As Stephanie stepped from the carriage and swept the short train of her gown behind her, all the women murmured appreciatively. The lady knew how to make an entrance.
His mom moved through the crowd, carrying an enormous bouquet of red flowers that she handed over with all the solemnity of a coronation. Signaling to Aunt Wendy, she took a second bouquet of white flowers from her and handed it to Victoria.
The exchange was meaningful, and he sensed an undercurrent of female emotion. These things weren’t a total mystery to him anymore, and he had all these amazing women to thank for that. His mother was making a gesture—welcoming Stephanie and Victoria to the family.
Cheryl appeared carrying Daniel in her arms. Assisted by Carmen, she came straight to Stephanie. “Give Mom Mom a kiss.”
The little guy’s cameo took the bride by surprise. She kissed the grinning toddler and smoothed his hair. “How’s Mom Mom’s big boy?”
He waved a small sphere about the size of a tennis ball in her face to everyone’s chuckling delight. “Ball!”
Tori chuckled loudest. “We had to find a special holder for the rings. Let’s hope he hands it off and doesn’t hurl it at Calder’s face.”
Quickly whisking the boy away before he got too excited, Cheryl and Carmen hurried to the rear of the adobe building—away from the festivities.
“Group picture,” Meghan hollered. “Jace, get your butt over here.”
As Jace jumped to do her bidding, he noted how Sophie had a good laugh when he nearly tripped over Raven. Then the two spoke as if they knew each other. Instinctually, his eyes narrowed. What was that all about?
Tori gathered all the women like a general on the battlefield. She had the ladies stand tallest to shortest with Alex and Stephanie in the center. Meghan was telling Jace exactly what to do as if he was a third grader. The guy looked at him and smirked.
To be a dick, after everyone was ready, unmoving, and smiling, Jace lowered the camera and asked Meghan, “It’s this button, right?”
The first picture he captured would be of them all flailing with laughter as Meghan’s face froze in a mask of incredulity. More family legend gold in the making.
More than a dozen pictures later, the women took their leave one by one until it was just Bella, Tori, him, and Stephanie. The soft sounds of Parker’s deep tone Gibson began.
Sweet Bella Mia had the most rapturous expression on her face as Stephanie brought her close. “After Victoria walks down the aisle, it’s your turn. Is my flower girl ready?”
“Oh, yes,” she cooed. “I know what to do.”
“Mom,” Tori said with an abundance of emotion. “I love you. And I love Calder for making you so happy.”
Alex coughed to clear his throat.
Then it was time.
First, Victoria Bennett St. John in her pretty red dress and carrying an enormous bouquet of white flowers moved into the small chapel through doors that had been weathered by generations in the desert sun.
Stephanie slipped her hand through his arm and smiled up at him.
“Go on, sweetie,” she told Bella. “Take your time and remember to smile.”
As the oldest of the Junior Justice tribe moved into position, he had to laugh. The lil’ captain’s natural high spirits left her ponytail in a precarious way. The crown of tiny white flowers on her head was barely staying put.
Bella stepped through the ancient doorway. Once it was only him and the bride, he squeezed her fingers and made one last joke. “Stephanie, last chance to run for the hills.”
She had herself a good laugh and blew him a kiss. “Alex, shugah. Shut the hell up and hand me over to that bad man before I really do change my mind.”
He walked them to the doorway and let a few seconds of Parker strumming Pachelbel’s Canon in D envelop them before stepping into the chapel.
The first thing he saw was his beloved uncle in his role of Father Eduardo waiting at the front of the chapel. On either side of them, all of Family Justice had crammed into the room. He looked for and found his wife’s loving gaze. All the hope and joy of their own wedding day lit up her face.
He saw his dad at the front of the chapel next to Calder. The expression on his father’s face took him by surprise. He looked teary-eyed.
And then he saw Calder. They’d moved perhaps five steps into the room when the man burst into tears. Stephanie gasped, and he saw his father’s hand move to Calder’s shoulder.
