by Lilly Atlas
“Shit. Uh, yeah, I’m good. Nervous all of a sudden.” He pressed a hand to his stomach and shook his head to clear the anxiety.
“Need me to go out there and tell ’em it’s off?”
Christ, the question struck a chord of fear in his heart that obliterated any nerves. “Fuck, no.”
“Didn’t think so. Now, get your ass out there before I go tell your woman you’re getting cold feet.”
“It’s not cold feet. I want to marry her. It’s just…big. I wanna do right by her, ya know?”
With a roll of his eyes, Sarge said, “How did I not know you were such a romantic sap when we prospected together the first time around?” Sarge slapped him on the back as he opened the door. “Let’s roll.”
Maybe he was a romantic sap, but who the fuck cared? Cassie…Christ, she was fucking everything and if that made him a sap, so be it. He’d take a hundred bullets before he let one hair on that woman’s head be harmed.
Together, he and Sarge made their way down the stairs and out to the clearing. As he stepped outside, he stopped short. “Well, fuck me,” he breathed.
“Not bad, huh?”
“Shit, it’s like a different world.”
The ol’ ladies had more than outdone themselves. Fifty or so chairs had been set out for their guests with space for an aisle down the center. Overhead, crisscrossing strings of lights twinkled giving the evening a glow that matched the setting sun, which, by the way, was stunning that evening. With the woods surrounding the clearing and an arch of peach colored flowers serving as an altar, the place appeared exactly a Cassie had hoped.
Simple.
Comfortable.
Romantic.
Nerves transformed into excitement with each passing second until he couldn’t stand to wait any longer. Viper walked toward the altar where the Justice of the Peace they’d hired stood. They shook hands and made some small talk, but Viper couldn’t have recalled what the man said five seconds after he said it. His ears buzzed and heart pounded in his throat.
Music began to play as everyone assumed their positions and guests fell quiet. Again, Viper wouldn’t be able to remember the song by the time it finished playing.
But there was one thing he’d remember until the day he died. And that was the moment Cassie came into view.
In his mind, the music stopped playing, the guests ceased to exist, and he and Cassie transported to their own world. She was…stunning in a knee length white dress and high-heeled white boots. Her long hair flowed straight down her back, a silky waterfall he couldn’t wait to feel against his bare skin later that night. The top of the dress hugged her sexy body, giving a little tease of cleavage and attaching in straps around her neck. The skirt flowed, cutting off mid-thigh.
Man, he’d be asking her to bend over later for sure. See if he could get a peek of what she had under that dress.
He lifted a hand to his chin, rubbing to make sure he hadn’t drooled on himself. She looked downright edible. But what struck him the most, was the smile on her face.
She fucking glowed like a goddammed angel, and if anyone asked, he’d swear she floated down that aisle to him.
Her eyes were sparkling, and when she reached him, she said a breathy, “Hi.”
He smiled. “You look…” He shook his head as his throat thickened. Fuck, was he about to cry? “You’re so…shit, Cassie…you look so…” He couldn’t get the word out without breaking down.
Cassie took his hand giving it a squeeze. “Thank you,” she whispered. “You too.”
They stood there for a few moments, staring at each other like lovesick fools until Cassie finally giggled. “Uh, Viper?”
“Didn’t you hear? He asked us to turn around. Three times.”
Well, shit, who could expect him to pay attention when Cassie was watching him like he made the world just for her?”
“Oh, right.” In front of them, the guests snickered.
Taking her hand, he turned her around and together they faced the man who would marry them.
Words were spoken, they must have been. Isn’t that what happened in a wedding? A few of his brothers came up to read what he himself had chosen, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember what the hell any of it was. All he could do was stare at Cassie, breathe in her fresh scent, and imagine the moment he could rip that dress off her body.
“Viper? Viper?” A throat cleared—loudly.
“Huh?”
“I asked if you were ready to read the vows you’ve written.”
