by Joely
Colby cleared their plates and returned with small pots of cream brûlée. Now she’d definitely died and gone to heaven. She’d plowed through half of it before sensing his eyes on her. She looked up, meeting his smoky gaze. Ah, he was definitely feeling better. He hadn’t had that look in his eyes since before he’d been shot.
“How is it?”
“Perfect.”
He smiled at Mama and excused himself from the table. “I’m going to take a quick shower, if that’s all right. I didn’t have the chance this earlier.”
“Of course.”
It didn’t escape her notice—even with a few delicious bites of custard melting on her tongue—that he washed off their plates and put them in the dishwasher first. Now that was definitely a man she wanted to keep. For good.
When he went into the bathroom, she braced for the inevitable questions. The anger. The old familiar arguments.
“You are going to keep him, aren’t you?”
Shocked, she twitched so hard she almost flipped a spoonful of custard out of her spoon onto the table. She looked at Mama, who smiled back at her.
“I got eyes, girl. I can see how much he cares for you, how much you care for him. I’m just mad you never told me a peep about him.”
“I never told you because of the last time I introduced you to my boyfriend.”
Mama snorted. “That boy was worthless and you know it. Colby, now, he’s something else entirely. You know it. I know it.”
She did. She’d known from the beginning that he was different than any other man she’d ever dated. Not because she didn’t know if he was submissive, not even because he wasn’t part of her BDSM world. But his personality, the cocky, easy smile, the hardened, seasoned warrior. It took a special kind of man to serve his country, and then his community as a police officer. Risking his life for very little pay or reward.
“You don’t care that he’s white?”
“I don’t care if he be brown, red, yellow, white, or black, as long as he loves you. Words are easy to throw around, but actions are harder to fake. His actions say he’s going to take care of you every chance you’ll give him. He’s not the lying, no-good leaving kind of man like your father.” Mama reached over and squeezed her hand. “Don’t make my mistakes, but don’t be afraid to grab what you want with both hands and hold on despite my mistakes, either.”
Colby came back in, plain jeans and cotton shirt, sticking to his back because he hadn’t dried off very well. Bare foot. His hair was growing out, which she liked. Brown, but hints of gold that would probably lighten if he got much sun.
“Y’all need a refill?”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak yet. He brought the carafe over and topped off her cup, then Mama’s. He started to turn back and she reached out, snagging his hand.
“Mama, I’ve got something important to tell you.” He paused, caught the serious look in her eyes, and immediately moved closer, taking up a protective stance at her side and setting the carafe down on the table to free his other hand, in case he needed to fight. Even wounded, he’d put his body in front of hers if he thought there was danger or she might face a battle. “I love this man and I plan on marrying him this Friday before the justice of peace, assuming Vicki finishes my dress on time. You got a problem with that?”
His fingers squeezed hers reflexively and he stared at her, his eyes suddenly raging with emotion. Hope, love, need, hunger. And yeah, satisfaction. She didn’t expect him to go down on his knees right there beside her chair in front of witnesses. Both knees, not the traditional proposal stance. Even more surprising, he pulled a ring box out of his pocket. One that she recognized.
As a child, she’d been allowed to look inside the red velvet box and dream about her grandma’s vintage wedding ring someday belonging on her finger.
“I happened to mention that I hadn’t been able to shop for a ring yet, and Miss Alice said there was no need. She had the perfect ring.”
“How…?”
Mama smiled, though her eyes shimmered with tears. “I was going through things and something told me I needed to bring it to you sooner than later.”
He took the silver ring out of the box and moved it to the tip of her finger, but didn’t slip it on just yet. “I’ve got something to tell you first.”
Mal leveled a hard look on him that made his nostrils flare and his eyes darken. Oh yeah, he was definitely feeling better. “What?”
“You gave me an ultimatum. You told me if I wanted to be here for long, I had to let go of something.”
