by Livia Grant
The threat wasn’t some idle long shot. He knew with every fiber of his being that his father would love nothing more than stealing everything from Chase, and even Emma and the kids, should anything happen to him. It would have been bad enough before, but he would never let that happen to his children.
Chase nodded seriously. “I hadn’t even thought about him, but you’re absolutely right. He’d love to stick it to me after how we came out so publicly. And, I hate to say it, but he’ll never accept the babies.”
He could see Emma mulling their words over, still not convinced.
Jaxson reached for her hands and waited for her to look into his eyes to speak from his heart. “I love that you don’t want our money, baby, but like it or not, we need to make sure we do all we can to protect ourselves and the kids. If it were just two of the three of us, you wouldn’t be giving it another thought. Married couples combine assets all the time.”
“Or they have pre-nup agreements,” she answered quietly.
“Fuck that! You are an equal partner. I’m convinced that without you, Chase and I would still be on the road, unfocused and gallivanting from photo shoot to photo shoot. I’d have just kept getting more angry and distant. You and Chase together helped me focus on the important things in life. You’re the catalyst for me wanting to step up my game.”
Chase grinned. “Jax is right. You should have seen how surly he was getting before we met you.”
“Thanks for the help, Chase,” he deadpanned.
“Anytime, babe,” Chase teased.
The trio chuckled in unison. As usual, Chase provided the good-natured lightness that Jaxson loved so very much.
He thrust his left hand forward into the center of their intimate circle and waited until he had his lovers’ attention before turning his hand and opening his fist, palm up, to reveal his next surprise. He’d picked the contents up just that morning on the way into the mansion.
Chase and Emma leaned in to get a closer look, but neither of them dared to touch the rings now glittering in the late afternoon sunshine.
Jaxson picked up the smallest of the three identical rings, holding it up for their inspection.
“I had them specially designed. I hope you both like them. And aren’t disappointed that I didn’t buy you a big diamond, Emma. I wanted us to all wear the same rings though, since they are so symbolic of our relationship.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, they’re beautiful!” Fresh tears were streaming down Emma’s cheeks as she reverently reached to touch the ring he held up.
“Hold out your left hand, baby. Let’s see if I got the size right.”
Emma complied. Jax could see a slight tremble in her hand as he slowly placed the trinity ring on her left ring finger.
She glowed as she exclaimed, “It’s perfect! I love it so much.”
Jaxson turned to Chase next who already had his left hand out, waiting for his own ring. As he took Chase’s hand, he explained what was probably obvious to them. “I had the jeweler design the three smaller rings linked together into one wedding band. The black onyx band is for me since we all know I’m the darkest one of the three of us. Like in real life, the white gold band is for you Chase, because it’s lightness balances me. Dark and light.”
Tears glistened in Chase’s eyes as Jaxson seated the ring lovingly on Chase’s ring finger. Only then did he explain, “The diamond encrusted band in the middle is for you, Em, because you are the sparkle that lit up our lives. And we are all at our best when we are intertwined together.”
Emma leaned forward to hug Jaxson. “It is the most beautiful piece of jewelry I’ve ever seen. I would have been so upset if you got me something different. It is absolutely perfect for us. Thank you.”
“So you’re going to wear a wedding band too?” Chase asked.
Jaxson pulled Emma to sit in his lap so they could look at Chase. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes husbands don’t always wear a wedding ring.”
“Well this husband is going to. It never even occurred to me not to. I love that we will all share this.” Jaxson slid the last ring on his finger.
“I agree completely,” Emma added.
“That’s not all that I think we should all share.” Jaxson looked between them.
Chase grinned. “I think we are extremely good at sharing lots of things already, unless you’re trying to tell us you’re going to take your share of sleeping on the wet spot after all these years.”
They all chuckled. “Nope. I’m still your Dom and as such, I draw the line at sleeping in the wet spot.” He waited for the levity to pass before adding more seriously. “I was actually hoping we could all share the same last name, like most other married people.”
Emma squealed, agreeing easily. “Emma Davidson! It is a bit like a dream come true. I’ve never been one of those liberated women who insist on keeping their own last name.”
Chase was a bit slower to answer, just as Jaxson had expected. Chase Cartwright was a brand. It wasn’t just who he was as a man, but it was the name he’d got famous with… made his millions with. Only Jaxson could truly understand what he was asking of his lover and friend.
“Chase Davidson. It does have a nice ring to it and God knows I love the idea of sharing your name, Jax. Please don’t be angry, but it may take me a bit more time than Emma to get used to the idea since men don’t normally plan for changing their name.”
“I totally understand. In fact, the more I thought about it, I just couldn’t feel right about asking you to lose the Cartwright name… so that’s why I had Connor fill it out to have your legal name changed to Chase Michael Cartwright-Davidson.”
“That’s nice, but I’d rather just have the same last name as you and Emma.”
