The Master of the Lyon’s Den extended his hand to her and helped her stand. “Do you have anything else you’d like to say, Colleen?”
“Yes, Master Christopher, thank you.” She turned to her men who stood side by side. She wasn’t much of one to write pretty speeches, but her words, for her lovers, her husbands, her Doms, those words came oh, so easily from her heart.
“I never imagined how lost I was. I never knew there was real happiness anywhere in the universe for me. And then you came into my life. You challenged me and showed me who I could be and what we could have. Thank you, my Masters. I’ll be forever grateful and forever yours, your wife, your submissive, your slave.”
Before her own vision blurred, she saw their gazes glittering.
Daniel took her right hand in his and kissed it. “Colleen, I never thought to have a sub of my own, let alone a wife. And there you were. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were mine. Fighting it proved truly futile. I’ll take good care of you, pet. I promise to give you everything you need, when you need it. You’re mine. And I, by damn, am yours. I will love you forever.”
Daniel then gave her hand to Rob. He, too, kissed it. “Colleen, you’ve made me the happiest man in the world. You rescued these two Doms who were in dire need of exactly who you are. I pledge to care for you and love you for the rest of my life. Thank you for being mine.”
Damion stepped forward, a box in his hands. Rob opened the box and took up the single piece of jewelry within. Colleen hadn’t seen it before this moment and had no idea what the men had chosen for her. The delicate-looking choker, gold and decorated in the front with three diamonds, was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
When they’d discussed this ceremony with her, she’d felt bad when she explained she wouldn’t be allowed to wear her collar in the O.R. They’d pleased her when they’d kissed her and told her they’d known that and didn’t expect her to wear it anywhere, except when they came to the club.
She intended to wear it everywhere except into surgery.
Together they placed the collar around her neck. And then first Daniel and then Rob kissed her so carnally she was certain her tiny thong was drenched.
“Congratulations to the three of you.” Christopher smiled. “We wish you a lifetime of love, laughter, and spankings.”
Applause and cheers and laughter filled the room. It was, to Colleen’s estimation, the best day of her life.
The Lyonses hosted a reception for them. Their very spacious penthouse was nearly full to capacity. There were people in attendance Colleen had never met, and one, happily, she had, but hadn’t seen for a couple of years.
Damion approached them with an older woman on his arm, smiling and returning the greeting of some of the guests as she approached. Her eyes sparkled with such joy the woman looked as if the sun was shining on her.
“Colleen, I want you to meet Kate Benedict.” Colleen had already known that it was through Kate’s generosity the men had been able to get hold of some of the tools they’d used to find Mercy.
“Mrs. Benedict, I’m so happy to meet you!” Colleen extended her arm and was surprised by the strength of Kate’s grip.
“I’m very happy to meet you too, Dr. Welsh.” Her eyes sparkled. “I bet I’m the first person to call you that.”
“You are and thank you. Personally, I like the sound of it.”
Kate looked around, still holding on to her hand. “I brought some people with me…ah, here they come.”
“Congratulations, Colleen!”
“Charlotta! Oh! Look at you!” Colleen hugged her and laughed when her friend’s baby bump nudged her right back.
“We’re due in a few months. I wanted you to meet my husbands.” The two men who stood behind her were damn fine-looking cowboys. Charlotta introduced Jesse and Barry Benedict.
Colleen turned back to the elderly woman. “Thank you so much for bringing them, Mrs. Benedict.”
“Now, Colleen, that should be Grandma Kate.” She grinned and patted her hand.
“Grandma Kate,” she acknowledged.
“You’ve got guests,” Charlotta said, “and Robert Jessop let us know that some of them don’t necessarily understand the concept of ménage marriages.”
“That’s sad, but true.” There were a few friends of hers from the hospital, as well as professional contacts the men had made through Daniel’s business.
“We’ll be here. It’ll probably be easier for us to chat later.”
Those few Colleen had invited from her professional life didn’t stay more than an hour or so. Before very long at all, it was just family, which included the Lyonses, the Benedicts, the Jessops, and, of course, Damion and Chance, Mercy and Ellie.
Now that the crowd was smaller, everyone relaxed. Daisy, her own baby bump on display, and Rory Lyons—Christopher’s wife and husband respectively—set out more food on the large dining room table, and they gathered around, like friends relaxing together.
