Hyde and Seek

by Layla Frost

  His green eyes were hooded, lit with a mix of amusement and arousal, and I knew my perusal had not been subtle.

  Since I’d failed to notice that he’d stopped walking at some point, it had been in depth.

  Oops.

  When my eyes dropped down and I looked straight ahead, I saw something else that was far from subtle.

  “You keep lookin’ at me like that, sweets, and our family and friends out there are gonna hear a lot more than they want to.”

  I sat up quickly and the blankets fell around me.

  Jake’s eyes went even more hooded as he did a little perusing of his own.

  Going back to the door, he opened it and said, “We got in late and Piper’s still tired. We’ll meet you in the lobby at one.”

  I heard muffled conversation fade as they left.

  I got up on my knees. “Well, that was rude. Shouldn’t we get dressed and go see everyone?”

  Jake’s eyes dropped to my naked body. “Fuck no.” Prowling towards me, he pushed his jeans down and removed them as he walked with the same gracefulness as when he’d put them on.

  God, that’s hot. Why’s that such a turn-on?

  Maybe because I know all the other ways he’s in control of his body.

  And mine.

  “No, I really think we should. I’ll just get dressed.” Turning from him, I leaned down and pretended to reach for my clothes.

  My head shot back as he entered me hard, filling me.

  His hands ran up my sides before reaching around to palm my breasts. He pulled me up so my back was pressed to his front. One of his arms wrapped under my chest to support me as he moved in me. His other curled up, his hand curving gently around the side of my neck as his thumb stroked my jaw.

  The first couple of times his hand had gone to my neck, I’d flinched and jerked away. He’d understood, but I hadn’t. I hated feeling the panic grip me, and seeing the pain and rage resurface in him. I missed feeling his rough thumb rub my jaw.

  I’d made him promise not to stop doing it and he hadn’t. As time passed, my reaction slowly but steadily improved until I was once again leaning into his touch.

  I would have made him keep trying forever to get it back.

  “If you wanna get dressed, I guess we could,” he whispered harshly against my ear, his tongue edging the side. His thrusts intensified so much so that if his arms weren’t around me, I wouldn’t have been able to stay upright.

  He stopped suddenly and began inching out of me.

  “No!” Reaching around, I dug my nails into his ass to pull him back in.

  Jake’s deep chuckle turned into a groan. “Fuck, I love you.”

  “And thank fuck for that.”

  *******

  He might usually be Mr. Bossy Pants, but Jake was better at compromise than I’d once thought.

  When we’d initially discussed wedding plans, the parents had ganged up on us to push for a traditional wedding. They still wanted that, except for my dad.

  Dad was in favor of the wedding being wherever I wanted, as long as the end result was his only child being married to someone who would literally shoot a man to protect her.

  Dad did tell Jake that given the chance, he’d be there in an instant so he could walk me down the aisle.

  Jake ran with that idea.

  We got our Vegas wedding, but with our family and closest friends. My mom, Thomas, Gregory, Sarah, Edge, Ray, Harlow, Rhys, and Kase had been ready to fly out on Thomas’ company plane at a moment’s notice. Nat and Dad drove up from California.

  Everyone knew that as soon as the bruising was gone, there’d be no convincing us to wait any longer.

  After loud and chaotic hellos in the hotel lobby, I asked, “So, what’s the plan?”

  “We’re going to do all things girly to get ready,” Ray said, looping my arm through hers and smiling huge at me.

  “You all know the schedule,” Jake’s voice rumbled as he pulled me slightly from Ray to kiss me.

  “I don’t,” I pointed out.

  “And that’s the fun of it. I’ll see you tonight, sweets.”

  *******

  When the women left the hotel, we headed to a boutique.

  I’d have happily married Jake in the jeans and t-shirt I wore. That didn’t mean that once I saw the gorgeous dresses, I wasn’t thrilled we were there.

  Nat’s eyes lit gleefully as she handed me a glass of champagne. “Have a seat.”