“Oh, yeah, shit, sorry.” He winced as their guests laughed and Cassie gave him the most adorable smile. She was on to him and why he was so zoned out. He blew out a breath, took both of her hands, and prayed he could convey just how much he loved her.
“Cassie,” he began in a raspy voice. “The very first day we met, you gave me a gift I had no right to ask for but wanted more than anything. You gave me your trust. Time and time again, you handed me this same precious gift. You trusted me to pull you from a terrible situation. You trusted me to deliver us to a new life. You trusted me to keep us safe for years. And you trusted me with your love. Today, I ask you to trust me again with your life. Trust that I will keep you safe, that I will make you happy, that I will be your home, and most of all, trust that I will love you with every part of myself. One more time, baby, give me your trust and I’ll prove to you I’m worthy of the gift. I’ll spend a lifetime loving you with everything I have.”
He swallowed a thick lump of emotion lodged in his throat. Cassie seemed to be suffering the same fate. Her throat worked and she blinked in rapid succession.
“Cassandra,” the man presiding said. “You’re up.”
“I-it was s-so easy,” she began, fingers trembling within his grasp. “To give you that trust. At the time, I couldn’t fully say why, beyond the need to be free. To be safe. But as time went on, I realized I trusted you because you were you. Strong, honorable, brave…trustworthy. You say you want to be worthy of me? Viper, you’ve proven yourself worthy of my love more times than I can count. I only hope to do the same. You’re my hero. Not only because you save me, but because you’ve given me a life worth living. A life and a family I wouldn’t trade for all the riches in the world. I vow that I will care for you, I will trust you with every fiber of my being, I will take as good care of you as you do me, and I will love you until there isn’t a breath left in my body.”
They might as well have been on their own planet for all the attention he paid to the rest of the attendants. All he saw was Cassie, pledging her love and undying trust to him. What more could he ask for in life. If he died in that moment, if the earth opened and swallowed him whole, he’d go knowing he’d found true happiness in his life. He squeezed her hands tighter. If he had his way, he’d absorb her into his body. Truly become one in every way.
“I know as we grow and move through our life together, you’ll do amazing things. You’re not just my hero, Viper. You’re a hero. And I have no doubt you’ll be one for so many more people.” She smiled and it hit him straight in the heart. The genuine happiness, the love, the devotion. Cassie hid nothing from him in her expression or her words and it humbled him.
How many men were lucky enough to experience this in their lifetime? Couldn’t be many.
“Thank you,” she went on, “for walking into that shack. Thank you for not only saving my life but breathing life into my existence. I vow to you, here, in front of everyone we call family that I will make sure you know every day of your life how much I love you and value you. You’ll never regret taking me across the country with you.”
Regret it? She could flip him off and run down the aisle and he still wouldn’t regret it because he had incredible years with her.
The urge to kiss her grew so strong, he almost told the attendant to fuck off and just took what he wanted. Somehow, he found the strength to restrain himself.
More words were spoken and I dos were said. At least he thought so. That was standa
rd wedding fare, right? Once again, he was so captivated by his Cassie, nothing else registered.
Until the man presiding over the service told him he could kiss his wife. That he did not miss.
Kiss his wife.
His wife.
Holy shit.
Viper grabbed her grinning face and crushed his mouth to hers. Thank God this crowd wasn’t full of prudes because there was no way he could keep this kiss appropriate. He dove his tongue into her mouth, letting her know exactly what would be happening when they were alone later.
Cassie moaned and grabbed his wrists, holding him close. When they finally came up for air, each ignored the cheers and shouts of their family as they gazed into each other’s eyes.
Once again, the crowd faded into the distance as he stared at his gorgeous wife.
He loved this woman.
Loved her today.
And he’d love her tomorrow.
And if he were to leave this world early, he’d love her as he waited on her among the stars.
