Sanctuary (Family Justice Book 3)

by Halliday, Suzanne

  “He’s lucky to have you, Draegyn.”

  “Nah. I’m the lucky one. To even be in the same room as Alex Marquez is a humbling experience. You know what I’m getting at, Meghan, and I’m counting on you to make this right. My friend needs you. Don’t fuck this up.”

  As she watched him walk away, she suspected he had a hard time leaving. The Justice Brothers were a powerful unit. Trusting her to handle Alex cost Drae. She swallowed hard realizing the faith the man just displayed. In her.

  A WHILE LATER, she was standing outside the studio with her ear pressed to the door. The room was soundproofed and she couldn’t hear much, but she did make out the steady thumping of the bass drum.

  This is it, she thought. Checking to make sure she had everything, Meghan tried the doorknob, found it unlocked, and heaved a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to knock and beg. Being able to just walk in was a much better way to go about things.

  Carefully cracking the door, she took a big deep breath and peeked inside, found him sitting behind his massive drum kit, and knew it was now or never. Padding silently in bare feet after locking the door behind her, she calmly crossed the room and took a seat on the floor—directly in his line of vision. Sitting cross-legged, Meghan laid the small duffle she brought to the side. Settling hands that trembled into her lap, she kept her eyes downcast and waited. The next move was up to him. She’d know how to proceed once he declared his mindset. Until then, she’d say nothing. Her presence was enough.

  While she waited, Meghan made a list in her busy mind to describe how she was feeling. All sorts of words crowded in for consideration.

  Intimidated.

  Frightened.

  Dismayed.

  She could feel the power of his presence. It was so big and so large that it extended from his body into every corner, nook, and cranny of the unusual room. Remaining still and staying put while he studied her took real effort. The flashpoints of exquisite tension firing off inside her made Meghan shudder.

  As her Major continued to pound away, she found quieting the clamor in her head was no easy task. Only everything that mattered was at stake.

  Slowly, it dawned on Meghan that a type of communication was swirling around them bound up in the language of the drums. Listening intently, she found the rhythm and felt her body react. Soon, her breathing followed the beats. Her heart found a harmony, and deep in the pit of her stomach, she could feel something elemental and primal come to life.

  The thundering bass drum, though, the one he thumped with a foot pedal, was what brought out her wanton impulses. He was hypnotizing her through the heavy beats that emanated with his powerful life force. Right then, to satisfy the primal need he evoked, she would have done anything he demanded.

  She wasn’t surprised that he left her there, head bowed and eyes averted, as he continued playing. The rhythm he set was furious and determined. Meghan got the fucking message loud and clear. And she didn’t have to look up to know he was most likely covered in sweat and all his muscles hard and pumped from the hours of physical exertion.

  Her lady parts pulsed and tingled. He’d demanded she feed the beast. Okay. The thing was, what the beast wanted to devour was her. She was the feast, the human sacrifice that would appease the complicated emotions she’d unleashed. The ferocity he let loose on his drums let her know she wasn’t in for an easy time.

  Without warning, he stopped. She heard the drumsticks he used, the special ones she had made just for him with the words Thunder Cock burned into them, smack against the metal rim of a drum.

  Keep breathing. Just keep breathing.

  When he stood, he made no attempt whatsoever to hide the pained grunt that told her just how hard he was pushing himself. Damn. Later on, she was going to have her hands full. Served her right for getting him all bent out of shape. Literally.

  Though her gaze was downcast, she saw him step around the huge kit of drums and come toward her. He was barefoot like her and wearing the jeans that always made her giddy. She already knew he wasn’t wearing a shirt. She’d noticed that right away when peeking around the door. The Major in nothing but a pair of faded, worn denim got her heart racing.

  As he slowly approached, she shifted up off the floor and moved into a graceful kneel with her butt sitting on her feet. Keeping her hands resting on her knees, she presented in the most meekly compliant way she could think of.

  Remember who you are, she silently murmured. Remember the vows you took and be the woman who spoke those words from her heart.

