Guardian Angel: Callaghan Brothers, Book 5

by Abbie Zanders

  And replaced them with her tongue.

  Kane had never allowed her to do this before; the few times she had tried he had found ways to distract her. But now, tonight, there was nothing to stop her; she would not be deterred. Tonight, she would finally know the taste of her husband.

  She began with careful licks, sampling him like an ice cream cone. He tasted hot, and male, and incredibly good. Before long her licks became erotic kisses, then suckles, until she took his head into her mouth and pulled.

  Kane’s entire body levitated off of the bed as far as the restraints would allow. Rebecca was delighted by the thick, creamy confection that had seeped out, lapping it up with moans of delight.

  Her hands added to the magic of her mouth, and before long, she felt him tightening again. He began to thrash beneath her, but she only held on that much tighter, pulled and stroked that much harder and faster. This power, this control, was addicting.

  When she was sure he was at the breaking point, she released him and impaled herself upon him, riding him like she had only dreamed of. She was so hot, so aroused that it only took mere seconds for her to come hard around him, and her milking sheath drew forth his own explosive orgasm.

  “Unlock me,” he said, his voice a harsh whisper. Rebecca had no more defiance in her. It took every last bit of strength she had to crawl across him and extract the keys from the nightstand. After several failed attempts, she managed to release his hands. Kane quickly relieved her of the keys and took care of his feet. Then his body became an iron cage, wrapping around her tightly.

  There were no words to express what she had done to him. She doubted anyone had ever controlled him like that before. She didn’t know if he would allow it to happen again, but no matter what, she would always have this night to remember.

  She let her limp, sated body melt willingly against him. There was no more fight in her as he caressed her pliant flesh with nothing less than reverence.

  “Are you angry with me?” she whispered, the worry evident in her eyes even as she fought to keep her lids open.

  “No,” he breathed, nuzzling her neck as he entered her with one powerful thrust. “But you will have to live with the consequences of your actions.”

  She moaned in ecstasy as he began his full, thorough penetrations. “Consequences...” she purred, unable to do anything but willingly surrender.

  “Baby, time to wake up.” Kane’s hot breath teased her ear, chuckling when she could only summon a weak moan in response.

  “Come on, sweetheart.” His hand caressed her bare flank before landing a light, stinging slap.

  Rebecca mumbled something unintelligible and tried to burrow farther under the sheet. Every square inch of her was deliciously achy. Kane’s ‘consequences’ involved repeated lessons in sexual dominance. Somewhere along the line she’d lost track of the number of times he’d brought her to climax; it had gotten to the point where she could do no more than lay there bonelessly and accept whatever he would do next. Her preparations, it seemed, had made him crazed with a need that could not be easily slaked. She had to remember that if she ever felt the need to play dominatrix again she would make sure she had several days to recover afterward.

  Suddenly she felt weightless as Kane scooped her up from the bed and walked her toward the bathroom – and right into a cold shower. He took pity on her though, when she did little more than curl into a ball and begin to shiver.

  He turned the water to warm, then joined her. He lovingly cared for her, holding her against him as he cleaned her. Afterward, he dried her and dressed her, even fastening the buttons on her shirt when she seemed incapable of doing so herself.

  “Doing anything later?” he teased as he lifted her back into the dumbwaiter.

  “Mmmm,” she answered, making him laugh. It was the closest thing to a cognizant response she’d managed all morning.

  “Don’t be late, sweetheart,” he said, giving her one last, scorching kiss. “I’ll be waiting.” Then he gave the signal and he disappeared from sight.

  * * *

  “Oh my God,” Taryn breathed as Ian was forced to reach in and extract Rebecca from the dumbwaiter since she seemed incapable of crawling out herself.

  Lexi smiled. “I guess that means it went well?”

  “Come on,” coaxed Taryn as she and Lexi each took an arm and began to lead Rebecca to the back entrance. “We’ve got to get her over to Maggie’s to get ready. Let’s hope Maggie’s got something restorative in that magic herbal bag of hers or we’ll be walking down the aisle with her.”