  Taking the glass, I narrowed my eyes as I studied her face. “Why do I get the feeling you’re up to something?”

  She shrugged, feigning nonchalance, but her valley girl lilt was strong from her excitement. “Because I am. We’ve been planning this for weeks.”

  Her use of ‘we’ve’ wasn’t lost on me, and I grinned at her. It couldn’t have been easy on her or my mom, but it meant a lot to me. When I caught her eyes, I knew she felt the same way.

  Sitting down, I watched as Ray and Harlow disappeared into what I’d correctly assumed were changing rooms.

  Within minutes, they came out in matching shimmery, dove gray, one shouldered dresses that ended above the knee. The one strap was black ruched. Even with the black, back seam tights and gray three-inch pumps, I was surprised at how low-key the outfit was.

  They totally rocked the look, but I got the feeling the moms played a heavy role in picking the attire.

  This should be interesting.

  “Oh my God, you both look gorgeous! Harlow, I had no clue your legs were so long.”

  Though she was only an inch or so taller than me, her legs seemed miles longer.

  “Yeah, I get that a lot,” she said, looking off to the side.

  The moms and seamstress went to work on Ray, adding pins and walking around her as they discussed alterations.

  I caught her gaze in the reflection of the mirror. After giving me her best model face, she rolled her eyes and blew me a kiss.

  Standing, I moved closer to an unusually quiet Harlow. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I just… I’m so happy for you, Piper. I love you, and you’re, like, the most kickass friend. I’m just so touched you wanted me here,” she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.

  “Honey—”

  “Don’t say another word. If I cry, my eyes are gonna get puffy and my skin will get splotchy.”

  “I get Alice Cooper face.”

  “Then we both better get a handle on this.”

  Looking away as I tried to do just that, I saw the moms go into the dressing rooms.

  I sat back to watch a relieved Ray get out of the hot spot as Harlow took her place, looking even more uncomfortable.

  Her legs are seriously never-ending!

  Within minutes, Nat, Sarah, and my mom came out of the rooms in similar gray, A-line, fifties style dresses.

  “Those dresses are perfect!” I squealed.

  “I’m thinking I’ll make this my new look,” Sarah joked, her lips twitching like her son’s did.

  When it was my turn, I went into a changing room. My knees gave out and I sank down onto a bench. Trying to stop the tears from sliding down my cheeks, I lifted my head to see my mom crouched next to me.

  The others wiped at their eyes as they watched through the open curtain.

  “I knew you’d love it,” Mom said, reaching up to wipe a tear from my face.

  “It’s been one day since I said yes. How did all of this get done?”

  “He’s been planning everything with the owner of Ella’s. He said she was almost more excited about the wedding than he was. Especially when he told her his idea for the dress. It’s not my style, of course. But it’s so you that I love it. And I love that he gave it to you. I couldn’t have imagined anyone better for my beautiful daughter.”

  Obviously, Dad wasn’t the only one shaken by what happened.

  When my mom found out why I’d gone back to my house to change, she was wracked with guilt. We’d talked for hours about everything. She’d explained, which I alread
y knew, that she just wanted better for me than she’d had growing up.

  This wasn’t to say she was magically the perfect mom, but she was much closer. She was happier, more relaxed, and I caught more than a glimpse of who she was when she let the walls down.

  After getting control of my tears, I stood and helped my mom up. She hugged me tight before leaving me to dress.

  My hands shook as I quickly pulled my clothes off. Sliding the dress on, I was cautious not to snag it on anything. I sat on the edge of the seat and slipped my shoes on before opening the curtain.

  “Ta-Da!” I choked out as I tried not to cry on my dress.

  The moms and my girls, upon seeing me, all burst into fresh tears that they hurriedly wiped.

  The seamstress had me stand in front of the wall of mirrors as she pinned for alterations.

  Once Jake had broken down my walls and closed the distance I’d tried to keep, I’d fallen hard and fast. There was no holding back.

  As I looked at the dress, though I thought it was impossible, I loved Jacoby Hyde even more.

