Tying the Knot (Thalia Book 4) (The Thalia Series)

by Jennifer Bene

  And drink.

  Which, he promptly did.

  Letting the gentle burn of the whisky Kalen had brought from Scotland settle in his stomach, he found himself fidgeting. Circling the ice in the glass, spinning it around, and around — until Kalen grabbed his arm.

  The other man looked at him stolidly, releasing his arm to sigh. “I’d ask ye if ye were having second thoughts, but I’m pretty sure ye would hit me.”

  A frisson of anger pulsed through his veins. “You would be right about that.”

  “Then will ye just tell me what it is?” Kalen crossed his arms, stepping back towards the windows to force James to face him. “What do ye need, brother? Want to shout at me? Go for a walk? A fight to burn off some energy? I promise I won’t hit yer pretty face.”

  “I do not want to fight you, Kalen, don’t be a bastard.” Stealing another drink, he shoved a hand through his hair and walked past the man to stare out the windows at the sprawling grounds. He felt, more than heard, his friend approach.

  “Is it about the deal between you and Jake?” For once, Kalen managed to keep his voice hushed, and for that James was grateful, because he’d hit the nail on the head.

  Setting his glass down on the table beside the radiator, he leaned on it, flattening his other palm to the surface just so he wouldn’t clench his fist again. The dark, half-moon shapes he’d dug into his hands earlier couldn’t be there when he was putting a ring on Thalia’s finger.

  He needed to get his bloody head on straight.

  “No update?” Kalen asked.

  “No update.” Shaking his head, James growled low in his chest. “I finally agreed to let Peter and the damn security detail go after the wedding. She’s been begging me for months, telling me she just wants to feel normal, and — bloody hell — I want that for her too.”

  “But?” Kalen prompted, keeping his eyes on the men playing cards.

  “But the only reason I agreed was because Jake told me a year ago that he could handle it if I asked him to.” James tapped the glass on the table before lifting it to his lips for another long drink. The beginning of a haze was forming in his brain, which was foolish. He had to be sober today of all days, but the ache in his chest was like a slowly twisting piece of shrapnel.

  A keepsake from their history that he wanted gone.

  “So, what will ye do if Jake’s people can’t come through?” The question hung in the air between them, and James felt the shrapnel dig a little deeper.

  Glancing over at his friend’s stoic profile, he knew Kalen wouldn’t judge him if he backed out on the deal he had made with Thalia. Kalen would understand his need to know she was safe… but what kind of start was that for a marriage?

  She had been overjoyed when he’d finally relented, and he had done it gladly. Partly because he was tired of the little arguments the subject caused, but mostly because he could see how miserable she was. How much she resented being followed everywhere, having to check-in like a child before she made a move, constantly having to explain her detail to friends and employees.

  And, as she had said, it was a constant reminder for her.

  “I can’t break my promise.” James finally spoke, chasing the bitter words with another drink.

  “I agree.” Kalen shrugged. “But ye can’t keep brooding on yer wedding day. Let it go, brother. It will all work out.”

  “You’re suggesting I ignore that I’m waiting for the update and just go and play cards with them? You do know that Sean runs a poker game every week at SW3, right?” Looking over at the man in question, the owner of one of the more elite BDSM clubs in London, he shook his head. “I really do not feel like losing money today, brother.”

  “That was not my suggestion.” Kalen grinned broadly. “I do think ye should ignore what yer waiting for, and then ye should go check on yer bride… make sure she remembers yer relationship when she’s walking down the aisle.”

  “Ah.” James chuckled, looking over at the bag he’d packed just in case Thalia needed a little help to make it through the day. “That does sound like a good plan.”

  The loud series of knocks on the door had Thalia turning, but Analiese jerked her back into place. “I can’t get the draws tight if you’re moving around.”

  “Sorry,” Thalia answered, trying to turn only her head so she could see the door. Maggie had opened it and was standing in the narrow space between the jamb and the door, the lavender bridesmaid dress about three feet longer than anything she’d seen her in before.

