup.

“Don’t hate, Dylan. It’s not a good look on you,” Billy says through a teasing smile.

“And why the fuck can’t you be single? Damn it, Trent,” Brooke grunts ahead of us and I buckle over in giggles. She’s been hitting on poor Trent all night and he hasn’t paid her any mind. It’s really perfect considering the way she’s behaved the past several days. “Ugh. Reese, switch with Trent.” She turns back toward us and my body stiffens, but Reese doesn’t react at all. Billy and Joey make wide eyes at me.

“Brooke, turn your fucking ass around right now before I cut you,” I growl at her and feel Reese’s jacket shake against my arm as he tries to muffle his laughs. Billy and Joey crack up in front of me and Trent shakes his head in amusement.

“God, I’ve missed you.” The voice next to me makes me go completely rigid, as do Billy and Joey who turn around quickly. “Oh, um, sorry I didn’t… fuck.” My eyes meet his briefly, and before I can even think of a reaction to that, the doors swing open and the DJ begins announcing the wedding party. Brooke and Trent, followed by Joey and Billy are sent through as Reese and I move up and he slips my hand through his arm. My breathing is irregular, I’m nervous as hell, and he can sense it. “Dylan, relax. I’ve got you.” I open my mouth to tell him to
stop
getting me when the DJ comes through the speaker system.

“And now please give a warm welcome to our lovely maid of honor, Dylan Sparks, and her handsome escort, the best man, Reese Carroll.”

Cheers and whistles fill the room as I’m practically dragged behind Reese. We pass a table of women who hoot and holler at him and he gives them his perfect smile as we walk toward the dance floor. “Jesus Christ,” I mutter under my breath at them and feel his soft laugh shake against my body. We stand next to Joey and Billy and watch as Ian and Juls are announced, my hand removed from his arm to allow me to clap along with the crowd of people as they walk joyously into the hall. They stop in the center of the dance floor and begin their first dance as husband and wife. The wedding party moves about, talking amongst themselves, and I glance over and see Reese make his way toward a table where a dark-headed woman is sitting, her eyes beaming at him. She stands and practically hurls herself up into his arms and he wraps her up, planting kisses into her hair. I immediately turn away.
Shit. Are you serious right now? He brought a fucking date?
The sound of the song is blurred out around me as I move toward Joey and yank him away from Billy, pulling him toward the opposite end of the dance floor.

“Jesus, what?” he asks as I finally let go of his jacket. I’m shaking and he eyes up my appearance, his hand coming up to grab my bare shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“He brought a date. A fucking date, Joey. I was
not
expecting that.” My chest is rising and falling rapidly and I feel like I might just pass out right here in the middle of this thing. I see his eyes search across the dance floor and spot Reese, who is talking closely with the young and very attractive woman.

“Fuck. That’s so not cool. Want me to say something? I can throw his ass out of here. Or hers if you want.”

“Oh, please, like you would stand a chance against Reese. But her, maybe.” He narrows his eyes at me and makes a face. “Fuck, this is awful. He’s all over her. I figured Brooke would be the only bitch I’d be fighting today.” The soft song dies down and everyone is told to take their seats so the meal can be served. I make an obscene gesture in the direction of Reese who is none the wiser as I walk up to the bridal party table and take my seat next to Juls.

I’m quiet during the meal, my only words to Juls being I’m so happy for her and she looks radiant. I pick at the food on my plate and keep finding myself glancing over at the table that Reese had been hovering over during the first dance. The woman is young, probably close to my age, and has dark brown curly hair that falls just above her shoulders. She’s talking amongst the other guests at her table and having a blast, while my mind is eyeing up my utensils and deciding which weapon of choice I’d like to use on her if I get the chance. But really, is it her fault he asked her here as his date? She probably doesn’t know about me, let alone the history we share. She’s an innocent bystander who he’s dragged into this mess like a complete fucking asshole. I’m gripping my knife tightly in my fist and feel Joey pry it out of my grasp, quickly putting it far away from me.

“Relax, please. I’d really rather not have the cops called at Juls’ wedding reception,” he says under his breath as I let out a forceful one. The DJ softens the music and talks through the speakers as I try and calm down.

“And now I will ask the wedding party make their way out onto the dance floor for a special number.”

“Oh, great. Give me my knife back,” I growl at Joey as we all stand up and he shoves it farther down the table. He grabs my waist and directs me down the stairs, the rest of the wedding party meeting us out on the dance floor, and finally letting go of me when he plants me directly in front of Reese. I cross my arms over my chest and refuse to look up and into his eyes.
Bastard
. I hear a small sound of amusement from above me as he steps into me and pries them down, wrapping his hand around my back, while his other holds mine against his chest. A song that guts me begins playing overhead and I flick my eyes up to his and see his soft smile. Of all songs the DJ could have picked for this stupid moment, he picks “Look After You”?
Perfect.

“What the fuck is this? Did you ask for him to play this song?” I ask angrily as I try to wiggle free. His grip around me tightens.

“So what if I did? It doesn’t mean anything to you anyway, so what’s the problem?”

“Oh, you’re so right, Reese. It means nothing to me. You’re a fucking asshole, you know that? I can’t believe you brought a date to this thing and had the nerve to accuse me of flirting with Juls’ cousin.” I glare up at him as he moves me around the dance floor, my anger level rising at the realization that he’s also good at slow dancing. Really fucking good at it.

“What date? What the fuck are you talking about?”

I tilt my head in the direction of the pretty brunette who is staring at us, smiling for some weird ass reason. “That date. I saw you with her. Kissing her and talking all close and intimate. Fuck you. I would never do that in front of you.”

He shakes his head at me. “
That
is my fucking sister, Dylan. Ian invited her
and
her husband who couldn’t make it because he’s away on business and I haven’t seen her for months. That’s why she got such a warm welcoming from me. But it doesn’t really fucking matter if it’s my sister or not, now does it? You ended things, remember? You fucking
destroyed
me.”

I push away from him and take a step back. Staring, shocked at his admission. “I destroyed you? Fuck you. You completely broke me, you stupid shit.” I slap him hard across the face because it’s what I do and storm off the dance floor, pushing my way through the crowd of people who, I’m sure, have been focused on us since our heated argument started. I’m out the double doors and make my way down the long empty hallway, unsure of where I’m headed when I hear the doors swing open in the distance behind me.

“Dylan!”

I keep moving, picking up my pace but stumble forward once my heel catches on my dress, landing hard on my knees, my hands breaking my fall and hitting the marble floor. Falling back onto my heels, I drop my head into my hands and try to muffle my cries. I don’t want him to see me like this, but it’s too late. His body drops down and I’m lifted off the floor and onto my feet as he tries to pull me against his chest. I push away and pry his hands off my waist.

“Let go of me. I hate you. I fucking hate what you did to me.” I wipe under my eyes and mentally curse myself for the mascara that appears on my fingertips.