To Love and Protect (Must Love Diamonds 4)

Dev whirled around and nearly fell when pain shot through his leg. “Does it look like I can fucking protect anyone like this?”

Seriously. What the hell was her father thinking? What the hell was he thinking that he wanted to?

Reyes shrugged and went to pick up the tent pole Dev had dropped when the spasm hit. “You should do it.”

“Look at me.” Hearing the self-pity in his own voice, he was thankful when his brother kept working on the tent.

“You know, half of the deterrent is you being there. It’s like having a dog to protect against break-ins. Most times, it doesn’t matter how big or small, as long as it barks.”

Dev leaned against the tree as his massage began to ease the pain some. “By that logic, she should just get herself a dog.” A big one.

Reyes grinned. “But your bark is already so very loud.”

“Fuck you.”

His brother laughed and Dev rolled his eyes as he limped over to resume helping. Sure, simply having him at her side would be a deterrent. But if something serious happened and she got hurt because he failed to protect her, he’d never be able to live with himself. He needed to leave that job to someone of sound mind and body.

He didn’t qualify for the latter, and some days, he wasn’t so sure about the former, either.

Chapter 6

A half-hour before three p.m., Shelby gave a perfunctory knock at the bridal suite before swishing the skirt of her floor-length, silver velvet dress inside and shutting the door. She’d left Celia, Honor, and Mae in the room next door, so she knew she’d have her soon-to-be sister-in-law to herself for a moment. Likely a very brief moment with the way wedding planner Maria was barking out orders.

Roxanna’s gaze flicked to hers in the mirror before she returned her attention to the mascara wand for one last swipe over her lashes. A few pearl-studded pins held a wreath of white baby’s breath and tiny copper-colored tea roses in her hair, but otherwise, her long brunette curls cascaded down the back of her ivory bridal gown.

Whereas the bridesmaids were all tricked out in cool silvers for the February winter wedding, copper and bronze shimmered on the bride’s eyelids, and her brown eyes were framed beautifully by her long, thick lashes. Her cheeks glowed with happiness as she capped the mascara and set it down for one final look in the mirror.

“You look amazing,” Shelby said with a grin.

“Thanks.” She gave a bit of a wistful smile. “I can’t believe after all the crazy of the past few weeks it’ll be over in a few hours.”

“Not over.” Meeting her gaze in the mirror, Shelby leaned down to hug her shoulders. “Just on to the next chapter.”

“I know. I meant the wedding, though.” Now her smile turned wry. “So much for small and intimate.”

“Come on, you knew this would happen even without being psychic.”

“Your mom is hard to stop once she gets started.”

“Consider yourself lucky. One hundred guests is better than Celia’s five hundred.”

“One hundred and two—but at least I actually know everyone.” She tilted her head and squinted at the ceiling. “I think.”

Shelby laughed as Roxanna swiveled around and took hold of her hands. “How are you doing? With everything going on, I feel bad I haven’t been able to talk to you much since that day Devante showed up at brunch with you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she assured her, shifting sideways to drop down onto a chair. “I’m fine. And nothing’s happened since then, so the whole bodyguard thing is beginning to feel a little melodramatic.”

Like everyone’s reaction at the brunch table three weeks ago when Dad had insisted they all know what was going on so they could be extra careful, too. She completely agreed on that, but the smothering had been even worse than she’d imagined.

“After what happened with your car, and the clinic last fall, it’s good nothing more has happened,” Roxanna said.

Looking at it all together, Shelby couldn’t disagree. The extensive vandalism at her veterinary clinic had forced her to postpone construction back in October, and then Mae’s early labor had extended the delay.

“Of course,” she replied to Rox. “It’s just that I hate not knowing how long this is going to go on. Having someone watching every move I make is uncomfortable, even though I know they’re there to protect me.”

“Your dad hasn’t found out anything yet on who’s behind everything? The cops got nothing from the flowers or the note?”

Shelby shook her head with a heavy sigh. “Nope.”