  “Almost done. Breathe out?” Analiese waited until she’d exhaled, and then the corset tightened a notch further.

  Her ribs protested on her next inhale and Thalia groaned. “Fuck, am I supposed to be able to breathe in this thing?”

  “No.” Her friend answered, tying off the corset before she stepped around. “Oh, Thalia, that looks beautiful on you.”

  “Wow, it really does!” Lauren piped up, and Chloe nodded next to her.

  Heat flushed her cheeks, and Thalia wasn’t sure if it was the restricted blood flow or the sudden attention that was causing it, but she was distracted as Maggie raised her voice near the door, clearly irritated. “I said no,” her friend hissed.

  “Maggie, what is it?”

  “It’s yer husband-to-be. He wants to speak with ye.”

  Walking to the door, Thalia peered over Maggie’s shoulder to see James smiling like prince charming in his bright white shirt. The instant flood of relief she felt at seeing him made up her mind for her as she pulled the door from Maggie’s vice-like grip. “I’ll only be a minute, I promise.”

  “We still have to get ye in yer dress!”

  “Please?”

  “Fine!” Throwing her hands up, Maggie turned into the room and grabbed Lauren’s pale blue skirt from the floor. “If yer leaving the room, at least put something on bottom. I don’t think the Hampton Court House is quite as friendly as Purgatory in having women walk around half-naked.”

  “Thanks,” she replied hurriedly, tugging the skirt on even though bending made her ribs ache inside the corset. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Ye better be!”

  “We’ll just be in the room next door, Maggie. I promise I will not whisk her away from our own wedding.” James grinned, but Maggie was in no mood to be submissive — the look she gave him would have earned her a spanking at the minimum from Kalen.

  With one more smile at the girls, Thalia stepped outside the door and James immediately wrapped her in his arms. It was like coming home, all of the tension melting out of her as she inhaled the scent of his cologne, the scent of him. “I’ve missed you, Master.”

  “Has the day really been so terrible?” He chuckled against her ear, brushing his lips down her neck to send a shiver over her skin.

  “It’s been chaos.”

  “Well, let me give you a brief respite.” James took her hand and pulled her to the next door in the hall, pushing it open to find what looked like a storage room for chairs and extra furniture. “Quickly now, we don’t want Maggie angry.”

  Thalia laughed as she walked in, turning around to face him. “Technically, I don’t think you’re supposed to see the bride before the wedding.”

  “I think that’s about the dress, and you are still delightfully undressed.” His voice held a growl as he shut the door tight and prowled towards her.

  Standing there in Lauren’s tiny skirt, the stockings and garter belt, and the corset — she had to admit the heat in his gaze steadied the lingering nerves in her stomach. Making all of that energy simmer into something much more pleasant, which settled much lower. “I still think it’s supposedly bad luck.”

  “Hmm…” James made a noise low in his throat as he pulled her into a kiss, one hand at the back of her head, the other pressing her waist against him. The first sweep of his tongue against hers made her remember just how little air she had with the corset tightened, and she finally understand how women used to swoon so easily. He could have knocked
her over with a feather if he had tried.

  Instead, he held her against him. The firm, lean muscle of his chest, his strong arm wrapped around her back so that she was exactly where he wanted her. Finally, James nipped her bottom lip and lifted his head.

  “I have been dreaming about doing that since we got separated this morning.”

  “I—” Thalia had to clear her throat, and her head, before she could speak. “I’m glad you did that in here, and not during the wedding.”

  His quiet laugh sent butterflies swirling in her stomach, which were only amplified by the thumb he dragged across her lip. “Worried about scandalizing the guests?”

  Catching his hand, Thalia groaned. “Mostly worried about embarrassing your parents.”

  “They’d survive.”

  “That is not comforting.” She pouted, and he smiled at her. A warmer, more comfortable version of the first smile he’d ever given her. The one that had made her imagine him as some male model on a yacht, but Marcus’ living room seemed blissfully far away in this perfect moment.

