by Chloe Lang
Gazing at the view from this elevation, she could see Destiny down below. “It’s absolutely breathtaking. I love your chapel.”
He looked stunning in his suit and cowboy boots. “Thank you, baby. I love it, too.”
“I remember you showing me drawings of it on a napkin at my parents’ diner when we were still in high school.”
“I still have them.”
She squeezed his hand. “This is your dream come true.”
“Yes, it is, but the real dream for me is you, Phoebe. Being with you forever.”
She kissed him on the steps of the little brick chapel he’d designed. “Let’s go inside.”
“After you, honey.” He opened the door for her.
“Lucas, it’s even more beautiful inside,” she said, gazing at the all-white interior, coupled with warm neutrals and cool grays. The place looked heavenly. “I love your chapel.”
He smiled broadly. “It’s not mine, baby. It’s Destiny’s, hence the name.”
“Destiny’s Little Mountain Chapel. Nice name.”
“Ethel’s choice. She’s funding all my buildings, except for the Boys Ranch and the Clinic. She gets to pick the names.”
“The town has never looked better.” Her pride for Lucas was enormous. “Your fingerprints are everywhere. The renovations and the new buildings are going to make Destiny the jewel of Colorado.”
Mitchell stood next to Big Jim by the mixer.
Godric and Hank were strapping on their instruments.
Kaylyn stood by a microphone. “Test. Test. Test.”
Phoebe couldn’t wait to hear the band play Mitchell’s sound. She was so proud of him.
Being an hour before the ceremony and seeing no ushers around, Lucas led her up the aisle. They took their seats.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Mitchell said after spotting her. “That’s my girl,” he told the band.
“Phoebe, you look so happy,” Kaylyn said with a grin. “I love that you’re wearing your hair down.”
“Where’s your mom?” She knew that Betty had to be close, being the town’s most sought after stylist, especially when it came to weddings.
“With Jena in the bridal room, doing touch ups. Mom is going to be thrilled when she sees you.”
“She’s been begging me to style it down all the time, but for the courtroom, I prefer wearing it up.”
“I wouldn’t fight with Betty, if I were you,” Mitchell said. “Besides, you look amazing letting it fall to your shoulders.”
“I have to agree,” Lucas said. He turned his attention to Mitchell. “By the way, didn’t you mean our girl, bro?” He smiled and put his arm around her.
Mitchell nodded. “I stand corrected. Our girl.”
“Better, Mitch. Much better.”
If only Jason was here, too—on the same page.
Doubts swarmed in her head. Mitchell and Lucas had come around quickly enough, letting go of the past and grabbing onto the possibility of a future. Making love to each of them had been so freeing, so right. But Jason was all about the rules. He’d proven that again and again. Would he be able to move on from the hurt she’d inflicted on all of them?
“For our warm-up, let’s play number five from the set list for the reception. I want Phoebe to hear it.”
Though she didn’t know what song he’d chosen, it was clearly the one that would showcase the sound he’d finally found. Our sound.
When the band started, she immediately heard the difference. Kaylyn’s voice blended to perfection with the rest of the band. Not to even mention the beautiful words Mitchell had written. Her heart soared with every beat, every syllable, every note.
“…you belong with me, my love, in my arms under the stars of Destiny,” Kaylyn’s final note reverberated through the chapel.
The hairs of her arms stood up from the sound she’d just enjoyed. She ran up to Mitchell, unable to contain herself.
“I love our sound.” She grabbed him and kissed him.
The band applauded their approval.
She gazed into Mitchell’s eyes. He bent down and kissed her again.
“Whose wedding is this anyway?” Hank’s teasing tone brought her back to her senses.
She broke free of the kiss. As she turned to go to her seat, she saw Jason standing in the back in his sheriff’s uniform, looking confused and angry.
He saw the whole thing. Before she had a chance to go to him and explain, Jason turned and walked out. What am I to do?
* * * *
Exiting the chapel, Jason’s heart shattered. Phoebe wants my brothers but not me. Why am I being left out?
Several cars pulled into the tiny parking lot, so he walked to the side of the building. He needed time to think, to be alone.
He hadn’t been sure he would make the wedding at all since he’d been swamped with his regular duties and Brown’s mission to find Lunceford.
Kaylyn had called him, making him promise to show up no matter what. She wanted him to hear her sing with Mitchell’s band. Here he was in his uniform, but now he wished he hadn’t come at all.
When he’d seen Lucas sitting in the pew next to her, his gut clenched. When she’d walked up to Mitchell and kissed him, he felt like his whole world was being ripped apart.
Doesn’t she know I love her?
How could she know? He’d been so cold to her ever since the breakup.
It’s all my fault.
She would never be able to forgive him. It would be best for him to just fade into the background and let her have a future with his brothers. He could picture them having a happy life together—Phoebe in between Lucas and Mitchell, walking around town, smiling and holding their children’s hands.
I could never face that. The last three years without her had been horrible, but seeing her in the arms of his brothers without him—that would be tragedy.
I won’t be able to stay here. I will have to leave Destiny and my brothers. I will have to leave Phoebe.
