Page 76 of Three Pucking Wedding Dates

“Let go of me, Dan,” I hiss, trying to twist free from his grasp. His fingers dig into my skin, sending sharp pain up my arm.

“Come on, Oakley,” he murmurs, his voice low and dangerous. “You can’t tell me you don’t miss our chemistry.”

“Get your hands off her!” Theo’s voice booms through the tension. Though I’d thought there was no one nearby to overhear us, Theo appears at my side in an instant, shoving Dan away from me. “If you ever touch her again, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do.”

“Back off, Archer. This is between me and Oakley,” Dan sneers, trying to maintain his bravado even as his eyes flicker with fear.

The air crackles with tension, and I can practically feel the heat radiating from Theo’s protective stance. Before my eyes, Reid and Gray rush to our side, forming a solid wall against Dan.

“Back off, Dan,” Reid warns, his green eyes glittering with anger. “You’ve crossed the line.”

“Yeah, you don’t get to treat Oakley like that,” Gray adds, his usually gentle voice carrying an edge of steel.

The united front of the Archer brothers leaves me feeling humbled and grateful. Their unwavering support fills me with a sense of strength I haven’t felt in a long time.

“Three against one?” Dan sneers, taking a step back but maintaining his aggressive posture. “Seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it?”

“Life isn’t fair,” I retort, crossing my arms over my chest. “But then again, you never seemed to care about fairness when it came to your actions.”

“Oakley’s right,” Reid chimes in, his tone daring Dan to argue. “You brought this on yourself.”

Dan clenches his fists, his jaw set in defiance. For a moment, I think he’s going to lunge forward and start a fight. But then, something shifts in his expression—a flicker of doubt, or maybe the realization that he doesn’t want to call attention to this situation, not with his fiancée chatting animatedly with her friends just down the beach.

“Fine,” he spits, glaring at each of us in turn. “But remember this—none of you are welcome in my life anymore, and I’ll make sure everyone knows what a mistake Oakley made by choosing you instead of me.”

I roll my eyes at his pathetic attempt at a threat. “As if we’d ever want to be part of your messed-up world, Dan.”

With one last venomous look, Dan turns on his heel and stalks away. I watch as he approaches Georgia, turning on a fake smile as he slides an arm around her waist.

“Good riddance,” Gray whispers in my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. “You dodged a bullet with that one, Oakley.”

I nod in agreement, my heart still racing from the confrontation. “Yeah, I did,” I admit, my voice barely audible. “I just can’t believe it took me this long to see him for what he truly is.”

Gray places a comforting hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “Some people are really good at hiding their true colors,” he replies, his tone understanding. “But you’ve got us now, and we won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

“Thanks, Gray,” I say, touched by his words and appreciative of the unwavering support from Theo and Reid as well. They stand close, their eyes filled with concern and determination.

“Are you okay?” Reid asks, his brow furrowed with worry.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply, forcing a smile. “Just shaken up, I guess. But I’ll be okay.”

Theo steps closer and envelops me in a reassuring hug that speaks volumes about our newfound connection. The warmth of his embrace is both soothing and invigorating.

“Oakley,” he murmurs into my hair, “just remember that you’re worth so much more than what Dan made you feel like. You deserve all the happiness and love there is.”

His words resonate deeply within me, and I cling to them like a lifeline. I may not have found love with Dan, but perhaps fate has something better in store with these incredible men who’ve come into my life.

“Thank you, Theo,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “I’ll never forget that.”

“Neither will we,” Gray adds, his hand still resting on my shoulder.

41

THEO

The luau wraps up, and the sun sets as people begin to leave one by one. I eye Reid warily. My brother is always so enthusiastic when he’s trying to convince me to come out with him, and then it’s always me cleaning up his mess at the end of the night.

“Come on, Theo, it’ll be fun! Just one night out, what’s the worst that could happen?” he asks, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.

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