  “Are you really still nervous about today? It’s a rather small guest list.”

  “One hundred and twenty eight people is small?” Thalia laughed. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  “You've met almost everyone here, baby. Except for some obscure relatives of mine that will only be wondering how I nabbed a beautiful, kind, American yoga instructor for a wife.” His wicked grin actually made her smile, but despite the blush she still shook her head.

  “Like they’d doubt you’re capable of that.”

  “Oh, they'll be astonished. They think I never leave the office.” He grinned and leaned close enough to have his voice a sinful growl against the shell of her ear. “They think I'm positively boring.”

  “Boring?” The word made a smile tug at her lips as he leaned back, smiling down at her again. James was anything but boring. He was her hero, her Master, her partner, her lover. He was the other half of her life, the weight on the other end of the scales that kept her balanced even when things felt out of control — and just like when they played, when he said he knew she was capable of something... she always was. “You are anything but boring, and I'll be okay, Master. I promise.”

  “I know, pet. You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met.” With that, he kissed her again. Warm, soft, sweet. His lips pressed against hers in an unspoken vow that made her stomach do little somersaults as she clutched at his crisp white shirt. When he lifted his mouth his eyes were that dark, bottle glass green that telegraphed his arousal better than anything. Well, better than anything except for the growing erection against her stomach. “How was that?”

  “What?” she asked, confused.

  “For the wedding, is it alright if I kiss you like that?” The wicked tilt to his lips had her laughing.

  “That will be bloody perfect.”

  With a loud laugh he picked her up at the waist and set her on the covered table behind her. “What have I told you about using British slang?”

  “I think I’ve lived here long enough to get to use it.”

  “Is that right?” he asked, an edge of humor creeping into his tone.

  “Quite right,” Thalia replied in her best attempt at a British accent, and James groaned.

  “Keep that up and I’ll spank you before I let you see the surprise I brought you.”

  “Promise?” Just as her smile spread across her mouth, she saw his eyes flash with lust and that heady aura of dominance descended over him. An instant later she was flipped to her stomach on the table, Lauren’s skirt pushed up her back, and the first swat of his hand landed on her ass. Thalia gasped, bracing her hands on the table as the steel bones of her corset dug in.

  James didn’t pause, delivering a series of stinging swats over the lingering marks from the floggers that morning. Even through the overlapping pains, the muted yelps, Thalia felt her mind go quiet — easing into that beautiful place she only ever found with James.

  No fear. No anxiety. No doubt that he would always keep her safe, treat her well, love her unconditionally. Forever.

  It’s why they were here, after all.

  As her backside heated up, each swat took on a sharper tone. Burning just a little more, sending that thrilling rush over her skin that urged her to pull away, and beckoned her to stay — to hold on, to wait for the moment when her brain would turn all of the aches, the bright spikes of pain, into something deliciously languid. A quiet, heated pool to sink into and disappear.

  Just as she felt herself tipping into subspace, James stopped, and she whined. “Please, Master?”

  “Tsk, tsk, pet… we can’t have you all dazed when I take you back to Maggie. She’d kill me.” The laughter in his voice helped to pull her back from the abyss, but she wanted to linger a little longer. As if he sensed it, James slid a hand between her thighs, pulling her underwear to the side to stroke the slick folds of her pussy. “Want to know what surprise I brought you?”

  “Yes, please? Please…” So used to begging him now that it felt second nature, she was barely aware of him holding her underwear out of the way, but there was no mistaking the cool metal that slid inside her. It was short, wide, and it barely took an instant to recognize it. “Master?” she asked with what little air she had left in her lungs.

  “I just want to make sure you remember this part of our relationship when you walk down the aisle, pet.” Pulling the little plug from her, she felt him run it around the entrance to her ass, occasionally applying a little pressure. “Ready?”

  Fuck.