He curled his hands into fists and closed his eyes. How long he stayed that way, he wasn’t sure. Seconds? Minutes? Who knew? Every moment without her was like an eternity of emptiness.
The sound of the wedding march started up.
Not wanting to think anymore about the hell he was facing, Jason walked back into the chapel. The place was packed to standing room only. He moved to one of the columns in the back, his eyes zeroing in on Phoebe, still sitting by Lucas.
Mitchell and his band played When I Fall In Love, one of the standards they always performed at weddings. But Jason had never heard it sung by Wolfe Mayhem’s new lead singer, Kaylyn. Her voice was like an angel and reached deep into him, transporting him back to a time when he’d dreamed of being with Phoebe forever, of sharing the love of his life with his brothers.
His gaze never left Phoebe, even when Jena shared her personal wedding vows to Matt and Sean, her two grooms. The trio were outsiders, new to Destiny, but had found love. Why can’t I have my dream? Growing up here, he’d fallen for Phoebe so long ago that he couldn’t remember a time not loving her.
As Matt began his vows, Jason’s mind drifted to the wedding talk with Phoebe and his brothers. He could picture the whole thing in his mind. He would stand in between his brothers facing their bride, the most beautiful woman in the world.
Suddenly, the band fired up the wedding recessional tune, snapping him out of his thoughts.
The service was over.
He wasn’t the groom.
This wasn’t his wedding.
Phoebe wasn’t his wife.
As the attendees turned to watch the new family head down the aisle, his eyes locked with the woman of his dreams for a moment.
She wasn’t his. Not anymore. Not for a long time.
He broke free of her stare.
Phoebe deserved a chance at happiness.
Lucas and Mitchell will give her a good life.
He slipped out the back, once again, needing time alone—time to think.
&n
bsp; * * * *
Phoebe couldn’t hold back her trembles. Seeing Jason walk out the back door of the chapel crushed her heart.
“What’s wrong?” Lucas whispered, pulling her in close.
“Jason saw me kissing Mitchell. I didn’t know what to do.”
“I’m sure he’s confused and upset.”
“But he left. Lucas, we’ve got to go talk to him.”
“We don’t. You do,” he said. “You need your time with him alone. I will take you, but I will stay in the background. Let’s tell Mitchell what we’re doing and then I’ll take you to Jason’s office.”
“That’s not where he’s going.”
“No?”
She shook her head, knowing exactly where he’d gone. The first time Jason had taken her to his secret place, they’d just been teenagers. The last time she’d gone there to find him was to break up with him. Would he be able to forgive her? With all her heart, she hoped he would. She loved him.
Without Jason she wasn’t sure how she would survive.
* * * *
As they arrived at the lake, Phoebe was so anxious, she jumped out of the car. “Lucas, I’ll be back. Just wait here.”
She walked down the path of the familiar place, her mind racing for some way to make Jason understand how sorry she was for everything. Would he forgive her? Would he believe her when she told him she loved him—had always loved him?
Rounding the corner, she saw Jason by his favorite tree, head down, bent over.
Her heart racing and overcome with emotion, she ran to him.
He looked up, his eyes full of concern. “Phoebe?”
She kissed him deeply, all the words she planned vanishing into thin air. “Oh, Jason. I’m so sorry. I was such a fool. I’ve never stopped loving you. Please forgive me.”
Jason placed his fingers on her lips. “Shh, baby. I was the fool, not you. I have treated you so badly the past three years. My foolish pride got in the way of our happiness together.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “It was me. I was the stubborn one. When I saw you in the chapel after I kissed Mitchell, my heart broke because we were not all together the way we always planned.”
“No, I was the stubborn one.”
“No, I was.”
“Was not,” he said with a grin. “I was.”
“Can we both agree that we each had a hand in it, Sheriff?”
He pulled her in close. “As long as I get to have you in my arms, I’ll agree to anything, honey.”
Chapter Nine
Jason walked back to his patrol car, holding onto Phoebe. He was happy. Really happy. They headed over to Lucas. It was the first time since the breakup that he’d seen his middle brother smiling.
“It’s obvious you two worked things out quite nicely,” Lucas said.
Though Jason and his brothers had been with her many times in the past, they’d never shared her in the bedroom. It wasn’t that they weren’t open to the idea. They’d grown up in Destiny. They were open to a lot of ideas, especially sexual exploration. An opportunity to make love to her together had just never presented itself, especially with each of them having different tours of duty in different branches of the military. Later, Phoebe had been starting her practice. Mitchell had been traveling with his band. Lucas’s job had been demanding due to the many projects he led around the state. And Jason had been in the thick of Destiny politics with plans on running for Sheriff Grayson’s position once the man retired. So, their lovemaking with her had been one-on-one.
“There’s more to talk through, but yes, we did.” Phoebe leaned her head into his chest.
“I’m taking her home.” Though he was glad that he was going to get to share this amazing woman with his two brothers, he was still pissed that they’d left him out of the loop about the recent stalker events.
