The door leading to the dungeon opened and a woman stuck her head out. “Ross, Loren just called. They’re on their way.”
Ross and Landry, with Cris following behind at the end of the leash, entered the dungeon area.
Cris didn’t want to look around. He knew the brief, angry silence that greeted him even while people cheerfully greeted Landry told him more than he needed to know. With a practiced, familiar flick of his wrist, Landry jerked the leash downward. Cris knelt on the floor at his side, head bowed.
If he had to endure this, he would endure it as best he could. He suspected it was the only way to regain Landry’s good graces. He tried to ignore the conversations around him, choosing instead to drift into his memories. Not a day went by he didn’t think about her, miss her. It felt weird to be in her house without her there, familiar and strange signs of her presence all around, things he remembered, things he’d never seen before.
A well-known stranger.
Voices near the door greeted someone. When Cris didn’t look up, Landry jerked the leash hard, indicating he wanted his attention.
Loren wore a beautiful blue brocade corset and long, flowing black skirt. When Tilly walked in behind her…
His breath left in a rush. The purple dress suited her, gorgeous.
Landry leaned over and viciously pulled his hair to yank his head back. “Isn’t she beautiful?
Just think…you could be in my position right now instead of on your knees like a dog.” When Landry released his hair, he patted the top of Cris’ head.
Tilly and Loren walked over. When it looked like Loren wanted to kick him, Cris didn’t miss how Tilly deftly stepped between them as they talked.
Cris felt a measure of relief at that, immediately followed by a wave of guilt that after what he’d done to her, she felt she had to protect him.
Landry smiled and leaned in for a kiss from Tilly. “You’re beautiful, love.”
She was. Cris wanted to stand, take her into his arms, and kiss her.
He also realized that might get him killed, considering the gathered group of people and how they glared at him.
Landry offered her his arm and, without hesitating, jerked Cris’ leash. Cris scrambled to his feet and scurried to keep up, knowing Landry wouldn’t hesitate to yank him off his feet and drag him across the floor if he didn’t follow fast enough.
Loren and Ross left Tilly’s side and went to talk to some other people. Cris had a bad feeling what was about to occur, even though he didn’t want to believe it. When a photographer started taking posed pictures of Tilly and Landry, together and with other people, he knew.
After Landry spent a few more minutes talking with Tilly and others, Landry patted her on the arm and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be right there. I need to take care of something.”
She walked off, talking with others, while Landry pulled him into one of the curtained alcoves set aside for privacy. He pulled the black curtain shut behind them and turned on him, his voice low.
“You will not ruin this for her, do you understand me, slave?”
Cris nodded.
“You’ve behaved perfectly so far. Keep it up.” Landry unclipped Cris’ hands but left the cuffs on him. Then he reached into his pants pocket and withdrew a ring box. He opened it and took out a beautiful, delicate wedding band and handed it to him.
“You’ll be my best man, slave. Apropos, is it not? You get to help me marry the woman you love. She’s asked Ross to stand up for her.” He studied Cris. “Everything changes back to some semblance of what we used to have as of Wednesday, because that’s when I go into the hospital. Until then, if you wish to stay by my side, you will behave and obey without hesitation, question, or complaint. Understood?”
Cris nodded.
“Good.” He led Cris out of the alcove.
Loren waved Landry across the room. “Ready?” she asked when they joined her.
He nodded.
Everyone, about thirty people in all, gathered to watch. Dressed in everything from evening casual to full fetish gear, Cris knew about a third of the people in attendance.
He suspected everyone knew who he was.
Tilly walked up, her arm hooked through Ross’ and carrying a small bouquet of purple flowers.
Ross tenderly kissed her cheek before handing her off to Landry.
She never looked at him, her eyes only on the man she was about to marry.
Cris didn’t listen to the words. He couldn’t. His heart breaking, he watched as she recited the vows Loren told her before she slipped the ring Ross handed her on Landry’s finger.
Only because Landry reached back for the ring did Cris know to hand it to him. Cris fought his tears, refused to cry in front of everyone and spoil this for her.
Loren sounded genuinely happy. “By the power invested in me by the laws of the State of
Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Tilly couldn’t believe she was actually going through with this. The day had rushed by in a blur with Loren unerringly steering her through the preparations, her nails and hair and make-up, everything.
She tried not to focus on Cris. This could have been her day with him. She’d been willing to spend her life with him.
His loss.
Instead, she let herself sink into Landry’s green eyes. His gentle hands felt scorching hot against hers as he slipped the ring on her finger and recited his vows, his gaze never wavering from her.
When Loren declared them married, Landry leaned in and kissed her with a gentle passion that threatened to unleash the fires raging below her surface. Dammit, she did want him, revenge or not.
She wanted him to fuck her brains out. She knew his game, and maybe he didn’t love her, maybe she couldn’t honestly say she loved him—yet—but she could and would enjoy tonight.
Everyone applauded as they kissed. When he lifted his mouth from hers he whispered, “I can’t wait to take my beautiful wife home and ravish her.”
Her knees weakened. She felt thankful he’d already offered his arm for her to hold on to. For a gay man, he damn sure pushed her buttons with precise accuracy.
Cris trailed behind them as they walked to the other side of the dungeon where tables and chairs had been set up. Landry paused only long enough to clip the leash to the table leg next to his chair, snap the clip onto his cuffs to hold them together, and point to the floor.
Cris obediently knelt beside Landry’s chair.
She swallowed back the uncomfortable lump in her throat. Shouldn’t she be enjoying this?
Seeing him cut down? Participating in his public humiliation, even? Isn’t that what she’d wanted?
Landry distracted her by offering to get her a plate of food. She nodded. While he was gone, even as she talked to others and accepted their congratulations, her gaze wandered to Cris’ bowed head.
When Landry returned, he sat next to her and blocked her view of Cris. She didn’t miss how
Landry occasionally took pieces of food from his plate and reached his hand down beside him.
She tried not to think about that and focused on their friends. Loren and Ross sat at their table, as did Kim and Kylee. When it came time to cut the cake, that’s when Tilly felt her next apprehension.
Even though it was a beautifully decorated sheet cake, not a traditionally tiered wedding cake, Landry stood with her to help her cut it. While everyone cheered them on, trying to get them to smash the cake into each other’s faces, Landry winked at her and gently fed her a small, manageable bite.
He kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “I am not a stupid man. I don’t wish to upset a woman so skilled at wielding a whip as you are.”