My fingers drifted over her collar, tugging on the leash. “Yes. You wear my name now. You wear my fortune.”
“I’m Tess Mercer.” Her soft voice turned to a pant, flushing my body with want. My cock twitched in my trousers, ready to take her. Ready to finish this.
“You’re so much more than that.”
“What?”
“Tu es à moi.” You’re mine.
“Yours,” she breathed, swaying she pressed her lips against mine. The instant her soft mouth touched me, my vision shattered into colourless light. The countdown to taking her increased its incessant tick.
I wouldn’t last much longer. I couldn’t last much longer.
Her lips kissed along my cheekbone, ending on the shell of my ear. “I was going to deny you, husband. I didn’t think you were strong enough to take me. But you haven’t stopped making love to me since the moment I entered this marquee. I believe you’re strong enough. And I want you to take me away. Take me completely.”
She pulled back, permission blazing in her eyes. “I’m all yours. Every inch.” Gone was the fear about letting me inside the final part of her. Gone was the hesitation at exploring the unexplored.
My muscles locked into place, fighting a full body shudder. My cock punched the buckle of my belt, demanding to have her now.
Tess left me standing like a fool, sealing the marriage contract with a flick of her wrist. Tess Mercer.
My Tess.
My esclave.
Frederick grabbed the pen with a wink. “You’re looking at her like you’re about to eat her. You guys better leave before you end up saying screw the guests and giving us a show.”
I let him finish signing before punching him in the shoulder. “We’re only here because we’re Suzette’s prisoners.”
Suzette giggled, taking the pen. “Fine, I know a man in pain when I see one. Go. I’ll rearrange the reception for tomorrow.”
A thick arm wedged between us, scrawling illegibly on the paper beneath all four signatures.
What the—
I looked over my shoulder. Franco.
He shrugged. “Hey, couldn’t let you get hitched without the top quality authority of your favourite bodyguard. I just made that thing legit.”
I rolled my eyes. “Trust you to ruin everything.”
Franco chuckled, giving Tess a one armed hug. He’d discarded his grey blazer, revealing the white shirt beneath. His sling matched the fabric, hiding the fact he was injured. Sort of. The bandage around his hand had been changed, and the minute I could breathe without needing to sink into Tess, I would source a world class doctor to replace his thumb.
He would also receive a huge bonus.
Pulling away from Tess, Franco said, “You look incredible. I’m very happy for you both. I’ll always have your back, Tess. You’ve earned my deepest respect.” Tess dropped her eyes, unconsciously tugging the collar around her throat. Her cleavage was deep and fucking enticing.
“I’ll forever be in your debt for helping me get him back. I think you deserve a long holiday and someone to pamper you.” Her eyes darted to Suzette—not at all subtle and way too insinuating.
Ah, for fuck’s sake what was with weddings and hook-ups?
She added, “Don’t be an idiot, Franco.”
His mouth fell open; eyes just as wide.
I grabbed the leash from her collar, wrapping it around my fist. “Enough, esclave. He’ll figure it out. And if he doesn’t, there are plenty of other body parts that can be sliced off to make him understand.”
Franco spluttered. “Hey, what?” His green eyes landed on Suzette who turned bright red. She coughed, backing away, the tips of her ears flaming.
I didn’t have any time for other people’s lives. Mine was all I wanted and I was done being the centre of attention.
Tugging the leash, the collar slipped a little, glinting with an inscription: property of Q Mercer.
My eyes slammed closed. I was ruined. High on the need to claim.
My cock twitched, clawing its way through my trousers to my wife.
Yep, I would never be removing that collar.
Screw the reception. Screw the guests. I was done.
“We’re leaving,” I snapped.
Tess’s eyes popped wide but slowly she nodded, tasting my need, echoing it back.
I’m married! I survived. And now I would claim my wife.
“Spoilsport,” Frederick muttered good-naturedly. He clasped my shoulder, crunching me into a painful hug. “Fair enough. We can have the reception tomorrow on the beach. I’m sure Suzette has a few days’ worth of events for us to enjoy.”
Franco rolled his eyes. “That woman is a nuisance. She’s too damn organised and when the hell did she become so freaking gorgeous?” His eyes trailed to Suzette who’d broken apart from our group, returning to Angelique.
“Since always,” Tess stated, crossing her arms.
Franco frowned. “You’re forgetting that I was the one who carried her into Q’s house. She weighed nothing more than a bag of feathers, her hair shorn, her skin covered in burns, and her fingers completely mangled.” His eyes tightened, looking at Suzette laughing with Angelique. “I’ve seen her at her worst. All I see is a broken girl who needed so much help.”
I agreed completely. That was my issue, too. “That’s how I see her as well. But maybe it’s time we looked at her with new eyes. She’s no longer that girl.”
I glanced at Suzette, truly seeing the strong woman she’d become. Pride filled me. Compared to the broken slave she’d been—it was incomparable.
Franco’s eyes widened as if truly seeing Suzette for the first time. He cleared his throat.
“You should talk to her, Franco, get to know her,” Tess pushed.
I threw Tess a look. That was enough. I hated tampering in people’s life, and Franco’s was his own. Tough shit if he couldn’t see past the past.
The celebrant placed the signed wedding agreement into a black folder, passing it to me. “Congratulations. I wish you a lifetime of happiness.”
Clutching the document I would treasure forever, I muttered, “More than just one lifetime. Thank you.”
Keeping Tess’s leash tight in my fist, I marched forward, fully expecting her to heel. What, like a fucking dog?
Goddammit, my thoughts were all over the place. I needed silence. Just us. Swiping a hand over my face, I tugged on the leather. “Tess—come on.”
She came forward, her lips playing with a scowl and a smile. “You’ve really got to rein in your temper.”
I bared my teeth. “Too late to try and change me, esclave. You married me—knowing full well who I was.”
And that made me the luckiest son of a bitch alive.
She laughed. “I would never want to change you.” Her eyes flittered over to Angelique and Suzette who stood talking to Fuckwit and Bianca. “I should go and say goodbye, though—I don’t want to be rude and abandon everyone.”
I shook my head. “No. You’re coming with me. This instant.”
I wouldn’t go back into the Bermuda fucking triangle of after wedding politics. We’d barely found freedom as it was, and it’d taken far too long.
Frederick brushed past, heading for his wife. “I’ll tell everyone, Tess. They’ll understand.”
Her cheeks pinked. “Okay, thank you. Guess we’ll see you tomorrow.”
No chance. I wasn’t leaving that bedroom for weeks.
“Only if you’re still able to walk,” I breathed in her ear.
Her body jolted, and I took the opportunity to wrap my arm around her, guiding her toward the exit. “If you so much as speak to another person leaving this fucking tent, I’ll put you over my knee in front of everyone.”