by Linda Swain
Reaching into his pocket, he fingered the heavy golden wedding ring that had been in his family’s possession for centuries. Within an hour, that ring shall grace Katherine’s finger, and then I will never need this devil’s powder again. I will have no need of its confidence, for I shall have her. Nothing can go wrong for me as long as she is at my side.
The contents of that innocuous little package, hidden neatly in a locked drawer, had been a necessary crutch in the last hectic weeks leading to the wedding. Despite its illicit nature, it was easily procured, so satisfying his craving had been nothing more than a mere inconvenience. Carefully, he replaced the packet under lock and key, reveling in the effects the drug was already producing.
He smiled faintly, remembering when the first few instances he had used the ubiquitous powder, the memory tightening his loins. He had learned that there were many, many ways to enjoy the substance. A wicked smile crossed his lips at the thought of spilling it in neat lines down Katherine’s lush body. With a shudder, he pushed the thoughts from his mind as once again he turned to the window, watching as Nick moved about.
I have won – she is all that I will ever need. I do not need that powder; not even food or drink. She is the reason that my heart beats, and after today, not even Nicholas can take her away.
With a final brush of his fingers over his lapel, Ash smiled, thinking that it was a very fine day indeed for a wedding.
* * * *
Standing in front of her mirror, Kat once again adjusted the silky gauze of her wedding veil. Pale and trembling, she looked over at Mary Jo, her maid of honor and best friend from college. She tried to stay calm, even smiling as she remembered that she had introduced Mary Jo to Ted just after Kat had gotten the job at Simply Blues and that the two of them had instantly hit it off. She knew that Mary Jo was in love with Ted, but she hadn’t been so certain of Ted. Thankfully, I was right about the pair of them. Ted doted on Mary Jo’s every move, she recalled with a sigh. But thoughts of Ted brought Kat’s mind back to Nick all over again. “Is he out there, Mary Jo? Is Nick out there?”
Leaning further out the open window, Mary Jo quickly scanned the crowd. “No... I don’t see . . . wait, there he is!” Turning back, she brushed down the pleats of her lavender dress, her eyes dark with concern. “What are you going to do, Kat?” Unable to hide her apprehension, Mary Jo looked at her college friend. I don’t know if she’s afraid of him being here or that he wouldn’t be. But it’s always been like that.
Thinking back to Kat’s relationship with Nick, she had never understood it. They were so different, and yet, if it hadn’t been for Nick, Ted might still be waiting tables and Kat only dreaming of becoming a successful singer, rather than where she was today – where they all were. Shaking her head, Mary Jo carefully adjusted Kat’s long train. She’s come so far from the old days. She’s got the break that we all dream of and now she’s marrying someone right out of a fairy tale. I just hope that she has her happy ending.
“Do?” Kat asked in answer to Mary Jo’s question. “I’m going to go down those winding stairs and get married, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Taking a fluted glass, Kat drained her third glass of champagne while she once more looked at her reflection. Her red-gold hair shone softly under the fine Brussels lace of her veil, her gown gently rustling with each movement. With a quick twist, she gathered the train of her dress, draping it over her arm, while Mary Jo handed her a massive arrangement of white roses.
Shaking her head, Kat gazed at the arrangement, her lips quivering with irony. And to think, when I dreamed of marrying Nick, all that I wanted to carry was a simple bouquet of lilacs. Well… I’m not marrying Nick, she thought resolutely, biting her lower lip. I’m marrying a man that wants me, the man I want. Ashton. And I’ll forget about Nick the way I should have a long time ago.
Stepping into a beautiful garden, Kat paused, her foot on the white cloth runner that led to the priest, and to Ash. One step at a time, she reminded herself, trying to ignore the curious gazes and whispered speculation. Just get to Ash – after that, you’ll never be alone again.
Her thoughts jerked to a stop as her body was pulled to a mysterious halt. Releasing one hand from the tight grip on her bouquet, Kat felt for the culprit even as the material of her veil swirled chokingly around her face and throat as she fought to move. Speechless, she stared at Ash, caught in an exquisite net of white lace and satin.
