Tangled Vows (Mistress Book 1)

by Stone, Anna

  “What do you think? I was just telling Bill all about your little marriage arrangement.” Nicholas crossed his arms. “Did you think I was going to let you get away with this? Did you think I was going to let some hooker get her paws on Father’s money?”

  Yvonne’s hands curled into fists. “You-”

  Bill cleared his throat. “Now, let’s all have a seat and calm down. Everyone will get a chance to speak.”

  Anger simmering inside her, Yvonne took a seat in front of Bill’s desk alongside Ruby and Madison. Nicholas remained standing, his expression smug. It was taking all Yvonne’s effort to remain civil.

  “Now,” Bill addressed Ruby. “You must be Yvonne’s wife. Ruth Scott, is it?”

  Ruby nodded.

  He turned to Madison. “And I take it this is your witness?”

  “Yes.” Madison held out her hand and gave Bill’s a firm shake. “Madison Sloane.”

  “Sloane? Ah, I believe I went to school with your father. How is he?”

  “Can we get on with this, please?” Yvonne didn’t want to remain in the same room as her brother any longer than necessary.

  “Yes, of course.” Bill opened a folder on his desk. “Now Yvonne. To begin with, I’ve heard some troubling things from your brother. He tells me that you and Ruth entered into a fraudulent marriage in order to gain access to your inheritance, among other things. These are some serious accusations. However, considering your brother has something to gain from you not receiving your inheritance, it’s important that I hear your side of the story.”

  Nicholas spoke up from the corner. “Her side of the story? Isn’t it obvious? This whole marriage of theirs is a scam. I’ve shown you the evidence.”

  Bill ignored him. “I’m giving you the chance to show that these accusations are false. Do you have anything to say, Yvonne? Are the accusations true? Is your marriage fraudulent?”

  Yvonne hesitated. She couldn’t lie. Not anymore. “I-”

  “No,” Madison interrupted. “It’s not.”

  Yvonne turned to stare at her. What the hell was Madison doing?

  “You’ll have to forgive the interruption, but there’s something that needs to be said. Yvonne and Ruby’s relationship isn’t fraudulent. And I can attest to that.”

  Bill pushed his glasses up his nose. “Go on.”

  “You see, Yvonne is like a sister to me,” Madison said. “I’ve known her since we were teenagers. That’s why I’m confident in saying that her relationship with Ruby is genuine.” She gestured toward Ruby. “I don’t know Ruby well, but I’ve seen her and Yvonne together. I’ve seen how happy they make each other. I’ve seen how much Yvonne’s relationship with Ruby has changed her, for the better.”

  Madison looked at Yvonne. “I’ve seen the way Ruby looks at her. I’ve seen the way Yvonne looks at Ruby. It’s obvious that they’re wildly, madly in love. ”

  Something knotted inside Yvonne’s stomach. She knew what Madison was doing. She knew what Madison was trying to tell her.

  She knew what she had to do.

  Bill nodded in Madison’s direction. “That was a very moving speech, Madison.” He looked at Yvonne. “Yvonne? Do you have anything to say?”

  Yvonne steeled herself. She wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away.

  “Yes, I do,” she said. “What Madison said is true. My relationship with Ruby is real.”

  Beside her, Ruby shifted in her seat, but she said nothing.

  Nicholas scoffed. “This is ridiculous. The two of you aren’t in love. Ruby’s an escort. This is all fake!”

  “Nicholas,” Bill warned. “Let Yvonne-”

  “Why are you even entertaining this?” Nicholas threw up his hands. “You’ve seen the evidence for yourself. I’ve shown you the contract.”

  “The contract you broke into my apartment to steal?” Yvonne folded her arms across her chest. “This evidence of yours was obtained illegally. You’re lucky I didn’t have you arrested.”

  “That doesn’t matter,” Nicholas said. “This isn’t a court. How I got the evidence doesn’t make it invalid.”

  “That’s true. But the contract you found isn’t evidence of anything. So Ruby and I have a document outlining the financial side of our marriage. It isn’t the only contract we have. You’ve seen it for yourself, haven’t you? The other contract, outlining the more intimate details of our relationship? It’s no different. I simply like to set clear boundaries in all aspects of my marriage.”