She nodded, remembering that talk they’d had, sitting right here. Him with no shirt, wearing only his boxers. Blue eyes dark and hurt with old pain. Those eyes were dark, still, but not with pain. With desire.
“I gave notice to my lieutenant and am taking a job with an old high-school friend doing construction, as soon as the doc gives me the okay.”
She squeezed his hand, relief spilling over her eyes and trickling down her cheeks. “You didn’t have to do that. If you want to be a cop—”
“I want you,” he broke in. “Being a cop was never my dream. It was something to do that kept me alive and fighting until I could find you.” He bent his head but kept his eyes locked to hers, brushing his lips over her knuckles. “Mal, will you marry me?”
She deliberately held back her immediate yes. She’d played with a lot of subs over the years, and he was pretty low on the kink scale. Would that be enough for her long term? Would she be too much for him? What if she handled him wrong, pushed him too hard, or required something unreasonable from him? Like his job. She was glad, so very glad, that he wanted to quit. But was that really his decision, and not him making a decision for her approval?
There really wasn’t any way to be sure, she knew that. But she couldn’t forget the way he responded to her. The trust he’d already placed in her. To go from never exploring kink at all, to making love with a Mistress, was a huge step for a man like him. It gave her so much territory to explore with him. Boundaries to find and test.
Sliding her left palm around the back of his head, she gripped his nape firmly, letting him feel the strength of her hand in a subtle way that wouldn’t embarrass him in front of Mama. He might never want to wear a collar, but she watched the emotions flickering across his face. Desire, yes, fading to surrender. No expectation, no demands—just a quiet acceptance and appreciation of the strength she gave him.
“Yes.”
Chapter Twenty
Who was the idiot who thought that getting married the day of another important formal event was a good idea?
Disgusted with her own nerves, Mal tried not to explode as Vicki and her assistant fluffed and prodded her into her new gown. It felt like she’d been standing here in Vicki’s workshop for hours.
“Usually this would be a quick fitting,” Vicki said around a mouthful of sharp pins. “But we’re identifying issues and fixing them in one fell swoop. I’m sorry, I know it must be frustrating to stand here, unable to move without getting poked. Luckily I got pretty close since I’ve sewn for you before.”
“It’ll be worth it,” Mal grumbled. “My frustration is with myself not you.”
“I can sympathize.” Vicki stood and stepped back, tilting her head as she walked around Mal, examining the dress from all angles. “I’ve got some news to break and I’m so nervous about it that I’m nauseated.”
“Oh?” Interested piqued, Mal lasered in on her. Vicki had been back together with Elias for a couple of months now. Not to mention her young man. The ring on her finger promised commitment for all to see. Other news that might be difficult to break… “Could it be the news itself that has you nauseated?”
Pale, Vicki looked away, avoiding her gaze. “How do you tell someone life altering news that they may not welcome?”
Mal reached out and pulled the other woman into a hug. “You ask for help. You trust that love is enough.”
“And if it isn’t?”
Mal
blew out a long breath, answering the question for herself too. “Then it wasn’t the kind of love you need.”
Vicki hugged her, finally meeting her gaze. “Do you have the kind of love you need with Colby?”
Mal nodded, her eyes filling with tears at the thought. But it was happy tears. “Baby Jesus in a manger. I hate to cry. So sappy.”
“You’re a beautiful sap.”
“Thanks, but it’s your magic. All I’m doing is standing here. So…?” She didn’t ask outright, in case she didn’t want her assistant to know. The woman had stepped over to the machine to sew a finishing hem on the veil.
Vicki nodded. “I screwed up my pills. It wasn’t planned. At all.”
Mal hugged her again. “Congrats, honey. I’m sorry for throwing this huge dress project at you with so little notice. I’m sure it’s been overwhelming.”
“Honestly, it was exactly the distraction I needed. It got me out of my head worrying and kept me busy. I haven’t felt too badly yet, just a little tired. Elias hasn’t even noticed, though Jesse keeps looking at me worriedly and asking if everything’s okay.”