  *******

  We went back to the hotel where an entire salon staff was waiting for us in my mom’s suite. It may not have actually been the whole staff, but it felt like it.

  After being split into different areas, everyone rushed to get ready.

  Separated from everyone else, I was closed off in the master suite. My finger and toe nails were painted at the same time by two different people while someone fussed with my hair.

  When the choice of hairstyles was given to me, I chose to leave it down. I also made sure they didn’t put anything in it that would make it difficult for Jake to run his fingers through.

  Or pull…

  Shh, quiet, girly bits!

  After my hair was set in rollers, my makeup was applied so quickly I feared the results. I slowly pried my eyes open to look in the mirror, bracing for the worst.

  Instead, I saw that each line, color, and coated eyelash was nothing short of perfection.

  I grinned at the makeup artist. “I seriously need to raise my makeup game.”

  Before I could figure out how she’d done it so fast, she left as two people came in to unwrap and style my hair.

  It was chaotic, but it was the kind of chaos I liked. My favorite weddings were the rare ones when the vibe was electric with excitement, and that’s what I felt.

  I had no doubts or second thoughts. I wasn’t screaming about some invisible flaw I wanted to focus on in order to avoid an actual problem. I wasn’t crying and getting drunk in the ladies room.

  Don’t forget about the wedding where you walked in on the bride and the best man in the kitchen.

  Though, from the bored look on her face, he was obviously far from the best.

  I was nervous, of course. I was also out of my freakin’ mind ecstatic.

  As the stylist put the finishing touches on my hair, I heard the dresses being delivered. Someone from the boutique knocked on the door before coming in to hang my stuff up.

  When I was finally alone, I took longer than I had available to get dressed. Smoothing the skirt down, I loved it even more than I had earlier.

  For fear of busting my ass, I walked slowly on trembling legs out of the master suite. My mom was facing away from me and I was unsurprised to see her hair pulled back in her typical chignon. When she turned around, my brows shot up and I started laughing.

  The front of her hair was pinned in victory rolls.

  “You like?” my mom asked, preening. “It was my idea.”

  “I love it.”

  Someone from the hotel guided us from the room. Our charged energy bounced around us as we filed out and down the hall.

  Taking the elevators up, we walked down another hall and stopped near a closed room. The moms stood close to the entrance while Ray and Harlow moved me out of sight.

  When the doors opened, I heard a lot of voices.

  “There’s more than just the few people I was expecting, isn’t there?” I asked, my voice shaking.

  “Yup,” Harlow confirmed with a smile.

  “Don’t cry. You’ve got so much mascara on, there’s no way you wouldn’t look like Alice Cooper,” Ray laughed.

  “Helpful! Thanks, that’s super calming,” I said sarcastically. “Quick, someone say something or I’m gonna start blubbering.” I fanned my face.

  “Rhys is escorting me down the aisle. Do you think he’d let me do a shot out of those dimples later?” Harlow raised her brows suggestively.

  “I’d originally thought to eat cereal out of them, but I like your idea better,” I admitted. “Not for me, of course. I’m a soon-to-be married woman.”

  Familiar sounding music started playing. Listening carefully, I realized it was a slowed down, instrumental version of one of my favorite X-ers songs. It had been playing when Jake and I danced at Jet’s.

  The moms disappeared into the room first. Harlow followed shortly after, turning to blow me a kiss as she went.

  Ray grabbed my hands and clutched them tight as tears shimmered in her eyes. “Sometimes the road to happily ever after isn’t smooth and easy. You have to fight through trials and obstacles to get there. There are dragons and big, bad wolves in disguise to defeat. Riding in a carriage with a prince wouldn’t get you over those bumps and twists. Sometimes the road to your happily ever after is on the back of a bike with a badass knight that would kick the prince’s ass if he came near you. I couldn’t be happier you found your knight, Piper. I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” I whispered past the lump in my throat. “Thanks for showing me that taking risks on a badass could pay off.”

  I pulled her to me and held tight as we tried to control our tears.

