After a moment, they stepped back, both happier than they expected to ever be. Chase’s green eyes were filled with so much love, that her blue ones returned the same love. The guests all clapped, and Emma gave Summer a short hug from the side before she took a step back.
What just happened? Summer asked herself. She should have just agreed to go through an entire wedding instead, as it pretty much was a re-do.
Chase was thinking the same thing as the royal crowns were not something his parents had done, nor did they make a big deal out of it. He should have known better than to ever second guess his mother’s motives. She wanted a wedding, and she still pretty much got one. Chase looked at his mom, who had a look of happiness on her face, but winked at her son when she saw his eyes. She knew exactly what she had done.
“Cake and desserts will be served,” Kayla spoke. “Then there will be music, dancing, and mingling.”
“She planned that, didn’t she?” Summer asked as they walked back to the table, hands still clasped together. She tilted her head up to meet her husband's eyes.
“Oh, yes,” Chase laughed, amused. “She always gets what she wants, even if it takes years.”
“Of course I do!” Kayla said, not at all upset about that fact. “A woman must know how to handle a man. And her son.”
“You make it sound like men are dogs, dearest,” Ivan joked, taking a seat after Summer had sat, Chase pushing her chair in for her.
“Not a dog, per say . . .” Kayla said before laughing.
Summer couldn’t help but laugh along, feeling lighter after the small ceremony. Chase simply shook his head, used to his mother’s antics. The waiters came to the tables, asking if each person wanted cake or a dessert plate that contained three to four different items. Chase said he wanted both, and he’d share with his wife while the waiter refilled the wine glasses that sat in front of everyone.
It didn’t take long for Chase and Summer to receive their plate, filled with two helpings before everyone else got theirs. He picked up a fork before Summer could, taking a small bit of dark velvet cake on the silver fork, and held it up for her to eat. She opened her mouth, allowing him to feed her. She couldn’t help but look up at him shyly through her eyelashes as she wrapped her pink lips around the fork.
Summer gave Chase a look of full want and need, causing his cock to twitch once again. He then gave her a wink, before taking a bite, teasing her back. By the time most of the dessert was eaten, Summer’s white lace cotton underwear were wet, and Chase was rock hard. He prayed he didn’t need to do a dance first thing because there was no way he was going to stand up for all to see how much he was packing.
He was horny, and it wouldn’t take much for Summer to get him naked right then and there. He didn’t plan to do anything with his wife tonight, but the way she teased him, he wouldn’t be able to not do anything.
Luckily, Emma chose that moment to talk to Summer about a girl’s day they should plan to do. It was amazing how much she still wanted to be in her daughter’s life, never once giving up hope. It was what they both needed. It gave Summer more reason to thrive, a reason to maybe re-think having children of her own on the day.
Chase couldn’t help but listen to how well Emma and Summer’s conversation went. Summer was so open, never once worrying about what she said, or who overheard. Kayla also leaned in at one point agreeing that at some point when Summer was ready she also would love to do a girl’s day with her and her mother, and maybe even Zinna and Clare. Once her and her mother had reacquainted.
She smiled at them both thinking about how she was growing stronger in all ways every day, and couldn’t wait for what would come with time.
Chapter 9
Chase was able to talk his way out of having to have the first dance, instead, letting everyone just dance if they wanted to. Summer was thankful, as she didn’t want to dance in front of a room full of strangers with everyone watching. They were already watching her as it was.
So instead of Chase and Summer sharing the first dance, it was Ivan and Kayla as the lights were dimmed and the music turned up a few notches. With the sun now set, the lights shone brighter, creating the decorations to stand out more in the grand ballroom. The twinkle lights that hung over the huge wall of windows almost looked like stars with the background of the setting sun.
Summer hadn’t paid much attention to how the tables were set up before now. Everything must have taken hours to set up. Everything was set up just perfectly. Not too much, but just enough to draw eye-catching designs.
Others seeing the first two dancers, slowly went dancing also, as it was a slower song. Summer and Chase sat at the table, in their own little world for a moment.
“What was my mother thinking?” he asked amused as he took off his crown. “These are way too girly, even for you.” He glared at the crown as Summer giggled out.
Summer liked her own crown, though Clare had to help to untangle it from her hair, but she didn’t see herself wearing it, if ever again. It would be another item to collect dust. It was the thought that counted.
“I thought it was sweet,” Clare said, setting Summer’s crown down where her plate had been while eating the meal.
“You are the Prince,” Ryder said as he took the seat that was nearest his cousin. “Let your mother have her way. She knows you won’t ever touch it again after tonight.”
“Damn right!” Chase said before cracking a smile. “I’m afraid to know what’s all on that gift table.” His green eyes shot that direction, a look of fear almost as he took stalk of how many gifts there really were there.
