The doors opened again. Bodie tottered into the room, holding onto Braun's arm. She was pale tonight, looking a little sickly. But her eyes lit up at the sight of everyone, as though seeing her friends lifted the cloak of depression she wore just enough to let her breathe. She opened her mouth to speak, then her gaze landed on Anarchy and she mimed zipping her lips shut.
“It's okay, sweetheart, you can speak.” Jasper inhaled deeply, then turned his pale blue eyes to everyone in the room, making individual contact. “Everyone's here, so I'll begin. It might take my kitten a few minutes to catch up, but she's earned a rest. Thank you for coming,” he continued. “I know I'm interrupting you all at a bad time, but this is important.”
“We've got everything covered,” Atticus rumbled. “Sounds serious, J.”
“It is. Archie and I…we wanted you all to be here. You are our family, the ones we trust. Including you,” he said directly to Thane. “Some of what I'm going to say won't make sense to you, but I'll let Connie explain it when she thinks you're ready. Nevertheless, you're as much a part of the group as anyone, because you belong to her.” When Archie stirred, he smiled down at her. “Tonight, before the demonstration, I did something I thought I'd never be given a chance to. I got down on one knee and asked Anarchy to marry me.”
Bodie squealed loud enough to shatter glass. Connie's exclamation wasn't quite a squeal, Thane noted, but the joy on her face was blinding. While the women bounced in excitement, the Masters grinned and offered their congratulations.
“I said yes,” Archie whispered tiredly, her eyes fluttering open.
“I wasn't going to let you say no. After all the shit we've been through, after everything you did to save me and the sacrifice you made, if I didn't have you, I wouldn’t want anyone. There's no other woman who could understand my past and still make me feel like a man, kitten. There isn't a woman breathing who could wake me up from a nightmare that rips chunks from my soul, and make me whole again the way you do.” He kissed her temple, closing his eyes. “There's only you, Archie. There'll only ever be you.”
Oh yeah, this was all over Thane's head by a mile. But from the now sober expressions on the Masters' faces, and the soft sniffles from Connie and Bodie, Jasper's words meant something to them. His interest piqued, Thane wondered how soon he could press Connie for the details. Not so long ago, he'd have gone digging with what little information he had at his disposal, but when it came to family—family who'd included him with very little hesitation—he wouldn't shatter their trust.
Archie's lips curved into a slow, sleepy smile. “I love you, Jasper.”
They kissed, passionately enough, sweetly enough, that Thane contemplated spinning his own woman around and claiming her in just the same way. This was what he ached for, what he hoped he'd found with Connie. Maybe they were in the early stages, but the potential for greatness was there.
“We've discussed engagement rings, and we'll be going shopping tomorrow for just the right one for these dainty fingers.” Jasper lifted her hand to his lips, touching his mouth to each digit. “But my kitten is curious, and we've decided that we want to symbolize our engagement in a less traditional fashion as well. Loki, would you mind?”
The Master walked over to his table and picked up a small red cushion, carrying it to the newly engaged couple. As though drawn to it, everyone banded together, huddling closer and surrounding the exam table to see what was on the velvet display.
Thane's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he felt Connie jerk.
“That's certainly a statement of commitment, Archie,” the Mistress murmured.
The ring on the cushion was about the size of Thane's thumbnail. Sterling silver, with Jasper's name engraved around the outer edge. Beautifully crafted, although not ornate, it definitely stood out. Simple, but Thane figured it wasn't about the ring itself. There was a more important message behind it, one that screamed ownership.
“I've done research. After Jasper explained that Loki's a licensed body piercer, I was intrigued by the idea. I've been talking about piercing my clit for a couple months, and Jasper supported my decision to go ahead with it, but I've been chickening out.” More awake now, Anarchy's smile was adorably shy. “I knew as soon as he proposed that I wanted to do this. It's not just a whim anymore, or an experiment. It's like getting a tattoo of something so vital, there's no other choice but to have it etched into my skin. Only, instead of ink, it's a ring. No more ducking out of it.”