  “This is crazy!” Nicholas turned to Bill, eyes wide and nostrils flaring. “Can’t you see that this is just one big scheme? You can’t be stupid enough to believe any of this.”

  “That’s enough, Nicholas,” Bill said sharply. “You’ve had your chance to speak, and insulting my intelligence isn’t going to help your case. Your father raised you better than this. Now shut up or leave my office.”

  Nicholas scowled, but didn’t say anything further.

  Bill’s calm demeanor returned. “Yvonne, I’ll ask you again. Are Nicholas’s accusations true?”

  “You want the truth?” Yvonne stood up. “The truth is, everything my brother said is true. And so is everything Madison said.”

  Silence filled the room. For what had to be the first time in more than a week, Ruby looked Yvonne in the eyes, her face a mix of surprise and confusion.

  “Ruby is an escort,” Yvonne said. “We got married in Vegas. We barely knew each other when we did it, and we were drunk. It was entirely spontaneous and ill thought out, and we only decided to stay married because of the money.” She turned to Ruby. “But in the months since then, I’ve fallen for Ruby completely.”

  Ruby’s mouth fell open slightly. Yvonne didn’t stop to think about whether Ruby’s shock was the good kind. She needed to power through this.

  “Ruby, these past months—all the moments we’ve shared in that time—they’ve made me feel more than I’ve felt in years. You made me feel things I didn’t know I could even feel, made me want things I never, ever thought I’d want. You got me to open up my heart in a way I’ve always been so afraid to do.”

  Yvonne got down on her knees. “You make me happier than I ever thought I could be. I can’t even begin to tell you how much you mean to me. And when I look at you, I don’t see the stranger I met in a bar in Vegas. I see an incredible woman, so vibrant, so kind-hearted, so beautiful. And I’ve been so lucky to share my life and my heart with that woman.”

  Yvonne looked into Ruby’s eyes. They shimmered with light.

  “And through all that, I treated you badly,” Yvonne said. “I’ve been so scared of letting you in that I pushed you away, I shut you out, I hurt you. I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve any of it. I don’t deserve you.” Yvonne bowed her head. “But if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I’ll make up for it every single day. I’ll show you how I feel about you every single day.”

  She took Ruby’s hand. “Our marriage, it may have been an arrangement, but what I feel for you is real. I love you, Ruby. And in the face of that, all of this—the inheritance, the money—none of it matters. You’ve given me something priceless. So I don’t care if our marriage is deemed real or not. I don’t care if I get my inheritance, as long as I have you.”

  Ruby’s hand trembled in hers. “Yvonne…”

  Ruby reached out and put a hand on Yvonne’s cheek, tilting Yvonne’s face up to gaze into her eyes.

  “I… I love you too.”

  Yvonne’s heart surged. She stood up, swept Ruby into her arms and kissed her urgently. She never wanted to let Ruby go.

  Bill cleared his throat loudly. “All right. I’ve heard enough.”

  Yvonne broke away from Ruby and sat back down. Her hand still held Ruby’s, and the warmth in her chest remained. She didn’t care about the money anymore. She’d find a way to help Nita. As long as she had Ruby, everything would be all right.

  Bill looked at them both. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on here, but it’s impossib
le to deny that this relationship of yours is genuine. Your brother’s protests aside, you have a witness, a reliable, reputable member of the community who has known you your whole life. You certainly appear to be in love. In my eyes, you’ve met all the conditions to be given your inheritance. I see no reason to withhold the money from you.”

  Ruby squeezed Yvonne’s hand and smiled at her. This was it. The money was theirs.

  “What?” Nicholas sputtered, his face turning red. “No. This isn’t fair! That money is mine. Can’t you see that this is all a scam?”

  “Nicholas,” Bill began.

  Yvonne held up her hand. “I’ll handle this.” She stood up and walked over to Nicholas, putting her hand on his arm. “You lost, Nicholas. Accept it gracefully. Leave.”

  Nicholas’s mouth gaped open and shut, his face getting even redder.