Next thing he knew, sounds of sniffles and “Awws” mixed in with Parker’s haunting guitar.
Calder completely lost it in epic fashion. Tori also had a river of tears flowing down her face by the time they reached the front. Alex shook Calder’s hand and did his very best not to start blubbering too. When he handed Stephanie off, his uncle drew her into a mighty hug, and buried his face in her neck.
“Shh, shh, baby,” he heard her murmur.
His dad moved in and patted Calder on the back. Then he pulled a handkerchief from inside his jacket and quietly encouraged the bridegroom to pull himself together.
This whole time, Father Ed stood calmly with an expression of pure joy on his face.
Alex glanced around. The small, intimate chapel wasn’t big enough to contain the outpouring of love and happiness he sensed. Stephanie and Calder were blessed by the emotions of all those present.
The ceremony started out solemnly. This was one of those times when he knew God was present, and he made a promise to his wife that he’d be more open to his faith. He sat next to Meghan, held her hand, and willed the spirit of sacredness to fill him up.
When Ed asked who gave the bride away, he stood, and Victoria moved to his side. Together, they said, “We do.”
Then came Daniel’s big moment. After Father Ed had asked if they had the symbols of their love and commitment, all eyes turned to the doorway of the chapel. There stood a mini version of Draegyn St. John, complete with tuxedo and smirk. A hand reached out and patted his bottom. Most likely, Cheryl huddled just outside everyone’s view. Daniel took the cue and started down the makeshift aisle.
His comical toddler swagger was so like his father’s that everyone chuckled. That was when Daniel yelled, “Pop Pop,” and took off toward Calder. With a running leap, he jumped into his arms and almost clocked him with the sphere he carried. “Mom Mom,” Daniel shouted into Calder’s laughing face.
Rings delivered, Calder kissed the fair-haired tyke and sent him scurrying to his daddy.
The ceremony continued. Raven and Zeus walked in and out of the guests. Soft, cool wind blew in a window. When it was all said and done, Mr. and Mrs. Calder Dane greeted their loved ones with broad smiles as everyone clapped. Beside him, his beautiful wife wiped away a tear.
Stuff like this enriched his life beyond measure. All around him and everywhere he looked, Alex saw good, decent people.
He’d done okay with his quirky desert kingdom even though that was not at all how things had started out. When he, Drae, and Cam set up camp on the land of his ancestors, their focus had been on hiding out and only letting the world in when they felt like it. The war and several tours of duty in a shithole had a way of making a man close in on himself.
Back then, Justice was just an idea mapped out on a paper placemat during a drunken weekend in Bangkok. All these years later, they certainly weren’t hiding anymore. Justice was a world-class operation that made them all rich. They were married with families, and an entire world had built up around them.
The Justice Brothers had become Family Justice, and along the way, they picked up the Ladies of Justice and added Junior Justice.
In a lot of ways, it was funny, and in other ways, it smacked of destiny.
His gut churned, and the high he’d been riding collapsed under him. There was one more Justice he hadn’t included. The one that felt like a noose slowly tightening.
Original Justice.
He swallowed the mounting anxiety and pushed the unwelcome emotions back into their box. There’d be t
ime soon enough to delve into all that shit.
For now, he had a family to take care of and a wife to love. Soon, they’d be parents. He only hoped that the darkness lurking on the sidelines would remain in the background until the twins were born.
10
A wave of bliss overtook Angie as she snuggled against Parker and swayed in his arms. The sound system was playing “Crazy Love” by Van Morrison as he sang in her ear.
She was glad the wedding reception was at the Villa. It felt immensely right to have this assemblage of people, at this time and in this place, gathered for a happy occasion. Her grandparents and the generations of the Valleja-Marquez family who lived on this land and even in this wonderful old house could be proud of the way things were turning out.
When Draegyn approached and asked to cut in, Parker glared at him. She bit her tongue to keep from grinning.
“Fuck off, St. John.”
“Dude.” Drae chortled. “You dance like Forrest Gump. Just trying to save Angie from the indignity.”