“Oh, you will. He is filing Emma’s legal name as Emma Nicole Cartwright-Davidson.”
It was Emma that complained. “No! I agree with Chase. We want to all three have the same last name. That’s important.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” He grinned before adding, “That’s why I’m changing my legal name to Jaxson Andrew Cartwright-Davidson.”
He had never seen Chase look more surprised. Not in the almost ten years they had known each other.
“You did WHAT?” Chase screeched.
“You heard me. I’m officially changing my last name, too.”
“But… you’re Jaxson Davidson,” Chase uttered with awe in his voice.
Jax chuckled. “Yep, and I’ll still be the same Jaxson, but as soon as Lambert gets the paperwork filed and approved, that will be Jaxson Cartwright-Davidson.” Jaxson turned to Emma in his lap and teased her. “I hope you understand why I didn’t make it Fischer-Cartwright-Davidson. That would have been ridiculously long.”
Emma hugged him so hard it almost hurt. “You are absolutely the most romantic man in the whole wide world. What an awesome surprise!”
Jax hugged her close as she wrapped her legs around him, clinging to him like a monkey. He was able to watch Chase over her shoulder. His heart swelled with the love he felt for the handsome blond with the sexy as fuck hair he loved to pull as he fucked him from behind. When Chase turned his expressive eyes to meet Jaxson’s, the love he felt shining back at him would have turned his knees weak if he’d been standing.
Jaxson reached out with his left hand, his own trinity ring shimmering in the sunlight as he silently beckoned his lover to join them. Chase leaned in reverently, sandwiching Emma between the men, exactly where she belonged.
Chase’s voice warbled when he spoke softly. “You don’t need to do this. I’ll happily change my name to Davidson.”
The men’s eyes locked as Jaxson reassured him. “I know you would, but it’s done. I love you, and in my heart I know this is the right thing for us.”
Chase leaned in, placing his forehead against Jaxson’s, intimately linking their trio as he repeated the mantra they had come up with years before. “Where you go, we all go.”
“Hell yes. And right now I think we should all go find our stateroom and do a bit of celebrating before we have Mrs. Burrows make us dinner.”
His heart warmed when Chase and Emma answered in unison, “Yes, sir.”
It was that moment he was absolutely certain he was the luckiest bastard on the planet.
Chapter Fifteen ~ Emma
“I always knew you’d be the most beautiful bride I’d ever see.”
Emma had been lost in thought and missed that her mom had let herself into the bedroom on the second floor of the mansion they were using as their staging area for their big day. Looking up into the mirror from her chair, she saw the reflection of her parents standing just inside the door.
“Thanks, but you might be a bit biased, Mom. It all feels a bit surreal to be honest.”
“Well that’s probably because Davidson only gave you a few days warning to try to pull off the impossible. I don’t know why he’s hell-bent to do this so fast,” her father grumbled.
“Daddy, I can’t believe you. First you complain that no one is going to marry me and make me an honest woman. Now you’re complaining that they are marrying me too fast. Make up your mind!”
Emma’s mom globbed on. “Robert, we talked about this. Today is their special day. A day you pushed for, I might add. You should be thrilled for them.”
“I’m just speaking the truth. And this isn’t going to be a legal ceremony anyway.”
Emma had been floating on cloud nine for the last few days as she rushed to plan one of the best days of her life. She’d been coddling her father along the way, giving him the time he needed to adjust to the big changes. Listening to him complain yet again was the final straw.
She pushed to her feet, and rounded to face her parents, letting the long, white designer gown flow to the floor. Jaxson and Chase’s old modeling contacts had magically produced the gown of her dreams from a top designer in just a few days. The deep breath she drew in and expelled was the only warning for her father. “I love you so much, Daddy. I really do. And I used to think you were just worried about me because you had my best interest in mind. That you don’t want me to get hurt.” Emma paused and the older man nodded in agreement, a relieved smile starting to grace is lips.
Too bad it wouldn’t be there for long.
“But I don’t think that’s true anymore. Jaxson and Chase have done everything you’ve asked for and more. If you can’t see how much we all love each other and how insanely happy I am today, then maybe you shouldn’t be here.”
“Wh-what?”
“I mean it. This is a very special day for me, and I don’t want anyone to attend that is going to be uncomfortable with the unique nature of our relationship. This isn’t just a phase I’m going through. We aren’t just dating or goofing around until something better comes along. These are the men I am lucky enough to love with all my heart and I thank God every single day that they love me back.
“I’m sorry we don’t fit your mold of what a proper couple is supposed to look like. We’ve done everything in our power to give you the time you needed to get used to things — years even — but time is up. Today I am going to stand in front of our closest friends and family and declare my love openly for both men and they will do the same, and I don’t want anyone even watching that isn’t one-hundred percent happy for us, and that includes you.”
