Page 69 of Break Out

“What are you saying?” Clara’s voice is quieter.

“All I’m saying is that we don’t have to do this tomorrow if it’s not what you want.”

“I don’t know what I want,” Clara finally says.

“I just want you to be happy. And that stunt your mother pulled today was unacceptable. I’m done not saying anything and letting you handle it. If she does it again, she and I are going to have words. You’re about to be my wife, and no one talks to my wife like that.”

Aubrey and I exchange glances, and she puts a hand to her heart. I find myself smiling too.

“Chet . . .” Clara’s voice breaks off, and muffled sounds come from the bathroom.

“Ahhh, maybe we should move now,” Aubrey says, glancing between me and the wall where I can make out low moaning.

I cough out a laugh. “Yeah, probably a good idea.” I take her hand, leading her back toward the dance floor.

“Want to sit down? Or dance some more?” I ask, staring down at her.

“Dance,” she whispers before kissing me. I groan against her lips when she rubs against me, my cock hardening at the feel of her.

“Aubs. Beautiful.” I break our kiss and step back from her. I take a deep breath, silently reciting plays in an effort to calm my now hard dick. Everything back under control, I take her hand, and we make our way back out to the dance floor.

“How are you feeling?” I ask Aubrey as we wait our turn to get off the boat a few hours later. Thankfully, there was no other drama for the rest of the night, well, aside from some drunken dancing by the groomsmen. But luckily, no one fell overboard or got sick. I’d call that a win.

“Fine. I didn’t drink much,” she answers.

“Me neither. Anything you want to do when we get back to the hotel?”

Aubrey peeks at me over her shoulder, her gaze drops to my crotch, her tongue peeking out to swipe along her lips. Fuck me. My cock starts to get hard, and I’m thankful that everyone around us is too drunk or focused on getting off the boat to notice. We pause near the gangplank, waiting our turn, and I step closer and grip her hips.

“Feel that?” I whisper into her ear, pressing into her. “That’s what you do to me with only a look.”

She grinds back against me, and I have to bite down on my lip so I don’t groan. I still her hips with my hands. Well, that backfired.

Everyone starts to move forward so I have no choice but to let go of Aubrey and follow her off the boat. Some of the group opts to go down to Duval Street to continue the party, but most of us, including all of Aubrey’s siblings and their partners, get on the charter bus to go back to the hotel.

“Did you see what I saw?” I whisper to Aubrey when we’re seated on the bus.

“No.” She whips her head around to look at everyone. “What did you see?”

“Clara’s definitely been crying; her nose is red and her mascara is smudged. Chet seems distraught.”

“Shit,” Aubrey hisses. “I thought they were fine. After everything.”

“Me too.”

“I need to talk to her,” Aubrey says once we’re back at the hotel. “You don’t have to wait for me.” Before I can say anything, she crosses the lobby to where Brielle is and the two of them make their way to Clara and Chet.

“What’s going on?” Devon asks, gesturing toward the sisters huddled in the corner. Chet has walked a few feet away and is surrounded by his groomsmen.

“I’m not really sure. Clara was crying and Chet looks like he’s seen a ghost.” Chet’s now sitting on one of the couches, his head in his hands, one of his groomsmen talking to him.

Devon crosses his arms, watching the ladies chat in the corner. He glances around before leaning closer to me and saying, “I’m sure it was Mrs. Fairchild.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me.” I say, half expecting her to show up and cause more chaos.

“Right? Why else would they look like that?”—he dips his head toward the pair—“on the night before their wedding.”

Before I can answer, Brielle and Aubrey walk over to us, leaving Clara with one of her bridesmaids.