“Hold on, kid, I gotcha.”
Swiftly, Nick left his seat to kneel at her side. Frowning down at the edge of her veil, his fingers gently searched the lace, ignoring the sound of rising murmurs from the congregation. “Got it, just hold still a second longer.” Easing under the lace, Nick discovered the protruding head of a nail. “There you go, Katherine. You’re free.”
It was, she realized with tearing regret, the first time he had used her given name, and for a moment, she wanted to collapse into his arms. She tried to form the words … to thank him, to beg him to stop the ceremony. She wasn’t even certain what it was she wanted to say. Helplessly, she glanced towards Ash, wondering why he hadn’t come to her assistance, and then she looked back up at Nick, whose cool blue eyes were regarding her with all the emotion he might show towards a beautiful picture on the wall.
Nick has always been there when I’ve needed him most. I wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t been here?
Stepping back in with the congregation as Kat began to move slowly up the runner once more, Nick blithely ignored the pats on his back, and even the look of gratitude from Ash as Kat continued to make her way up the aisle. He didn’t care about the crowd around him or the murmurs of “good show!” The only vision in front of him was Kat, an image in white as she glided toward her future. Idly plucking a spray of lilac from a nearby bush, he held the blossom to his lips, listening as Kat spoke her vows, giving herself into Ash’s care for the remainder of her life.
Thoughtlessly, Nick crushed the flowers between his fingers, and as he did, their fragrance brought back thousands of memories. Of her waking in his arms, laughing and anxious to tell him about some silly dream; of her under the Christmas tree, making certain that each package was perfectly displayed. The panorama of those half-forgotten memories paraded through his mind even as she whispered her final promises to Ash.
Dropping the lilacs, Nick turned and slowly walked away.
Laughter seemed to fill every corner of that garden as Kat teasingly fed her new husband a bite of their wedding cake. Playfully, Ash’s pink tongue circled around her slender finger, sensuously licking at the icing.
She blushed as his hot looks warmed her cheeks. Taking her hand in his, Ash kissed it, his leaf green eyes sparkling. “Just a taste of what is ahead for you, my beloved.” Sweeping her into his arms, his breath whispered softly against her cheek before his lips captured hers. Holding her tightly in his arms, he whispered against her ear, “Tonight, ma belle, I take you to the stars and beyond. Tonight, we dance on the wind and play tag with the moon – that, I promise.” Looking up at the faces of their smiling guests, Ash refused to relinquish his hold on Kat, though he did set her gently on her feet. “Is it not time for our first dance?” Leading her to the center of a makeshift floor, Ash nodded his dark head to the musicians waiting in a secluded corner. “For you, my beloved bride . . .”
Gasping, Kat could only look up in astonishment as the opening bars to her signature song were played. Biting her lip, she looked into his eyes, hope shining brightly. “One day, our children are going to hear that song.” Nestling her face in the crook of his shoulder, she didn’t see the pain that flickered in his eyes or the grim line of his mouth. None of which registered in his voice as he spoke. “One can only hope, Katherine, one can only hope.”
Chapter Nine
San Diego, California
Whirling about the suite that they had taken at the lush Del Coronado resort, Kat collapsed into a nearby chair, another fit of giggles exploding from her. Holding
her head, she moaned softly as she looked at Ash. “How can I feel so good, and yet hurt so badly?”
Lazily, he stretched out his arm, beckoning to her under tangled sheets. “Come back to bed, my love,” he coaxed, “and I’ll make you feel better again.” His relaxed appearance fled moments later, turning into something close to hysteria. The sharp report of an empty champagne bottle had reached his ears as it fell from its spot on the bed, the unexpected surprise of the sound jangling Ashton’s cocaine drenched nerves. “Katherine,” he barked sharply, “I said to come back to bed!”
Curled in a love seat, her gown softly flowing about her, she turned in surprise at his harsh tone. “Do you realize that we’ve been here for three days and have yet to leave this suite?”