“Me too, man,” Ryder said, giving Chase’s shoulder a pat before he went in search of Zinna, who demanded that they would have to dance.
Summer leaned into Chase as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They sat there with their own thoughts, watching as everyone went past them, mostly heading to the bar as the catering service and servers had left after clearing away the dessert plates.
Summer wasn’t yet sure on what to make of all this. She wasn’t used to being watched and talked to. She had no idea how to keep up a conversation with these strangers as they wanted to know things that she never thought about.
At least Chase was always quick to answer questions, like how they met, if they planned to have children, and why did they have such a small ceremony instead of a grand thing like this. Chase just knew how to answer without giving away much of anything at the same time.
After a couple of songs, Zinna and Clare disappeared, claiming they were going to go upstairs to check on the children that were staying the night and to see if Marya needed anything. They whispered, heads close together as they left the ballroom with knowing smiles.
Trent and Abigail seemed to be close, dancing and both happy. Summer hoped that they would get along well, and maybe they could offer the new girl a chance to have a girl’s day out with everyone. Even Sarah could tag along, Summer wouldn’t mind. She was surprised at herself thinking about a girl’s day out. It was something they all needed. She would have never believed that just a few months could change her life so completely.
Seeing how Trent treated the new woman in his life spoke volumes to how much he had hidden from his ex-wife. He was never touchy-feely with her, nor was he ever able to show his true self. Not that he tried. Valerie was a thorn in his side from day one. Now, he smiled like Abigail could make him happy.
“Would you like to dance?” Chase asked when a slow song came on. It was one he had heard a number of times, but Summer hadn’t heard it before now. She had yet to explore anything other than the songs that Clare would play on the iPhone and Bluetooth speaker she had gotten from Asher a few weeks ago. She was glued to music, almost as much as she was the glue to Asher himself.
“Sure,” Summer said with a smile as the song continued to play.
He stood up before holding out his hand for his wife. She took it, not frightened in the least bit. His over hers, Summer felt safe, protected from
anyone else. This, right here, was where she was to be all along.
Chase then led her to the dance floor, seeing a few camera flashes, but ignored them. Of course, his mother would want everything with pictures. It wouldn’t be Kayla if she didn’t.
Summer placed her hands on Chase, clasping them behind his head as his hands went to her waist, his hold light. He made sure to keep a little space between them, as he was sure his cock would want to join in on the fun.
He had been semi-hard most of the night, just by the way his wife looked and his stray thoughts. It wasn’t often she was dressed up like this, but he hoped he could somehow get Summer to dress up more often.
“You look absolutely breathtaking tonight,” Chase said.
Slowly, as they danced, they got closer to one another, their chests almost touching.
“Thank you,” Summer blushed. “I feel like it.” She felt for once like she was worthy of Chase and his attention.
“I’m glad,” he said, putting his forehead on hers, as she looked up at him. “You deserve it, baby.”. She was always breathtaking from the first moment he had laid eyes on her as a child.
Summer simply smiled before pressing her lips against his, surprising him. He returned the kiss with a fever behind it. His fists balled her dress as he pulled her closer. She was addicting, like a drug.
Summer’s hands tangled themselves into his hair that was the nape of his neck. She felt the cool in her lower stomach roar with need as she pressed her front to Chase’s, begging for more. He would have gladly given more to her, but knew they shouldn’t here on the dance floor. Before he wanted, Chase pulled back breathless. “Summer.”
“I want you,” she said, her lips brushing against his as she spoke, her voice breathless. She was never so sure of anything else in her life but him.
“Ok,” he said, closing his eyes. He couldn’t deny her any longer. He wouldn’t. Opening them, he looked into her blue eyes, seeing her desire flare. “If you still want to when we get home, I’ll make love to you. I will make it most amazing night you have ever had. I’ll worship you, my Princess.”
Summer melted at his words, knowing he would do just that. She smiled up at him with hope and love.
“We still have to stay for a little bit longer,” Chase said with a pout as the song changed. “But hopefully not too much longer.” He then pulled back, running the back of his hand down one side of her face. She couldn’t help but lean into it, loving his affection.
Chase then led his wife back to the table where he helped her to sit before he went to refill their drinks, wine for him, and sparkling cider for her. Summer didn’t care much for alcohol, for which Chase was glad, as it was one less thing he would need to worry about and he would know this was what she wanted.
Chase almost wished his mother had set out the stronger stuff, just to help pass the time.
A song that he wasn’t a huge fan of came on when Chase sat the drinks down and taking his own seat. It wasn’t the best song, as he had been in that position a time or two. It really was a scary scene to be kneeling on dirt, praying for your life as a gun was pointed at your head.
