Filthy (The Reckless Series #2) - HJ Bellus Page 0,9

to giggle or break out in laughter, but have no choice because she follows it with burp, fart combo that could’ve easily come from a grown man.

All eyes dart to her, then a roar of low laughter settles over the green pasture and all of our souls. Zane finally rises from his knees, placing his favorite snapback backwards on his head, and gives Rhett a one armed-hug while keeping his other hand clutched to Ava’s. His smile teases the entire crowd with more laughter as he leads his gorgeous wife over to their daughter.

“Come here, Charlie, seems you always have to get the last word in.” The giant of a man with flexed biceps pressing through his dress shirt bends over and gently cuddles his dainty daughter up against his chest.

He never lets go of Ava’s hand as he swoops Charlie up. Ava reaches in and kisses Charlie’s cheek, then places another long kiss on Zane’s lips. She has everything. She deserves everything and I may be the selfish one to relish and soak up the joy of it, but I do it anyway.

Rhett wraps his arm back in mine, and we follow the happy family back down the aisle and back up to the porch. I catch myself peering over and studying his strong jawline, and the section of hair that’s escaped his sexy as fuck man bun.

My thoughts drift off to our very own day of walking down the aisle where I’m dressed in my fairytale dress. The amount of people there will be the same, my parents will be a no show, Chloe will still have her nose up the asses back in Tennessee, Ava will be at my side, and the masculine woodsy scent assaulting me right in this moment will be standing across from me.

Rhett Westburn is my future.

That mere thought scares me more than anything else in life because it’s the most honest I’ve ever been with myself. My heart has never been so full of terror and overflowing with pure love at the same time. I have a feeling that Rhett Westburn is about to fuck me over, leaving no shred of the old Darby.

I guess it’s time to say goodbye and jump off that cliff.

4

Rhett

Fucking tears. Are you serious? Fucking tears strike at my best friend’s wedding? I’m the fucking greedy asshole, and the tears threatening were from the mere thought of losing Darby and the combination of watching my best friend walk happily into his future with the love of his life.

Her in that dress bathed in happiness and staring at me like I’m more than just a piece of meat or the next fuck, undid me. Absolutely, destroyed me. I didn’t pay attention to one word of the ceremony being transfixed on Darby’s olive tanned skin, loose curls falling around her neck, and those gorgeous chestnut brown eyes that originally attracted me to her. It was those eyes that pulled me in hook, line, and sinker.

And it’s her that helped hold back the tears. I’m so damn thankful for her keeping those tears at bay. I haven’t cried for years and don’t plan to anytime soon. My heart is ice and stone, and somehow Darby is chipping away at it.

I’ve been such a fucking fool thinking I’d never fall in love again. I knew the first time I sunk into Darby that she had my number. Fucking Gia destroyed me and I’ve laid awake night after night hating her, but it’s now that I see what she did to me has brought me to Darby. Fucking falling hard for Darby ‘Tits for Days’ Frye. No one has even come close to my ice-cold heart locked away in a dungeon until her, and the brown-eyed girl stormed her way right in.

“Rhett, we need to get back to that fucking barn A-S-A-P.” Darby squeezes my arm in hers.

“Why?” I growl, running my hands through my long hair and connecting with the fucking man bun.

“I need what’s mine now.”

Her voice is sweet and the prettiest sound I’ve ever heard. I just yearn to keep her talking and wanting me. I know one day it may run out…her desire to have me, but that’s something I’ll always fight for.

“Not our day,” I grit out between a clenched jaw, wanting nothing more than to fucking take her, lapping up every single inch of her skin, and claiming all of her.

“It sucks.” Darby sticks out her bottom lip. “Good thing we love them.”

“Good thing,” I grumble