  * * *

  When Kane saw Rebecca enter from the back of the church, he couldn’t help himself. His brain went into total lockdown and he automatically started walking toward her until Jake reached out and stopped him. A rumble of laughter spread throughout the church.

  Rebecca’s smile was brighter than the sun, her eyes focused only on the tall, dark man waiting for her.

  “Slow down,” Aidan reminded her several times, chuckling quietly as he escorted her down the aisle.

  So lost were they, gazing into each other’s eyes during the service that the priest had to repeat himself several times.

  And when Kane took his bride in his arms and kissed her, everyone swore that the temperature in the church shot up several degrees.

  * * *

  The reception was held at the Celtic Goddess, Aidan’s wedding gift to the couple. Lexi planned an opulent feast on their behalf, overseeing all of the preparations personally. At Kane and Rebecca’s request, the event was limited only to close friends and family, though there were still more than enough guests to fill the room.

  They sat around the large table, taking a well-deserved rest. Rebecca was comfortably ensconced on Kane’s lap, leaning against his chest while his fingers flexed lazily against her thigh. Her body hummed from the closeness of their contact. As lovely as everything was, she was definitely looking forward to having a little alone time with him.

  “So Kane,” Michael said. “Now that you have a wife to take care of you, have you given any more thought to scheduling that hip replacement?”

  Kane turned slowly toward the sound of his brother’s voice, his blue eyes sparkling like sapphires, looking the picture of contentment. It was a very good look for him, Rebecca thought smugly.

  “I’m going to pass, Mick.”

  “You know it’s the only way you’re getting back out in the field, right?”

  Kane’s face was calm as his hand trailed up and down Rebecca’s arm. “I’ve decided to retire from active duty.”

  He was met with stunned silence. Rebecca lifted her head and gazed into his nearly glowing, half-lidded eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  They hadn’t talked about it, not with each other, anyway. Kane’s rehab had been going very well, but there was only so much that could be done without the surgery. He’d told Rebecca that he didn’t want to schedule any procedure that might interfere with their wedding plans, but now that the big day was winding down, she had assumed they would move forward.

  Rebecca had mixed feelings about that. Taryn and the others had spoken with her about what she could expect when Kane rejoined his brothers in their missions, and it was something she had been mentally preparing herself for. She loved him, more than she would have ever believed possible, but she would never ask him to change for her. As frightening as it was to think of Kane off fighting somewhere, Rebecca had known what she was getting into. She had seen him in action, knew that he was very skilled at what he did. If this is what he truly wanted, she would never take that away from him. She knew first-hand the torment that came with being asked to choose between what you loved and who you loved.

  His announcement was as much of a shock to her as it was to everyone else.

  * * *

  Kane looked deep into his wife’s eyes, tracing her jaw with his fingers. He would not leave her, never again. He knew, without a doubt, that wherever he went, she would follow, and there w
as no way he would allow that. She’d seen enough terror in her lifetime, and if he was honest with himself, so had he.

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  He turned to the others. “From now on, I’m strictly base. I’ll help with whatever you need – planning, tactical, whatever – but I’ll do it from here.”

  Jack Callaghan put a hand on his shoulder in support. “I think you have done more than your fair share, my boy. You all have.” He looked at each of his sons in turn with obvious pride. “A father could ask for no finer sons than this.”

  A toast was raised as they all drank to each other. Kane was the first to step down from active duty since Jack. It was a sobering moment for all of them, a definite turning point in the future of the Callaghan special ops force.

  “And what about you, Rebecca?” Nicki asked. “Now that you’ll be sticking around for a while, will you accept directorship of the new shelter?” With the renovations scheduled to be completed within another month or so, they would need someone officially at the helm, and Rebecca had been the unanimous first choice.

  Rebecca bit her lip. “Actually, no.”

