Page 49 of His Wicked Revenge

“Camille?” Chloe’s sweet voice pulls me out of my rampant thoughts. When my eyes focus on her standing inside the store, she smiles softly. “You won’t be able to try on dresses out there.”

My brows dip in confusion, and when I look up at the sign and all the dresses behind her, I remember the reason for my being here. To try on bridesmaid dresses. Something I never thought I would be doing in my life. Smiling back, I step through the entrance and stand with her.

“Sorry,” I apologize as I glance around the small shop. “Guess I’m just nervous about having to stand in front of a shit ton of people.”

“I get it.” Her arm touches my back as a way to comfort me. “If it helps, they really won’t be focused on you. Plus, you’ll be walking down with Leo. That could help calm your nerves.”

“I’m walking down with your brother?” I twist my head in her direction. If I’m walking down with her brother, the best man, that means—“I’m your Maid of Honor?”

“I planned on asking you. Sorry for you finding out this way.”

“Chloe, I can’t be your Maid of Honor. You have other friends… Girls you’ve known way longer than me⁠—”

“Yeah, those friends started acting differently towards me when they found out I was pregnant.” Her shoulders sag, and a frown takes over her face. “They all stopped inviting me to things. I don’t talk with them as much as I used to. I’m pretty sure they have a group chat that doesn’t involve me.”

“Are you serious?” My blood boils for her. These women have been friends with her for years and then decide to act shitty because she is pregnant? “Were you friends with them when you were pregnant with Carter?”

“I was, but things were different back then. People change.” She sighs.

“From what I know, they are all single, bitter bitches who don’t have a nice bone in their body.” The tone of my voice was low, but Chloe still heard me.

“Camille!” Her eyes grow wide, and for a moment, I think she’ll hate me. She will march out of the boutique and kick me out of her wedding for saying rude things.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize. The words feel strange as they leave my mouth. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

When I think she will slap or yell at me, Chloe smiles. Following that smile is a laugh. “You’re right. They are bitter bitches. Sometimes, I think they only stick around because of Leo.”

“What do you mean?” Curiosity gets the best of me. I shouldn’t care what these women think about Leo, but I do because I’ve been with him. He’s been inside of me and explored my body more times than I can count.

He is mine.

“They always had crushes on him ever since we became friends way back when. Sometimes, they’d only come over to the house when he was home. Thinking about it now, I see it is a huge red flag in a friendship. But after his… altercation and being sent to prison, they are more interested than ever. Guess they can’t stay away from the bad boy.”

She laughs a bit at her last sentence, but it isn’t full of humor.

“Chloe, promise me something.” I position my body to face her and grab her hands. “After the wedding, stop being friends with them. If you don’t feel they are being true to you, why keep the friendship going?”

Her lips turn up, eyes shining bright. “You sound like my brother speaking to one of his patients.”

My spine stiffens, but I keep my expression neutral. “Guess he is rubbing off on me.”

More than I care to admit.

“Thank you, Camille. For being such a great friend.” Her words cause me to cringe internally. I’m not a great friend. I’m far from it. “You are the best choice for my Maid of Honor. Even though we’ve known each other for a short time, you are always real with me.”

I attempt to offer a kind smile, but it is tight. That’s when it dawns on me.

“How come you set me up with Leo? You said all your friends are interested in him, so… why even try setting a friend up with him?”

“Leo wouldn’t work well with my other friends. They aren’t his type, but you…” She squeezes my hands gently. “It’s not the fact of him being with one of my friends. I mean, seriously, who am I to judge? I’m marrying his best friend! I just knew the two of you would work from the moment I met you.”

I divert my eyes from hers and change the subject. “Does he know that we are walking down together?”

“Not yet.” She laughs. “And you know, even though he is my brother, you can talk to me about your relationship with him.”

“There isn’t anything to talk about. We haven’t hung out since bowling.”

“But he lives across the hall from you now. Maybe that will change?” Her voice is full of hope.