Page 9 of All In

Andy’s eyes are full of apologies as he pulls a small paper out of his coat pocket and hands it to Harlow. I watch in abject horror as Harlow takes the paper with shaking fingers and looks down at it.

I can’t read what it says from where I’m standing, so I step closer, glancing over Harlow’s shoulder.

I can’t do this. Sorry.

- Joshua.

My body starts shaking, rage taking over me as Andy turns toward the guests. “I’m so sorry, everyone, but there will be no wedding today.”

A collective gasp tears through the crowd, and Harlow chokes on his breath, a small whimper echoing in his throat.

I’m going to kill this motherfucker. “Where is he?” I ask, my voice low and rough.

Andy flat-out ignores me, walking away just as quickly as he walked in, leaving Harlow and me standing in front of hundreds of people.

I look at the officiant, and for a second he seems just as shocked as everyone, but then he clears his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen…”

His voice fades off into nothing when Harlow turns to me and presses his face into my chest. “Get me out of here, Gray.”

Don’t have to fucking tell me twice. I wrap my arm around his waist and start walking back down the aisle with him, but his legs go shaky, and he almost falls. So instead, I hook my arms around him and lift him, cradling his shaking body to me. He wraps his legs around my waist and buries his face in my throat, his breath uneven and stuttering against my skin.

I nod at his parents, who both stand and follow us out.

I don’t stop. I don’t look at anyone. I just keep Harlow held to my chest with a hand on the back of his head so he doesn’t lift it and make eye contact with anyone. I don’t set him down until we’re outside and away from the building.

When his feet hit the ground, he inhales sharply and doubles over, hands braced on his knees.

He’s a second away from having a panic attack, and a fresh wave of anger washes over me. I’m going to fucking kill Josh.

“I’m gonna go find Andy. I need to know where his fucking piece-of-shit brother is.”

Harlow’s parents surround him, his mom whispering something in his ear too low for me to hear.

I make it three steps before Harlow’s voice has me freezing in my tracks. “Don’t leave, Gray.”

Every single one of my instincts is screaming at me to protect Harlow. To… I don’t know—beat the living shit out of anyone who had anything to do with this. But I can’t. I want to find Josh and knock his teeth down his throat, but I won’t. Because Harlow asked me to stay.

Clenching my jaw so hard my teeth creak, I turn on my heel, and Annette and John step back. Harlow is still bent over, his breath coming in choppy pants, so I kneel in front of him. It’s a little awkward, but it wouldn’t be the first time.

Blue eyes lock on mine. “Hey,” I whisper, trying to smile at him even as my blood boils. “You’re okay. Take a big breath.”

He shakes his head. “This,” he gasps. “Is so fucking…” His breath punches out of him. “Humiliating.”

Yeah, I don’t really have a rebuttal to that.

The only thing I can think to do is force Harlow to stand and pull him into my arms. He comes willingly, pressing his face into my chest as I rub my hands up and down his back.

“You’re okay. Just breathe. In and out.”

It takes forfuckingever, but finally his breathing starts to return to normal. “There you go,” I whisper, still running my hand up and down his spine. “You’ve got it.”

“Take me home,” he chokes out. “I can’t be here.”

I pause. He lives with Josh… “You want me to take you to Josh’s?” I ask.

He shakes his head vehemently. “Fuck no. Your house.”

I can’t even enjoy the way my heart jumps at that. At him calling my house home. It would make me the shittiest friend in the world. I didn’t want Harlow to marry Josh, but I didn’t want this either.