“I know they’ve been working hard on the cartel thing, and now Colby’s leaving him holding the bag.”
“Even if he wasn’t working eighty hours a week, I still don’t think he’d notice,” Vicki said, her mouth turning down in a brittle frown. “And don’t you dare worry one second about Colby leaving. Be glad. We are, really. Even Elias. He’s been worried about the kid, as he calls him, a long time.”
“Then Elias needs to get his head out of his ass and pay attention to what’s going on in his household.”
Vicki snorted. “I’m tempted not to say anything at all and see how long it takes him to notice. My luck, though, I’d be at the hospital calling him to come get us and bring us home.”
She laughed, but it quickly turned to tears. Mal drew her back into a hug again, rubbing her back, as she’d done for her that night in the hospital.
“It’s stupid, but I’m so worried that he’ll hate me and the baby because he won’t be sure it’s his. And we can’t be sure, honestly, not without a DNA test, and then what does that say to Jesse? That his baby might not mean as much to me as Elias’s? Oh, God, Mal, what am I going to do?”
Mal squeezed her tighter, rocking her gently with her body. “The first thing you need to do is to take care of yourself right now. Stress and worry aren’t good for you. And second, I suspect that Elias may not be as opposed to Jesse as you might think he is.”
Vicki looked up at her through her tears. “It was really hard for him to accept Jesse from the beginning. We broke up over it for a bit. Hours, maybe, but that’s when we heard the cop was killed and I literally thought he was dead. I thought I’d lost him forever, and he’d left hating my guts.”
“His pride might have been speaking louder than his heart then. But I saw his heart talking at the hospital. Give him a chance, hon. I think his heart will speak louder than his pride this time around.”
“And if not?”
“Then kick his ass out and marry Jesse. He’s fully devoted to you, of that I have no doubt. But honestly, give Elias a chance. I think he’s going to surprise you this time.”
Sniffing, Vicki wiped her cheeks. “I hope so. Look at me, sobbing all over your lace on your special day.”
“Sob away, honey. That’s what friends are for.”
The assistant brought the ridiculously long swath of lacy, airy material back. It didn’t look like much. Just a huge rectangle of material. But with a few pins and twists, they stepped back and Mal could tell by the look on their faces that she looked good. Damned good.
Holding her breath, she slowly turned around and faced the full-length mirror Vicki had set up in her workroom.
She hadn’t been too sure about the color at first. It wasn’t white, which was a travesty in the South, and the off-color ecru seemed… Old. Not a good old, but musty and stained by age. But against her skin, the antique color took on a hint of soft yellow that made her skin glow.
The old fashioned cut hugged her body and then flared out in a gentle fall to the floor. Lace and ruffles and teeny tiny buttons and a bodice so tight and small it looked like she wore a corset. The dress stepped off a late Victorian fashion plate. The veil floated around her head, softening the strength in her broad shoulders and muscular arms that she’d honed over the years as a Mistress. She almost looked…
Delicate. It would have pissed her off, if she didn’t love it. In a million years, she’d never guessed that she’d feel this kind of magic and hope and wonder from a single dress, even though it was a one-of-a-kind dress that had been for her.
“Oh my God.”
“You got that right,” Vicki said, her voice soft with awe. “Colby’s going to have to pick himself up off the floor when he sees you.”
Now that’d be a sight she’d like to see. Her soldier boy. On the floor. Preferably naked, tied up, waiting for her. Probably not for the actual wedding ceremony though.
Vicki held out a bouquet of yellow roses. “Ready?”
Fuck yeah. The Mistress of Dallas is getting hitched.
When she saw him standing in the front of the room waiting for her, Mal was the one that had to pick herself off the floor. Dressed in his navy dress uniform for the Policeman’s Ball tonight, her soldier boy looked good enough to eat. He took one look at her in her dress, and his eyes went fierce. He snatched her hand and pulled her to his side, braced for battle. Like he’d take on every drug cartel in town with his bare hands just to keep her right there beside him.