As he strolled away laughing, Parker growled. “Motherfucker needs some manners.”
Since she’d know Parker her whole life and had grown up accepting that he and Alex were basically brothers, it made her laugh whenever Drae played the second wife card. It was entertaining as all hell to see grown men act like high school girls competing over the captain of the football team. And Alex, of course, encouraged the behavior.
“We’re next,” she purred. “Hold me tighter.”
He pulled her closer and murmured in her ear, “Next?”
“To be married, silly.” She giggled into his chest.
“Two months,” he reminded her.
Ah, yes. Two months until the Marquez-Sullivan nuptials. She smiled. Parker was turning out to be a reality show bridezilla. He had made every vendor in the city crazy over different shades of sapphire. The man knew what he wanted and made sure that was what he got.
In fact, he approached the whole wedding thing with brutal calculation. Breaking it down into different segments, he tackled each with his usual efficiency. The smartest thing she’d done was turn the whole thing over to him. While she would be fine with a drive-thru wedding chapel and an Elvis impersonator—it didn’t matter to her as long as it ended with a wedding ring—he came at the matter from the other direction.
In a way, she probably needed the wedding and his handling of it as a reminder of who Matthew and Parker Sullivan were in their social circles. She just wanted to marry the hot guy she’d been in love with her whole life. It took a society wedding to drive home the point that she was becoming the wife of an important man. A man who she suspected was under heavy and sustained pressure to throw his hat into the political ring. And if politics wasn’t his thing, then there was the whole judgeship angle.
Some fly-by-night affair wasn’t going to cut it.
“Are you going to tell me where our honeymoon is?” She’d wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at his handsome face.
“Nope.”
She made a face. “But I won’t know what to pack.”
He leered at her. “About that. You won’t be needing clothes.”
Heat ricocheted inside her. That look suggested all sorts of wickedness.
Leaning back slightly for a better view of his face made her pelvis rub against his big body. For the briefest of moments, she felt his hand move to her ass, grab hold, and force her even closer. It ended quickly, though—to her displeasure. Too many people around and far too many knowing eyes.
“Parker Sullivan,” Angie purred. “While I am always at your service”—she snickered with no sincerity—“I will not be deprived of a fabulous honeymoon trousseau.”
“Angelina Marquez,” he countered in his sexy lawyer voice. “Are you disobeying your soon-to-be husband? Already?”
She laughed merrily. Next to them on the improvised dance floor, Heather and Brody glided by. The two men slapped palms as they passed. Angie was sure her face mirrored Heather’s blissed-out expression.
“Everyone excels at something,” she murmured when snuggling deeper into Parker’s arms.
The deep chuckles rumbling in his chest reverberated against the side of her face. “Is that your way of saying disobedience is your superpower, and I should just deal with it?”
Angie smiled into his suit jacket. “Depends on what you mean by deal with it.”
They continued to sway with the song. He didn’t say anything. Sometimes keeping up with his legal mind tested her self-confidence. Her lover had a way of working through a situation in his mind that did not match her way of doing things. Spur of the moment and half-cocked was her MO. Parker? Not so much.
His hand rested possessively on her bottom as they returned to the corner of the outdoor terrace that they’d claimed as their own. The heavy, wood patio swing had been her go-to as a kid when she’d needed space. Over the years, she and Parker had spent many hours there. Only back then, they were both fighting the crazy attraction they couldn’t reveal to the world.
Scooting to the corner of the swing to allow him ample space, she melted when he placed his big hand on her neck and gently claimed her lips. As he bent over her, she was engulfed by his solid presence.
Parker’s kisses were her drug of choice. The things he did with his lips, tongue, and teeth made her want more. More of everything—especially his wicked mouth on every inch of her naked skin.
It was tough not to grab his tie, yank, and pull him over until his powerful body had her pinned beneath him.
But she didn’t. Once again, too many people around. Angie knew her part—knew what he liked and what spoke to his manhood—so she used this knowledge to signal exactly where she currently registered on the disobedient scale.