  He wanted her to have a plug in when she walked down the aisle? It was almost surprising how much the idea turned her on, a rush of heat flooding between her legs, and she found herself nodding.

  “You are absolutely perfect, baby…” James’ voice walked that edge of dominance that melted her, tinged with enough arousal that she knew just how much he wanted her. One hand resting on her lower back, he started to work the plug in little by little. Stretching her, pushing her, until the pressure started to ache at the widest point. When she whimpered into the table, he instantly soothed her with soft words. “You’ve got it, pet. Just push back and take it for me. I want to know you have this plug in your ass when I’m lucky enough to have you as my wife.”

  Those words almost pushed her into an orgasm as the plug slipped past her tight ring of muscles and seated itself inside her. The weight of it was familiar, her body gripping it as if to remind her that she’d accepted it. Quick, soft breaths echoed back against her face, making her aware of just how much she was panting, just how needy she was. “Master? I want…”

  “Yes, pet?” He was almost chuckling as his hand slid down to find her clit, instantly zeroing in on the bundle of nerves that had her biting her lip against the urge to cry out. “Is this what you want?”

  She whimpered as she nodded, her hands balling into fists as James summoned lightning from her core and sent it skittering across her nerves like some spectacular storm. “Please, please!”

  “Stay quiet, baby, or I’ll have to leave you wanting.” As terrifying as the idea was, she could hear the lust in his voice and knew that as long as she pressed her lips together to muffle the steady moans and sighs — he would take her over the edge into oblivion.

  Her hips shifted in time with his fingers, toes pressed into the lush carpet under her feet trying to angle herself back just a little further, to gain just a little bit more as the urgent need inside spiraled her higher and higher.

  James slid his other hand down her back, brushing over the heated skin of her ass, pinching the aching flesh so that she moaned into the table. Desperate, wanton, and completely uncaring.

  She belonged to him as much as he was meant for her.

  When his thumb found the end of the plug and pressed it deeper, she almost came, and when he did it again she couldn’t bite back the high-pitched whine that escaped through her teeth. Each pulse of the plug inside her ass compounded the deliri
ous pleasure of his fingers working her clit, and her ears were buzzing with the need to come. She was babbling something, an incoherent ramble of pleas, and James finally spoke the words her agonizingly tense muscles had been waiting for.

  “Come for me, pet.”

  A gasped thank you, another hard press of the plug inside her, and pleasure exploded low in her belly like a brilliant shower of sparks. Her muscles drawn tight, caught rigid in the flood of ecstasy that erased every other useless thought from her mind.

  She was nothing but glorious light, every inch of darkness pressed to the absolute limits of her mind, as her Master, her soon-to-be husband, stroked her pussy, slipping two fingers, and then three, deep inside. Another crash filled her ears with white noise as James found her g-spot with unfathomable skill and sent her tumbling before she’d even come up for air.

  Breathless, dizzy, and swimming in pure bliss — Thalia had absolutely no urge to move.

  Not even when she felt him adjust her underwear over her soaked lips, and the hidden plug. The tugging of Lauren’s skirt over the still warm, aching skin of her ass, only made her murmur quietly against the table… and then she felt James press himself to her. His erection driving the plug in deeper as he mimed a thrust.

  “Please fuck me?” It was the quietest of whispers, but the low growl released told her he’d heard quite clearly.

  “Oh, pet, if only I could… but Maggie is going to positively kill me already.” Still, he continued to grind himself against her ass, torturing the both of them as his hands gripped her hips to pull her back harder and harder.

  “May I taste you? I swear I’ll be good, Master.”

  “Baby…” his answer was a desperate sound, all of that perfect self-control holding on by a rapidly unraveling thread. With a hand in her hair, James ripped her off the table and spun her so that he could claim her mouth, parting her lips without the gentleness of before. This was raw, frenzied, hungry. His fist tightened at the base of her skull, renewing the tingling storm in her nerves that had never truly quieted.