BONUS EPILOGUE
JAZZ
Jazz opened the door to the home she shared with her men and stepped through with a tension-dissolving sigh. Damn, it felt good to be home, and while she loved her men to a crazy degree, dealing with two strong male personalities day in and day out left her appreciative of the occasional alone time.
She kicked her shoes off and, with a groan, flexed her feet a few times. “Why on earth did I think heels would be a good idea?” Okay, fine, it’d been a two-inch wedge, but that didn’t matter to her arches when she’d been standing for seven straight hours. With a wince, she placed her feet flat on the wood floor. The near future held a long soak in the tub, but first…
Jazz reached under her Toni’s Diner T-shirt, unhooked her bra, then finagled it out the short sleeve. “Ahhh,” she said as she tossed the offensive garment on the floor. “Nothin’ better.” With a little wiggle of happy relief, she wandered toward the couch, making a mental note to pick up the bra before the men returned.
Today had been a particularly insane day at work thanks to a brutal stomach bug running rampant through Townsend. Two waitresses had called in sick, leaving Jazz to fill in for one and a half of them. Top it off with the typical end of summer Labor Day crowd, and they’d been beyond slammed. Good for business, bad for her puppies.
Speaking of puppies…where were the dogs? Pitcher and Catcher, their ironically named nine-month-old puppies usually met her at the door with an abundance of sloppy wet-tongued kisses.
Oh, right, Screw took them to the clubhouse.
True peace and quiet for a short while.
Jazz lowered herself to the couch with a groan. As the plush cushion contoured to her aching body, she mentally thanked Gumby for deciding they’d needed a new sofa a few weeks ago. This one was heavenly.
Thirty minutes later, Jazz hovered somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. She hadn’t even twitched, too exhausted to move when the sound of the door opening brought her closer to alertness.
“Oh, hell yeah,” she heard seconds before the exuberant clicking of eight doggy feet echoed through the house. It took her babies less than ten seconds to locate her, and as expected, they showered her with exaggerated love and appreciation.
“Hi, my babies,” she said, wrapping her arms around the pups. “Were you good for Daddy?” After another ten or so licks to her face, they darted out of the room, most likely in search of water.
“Are you planning to be good for Daddy?” Screw’s voice came from right outside their den.
Jazz adjusted herself to more of an upright position as he walked into the room, completely naked with his impressive erection jutting out.
“What the hell?” they both blurted at the same time.
Jazz dissolved into a fit of laughter even as her body began to react to the sight of her naked man in the way it always did. “Please tell me you didn’t go to the clubhouse like that?”
Narrowing his eyes, he propped his hands on his hips, which only accentuated his chiseled chest and that monster between his legs. Of course, that’s where her eyes went, and she swore the thing twitched under the attention. Five minutes ago, she’d been dead tired, and now certain parts of her body were wide awake.
And craving action.
“Seriously, what the fuck, Jazzy? I don’t get it.”
What on earth was he talking about? “Seriously, I have no clue what’s going on,” she said, laughing again. “Not that I don’t appreciate the view. Because I do.”
“Nuh-uh, don’t give me that sex voice, you tease. First, I walk in to find a lacy bra on the floor. Thinking there’s gonna be a trail of clothes leading to my naked ol’ lady, I decided to dress for the occasion because there’s no way I’m passing on an opportunity to get down and dirty with my girl.” He indicated his nude body. “Then I strut in here and you’re half asleep in your work clothes. “So…what the fuck?”
Jazz doubled over with laughter, giggling so hard her stomach cramped. “Oh, my God,” she said. “I can’t believe you still know nothing about women after living with me all these months.”
“Hey!”
She straightened, still huffing out the occasional laugh as Screw’s face grew grimmer and grimmer.
“Could you maybe stop laughing at me for a second? You’re killing my boner here, babe.”
Now she had to snort because, despite his words and her admitted hilarity at his expense, he was still hard as could be. “First off, I’m not sure an ice bath could kill your hard-on and second off, how have you lived with me all these months and still know absolutely nothing about women?”