Mercy sat quietly between her guys, and while she ate and she chatted, she didn’t relax, and she didn’t really smile very much at all.
Colleen turned from observing her sister to see Grandma Kate giving her a kind smile.
Then the woman turned her attention to Chance Carter. “Have you been able to convince your bosses at the HPD to investigate Fitzhugh Symington?”
Chance snorted, and the look on his face wasn’t happy. “No, ma’am. There’s been some pushback from higher up in the food chain. They’re saying there’s no evidence to support the accusation.” What he didn’t say out loud was that his bosses refused to accept Mercy’s account of the phone call she’d overheard, the one where Symington had ordered her capture and death. They said Mercy had been too badly drugged and tortured to make a reliable witness. Colleen had seethed when she’d heard that.
Now, she tensed, but Daniel picked up her hand, and Rob ran his hand down her back, and just like that she relaxed. Oh, she still wasn’t happy to hear what Chance had said, but she didn’t let it stress her out as much.
“I think that what needs to happen is there ought to be a few private detectives put on this case. Find that Mr. Malone, for he surely knows where the skeletons are in the closet of Fitzhugh Symington. And then see that scoundrel in jail, but more importantly, that medication removed from the shelves!”
“A few detectives, Grandma Kate?”
Daniel’s question let Colleen know her husband had not met Kate Benedict for the first time that day.
“Why, yes, Daniel. It occurs to me that a two-pronged investigation needs at least four inquisitive and exceptionally talented men. Don’t you agree?”
Daniel chuckled. “I don’t know how you do it, Grandma Kate.” Then he looked at Damion. “I think this is a good time to make an announcement.”
Damion nodded. “Chance and I have decided to leave our respective employers. Daniel offered us full partnership in his agency, and we accepted.”
Colleen wanted to ask an important question but decided to wait until she was alone with her men.
“That’s wonderful.” Kate clapped her hands together. “I want to be your first client. Find that Mr. Malone and then find evidence against that sorry excuse for a doctor.” Then she sent a very serious look to Daniel. “Money is no object.”
“Done,” Daniel said. “Though I don’t know if Malone will be very forthcoming, even if we do find him.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Kate said. “Damion, you said that every single one of his bank and investment accounts was practically cleaned out, except for the same amount left in each?”
“Yes. Five dollars and seventeen cents.” He looked around the table. “Weirdest damn thing.”
Kate nodded. “Five-seventeen has been rattling around my brain since you told me.”
“The agency’s code breakers have run the numbers through a cypher program. There were several blips, but no real hits.”
“It might mean nothing, but you know,
it brought a Bible verse to mind. In part, Second Corinthians five, verse seventeen reads, ‘old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.’” I think Mr. Malone was signalling that he’s taken on an entirely new life. When you find him, he might surprise you with how much he knows about Symington—and how willing he will be to share that with you.”
Later that night, when Colleen was snuggled between her husbands and recovering from their first round of lovemaking, she thought again about Daniel’s announcement.
“Are they quitting their jobs and joining you because of Mercy?”
“Yes. Both of them have been tagged from time to time to work deep undercover. They came to me a week ago and told me they’d decided to quit so they could spend the time they need to with their woman.”
“In the beginning I doubted they really loved her. I’m a believer now.”
“Chance told me something that may reinforce your belief,” Rob said. “He said that if it takes the rest of their lives, they’re not going to give up on finding Mercy.”
“They’ll do it,” Colleen said. She leaned over and kissed one husband, and then she kissed the other. “I believe in the power of love to bestow miracles. You love me, and as far as I’m concerned, that is one hell of a miracle.”
“Ah, pet.” Daniel moved so fast she was on her back with both men looming over her in a heartbeat. “We know a miracle when we see one—because we’re looking at her.”
Daniel lowered his head, and Colleen sighed in anticipation. He kissed her, a deeply carnal wonderfully wanton kiss, and Colleen sighed as she slid into total and unrepentant lust.
Daniel lifted his lips and used one finger to rub his kiss in. “I hope you’re ready, pet. We haven’t finished with you yet.”
THE END
HTTP://WWW.MORGANASHBURY.COM

Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Collaring Colleen [Tales from the Lyon's Den 2] Page 18
