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I can see Taylor and the bridesmaids, huffing and waiting impatiently at the door to the limo for us to join them. I’m sure that they’re really only waiting for Declan.
“I wasn’t asked to be one.”
“Why not? You and Taylor aren’t close?”
“No, not really. Even if we were, she would never ask me to be a bridesmaid. She wouldn’t want me to ruin her big day.”
“How would you ruin it?” Declan asks, his fingers tightening on my hip as he stares down at me.
He looks pissed, like an angry predator ready to pounce.
“Because of my size,” I whisper, mortified to have to point it out to him. “I would ruin all of the wedding photos.”
I brush past him, hurrying over to the limo before Declan can say anything or can spot the tears in my eyes.
FOUR
Declan
I storm after Emma,so sick of seeing her walking away from me. I know that it’s only happened three times now, but it’s more than enough for me to know I never want it to happen again.
I can’t believe she’s with these mean girls. I’m used to catty women like them. There were a lot of them in college, hanging around the stadium and locker rooms, hoping to catch one of the athletes. I never paid them any attention before, too focused on reaching the NFL, but now I’m seeing that I didn’t miss anything.
I can’t believe they would make my Emma think that she would ruin the pictures if she was in them. She would be the best thing in any picture.
I climb into the limo after her, sitting next to her on the long bench seat. She tries to shift away from me and I scoot closer, wedging her between me and the side of the car. Chloe slides in next to me and I realize too late that I should have put Emma on the other side of me. Maybe she could keep Chloe and the other girls from pawing at me.
I shift my body, angling toward Emma and hoping that the other girls get the hint.
They don’t.
Chloe keeps trying to touch my chest and I keep pushing her hands away, trying to talk to Emma, but she just keeps staring at the ground.
She looks miserable and my heart breaks. I want to scoop her up in my arms and take her away from these terrible people.
The limo slows to a stop a few minutes later and I see that we’re outside of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. The Luxor is right next door and I start making a plan.
I let the other girls slide out of the limo, holding Emma back for just a minute.
“Hey, look at me,” I say softly, tipping her chin up with my finger.
Her big blue eyes meet mine and they look so sad that it feels like I just got sacked.
“You’re beautiful. You deserve to be treated so much better than this. Don’t let them push you around or make you feel bad about yourself. You’re so sweet and kind. You’re prettier than all of them. Don’t let them get to you.”
Emma nods, her lower lip wobbling and I want to drag her into my arms and rock her against me. I want to kiss her and make her forget all about her awful cousin and the terrible bridesmaids.
“Are you coming?” one of the twins asks, poking her head back in the limo door.
She gives me an inviting smile, but I can see her eyes turn hard when she looks at Emma.
Emma makes a move to slide out of the car and I follow, doing my best not to drool when her ass sways in front of my face as she climbs out of the limo. I join her on the sidewalk, doing my best to adjust myself discreetly.
I stand next to Emma, resting my hand on her lower back and trying to offer her support as she faces the other girls.
“I’m not feeling so well,” Emma says softly, her sweet voice getting swept up in the Las Vegas traffic.
“Oh no,” Chloe says, giving her a fake pout as she looks at her with concern.