Lucas nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
At long last, they were all finally getting past what had happened three years ago, but he knew there was a lot of air that still needed to be cleared. That would have to wait for another time. “Lucas, we’ll talk later.” Right, now, he only wanted to get Phoebe home and make love to her until the sun came up.
“Absolutely. Now that we have her back, we have a lot to discuss, I’m sure.”
More than you know, bro. More than you know.
Phoebe moved forward and wrapped her arms around Lucas. She kissed him. “Thank you for helping me. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Lucas got in his car and drove away.
With rosy pink cheeks, Phoebe stepped up to him. “I missed you, Jason. I missed you so very much.”
He inhaled her scent of jasmine. “My life has never been the same since the breakup, sweetheart.”
“Really, this is all my fault. I’ve talked to Lucas and Mitchell already. I understand why you three did what you did with Shane.”
“Do you?” he asked, knowing she had no clue what had gone down between him and Shane at the diner that day. No one did.
“I’m his sister. Can you understand why I acted the way I did?”
“I understand much more than you can imagine, baby.”
She blinked, reminding him of her submissive side he’d enjoyed time and again before the breakup. “Can you ever forgive me, Jason?”
He stroked her hair away from her eyes. “That’s about enough of that.”
Her lips began to tremble. “We lost three years because of me. Me. I–I…can’t forgive myself. Please say something.”
He stepped back an arm’s length from her. “Sub, are you listening to me?”
Her eyes widened, but she responded beautifully. “Yes, Sir.”
“You’ve been away from me too long. I told you to let it go but you kept going.”
“B–But—”
“Stop. Listen.” He paused, taking a hard look at the most incredible woman he’d ever known. Independent. Capable. Honest. Loyal. And a whole slew of other characteristics that just made him love her all the more. “Better. You’ve been without a Dom’s firm hand for a very long time. I was going to wait until we got back to your place, but I see you need a refresher right away.”
“A refresher?”
“Excuse me,” he said in his most commanding tone.
She looked puzzled for a split second and then she smiled, realizing what he had in store for her. “Sir, what kind of refresher?”
She was getting into it quite nicely, and that was making his cock stir.
He reached out and touched her cheek, gazing into her eyes. “You already know.
She nodded. “Yes, Sir. I do.”
“Stretch out on the hood of my car. Face down.”
“Sir, I’m in the dress I wore to the wedding. It’s expensive.”
He growled his discontent. “Now.”
She sent him a devilish grin and then obeyed him.
He would have her dress cleaned and would even buy her several new ones. His three years of suffering and loneliness were over. His longing for her had never ceased, held back by his vow to do whatever made her find happiness. He’d thought that meant staying out of her life. Now, he knew that she needed him as much as he needed her, and that awakened every part of his being. He felt more alive than he had in years. His desire for her flooded his body.
“Lift your dress,” he commanded.
Again, she didn’t hesitate one second, pulling it up so it would expose her thong.
He ripped it off of her, enjoying her gasp followed by tiny moans. She was getting turned on.
He placed his hand on her round ass. “Your hard edge safe word is freeze, right?”
“Yes, Sir. You remember. I’m so glad.”
He bent down and kissed both her cheeks, enjoying the softness of her ass’s skin. “I remember everything, sub. I remember you trembling at my feet after I’d spanked this sweet ass of mine. It’s still mine, pet. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He reached under
her until his fingers were on her sweet pussy, which was already wet, making his cock stand up and salute. “This is mine, too.”
“Your pussy, Sir. Yes. I understand.”
He skimmed his fingers down her legs, loving the heat he felt from her skin. “Baby, you need a spanking in the worst way. I wish I had a paddle with me, but I don’t. You’re going to have to settle for my open hand. You think that will be enough to get your attention, sub?”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered, turning her head just enough so he could get a look at her beautiful wide blue eyes.
He remembered the first time he’d used a crop on her and how her cream had run down her legs. The memories of her surrendering all of herself to him, again and again, burned fresh in his mind. His balls ached and his cock throbbed.
He shook his head, trying to keep a rein on his three-year frustration of being without her, without the love of his life. She was his world. He’d let her walk away without a fight. There would be no way in heaven on earth or in hell he would ever let that happen again.
She needed him to take things slow and easy. She’d been to Phase Four a few times after the breakup, but she’d not been with any other Doms there. That pleased him very much. Now that he had her under his power, he couldn’t let his desires override what he knew she needed from him.
“You’ve been blaming yourself for far too long about what happened. That’s why I have you up on my car. That’s why I’m going to spank you. I tried to get you to let it go, but you wouldn’t. Now, I’m going to help you let it go. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Time to get this ass of mine nice and warm.”
“Shall I count, Sir?”
Same wonderful, saucy Phoebe. I’m the one who is going to be her slave, not the other way around. “Yes, sub. Count for me.”
“I would love to,” she said, her voice full of seductive excitement and playful sassiness.
For so many years, her words had been clipped and harsh. Now, hearing her talk to him the way she used to, open and soft, his need to possess and claim her again as his own overtook him. Only one woman had ever satisfied him and made him feel whole—Phoebe Blue, the woman with the heart of a lion and the body of a goddess.