It wasn’t as if the rooms weren’t elegant, or that their activities hadn’t been wonderful. The resort was a fairy tale come to life. Walking through the corridor leading to their suite, she had seen elegant jewelry and displays of fine clothes that was worth more than even the swankiest of Nick’s patrons had worn.
Smiling, she remembered how gauche she must have seemed when they first arrived, gawking at the opulence as she moved from room to room. Ashton, for his part, had been tolerant, laughing warmly when she returned from inspecting their adjoining bathroom, with large fluffy robes in her hands. “Have you ever seen anything like this? They’re so big and soft . . . and there’s one for each of us!” She had stood, rubbing one of the sleeves against her cheek as he had laughed so wonderfully.
It was a completely different world, and one that she was anxious to explore. She stole a glance back at her impatient husband. Was it really too much to ask? The sharpness in his voice said that it was.
“Katherine, come back to bed, now!”
Turning from the window again, Kat was startled by the wild glitter in his eyes, her thoughts halted by the angry tone in his voice. She smiled, trying to dispel the anger she could see, stretching a hand out to him. “Why don’t you come and watch the sunrise with me?”
“I don’t want to see the damn sunrise,” he snapped. “I want my wife back in my bed as I asked.”
She frowned, unable to stop her hands from moving to her throat as fear stabbed her heart. He looks like an animal, she thought, shuddering as she remembered the foundling home, and the rats that had roamed the halls at night. His eyes are like those rats . . . hard, cold, and vicious. “What’s the matter with you?” She tried to keep her voice steady, but the fear was unmistakable.
Flinging himself onto his back, Ash closed his eyes, releasing his breath in a deep sigh. “Nothing’s wrong, Katherine. I’m sorry if I frightened you. Watch your sunrise – they can be quite spectacular here.”
Coming down rapidly from a pleasant high, Ash wished that she would simply return to bed so he could lose himself in her body. He had often fantasized of introducing her to that white bliss, and the illusion of that, as well as other erotic fantasies, played in his mind and warmed him. So why was he reacting so badly to her innocent request?
The devil’s powder . . . it must be that. I do not need it, not if she is by my side. He opened his eyes, steeling himself against seeing her draped on the window seat instead of over his body. A brow arched as he watched her returning to the bed, his tensions easing instantly. I need nothing more in the world than her in my life. She is my wife. And I will do anything to keep her by my side. Still, he forced himself to lie quietly as she slipped into bed, her head finding the hollow of his shoulder.
“What is it, darling?” she asked her fiery hair soft against his skin. “You were so upset just a moment ago. Why? Did I do something to displease you? Why do you still seem so . . . angry?”
“I said that it was nothing,” he replied abruptly, before forcing a smile. “Come, Katherine, smile for me. It is, after all, our honeymoon.”
Reaching blindly alongside the bed, his hand found a small silver platter, the surface scattered with white powder, along with a little spoon. Slyly, he took the spoon, carefully tracing a small amount down his muscled chest. “Go ahead, ma belle . . . taste it. Taste me. You will enjoy it, trust me.”
Raising an elegant hand, he gently cupped the back of her neck, shifting her hair aside so he could watch her travel down his skin. Groaning softly, he was aroused by the sight as well as the feel of her warm tongue as it left a moist trail over his rippling skin. “Oh yes, ma cœur, yes!”
Reaching down, he tugged her astride his hips, pressing her against the hard length of him. Throwing back her head, Kat gasped as the drug took hold of her senses even as her warmth engulfed him. Tremor after tremor soon overcame her, her hands gripping Ash’s strong shoulders.
Gathering their bodies together, he rolled over, allowing himself to cover her, his hands braced at either side of her head, he began a slow, teasing movement, sucking in slow, deep breaths as he tried to control his own passion. The demands of his own body began to scream for him to take her, as fire licked across his skin, and roared in his belly. As he pulled her even closer, he renewed his claim on her body as he plunged deeper inside of her. His mouth burned and tortured her skin, while her most innocent movements inflamed him.
Moments later, the world came crashing in on them both, spiraling uncontrollably around them. Throwing back her head, Katherine cried out in pleasure, her body clenching as spasms she had never felt before crashed through her, leaving her boneless. Only then did Ash allow himself the relief that his body so demanded, leaving his seed in her limp body.