Legs crossed, the demur cocktail dress she wore for the wedding draping her legs just above the knee, she put her hands on her lap and sat straight as he devoured her mouth. He knew that by holding her neck, she’d be instantly subdued. The thought made her tremble with need.
What was it about this aspect of their relationship that held her in such thrall? She wasn’t a pushover or wimp by any stretch of the imagination. Matter of fact, she’d more than earned her desert angel bona fides due in large measure to her naturally insubordinate nature.
However, when it came to the nitty gritty with Parker, she couldn’t submit fast enough. Something about the intensity of his focus when he exerted his dominance called to her soul.
Stroking the delicate column of her neck after finishing with her mouth, he looked deeply into her gaze.
“How would you like me to deal with it?” he asked in a deceptively mild and silky voice. The devilish glint in his eyes was not deceptive, mild, or silky.
The words rushed out of her stupid mouth before she could stop them. “Maybe it’s time to break in the spanking bench.”
He shut down so fast she flinched. Dammit. Now was not the time to broach the subject of why their naughty playroom had become off-limits after their first experience. His refusal to discuss it or go near the room deeply unsettled her.
Had she made an error? Was the environment not pleasing to him? Or god forbid, had he been turned off by what happened that first time?
He didn’t say, “Hold that thought,” or indicate by anything other than a clenched jaw that he’d heard what she said.
“Champagne,” was all he said before walking off and leaving her to dangle on the edge of the swing.
At the bar set up on the edge of the terrace, Parker tried to act normal. As he went to grab some champagne, he knew that marching off without acknowledging what Angie said was a dumb move. But he didn’t want to discuss the playroom. Not yet.
Moving by rote, he set two champagne flutes side by side and reached for the open bottle of Bollinger as his thoughts bounced all over the place.
What the fuck had he been thinking by letting her unleash a shit-ton of fantasy and eye-opening desire on a room designed solely for the erotic arts?
Was he insane?
No. Not insane—more like thinking with his dick. Pushing the boundaries of Angie’s potent sexuality had consumed him when she was still a teenager and hadn’t waned at all after fate brought them together again. Her love for and willingness to please him was boundless, joyful, and scary.
His desert angel was more than a handful—a thought that made him smile. He liked her handfuls. She challenged him in ways he was surprised to admit left him feeling inadequate. And unsure.
And right there was the root of his dilemma. He didn’t have a fucking clue what he was doing.
What started out as fun, games, and a way to indulge his sexy mate’s passions had shown him a simple fact in one encounter that he’d foolishly either overlooked or ignored.
She was giving him unconditional access to her whole being. Handing over the keys to a kingdom he wasn’t sure he could handle.
Having experienced the world of exclusive, private sex clubs and a ton of porn over the years, he knew where this thing was going. He had an inventive mind and understood what she expected, but he was embarrassed to admit he didn’t know what the hell he was doing.
He remembered saying that he liked the idea of her wearing a collar when they were playing, and she’d melted at the suggestion. That was the precise moment he knew what being in over his head felt like.
There was an element of Daddy Dom in their playtimes that both made him hard as stone and freaked him out. Angie craved his … his what?
Shit.
His eyes picked up movement nearby. He turned his head and found Alex standing over Meghan with her chin in his hand as he looked down at her. Parker could see her face. The way she looked at her husband reminded him of how Angie looked at him.
He knew for the most part that Alex and Meghan enjoyed their own take on a traditional but informal dominant-submissive relationship. It wasn’t something they talked about, but on more than a few occasions, Alex had hinted at things that ticked off the boxes on a D/s checklist.
But asking him questions or expecting any sort of guy talk was a big old no. They were closer than brothers, but some things were off-limits. Alex wasn’t brain-dead. He knew what floated Parker’s sexual boat and vice versa. It was all well and good until Angie came back into his life. After that—he was lucky to keep his natural teeth and was aware every day of how close Alex came to knocking him the fuck out for what he knew was going on in the bedroom.
Everlasting (Family Justice Book 6) Page 13