Their friends and family stood around them. Victor and Shiloh; Vicki, Elias, and Jesse; Mama; and Colby’s parents, both of his married sisters and their husbands, Amelia, and his other sister.
They’d asked for a few modifications to the exchange of vows. Mal swore to love and honor Colby, but as he repeated the oath back to her, he slipped in obey, just for her. Even with his family there. Elias smirked and the justice’s eyes went wide as he choked back a laugh. The man had probably married hundreds of couples over the years, but she guessed he’d never had a man swear to obey the woman. The ring went on her finger, his grip on her fingers too hard, but she didn’t mind. Not when his eyes blazed with so much emotion.
“I pronounce you husband and wife. You,” the justice looked at Mal, his eyes twinkling, “May kiss your husband.”
So he’d caught the way the wind blew with their oath changes. Smart man. Mal reached up and gripped Colby’s neck, digging her fingers in as hard as he was gripping her hand. Yeah, his eyes went smoky and his shoulders relaxed under her grip. She might get him into a collar yet. But it didn’t matter to her either way, because he was hers, now. They had a lifetime to play Mistress games.
It was over so quickly. Their lives changed forever in the span of fifteen minutes. Colby kissed his mother’s cheek and promised to come by the ranch as soon as they got back from their honeymoon. She handed him a covered dish. “I thought you might not have a wedding cake, so I made your favorite.”
Blackberry cobbler. Colby choked back a laugh and gave her another kiss. Oh yeah. They were going to have fun with that later.
Victor gave Mal a hug and told her to take all the time she wanted. They both knew time was precious with the new season preparations in full swing, but he trusted her to figure out the best way to handle it. Mal gave Vicki a lingering hug and shot a hard look at Elias. “Take care of her.”
He struggled a moment between surprise and aggression, his shoulders tensing up for a fight, but he wrapped an arm around Vicki’s shoulders and drew her close. “Always.”
We’ll see about that, Mal thought as the three headed home.
“Ready?” Colby asked her, still clutching her hand like she’d disappear if he let go.
At her nod, they walked outside to her car. The sun was setting, the sky a glorious canvas of pink and purple, but it was the man opening the car door for her that took her breath away. The driver�
�s door. Even now as her new husband, he wasn’t presumptuous. She stepped closer, slipping an arm around his waist as she leaned into the hard shelter of his body. “I love you, Mr. Wade.”
“I love you, Mrs. Wade.” His pressed his cheek to hers, his breath soft and warm on her skin. “You didn’t have to take my name.”
“I know. I wanted to.”
“I’m tempted to ask you to skip the ball so we can head to the shore this very moment.”
They’d found an out of the way cabin in Galveston for the honeymoon. She couldn’t wait to roll him around in some sand, but he was supposed to get an award tonight after being wounded. “You’re not missing it, so get that gorgeous butt in the car.”
“Five minutes, and then we’re leaving.”
“You have to stay longer than that,” she replied after he got in and shut the passenger door. He grimaced, probably envisioning hours of standing around watching people dance, when they could be alone together. “At least ten minutes.”
He flashed a cocky smile at her. “Deal.”
Chapter Twenty One
Standing in the bathroom of their honeymoon cabin, Colby stared at himself in the mirror. He didn’t recognize the man staring back at him.
He stood there, nude, fully erect—even though she hadn’t touched him. Hair growing out from the military buzz cut he’d worn for years. A fresh, tender scar on his abdomen, still held together with medical glue and God only knew how many internal stitches. Out of necessity, he’d been forced to abandon the wedding tradition of carrying his bride over the threshold, for fear he’d tear something open. Mal had promised to let him do it at some point, once she decided he’d healed enough.
Once she decided. Not him. Not even his doctor. His wife. His Mistress. His sun.
Because his whole world revolved around her now. Happily.
She’d told him to go into the bathroom and stay until she called. And he’d gone without a single word of complaint.