Page 42 of Forced Plus-Size Mate

“Oh, calm down.” Fiona waves a hand at me. “It was just a tiny kidnapping. And the chains are still above the bed.”

The girls all break out in laughter. I try to play along, even though I have no clue what they are talking about.

We arrive at the bakery soon after, and Lucy has a table ready out front. She waves at us enthusiastically as we park and gestures for us to hurry.

“Come on, girls! I’ve got fresh donuts out for us, and a fudge layer cake.”

“Oh my lord,” Leslie mutters, sitting down and staring at the cake. “Lucy, you are the devil.”

“Well, it is my first name,” she says, winking. “Besides, you need to keep your strength up after having that baby!”

“Seriously?” Leslie bursts out laughing. “She’s over six months old now—and you don’t look like you put on an ounce of weight in your pregnancy!”

“I did just mention a deal with the devil,” she giggles, wiggling her eyebrows. “Come on, now. Who wants cake? Sarah is watching the shop, so we’re free for a few hours and can head straight to the party after.”

“Let’s get the party started early, then,” Lena says mischievously. She pulls two tall bottles out of her bag—premixed daiquiri. One chocolate, the other strawberry.

“Oh, no, you didn’t,” Fiona moans. “Last time you brought one of those, I lost hours of my life.”

“You shifted and ran halfway up the mountain,” Gina laughs. “Rider had to come and get you, and apparently you threw him down in a patch of spring flowers and... um…”

“Do NOT finish that sentence!” Fiona shouts, red spots appearing on her cheeks. “And pass me the chocolate daiquiri.”

Lucy hurries to get glasses, and once we’re all seated with drinks and a big plate of cake each, the talking settles down as we indulge ourselves.

Maybe I’ll get through this without revealing too much about what’s going on. I don’t even know how to talk about it.

“So, Amanda, how’s it going with Body?” Lucy asks.

Damn.

“Fine,” I mumble through a mouthful of cake.

“That’s not what was implied,” Lena says, giving me a sideways glance. “Come on, out with it. You’re part of the pack now.”

“I don’t know how much of the story is public knowledge,” I answer, “but Body and I kind of have a complicated past.”

“I’m aware,” Gina says softly. When I look up, I see a pain in her eyes that I recognize all too well.

“It’s okay,” she says. “Really. I understand, and I think you’ve been very brave. Trust me, I know.”

Suddenly, there’s a lump in my throat I can’t swallow. My eyes burn, and I drop my spoon.

“Fuck,” I mutter, covering my face.

“Hey,” Leslie says gently, rubbing my shoulder. “It’s going to be alright.”

“Nothing about this is alright!” I cry. “It sucks. It all just sucks. Why did he have to—and then I—”

Misery overwhelms me, and I let myself cry. I feel completely helpless as the sobs tear through me, and the girls all gather around, hugging me and comforting me.

“I know one thing for sure,” Gina says.

“What?” I ask, looking up at her with tear-filled eyes.

“You love him.”

The truth is too much, and I have to look away.

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