“We’re probably in trouble for being late.” She laughs then whimpers as I carefully pull out of her and turn her in my arms.
Taking her face in my hands, I kiss her wet, deep, and hard then pull back, muttering, “I don’t give a fuck” as my phone stops ringing, only to start back up again a second later.
“That can’t be good,” she says, I don’t agree even though she’s right. I bend down, jerk up my pants, and grab my phone.
Seeing my dad is calling, I put my cell to my ear. “What’s up?”
“If you’re on your way, don’t stop. And if you’re not, keep Kim home,” he tells me, and my muscles get tight.
“Why?” I bark, causing Kim, who is pressed against me, to jump.
“Ginny just showed up.”
“Come again?” I growl, but I know Kim heard, because her eyes lock with mine while pain and anger fill them.
“She’s here at the restaurant. She’s drunk. Bax and Talon are trying to get her to leave, but she’s refusing and keeps saying she needs to talk to Kim.”
“Fuck.”
“I’ll call and give you an update,” he says, and Kim, who I had been trying to hold onto, pulls from my arms and runs out of the bathroom. Clicking off my phone, I follow her across the bedroom and into the closet, where she’s yanking on a pair of panties similar to the ones she had on earlier before grabbing a dress off the back of the door.
“We’re going,” she says as she pulls the dress down over her head.
Shaking my head, I cross my arms over my chest and plant my feet apart, blocking her exit. “We’re not,” I tell her softly, and her eyes meet mine.
“We are, and either you’re taking me, or I’m going by myself.” Seeing the pain in her eyes, mine close against it. “Please,” she whispers, wrapping her hand around my forearm, and my eyes open.
Fuck, I do not want her around that woman, but I can see she needs this. A war rages inside of me, a battle between keeping her safe and giving her what she needs.
“Please,” she repeats, and my hands clench into fists.
“Fuck.” I uncross my arms and pull her tightly against me. “You stay with me, right next to me, and if shit goes south or if I feel like you’re in danger, you do as I say when I say it.”
“She’s not dangerous.”
“Has she hurt you before?” I question, and her face answers for her. She might not have hurt her physically, but she has hurt her emotionally. “Right, like I said before, you stay with me and do what I say.”
“Okay,” she agrees, and I give her a nod then a quick kiss before I move back to the bathroom. Meeting her in the kitchen a few minutes later, I curse under my breath and vow that bitch will not ruin our rehearsal dinner. I know tonight is important to Kim. She looks beautiful wearing the simple white sleeveless dress she has on. It hits her just above the knee and high around her neck with silver and gold beads around her throat, and taupe-colored platform heels on her feet.
“You sure about this?” I ask when she looks at me.
“Yes.”
Placing my hand against her lower back, I lead her out of the house to my car and help her in before slamming the door and jogging around the hood. As soon as I’m in and buckled with the engine running, I look over at her, taking her hand. “No matter what happens, she is not allowed to hurt you.”
“She’s never harmed me, honey,” she says quietly, and I shake my head.
“I’m not talking physically, baby. I’m talking about emotionally. I was there when you met her. I saw the pain she left you with when she didn’t give you what you needed her to,” I explain, and her hand spasms in mine. “I’m giving you this because you need it, but you need to prepare yourself for whatever she is going to say to you. You can hear her out, and you can say whatever it is you need to say to her, but when she’s gone, you let that shit go and we continue moving on with our lives the way we have been.”
“I promise,” she agrees, and I bring her hand up to my lips, kissing her fingers before placing her hand on my thigh and maneuvering us away from the house, down the driveway, and into town.
Pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant thirty minutes later, I park in an empty space while Kim’s grip on me tightens. I know she saw the same thing I just did. Ginny sitting on the ground outside the entrance to the restaurant, with my family and hers gathered around her in a semicircle. “Are you ready for this?”