He still had the scar on his arm from the bullet grazing him when Carter had tackled the gun-holder when Chase was only thirteen years old. That same man was the first man Chase had willingly killed, right then and there as Ivan stood back, watching. That man was the father of David Burner. It was too bad that Chase hadn’t known that Summer was just living in that household days before that incident.
It was a test of Chase’s strength, protecting himself. Ivan wouldn’t have let his only son die, but it needed to be done to toughen the young boy who thought the world was at his hands.
Of course, normal people who didn’t work in the mafia would see this song as a trial in life. It would mean, like to Summer, that getting through life and its stresses, was hard like a gun was in fact pointed at them. It would cause panic and depression. Which to Summer, it did.
At that moment, Ivan and Kayla came back, giving hugs to the Prince and Princess. Kayla looked like she could keep dancing, while the older man looked like he would rather be anywhere but here. He took a heavy seat in a chair with a huff.
“Chase, good to see you, son,” spoke a man dressed in a gold tux. He was at least fifty but looked closer to sixty years old. His oval face was dark, and his salt and pepper hair was in a clean cut style. He had a thin pair of glasses on.
“Good evening, Pastor Evans,” Chase said, quickly standing up and shaking his hand.
“And you must be the Princess,” he said, wisely not offering his hand to shake.
Summer simply nodded, knowing that something was off about this man. He was . . . to put together, even for an event like this. It wasn't just his clothes he wore, but his entire life he lived. He had secrets that oozed over into his everyday life.
“It’s wonderful that Chase has settled down. The Lord is most pleased with such things. Although, your family hasn’t been to church, or confession, for way too long,” he said, moving his gaze between the men.
“That’s my fault, Pastor,” Kayla said as Chase mumbled too low for anyone to hear, and Ivan glared at the man. “I’ve been working, and you know the men don’t care for service often. I try, but they won’t go unless I drag them.” Kayla laughed, trying to make the issue lighter.
“I see,” the Pastor responded, a darkness lining underneath his voice. “Well, you all should come very soon. There are way too many sins that had a need to be confessed.” He turned his hard look to Ivan, who simply stared back, not deterred or threatened. The look was meant to make the Don squirm in his seat, but it simply did nothing to Ivan.
The sound of the church, or mass, was not appealing to Summer the slightest. She knew, in her heart, that there was a God, a higher being, but what point was there to go to a building to listen to know it all people talk about a God that could save, could make things better.
Sure, God could, Summer thought. For Him to do that, a person had to be willing to change. To ask forgiveness, one must try to not sin.
She knew that the men would not be able to do that. They had to kill to protect their families, to stop other people from taking things that they wanted just because of who they worked for, or what they thought was rightfully theirs.
“Enjoy your night, ladies and gentlemen,” he said and turning away like his tail was on fire.
"You will never get me to step foot into that place again as long as he’s preaching there,” Ivan said, heat in his voice.
“Not a fan?” Summer asked in wonder.
“Nope,” Ivan replied. “He’s a sick man, and yet no one will turn him in. If I could have anything to do about it, the entire world would know.”
“He has blackmail on dad,” Chase said. “Me too, since someone had to confess my dirty sins for me.” He then shot a look over at his mother and father.
“That wouldn’t be me,” Ivan laughed, holding his empty hand up in surrender.
Summer watched in amusement between the father and son. It was interesting to see Ivan so laid back when he has normally been about business the other few times that she had seen him.
“I have no issue with that man,” Kayla spoke.
“That’s only because you seem more normal than most of our family,” Chase muttered.
"Kayla is from a different background than what my grandparents would consider okay,” Ivan said, ignoring his wife’s glare, but answering Summer’s curious look. “If you couldn’t tell, she’s lighter, like you Summer, and my father disapproved.”
“He married mom, since she was pregnant, and then shot Granddad. Didn’t kill him, but made him keep his mouth closed,” Chase said, amusement in his voice. “And you love to remind me that actions always speak louder than words.”
“Every chance I get. He didn’t think I had the guts to do it, but I shot him in the leg,” Ivan laughed, leaning back in his seat.
Chase then told his wife how his father and grandf
ather had never been on the best of terms, just because the grandfather was raised to not have any sort of relationship with his children nor his wife in case someone used them against the Don.
It made sense, and Summer was glad that Chase was raised different, sweeter, and more attentive that anyone she had known before. It proved to her that things were different. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to love Chase if he was someone else.
“I’m sure my blackmail is better,” Ivan went on, trying to hide his own smirk. “I caught him taking advantage of one of the nuns in training years ago, and she wasn’t of age yet. I know that’s not the only girl he’s talked into his bed. But I’m biding my time. His secret will come out on its own, as he’s starting to get sloppy.”
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