  “Before you go.” Yvonne gave him a withering glare, her grip on his arm tightening just enough for him to feel it. “If you ever hurt Ruby again. If you so much as go near Ruby again, I will end you . ”

  For a moment, Nicholas stood there, staring back at Yvonne. Then, without a word, he pulled himself from her grip and stormed out of the room. With luck, this would be the last time Yvonne ever saw Nicholas. Now that she had her inheritance, she didn’t need to go to those family dinners anymore. She had no reason to keep toxic people like Nicholas and her stepmother in her life any longer.

  Bill shut the file on his desk. “That certainly was dramatic.” He addressed Yvonne. “As per the terms of the inheritance, I’ll transfer half the funds to you now and the rest in nine months. Provided you’re still married, that is.”

  “We will be,” Ruby said.

  “Then it’s settled. The money will be in your account by this evening. And Yvonne?”

  “Yes?” Yvonne said.

  “I knew your mother, back before you were born. I have no doubt she’d be proud of the woman you’ve become.”

  Ruby and Yvonne left Bill’s office. Ruby’s head was spinning. She still couldn’t believe everything that had just happened.

  She turned to her wife. “Yvonne.”

  Yvonne took her hand. “Ruby.”

  Beside them, Madison cleared her throat. “I should get going. I’ll leave you two to it.”

  Yvonne grabbed Madison’s arm. “Wait. I need to thank you for what you did in there. For being our witness. For showing me how much of a fool I’ve been.”

  “That’s what friends are for. Besides, I couldn’t just stand by and watch everything fall apart between the two of you. I had to give you a push.” Madison smiled. “Now, if the two of you will excuse me, I’m going to go tell Blair how everything went.”

  “You told her the truth about us?” Yvonne asked.

  “I kept it a secret at first, but you know how she is. It’s impossible to keep anything from her.”

  Yvonne frowned. “If Blair knew about everything, why did she keep trying to invite us to dinner?”

  “What can I say? She thought the two of you make a good couple.”

  Yvonne shook her head. “Just go. And enjoy your honeymoon.”

  “We will.” Madison pulled them both in for a hug before walking off.

  “Now,” Yvonne took Ruby’s hand again. “Where were we?”

  “I just can’t believe it,” Ruby said. “Everything worked out in the end. You got the money. You can help Nita now.”

  “You’re right. The money is ours. You’ll get your share, too. But everything I said in there is true. None of that matters to me, not anymore. This marriage of ours was never real. It was never meant to last. But I don’t ever want it to end. I want to spend my life with you. And I promise I’ll never play games with your heart again.”

  Ruby’s heart swelled. “I know. I believe you. I trust you. And I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry for the horrible things I said to you. I was so cruel. None of it was true.” She locked eyes with Yvonne. “I meant what I said in there too. I love you, Yvonne.”

  “I love you too. ”

  Yvonne leaned in to kiss her. Ruby deepened the kiss, warmth rising within her. God, how she’d missed her Mistress’s lips. Not to mention all the other parts of her.

  Sensing the longing in Ruby’s kiss, Yvonne broke away. “Why don’t we go home and celebrate?”

  Ruby smiled. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Let’s just say, I’m not planning to make you a candlelit dinner.” Yvonne leaned in close, her words tickling Ruby’s ear. “Although I can’t guarantee there won’t be kitchen utensils involved.”

  Ruby’s cheeks flushed. “All right. Let’s go home.”

  Chapter 26

  A s soon as they stepped through the front door of the apartment, Yvonne pushed Ruby up against the wall, pressing her lips to Ruby’s. Ruby’s soft gasp, the way her body crumbled against Yvonne’s, sent an invigorating shiver through her. Yvonne had to have Ruby, now. She’d already told Ruby how she felt about her.

  Now, she was going to show her.

  Their lips still locked, Yvonne dragged Ruby through the apartment in a frenzy of passion, heedless of the furniture and doorways they were bumping into. When they reached the door to the playroom, Yvonne pushed Ruby away, eliciting a whimpered protest.

  “Wait here,” Yvonne said.

  Ruby pouted but obeyed. Yvonne opened the door and entered the room, shutting it behind her. She wanted a moment to prepare herself. More importantly, she wanted to make Ruby wait.

  It always made the pleasure so much sweeter.

  Yvonne pulled her hair out of the bun she’d put it up in for work, shaking it out so it settled over her shoulders. She removed her coat, slipped out of her heels, and peeled down her pantyhose, taking her panties off in the process. She pushed them under the armchair behind her and sat down in it before sliding her heels back on.