One eyebrow arched, and the same side of his mouth quirked up into a half-smirk. “Hmm,” he said as he began to stalk in her direction. “I may not know anything about women in general, but I sure know a few things about one woman in particular.” He reached her where she sat on the couch and, without warning, shoved her knees apart.
Oh shit.
She was in for it now. That greedy gleam in his eyes meant he planned to show no mercy. As affable as Screw was day to day, when he wanted, he did intense like no other.
And right now, he wanted.
And, God, so did she.
Time to play.
She stared up at him, fingering the hem of her T-shirt. “I’d love to hear what it is you think you know about me,” she asked, letting her voice dip low in a way that always drove him out of his mind.
“Oh, baby, I know a lot.” He reached down and curled his fingers around his erection.
Though she meant to keep her attention on his face, she was helpless to do anything but follow the movement of his fist as it worked up and down his cock in slow strokes.
“I know you love this bad boy,” he said, playing with the head of his dick. His own voice smoldered with dark, erotic promises. “I know you love it stretching your pussy and driving deep inside you. Come to think of it, you love it in your ass too, don’t you?”
Fuck if he wasn’t dead right about that.
She gave a slow nod.
But as she continued to watch him pleasure himself, there was only one thought on her mind. How much she wanted to taste that small bit of precum leaking from the tip.
“I also know you’re salivating right now. Dying for a taste, aren’t you?”
Well, crap, she hadn’t stood a chance in this little game. She may tease him, but both her men knew her inside and out. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
“Yeah, you are.” He let out a slightly demonic chuckle as he brought his dick close to her lips. All she’d have to do was lean forward a few inches and her wish would be granted. “But,” he drew back and damn, if she didn’t let out a little whimper.
What was she supposed to do? He’d dangled a treat in her face and wrenched it away.
“I’m not so sure I’m in the mood to give you what you want. Feeling a bit more selfish, and a little hungry myself.” He dropped to his knees between her legs, shoved her shi
rt up without finesse, and latched his hot mouth onto one of her small breasts.
Since she hadn’t been expecting the move, the sharp pleasure that burst from her nipple through the rest of her body had her crying out.
“Thank you for the easy access,” Screw said around her flesh.
“Fuck,” she whispered, head falling back against the couch cushion.
“We’ll get to that,” he practically growled before sucking her other nipple into his mouth.
She groaned and squirmed beneath him, shamelessly tilting her pelvis so she could find some relief for the sudden and severe ache in her pussy.
As Screw began to kiss a path down her torso, she threaded her fingers through the soft strands of his shoulder-length hair.
And then the dogs went nuts, tearing through the room, barking and jumping.
Screw lifted his head. His eyes were heavy lidded with lust and his lips gleamed from sucking her. The man was sinfully gorgeous and never failed to turn her on. “Looks like we’ll be making this a party for three.”
She couldn’t have kept herself from smiling if she tired. They’d been busy lately and while their sex lives were never less than extremely active, it’d been difficult to find as much time for all three of them to be together as she liked.
“I see you like that idea as much as I do,” Screw said before Gumby walked into the room, dogs yipping in delight beside him. All their masters were home.
She understood their excitement.
“Just in time, G,” Screw said as he sat back on his heels, a hand on each of Jazz’s thighs. She still wore the black jeggings she’d put on for work. Screw’s long fingers curled around the outside of her thighs in a firm hold that told her to stay put. “About to have myself a little snack.” He stroked his scruffy beard as though lost in serious thought. “Though now I’m imagining a full-on buffet. Get that sexy ass over here and lose the clothes. But not the glasses. You know what they do to Jazz.” He winked her way before facing their man.
Sure, she loved Gumby in his Clark Kent glasses, but Screw was the one who really lost his shit over them. He’d often talked about how much he loved when the other man looked up at him from the ground, mouth full of cock, glasses on…