“You don't want to just get your ears done?” Bodie piped up. “You know, start small?”
“Go big or go home,” Archie replied, taking her Dom's hand. “We wanted you to be here so we could share the news, and so you could be here for what is essentially my rehearsal collaring ceremony. If you don't want to stay, we'll understand. Time's tight and the club is busy tonight. We just…it's nice to have the family together for this.”
Atticus glowered at her. “If you think any one of us are walking out on your damn engagement night, you're sadly mistaken, little bit. We've been waiting for this moment for too fucking long.”
Jasper laughed. “Some of us longer than others, brother.”
“Well, if you'd taken your head out of your ass, you wouldn't have wasted so much time. I'm pleased for you, J. And as for you, little bit…” Something melancholy flashed over the bearded face, glinted in jungle green eyes. “You tell me if this jackass screws up. I'll kick his scrawny ass three counties over for you.”
To his credit, Thane managed to mask his reaction to the threat, however casually delivered. Had there been something between the little blonde sub and the mountain man? From what he'd seen, Anarchy was utterly devoted to Jasper, and vice versa. His suspicions waned when Jasper tightened his arms around his kitten and laughed, then dwindled to nothing when Connie glanced up at him, tears in her eyes, and winked at him.
Ah, it was banter. Maybe dipped in a shred of truth, but for the most part, it was simply two dominant men jesting with each other.
They really were a complex and fascinating group of people.
*
Connie's insides were a wreck.
She was on edge, aroused and needy, and her heart had just taken a huge, happy blow. Two of her favorite people had overcome obstacles so treacherous, they could have cost lives and freedom. It wasn't just a rehearsal collaring ceremony they'd witness tonight, nor was it celebrating a union which had been far too long in the making. Tonight was about being strong enough to survive blood and death, courageous enough to find the one who meant everything and do anything—including murder—to keep them safe.
Jasper and Anarchy had beaten the odds, defied them, and now they would finally reap a reward worthy of their pain.
Archie looked like the kitten who'd lapped up all the cream, brown eyes soft and heavy, content. Her face was unlined, bearing the glow of a woman in love, and one who'd just had an orgasm rich enough to wipe her mind free of stress. “Thank you for everything you did, Atticus. We wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for you and Connie. I'd still be lurking in the shadows, pining for a Dom I couldn't have, and Jasper—”
“Jasper would have been kicking himself for not making a move on the one woman he needs more than his next breath,” the man himself finished. “None of this would be happening without all of you having my back.” He kissed his sub again, then glanced at Loki. “Are you ready for this, Loki?”
“I'm at your disposal.”
“Archie?”
Connie's lips twitched when her friend sucked in a deep breath and nodded. Archie resembled a brave little bunny ready to march into a den of wolves. But apparently, she knew what she wanted, and Jasper was it. It. One little needle wasn't going to stop her from marking herself as his.
As Jasper rose and settled Archie back on the table, Loki wheeled his tools over. It only took a minute for the Master to arrange Archie how he wanted her—after asking if she wanted to watch, which resulted in a firm no—and snap on a pair of latex gloves. “Th
is won't take long, sweetie. You remember what I said about the healing time involved and the aftercare?”
“Four to six weeks. No sex for a few days, then gentle intercourse until it's healed. Keep it clean.”
“There's a bit more than that,” Loki said on a laugh. “Jasper's got the sheet. Make sure you follow it to the letter. Spread these legs for me a little wider, that's it.” Taking some wipes off his table, Loki meticulously disinfected the area around her clit. “You're sensitive after your orgasms, Archie. You'll probably feel this more than you would if your Dom hadn't scened with you beforehand, but just relax and it'll be over with in just a second. You wanted a horizontal piercing, right?”
“Yes, sir.” Anarchy's eyes widened comically as he assessed her clinically, then dotted her with a marker pen. She lifted her hands toward the head of the exam table, then blew out a slow breath when Jasper clasped them. “It's not a big needle, is it?”
