Page 53 of Break: Vol. 2

“Guess he was right about them being open…” I said, biting my lip. “Who else?”

“Your parents obviously. Giselle and her mom are here.”

“And Cody’s parents?”

Roxi turned her eyes downward and I knew. “I’m sorry, Jamie," she said quietly.

My breath hitched, and I stood abruptly. “I have to go talk to him.”What could he be thinking?I wondered.Was he hurt? He had to be hurt. I didn't even know them all that well, and I was hurt. How could they just leave their son like this? I mean, no, our relationship wasn’t exactly commonplace, but it wasn't like it was immoral. We weren't hurting anyone.My eyes burned with unshed tears.

Her eyes widened. “Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m letting you out there right now. You're about to get married and they can't see you in your dress. I know you're worried, but can’t you wait until after the ceremony?”

“Please, Roxi, Ihaveto see him.” I started for the door, a flurry of panic and pain welling up within me.What must he be feeling? Did he have regrets? This was all my fault.Like a dragon guarding lost treasure, Roxi dove in front of the door and growled at me, drawing me up short.

“You arenotleaving this room,” she snapped. “I’ll go get him if I must—hell, Bas and Oliver are out there, I'll grab them and send them on a hunting mission ... which actually, now that I think about it, shouldn't be too hard since he's probably with Dex—But you are not ruining how the others are going to look at you when you walk down the aisle, because make no mistake, woman, you will be walking down the aisle—parents be damned.”

I blinked at her and backed off as she pointed at me meaningfully, then reached back with her free hand and turned the knob as she cracked open the door. “Stay. Here.” Then she was gone.

I sagged back into my chair and gripped the sides of it. I wanted to cover my face with my hands or grab hunks of my hair and yank it out of frustration, but she was right. We’d spent far too long on the whole ordeal of getting ready as it was. I wasn’t about to go through all of it again.

Moments later, there was a brief knock at the door and Cody’s voice drifted through the wood. “Jamie? Roxi said you needed to talk to me. Is everything okay?”

I stood and took two giant steps to the door. I grasped the knob and turned, reaching out and yanking him inside by his jacket. All I saw for a brief moment was the shock registering on his face and his gorgeous auburn hair before he was inside and I had him pressed up against the door.

I panted.Oh, my god. I couldn’t believe that I did that. Just yanked him inside and shoved him against the door. What was I thinking? Maybe Roxi was right. Maybe this could’ve waited until after the ceremony.

For several long moments, the two of us just stared at each other. My gaze roved down to the dark, pressed suit he wore. Cody so rarely dressed up. Seeing him like this was different and new and, to be quite honest, kind of hot. I shook my head, that wasn't why he was in here.

“Your parents didn't come...” I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyes widened and I jerked my gaze down. I didn't want to see the hurt in their depths, but I needed him to know how sorry I was. “I’m so sorry, Cody," I confessed. "I just wanted to know how you were. Roxi wouldn’t let me out of here to go find you, but you … I had to..." My voice trailed off. Silence descended. After several more seconds of nothing, I peered up at him and found him unresponsive—staring, open-mouthed, down at me.

“Cody?” I shook him a bit. “Are you okay?”

“Jamie…” He choked on his words. “Y-you…”

“What?” I blinked at him. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “No,” he finally managed to get out. “Nothing’s wrong. You look fucking beautiful.”

Heat stretched up my neck and infused my cheeks. “Oh.”

His hands grasped my shoulders and he spun us until my back was pressed against the wall and his lips came down on mine. Hard. I sucked in a breath and then moaned as his tongue slid into my mouth, rubbing against mine. My eyes closed and I reached up, fisting my fingers into his hair as he kissed me into oblivion.

Cody cupped the sides of my face as though I were a delicate creature and it only made me want him more. He kissed me reverently, like he was worshipping something precious and fragile. I shivered under his ministrations.

“Cody…” I whispered his name and the sound of my own voice seemed to jar something in my mind. I began to slow, but it was hard to stop altogether.

“Cody.” I blinked, breaking the kiss. I hadn’t said his name that time. My name followed his. “Jamie? Come on, guys, it’s almost time. They're gonna play the wedding march soon and you need to be up at that stand, Cody. Hurry up,” Roxi whisper-hissed through the door.

"What are they doing?" The sound of a low, masculine voice drifted through the door. It wasn't any of my guys, so I had to assume it was either Bastien or Oliver.

"Making out probably," Roxi muttered. Yup. Definitely Bastien or Oliver.

Cody swallowed and backed up. He looked down at me, cheeks flushed. His freckles stood out on full display. I wanted to lick each and every one of them.

“Are you okay?” I ask him. “I mean … about your parents.”

He shook his head. “They called me last night and told me they weren’t coming.”

I blanched. “Are you okay with that?”

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