  “No?” Kane looked at her in surprise. He, like everyone else, had assumed that it was the perfect job for her. The position would allow her to stay hands-on and oversee a number of helpful local programs. It also had the added benefit of requiring her to remain in and around Pine Ridge, though occasional trips might be required. For the most part, it would ensure that she remained in a safe environment – namely, his – where he and his family looked out for one another. If she really felt the need to travel, he would be right there at her side.

  It was yet another reason why he was pulling himself from active combat. With a sat link and a laptop he could be there for his brothers no matter where he was in the world while keeping his croie safe at his side.

  “No.” She turned her brown eyes to his. Something was hidden there, some emotion that pulled at his heart and gut strongly, but he couldn’t identify it. He’d thought he’d seen everything in those expressive eyes, learned to read her well, but this was something he hadn’t encountered before. It wasn’t clearly bad nor obviously good, but whatever it was, she felt it with a depth that had the gold flecks in her eyes swirling like a glittery snowstorm. His eyes, questioning, bore into hers until she blinked and added, “I think I’d like to take a little break from ‘active duty’, too, if that’s alright with you.”

  Alright with him? Hell, next to her saying “I do” again in front of the whole church, that’s the best thing he’d heard all day. They’d both earned a little time for themselves. To escape to the mountains and not be seen or heard from for several weeks at a time. To have her all to himself, naked and willing with no interruptions or distractions. Oh yeah, that was more than fine with him.

  Because he was a man who believed actions truly spoke louder than words, he answered her by kissing her so thoroughly that her eyes rolled back in her head and she had no doubts as to how he really felt about it.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Rebecca.” The familiar voice cut through her Kane-induced fog and had her stiffening immediately. Kane tensed as well, his arms automatically drawing her closer in a protective gesture.

  For a few moments feelings of cold dread nearly overwhelmed her, but then she felt the strong arms of her husband around her, felt the heat of his body washing away the cold panic. It dawned on her then, really dawned on her, that she had joined with this wonderful man and she would never have to face anyone or anything alone again.

  Including her parents.

  With a brief silent prayer of thanks and a request for patience, she forced herself to turn toward the one that had spoken and looked into liquid amber eyes bearing the same golden flecks she and her brother had.

  “Dad.” And next to him, the slim, ethereal dark beauty with exotic almond eyes that was always at his side. “Mom.”

  Kane stood with her. His hand caressed her back gently, reaffirming his love and support.

  “How did you - ”

  “I invited them,” Aidan said from behind her.

  Rebecca spun gracefully on one foot to look into her brother’s determined face. “Did you now?”

  She felt Kane’s fingers flex at her hip, a silent approval of the decidedly Irish lilt she seemed to have acquired, and knew that if she looked, she would see his lips twitching. Clearly all of the time spent with Maggie had had an influence.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Rebecca?” her father asked.

  “Of course,” Rebecca said, returning her attention to them with a tight smile. “Kane, this is my father, Evan Harrison, and my mother, Dione. Dad, Mom, my husband, Kane Callaghan.”

  The men shook hands. Kane inclined his head politely at Rebecca’s mother.

  “You look positively radiant, dear,” Dione said, reaching for her daughter’s hands. “Such a beautiful bride.” Rebecca bowed her head, acknowledging the compliment.

  “It is an honor to meet the man who has finally captured my daughter’s heart,” Evan Harrison said smoothly. “You must be a brave man indeed. At least it sounds like you are having more luck in talking some sense into her than I have, finally getting her to settle down.”

  Rebecca felt Kane bristle at the comment, an extension of the same tension coiling through her own body. There was a slight shift of his weight, and she discreetly squeezed his arm. She appreciated his support, but this was her battle to fight.

  Dione smiled apologetically. “Now Evan, this is neither the time nor the place.”

  “Forgive me,” Evan said with a hint of frost lacing his voice, his eyes boring holes into Rebecca’s. “I’m afraid spending more than a decade wondering if my daughter was alive has played havoc with my manners.”