“But, you don’t understand…”
“I understand perfectly. Our trio isn’t how you define marriage. I get it, but here’s the thing. They make me happy. They love and protect me. They take care of me and are going to be wonderful fathers for your grandchildren. This, today, is how Jaxson, Chase, and I define our marriage and, honestly, our opinion is the only one that counts now. Just like when you and mom got married your parents were no longer the primary people you had to make happy because you had mom. The same is true for me. I beg you, please don’t make me choose between you and the guys, because you will lose and it will break my heart.”
Emma had practiced this little speech in her head a hundred times over the last few years, perfecting it in the last week as she discovered her father was still dug in despite all her men had done to prove their love to their future father-in-law. It would truly break her heart to have to hurt her father, but she could no longer allow him to hold a grudge against her unique relationship.
“I don’t… I mean… I actually like Jaxson and Chase very much. This isn’t about them.”
“Then what the hell is it about?” Emma demanded, not backing down.
She could sense his panic as he lifted his hand to drag his fingers nervously through his short hair, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from adding on more. As uncomfortable as the silence was that stretched between them, she knew it was necessary. Emma and her father needed to face his final objections, whatever the hell they were, head on so they could leave them behind once and for all.
Her father’s eyes darted to his wife, silently begging her to jump in and defend him, but Linda Fischer stood still exactly like her daughter, waiting for Robert to finally string a reply together. It took almost two long minutes, which felt like an eternity, for him to finally speak.
“We’ve never discussed it, and I don’t know for sure, but… when I’m around the three of you, you are different. More…” He struggled for a word before finishing with, “submissive. You never say ‘yes, sir’ to me or any other man that I’ve noticed. You’ve always been a strong, independent young woman, but when you are with them, you defer to them for almost everything. It’s like they have you brainwashed. Like you have to ask permission to do the most simple things. I worry that you’ve fallen under their spell in some way and that one day you’ll wake up and regret letting them smother the real you.”
It was Emma’s turn to fall into an awkward silence, unsure how she could possibly explain the true nature of her relationship with the men, her dominants. Her mind raced for some way to help her father understand without actually spelling things out in embarrassing detail. Sex in general was a topic to be avoided between most women and their fathers. Talking about the kinky activities the trio was into, well, that just couldn’t happen.
She had to fight to hold her father’s eye contact. She’d be damned if she’d look away as if she had something to be ashamed of. She loved her life, including, and especially, her choice of submission. And it was a choice.
The truth would have to do.
“You’re not wrong about that. I choose to be submissive to them intentionally. It makes them happy, but more importantly, it makes me happy.”
“How can you be happy when you have no power in your relationship?”
Her chuckle broke the tension.
“What’s so funny?” her father questioned.
“You’re gonna have to trust me, Dad. I hold plenty of the power. I just choose not to wield it often.”
“Like never.”
“That’s not true at all.”
“There is no way you could influence them to do something they didn’t want to do on the timeline they want. From where I sit, they make all of the important decisions for you.”
“Name one thing they’ve forced me to do that I didn’t want to. One thing. In our almost three years together.”
“Move to California. You don’t like it here.”
Emma shot a dirty look at her mother, regretting sharing those particular feelings with her mom in confidence several weeks before. At least Linda Fischer looked sheepish.
“That was before. Things are getting so much better.”
“Oh. And why’s that?” her father pressed her, his accusation heavy in his tone.
“I wasn’t unhappy because of California. I was unhappy because I had fucked up! I was keeping the mother of all secrets from them and it was eating me alive from the inside with guilt. I was unhappy because I wasn’t feeling well and yet I didn’t want to make a big deal about it because they were working so damn hard to get the club off the ground. I di
dn’t like the temporary housing situation or living out of suitcases. All of those things are behind us now.”
“That doesn’t explain the almost reckless growth of the clubs. Jaxson dragged you into this business venture and from what I can see, he is overextended both in time and money.”
“Are you kidding me? Did you forget that I’m in charge of our finances, not just for the clubs, but also for Jaxson and Chase’s entire portfolio? Do you understand the level of trust that took for them considering I brought nothing but big-ass student loans into our relationship financially?
“And I can assure you that we are not overextended. But more importantly, to your earlier concern that I have no voice in this relationship, I’ll have you know that I got the final vote on proceeding with the clubs or not. They were prepared to walk away from the deal if I didn’t think it was a good idea, either personally or professionally. Does that sound like them bowling me over and not letting me have any input in our future?”
Her answer frustrated her father further. His complexion growing red and splotchy like it did when he got hot under the collar, literally. Anger bubbled up in her.
“Why today? You’ve had days to talk to me about this shit. Today is my wedding day. The only one I’m ever going to have. It’s supposed to be the happiest day of my life.”
Her father tried to smooth things over. “And it will be. Just chalk my reservations up to being an overprotective old man.”
“No! I meant it. I don’t want you there if you can’t truly be happy for me. Not if you can’t look at Jaxson and Chase and know with every fiber of your being that they are the only men who can make your little girl happy. Because they do… they make me so happy.”