“Not at all, sweetie.” Loki's hands were never still. Eyes on the task at hand, he exchanged the pen for a clear plastic tube and the needle. It was fascinating to watch him at work, competent and confident. “Breathe in deep, Archie. When I tell you to, exhale. You'll feel a sharp sting, then the worst part is over with.”
“You have piercings?” she blurted out the question as he placed the tube on one dot, and the needle pricked her on the other.
Connie felt her own genitals cringe in sympathy.
“Sweetheart, you'd be surprised. Breathe in, good girl. Now, exhale.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Anarchy blew out a breath, then yelped like a scalded cat. Connie winced as the needle slid through her friend's flesh, but Loki's hands never wavered. He pushed the needle through, chattering away as though Anarchy's eyes weren't popping out of her head, then busied himself doing whatever he had to do to finish the job.
“And that,” he said proudly, stepping back and admiring his handiwork, “is one beautiful piercing, even if I say so myself. Jasper, you want to come take a look? Archie, if you'd like to see, I can get you a mirror.”
Connie agreed he'd done good work, and Thane's murmur of appreciation suggested his opinion lined up with hers. But the purr in her lover's voice caused a twist of jealousy to twine in her gut—was he ogling Anarchy's pussy? Eyes narrowing, she turned to look at Thane, and was struck by the sheer force of his lust glaring back at her. Losing her annoyance, she barely resisted averting her gaze submissively.
“I swear to God, between the fisting demonstration and this, my dick is hard enough to hammer nails through rock.” His gaze suggested he thought she would make a pretty good nail. “Have you got any aversions to needles, sugar?”
Jesus, was he suggesting what she thought he was? “I don't like them, but I'm not afraid of them.”
Thane's grin was sinful. “Ever thought about getting your clit pierced?”
The nub in question throbbed. She'd heard good things and bad about piercing intimate areas, and while the good things made it seem like something she should try, the bad parts were more than enough to make her second guess any notions of letting a needle near it. “There's a lot to consider, Thane. It's not just a case of threading a shiny bauble through skin. There's infection, pain levels,” she kept her voice low, not wanting to upset Archie if she overheard, “and some people can have adverse reactions to the metal in the jewelry, not to mention overstimulation.”
“Sounds like you've looked into it.” His hand slipped between her thighs, his thumb resting on her clit through the fabric. His eyes darkened, probably feeling the heat of her wetness beneath his fingers, and sinful became primal. “Loki's right over there, sugar. All his equipment within reach. Feeling brave?”
“Not tonight.” The words came quickly, without hesitation, and she knew they were the right ones. Thane's lust was infectious, she could feel herself responding to it as it snaked through her veins. Saying yes would give her an experience—and a memento—she wouldn't soon forget, but she knew how consequences could catch up faster than expected. “We'll talk about it, when we're both not as horny as a pair of teenagers.”
He watched her as though contemplating ripping her clothes off and fucking her where they were, regardless of who was around them. A muscle in his jaw tensed, then he nodded. “Sorry, sugar, I got a little carried away there. It's your body. It will always be your body, your choice, no matter who you submit to.” He dropped his hand from between her legs. “I'm gonna go get some air if the celebrations are over.”
Standing on her tiptoes, Connie brushed her lips over his. “Thank you.”
For an instant, he deepened the kiss, then stepped away. He cast his eyes over the lucky couple, then limped over to the door and slipped out. Bearing weight on his shoulders he hadn't had just a few minutes before, she realized, trying to figure out where it had come from. Did he think that she'd felt pressured into having herself pierced because he'd asked a question—a question that wasn't out of place, given the circumstances.
Deciding not to leave him alone for too long, Connie wandered over to kiss Anarchy on the cheek and offer her congratulations. As her friend's eyes filled with gratitude, Connie turned to Jasper and hugged him tight. “Make sure you give her everything she could ever need, J. God knows she's earned it, living with you.”
Jasper laughed quietly. “Don't I know it. You know how much I love her, Connie.”