She didn’t know when she slept, but she did, Ash’s head was cradled on her breasts. The hold that cocaine had on her thoughts slowly faded. She didn’t suffer the nervous jitters and swift mood swings that Ashton did. He used the drugs far more than she realized, and his body had grown accustomed to the cocaine’s supporting role. She lay back, her thoughts a mixed jumble. What would her life be like now, with his changing moods?
The sex between them was beyond anything that she had experienced, but as she lay there, she began to wonder if Ashton truly wanted her for more than just between the sheets. As sleep began to slowly take her over again, she questioned how different her life might have been if it had been Nick standing at the altar, if it had been Nick who laid at her side.
* * * *
The opalescence of Ashton’s green eyes caught the early morning sunlight as he speared another bite of his poached eggs while Kat toyed with the bright slices of the fruit that decorated her plate. The shelf of her chin lay sadly on her opposite hand as she stared out longingly at the waves that caressed the beachfront.
“I have been quite selfish these last few days, haven’t I?” he questioned quietly. He chuckled as she turned her brilliant green eyes towards him, laughing to see them as wide as a child’s.
“Selfish?” she questioned, stunned by his words. “You’ve changed my life into an unbelievable fantasy.”
Pleased, he finished his meal, draining the remainder of his tea before setting the cup gently down. “It warms me to hear you say that, but I know that I’ve been terribly greedy by keeping you all to myself. Perhaps some shopping is in order today, and possibly a walk along the beach.” He shrugged his shoulders in a typically Gaelic rolling of his shoulders that she found so enchanting. She remembered how at one time she had kept him at bay, even though she had thought him unique “I have been quite selfish these last few days, haven’t I?” he questioned quietly. He chuckled as she turned her brilliant green eyes towards him, laughing to see them as wide as a child.
“Selfish?” she questioned, stunned by his words. “You’ve changed my life into an unbelievable fantasy.”
Pleased, he finished his meal, draining the remainder of his tea before setting it gently down. “It warms me to hear you say that, but I know that I’ve been terribly greedy by keep you all to myself. Perhaps some shopping is in order, and possibly a walk along the beach.” He shrugged his shoulders in a typically Gallic rolling of his shoulders that she found so enchanting. She remembered how
at one time she had kept him at bay, even though she had thought him unique. “I have been quite selfish these last few days, haven’t I?” he questioned quietly. He chuckled as she turned her brilliant green eyes towards him, laughing to see them as wide as a child.
“Selfish?” she questioned, stunned by his words. “You’ve changed my life into an unbelievable fantasy.”
Pleased, he finished his meal, draining the remainder of his tea before setting it gently down. “It warms me to hear you say that, but I know that I’ve been terribly greedy by keep you all to myself. Perhaps some shopping is in order, and possibly a walk along the beach.”
She remembered how at one time she had kept him at bay, even though she had thought him unique. She had always found the image of his world fascinating. It contained all that she had only dreamed of, and she wanted to see and experience all with him at her side. And now I can. Excited by the idea of exploring the elegant hotel, she pushed away at her plate, only to see him shake his head.
“Ma bien-aimée, you will need your strength for the day ahead, non?” he chided gently as he pushed her unfinished meal back in place. “We have plenty of time to see and do all that you could possibly wish, but you must keep up your strength.”
They had gone shopping together during their courtship on occasion, Ash amused by her insistence that she pay for her own purchases. “I’m not exactly poor,” she would protest, “I do make a very good living, you know.”
But now you are my wife, my Katherine – mine to care for and indulge as I see fit. Your independence kept you from enjoying the best of what this world . . . my world has to offer. But no more. You will have only the best, both in memories and possessions.
He had begun to introduce silks and finer clothing to her wardrobe as gifts during their courtship. Ashton had been pleased to see that, within the comparatively meager budget that she allowed herself, she had taken his gifts, further improving her attire. She had always loved to shop, and now, the idea had her bolting her breakfast as quickly as she could.