  A minute later, Kase stuck his head out the door. “Hate to break this up, you know how much I love girl-on-girl shit. But there’s a man waiting at the other side of this room who’s starting to look tense and a bit pissed. Not sayin’ Jake is the most patient man to begin with, but he looks about a minute, tops, from storming out here and making you walk down the aisle.”

  When Ray and I released our hold on each other, she air kissed my cheek before disappearing through the door with Kase.

  I’d never been one to make decisions on the fly. When faced with any choice, I overanalyzed every detail until I reached my answer. More often than not, I was still plagued with doubt.

  With Jake, though, I knew the risks would pay off. I’d strapped in, held on tight, and enjoyed the hell out of the ride.

  And as I stood in the hallway, about to leap off the figurative cliff into the unknown, I knew wherever I landed would be beauty.

  Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. Warmth seeped into my soul as a calm peace settled deep in my bones.

  “Most dads hate this day.”

  Opening my eyes, I saw my dad standing in front of me in a gray suit and black dress shirt. His expression was a mix of thrilled and heartbroken.

  My eyes started to burn again.

  “They dread it, the day their little girl becomes someone else’s woman. I can’t say that part is easy. But knowing you’ll be with someone who would do all this, do everything he’s done, to protect you and make you smile? Couldn’t have picked a better man if I tried. You’ve made me proud with everything you’ve done, Lil’ Rock. This is no exception.”

  Don’t cry. Hold it back. Splotchy and streaked isn’t a good look on anyone. Don’t cry.

  Oh, hell, I’m gonna cry.

  Dad must have been able to tell. “Alright, alright, keep it together. You start crying, you’ll have to go fix your face and all that junk. And Kase was not exaggerating. That man up there is the epitome of restless.”

  I slid my arm through the crook in Dad’s and we positioned ourselves near the doorway.

  When the music changed, a strangled sob mixed with a laugh escaped from me.

  The lovely, lilting instrumental was the first song Jake had held me during when we saw the b
and, Harington, at Rye. Though I’d wanted to kick him in the shin that night, I knew I’d never forget.

  What I hadn’t known was neither would he.

  Though the melody sounded beautifully romantic, the unsung lyrics were actually about being so turned on by someone that the only thoughts you had were about fucking them in all sorts of kinky ways.

  It was perfect.

  Entering the room, I saw nothing but Jake.

  And, just like the first time I saw him at Hyde’s, my legs went to jello. As I was again wearing four-inch heels, I had to walk carefully so I didn’t face-plant at my own wedding.

  Forget congratulating yourself for walking without falling this time. Congratulate yourself for who you’re marrying.

  Standing at the end of the aisle, Jake looked scorchingly beautiful. His hair was down, making his cheek and jaw bones more prominent. The sleeves of his black dress shirt were rolled up to show his inked and tanned forearms. Slim fit, gray jeans tucked into his motorcycle boots, a matching gray tuxedo vest, and a hot pink tie made him look badass formal.

  As soon as I was within arm’s reach, Jake’s hand curved around the back of my neck. Hauling me to him, my hands hit his chest as his mouth crashed down on mine.

  Catcalls and whistles filled the room, though neither of us cared.

  When Jake tore his mouth from mine, he pulled back slightly to look down at me, his eyes full of emotion. “Fuck, Piper. So fuckin’ gorgeous. Thirty-four years of color-blind, lookin’ at a lifetime of bright,” he murmured, his voice ragged.

  I knew I was right about why everyone else was wearing subtle colors when we were anything but. Standing up there, my girls and boys were dressed in gray and black.

  Instead of the typical white gown, I wore hot pink with a dove gray lace overlay. The halter was attached to a thick, black band and came up as two separate pieces with a deep vee in the middle. The pink ended just above my breasts, leaving just gray lace to cover my upper chest and go around my neck.

  The skirt under the banded bodice fell to the ground. Though my pink and gray pumps had a four-inch heel, the dress still dragged when I walked, creating a slight train and moving the slit on my left leg to near indecent levels.