  Yvonne placed her arms on the armrests and crossed her legs. “You can open the door now,” she called.

  Ruby opened the door tentatively and peered inside. Spotting Yvonne in the chair, a smile crossed her lips. She stepped into the room.

  Yvonne gave Ruby a look that stopped her in her tracks. “I didn’t say to come in.”

  Ruby took a step back, her head lowered. However, she couldn’t help but peer up at Yvonne from under her eyelashes.

  Yvonne leaned back in her chair. “Strip.”

  A visible flush crept up Ruby’s cheeks. Slowly, she reached for her waistband, pulling her blouse free, and drawing it over her head. She slipped out of her skirt with a shimmy of her hips, an obvious attempt to tease Yvonne. Yvonne wasn’t going to let it slide. She would deal with her submissive’s attempt at seduction later.

  As Ruby reached around her back to remove her bra, Yvonne issued another command.

  “Stop.”

  Ruby froze again.

  “Get on your hands and knees.”

  Yvonne watched understanding slowly dawn on Ruby’s face, relishing it. Ruby got down on her knees, then her hands.

  “Now,” Yvonne said. “Come to your Mistress. ”

  Silence fell over the room. Slowly, Ruby crawled across the floor toward Yvonne. Deep in Yvonne’s core, heat flickered and flared. She shifted in her seat, trying to smother it, but by the time Ruby reached her, Yvonne’s desire had only grown.

  Yvonne looked down at Ruby. The other woman’s long, straight locks hung over her face like a golden veil. Yvonne’s breath deepened. Ruby before her, at her feet, worshipping her—it made her heart surge just as much as it filled her with need.

  “My precious Ruby.” Yvonne reached down, brushed Ruby’s hair out of her face, and tipped her chin up. Her eyes brimmed with lust. Yvonne was certain her own eyes matched Ruby’s.

  Yvonne uncrossed her legs, parting them just a few inches. Ruby’s eyes zeroed in between them, her lips parting slightly.

  “Do you want to serve me?” Yvonne asked.

  “Yes, Mistress,” Ruby whispered.

  Yvonne slid forward in the ch
air, letting her skirt ride up, parting her legs further.

  “Then serve me.”

  Looking up at her expectantly, Ruby reached up to brace herself on Yvonne’s knees, only to stop and draw her hand back. Instead, Ruby closed her eyes and nudged the inside of Yvonne’s knee with her cheek, pushing it along Yvonne’s inner thigh.

  Yvonne blew out a long, slow breath. She wanted to savor this slowly. She slid forward further, pushing into Ruby’s mouth. Ruby’s tongue settled against Yvonne’s folds, licking and stroking, swirling and flicking in the most heavenly way.

  A tremor went through Yvonne’s body. “God, yes.” She closed her eyes and gripped the armrests tighter, resisting the urge to bring her hands down to Ruby’s head to guide her. Ruby knew what her Mistress wanted, what she needed. With Ruby, Yvonne didn’t need to be in control all the time. She could simply let go and allow Ruby to serve her.

  Besides, Yvonne fully intended to take back control. Just as soon as she’d finished letting Ruby lavish her with pleasure.

  She tipped her head over the back of the chair, a low sigh falling from her. Ruby continued, her tongue circling Yvonne’s clit more fervently. A moan escaped Yvonne’s lips. She was so close!

  “Oh, Ruby-”

  Yvonne rose up against Ruby in a divine climax that sent waves of pleasure rolling through her. She sank into them, letting the world around her fall away until there was nothing left but herself, and Ruby, and the passion that bound them together.

  When the haze of her orgasm cleared, Yvonne found Ruby kneeling before her, her hands folded in her lap, waiting eagerly.

  Yvonne reached down toward her. “You have served your Mistress well.” She drew her thumb along Ruby’s lower lip. It was slick with Yvonne’s juices. “And yet, I find myself unsatisfied.”

  Ruby looked back at her, the anticipation in her eyes mixing with confusion .

  But Yvonne didn’t toy with her for too long. “I want to have a little more fun. How would you like to be my plaything for the rest of the night?”

  Ruby smiled. “Yes, Mistress. I’m all yours.”