“Yeah, I do.” She kissed his cheek, then made her excuses. As she walked toward the door, intending to trace Thane's footsteps, she heard Braun murmuring to Bodie, persuading her it was time to go home, and the little sub's protests. No doubt they'd be heading back to the house within the next few minutes.
Braun was not a Master to argue with, and when it came to the health of his girlfriend and his unborn baby, he was immovable in his desire to keep them both safe.
Connie wanted that. She wanted the safety and security of a man who would fight to protect what mattered most to him. She needed the connection both Braun and Jasper had found with their women. Craved it.
It was the only reason she could find to explain why she was running down the walkway, chasing after Thane.
Chapter Twelve
Thane burst out onto the porch and swallowed down fresh air like a drowning man. His cock ached like a bitch in heat, and he couldn't get it to desist. Too many fantasies of strapping Connie down, forcing her to take his fist, kept his erection alive. Add in the punch of possession he'd felt, thinking about toying with a ring in her clit as he ate her out, and he'd never be flaccid again.
But the sweep of guilt was strong. She may be growing comfortable with submitting to him—beautifully so—but that didn't mean he had the right to pressure her into modifying her body for his benefit. That was something that fucker Evan would have done.
He'd read it in her eyes, though he doubted she realized she'd conveyed her thoughts so clearly, and felt as though his foot was poised above a butterfly, the sole of his boot crushing it slowly. Little bones and fragile wings destroyed through carelessness.
Walking away wasn't his finest moment, but he'd been unable to stand there, captured in a fantasy, with her gray eyes shadowed with wariness. Getting away, breathing, was the only way he could stop himself from making a bad situation worse.
Christ, living in the skin of the Dom was giving him a power trip he hadn't had the pleasure of for a long time. He could understand how Connie had become such a force to be reckoned with, how she'd flattened such an innate part of herself to allow the Domme to flourish into an unstoppable entity. He could feel himself sliding down that same slippery slope, throttling his submissive side so that he could take complete control over Connie. He was losing the balance, and he had to regain it, pinpoint it perfectly again.
Connie had to take the wheel tonight. Humble him, bring him back to an even keel.
Thane jolted as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Shit, he'd forgotten to stow it away in his locker. Guiltily, he pulled it out and frowned at the screen, curious as t
o who would be calling him at this time on a Friday night. Everyone who mattered was here. He scowled at the unfamiliar number, debating whether to answer. It might kill a few more minutes before he went back inside and dropped to his knees before his Mistress, requesting a scene.
“Isaacson.”
“Been a while, Sergeant. You free to talk?”
Fuck. His soul deflated in an instant, his body following suit. Walking to the steps, he sank down on the top one, no longer plagued by an erection that wouldn't subside. Once, his unit commander’s voice could bring him to attention with a word. Now, it was enough to make his balls crawl inside his body. “I only have a moment or two, sir.”
“Of course, I’ve called at a bad time. I won’t keep you long, Isaacson.”
Oh no, he wasn't playing this game. Teeth bared, Thane spoke quietly, choosing to address his former superior with a civilian’s attitude. “Commander Stevens, I don’t know why you’re calling me, but I can’t help you.” His hand fisted on his knee. “I’ve been out of the military for damn near ten years now.”
“Yes, I know. Surprised me, I must admit. I didn’t see you retiring at thirty-six, but I suppose it just goes to show how serving one’s country takes its toll differently on each individual.” Stevens cleared his throat pointedly. “Anyway, it’s not your official talents I need, son. It’s your skills for hire I require.”
“I think the lackeys you’ve had monitoring the grapevines have been slacking, Commander. Since the accident, I’ve held a rifle in my hands no more than three times, fired one with disastrous results. I’ve been out of the game long enough for even the likes of you to know about it.”
The asshole chuckled darkly. Once, that sound would have had Thane braced to jump and obey, or else face the very real, very painful consequences. “Yes, I heard about that pile-up. A nasty incident, by all accounts. Two lives lost, multiple life-changing injuries…”
Talk For Me: Club Avalon Book 3 Page 29
