Chapter 29

29

Dakota

" W here is he?" I ask Maddox and Archer once I get downstairs.

They both freeze upon seeing me, their eyes wide and sparkling, their lips parting ever so slowly. I see awe in their gazes. Muted adoration. The kind of love I've always dreamed of yet always seemed just out of my reach.

"Wow," Archer breathes, his shoulders dropping. "You're a sight to behold."

"Thank you," I mumble, my cheeks burning hot. "I'm ready to go, but Reed hasn't replied to any of my texts. Do you know where he is?"

Maddox blinks a few times. "He's supposed to be upstairs, getting ready."

"It's bad luck to see each other beforehand," Chelsea says.

"Oh, come on, it's not a real wedding," I say over my shoulder. "I'll get him."

Maddox is about to say something, but Chelsea hooks her arms through theirs and puts on a devious grin. "Fellas, let's get you inside. We need to do one last check and make sure everything is ready; then, you guys need to get into place at the altar."

Chuckling, I make my way back up the stairs. Truth be told, I'm nervous as hell. I need Reed's embrace before we go through with this. He has this way of kissing and holding me that soothes my very soul and given the emotional charge of today, I need him more than ever. So, what if it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding; that's just superstition anyway. Lord knows I've had my fair share of misfortunes, and I've managed to overcome all of them.

I dare not laugh in the face of fate, though, so I cautiously approach the groom's chambers and then knock on the door. "Mind if I come in?" I call out.

A dull moan reaches my ears.

"Reed, are you okay?" I ask and push through the door.

I freeze upon entering, unable to fully register the sight before me. All I can think about is that I want to sew Chelsea's mouth shut. She was right, it is bad luck. I realize it is the worst kind of bad luck when I see Callie riding Reed on the couch by the window. His pants are down. Her pale pink dress is rolled up around her hips. She's moving back and forth, and I think I'm going to be sick again.

Bile gathers in my throat.

"Callie…" I manage, my voice barely a whisper.

My sister turns her head and looks at me. For a moment, I hear nothing. I understand even less. But then her lips curl into a glossy red smile as she keeps swaying her hips on top of my future husband, whose face I can't see from this angle.

"Dakota, I…" Callie says, but there's not a single hint of emotion in her voice.

Reed's groan has my skin crawling.

I can't take any more of this.

Panting harshly, I turn and run out of the room, utterly disgusted and confused. My heart is breaking a million times over as I almost stumble down the stairs. By the time I reach the bottom, I'm sobbing as I hold on to the sculpted wooden railing, unable to stand anymore.

"Dakota?" Archer's voice breaches through the avalanche of tears coursing down my heated cheeks. "Dakota, what's the matter?"

His footsteps rush across the marble floor.

"He… He's… He's with her!" I cry out, finally coming apart at the seams as I collapse in Archer's arms.

"What are you talking about?"

He holds me close, desperate to comfort me, but he simply doesn't know what to do. He doesn't understand what's happened. All I can do is hold on to his strong arms. I hold on for dear life and look up at him, my eyes stinging and watering incessantly.

"He's with Callie."

As soon as the words come out of my mouth, Archer understands.