  Rebecca managed to keep the smile pasted on her face, though the happy glow in her eyes faded quickly. It was only Kane’s firm hold that kept her grounded. She drew on him, thankful for his strength and presence.

  Lexi, bless her soul, suddenly appeared, placing herself between the two couples. “Mr. and Mrs. Harrison!” she said with a radiant smile that was pure Lexi magic. “How wonderful it is to see you!”

  In true Lexi style, she embraced each of them warmly as Ian slipped in between Kane and Evan Harrison as well. It was a timely distraction, and no doubt an intentional one, but it worked like a charm. Rebecca exhaled the breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding and patted Kane’s hand to let him know she was alright.

  As Lexi introduced Ian to the Harrisons, Rebecca turned to face her brother, whose jaw was now so tightly clenched it was in danger of cracking. “May I speak with you?” she asked, doing her best to control her voice. “In private. Right now?”

  Aidan’s lips thinned. He glanced at their parents, who were still bathing in Lexi’s gushing attentions. “Of course.”

  “Kane, would you excuse my brother and me for a moment?”

  Kane leaned over and kissed her tenderly, but possessively, searching her eyes, which she hoped managed to convey her desire to handle this her way. It must have worked, because he caressed her cheek and said, “Take as long as you need, love. I’ll be right here.”

  God, how she loved this man! She flashed him a grateful look, vowing to lavishly reward him later. She turned and addressed her parents. “Please, have a drink and enjoy the music while I speak with Aidan, won’t you?” Without giving them a chance to respond, Rebecca slipped her arm through Aidan’s, leading him out of the ballroom.

  “What in the hell were you thinking?” Rebecca hissed the moment the huge double doors closed behind them. “Have you lost your mind?”

  Aidan stiffened defensively. “I was thinking that it’s your wedding day, Becca, and your mother and father might actually want to be there for you. Or, God forbid, that you might want them to.” He kept his voice low, but there was no mistaking the disapproval that laced his tone.

  Rebecca paced the width of the hallway, trying to alleviate some of t
he pressure she felt building inside of her. “You couldn’t have told me? Prepared me in some small way? You thought that just springing them on me in the middle of the reception was the way to go?”

  “It was kind of a last minute impulse on my part,” Aidan admitted. “When I was walking you down the aisle, all I could think about was how it should be our father doing it and not me. I called from the back of the church as soon as the service was over.”

  Given that three hours later they were here, they must have chartered the private company jet the moment they’d hung up.

  Rebecca paused only long enough to shoot him a contemptuous look before continuing. “You had no right, Aidan.”

  Aidan blew out a breath as Rebecca continued, seething. “Did you hear him, Aidan? The first words out of his mouth? Dear Lord, even after all this time the man is not happy unless he is humiliating me.”

  “Cut him some slack, Becca. You’re his only daughter. You walked away twelve years ago - ”

  “While he held the door wide open and told me not to let it hit me in the ass,” she reminded him.

  “You hurt his pride, Becca. You know how he is. Once he realized you’d really gone, he was beside himself.”

  Yes, she did know how he was. Her father was a fiercely proud man, one who tolerated nothing less than absolute obeisance and loyalty from those he chose to surround himself with. More often than not, he had trouble drawing the line between his employees and his family.

  “He has a hell of a way of showing it.”

  “You don’t know what it was like, Becca,” Aidan said, emotion thickening his voice. “Not knowing where you were, what you were doing, if you were even alive. Christ, it was hell.”

  Rebecca took a deep breath, laying her hand upon Aidan’s. Her anger receded as quickly as it had surged. “I’m sorry, Aidan. I never meant to hurt you.”

  Aidan pulled her into his arms, resting his forehead upon hers. “I know, Becca. But please, if only for tonight, could you try to forget the past and remember that no matter what, we are still a family?”