  He moved into her personal space, typical alpha behavior, and challenged her with his physical nearness. Ah, if only he knew how terribly sexy she found his power plays.

  Still without looking up, as he hadn’t yet invited her to raise her eyes, Meghan stayed on her knees but rose off her feet and wrapped her arms firmly around his waist. As she pressed her face against his stomach, her cheek connected with his warm, sweat-covered skin. Though his arms remained loose at his sides, she sensed his pleasure at her loving gesture. Relief coursed through her.

  She stroked his back and held tight. Truthfully, seeing him all pumped up and sweaty got her juices flowing. Her inner teacher started up an info session with a lot of blathering about sweat and pheromones. Whatever. Meghan didn’t care about the biology. She just wanted to lick him from top to bottom. Only first, there were things to say.

  “I’m so sorry. I was thoughtless and stupid.”

  His finger touched her chin and pulled her gaze upward. Oh, thank god. She almost sagged with relief but snapped out of it and continued holding onto him tight.

  Finding his expression guarded and tense, Meghan swallowed hard. This was all so damn wrong. He should never look at her like that. Never.

  “We won’t leave tomorrow,” she whispered. “Can you forgive me?”

  Watching her big man struggle to find a response was gut wrenching. She tightened her arms and poured every ounce of love and submission she could find into her expression.

  Finally, he gently caressed her chin but didn’t let go. She was pretty sure this move was in the Alpha Top Ten. There was no doubt exactly who the hell was in charge.

  “You scared me, Meghan,” he replied with the slightest of tremors in his voice giving her a rare emotional glimpse inside the larger-than-life legend gazing down at her.

  “I know,” she quietly confessed. “And that’s what makes my thoughtless actions even worse.”

  With a deep growl, he leaned close to her face. “I can’t protect you if you go away.”

  The raw emotion in his voice tore her to pieces. By treading on the one thing that was his last nerve, she’d caused him to break down. What the fuck was wrong with her?

  He straightened and let go of her chin, but she never looked away from his handsome face. Even with the anguish so clearly visible in his expression, he was the most gorgeous man Meghan ever laid eyes on.

  “I was wrong. Your feelings are more important than wedding plans. If I have to,” she murmured gently, “I’ll find another way to handle things.”

  Meghan chose her words carefully. Asking permission just wasn’t ever going to happen and he knew that. But … it fell to her to respect their roles. He should have been included in the decision to alter her leave date so the significance of acknowledging his approval was an olive branch. What she’d just said was that she had shit to do, but she’d figure it the fuck out if he objected in any way. It was a huge offering on her part.

  He looked at her long and hard. “This is important to you?”

  “Oh, yes,” she answered.

  Alex nodded and glanced away. She could feel him thinking. Running her hands gently around the small of his back, Meghan used touch to start the healing he needed.

  “When is the absolute latest you can leave?”

  She didn’t smile. He wasn’t handing her a victory. Leaving the Villa without him by her side was going to upset both of them, but it had to be done.

  “Next Wednesday. Lat
e day.”

  They both did the mental calculation. For her, the concession was cutting things short. She needed to be in New York for an 11 am appointment on Thursday. And a day later, his mom and Sophie were meeting her and Angie. It would be Meghan’s first time meeting the matriarch of the Valleja-Marquez clan, and she was a nervous wreck about it.

  “Fuck,” Alex grunted. She didn’t blame him. He wouldn’t be flying to Boston for another week. And then another week after that before the wedding. The clock was ticking down, and they’d run out of wiggle room.

  Pulling her arms from around his waist, he took a step back and looked at her. Settling instantly into a submissive pose, she gave him all her attention.

  “All right,” he grumbled. “Wednesday. I’ll talk to Sawyer and confirm the timing.”

  She nodded respectfully. He’d been furious about her making arrangements with their pilot when he wasn’t in the loop. Rookie mistake she wouldn’t be making again, but that didn’t mean she’d enjoyed hearing him call her out. And in front of people. Frankly, he’d been a dick. Not that she was in any position to point that out. Looks like she’d just have to take this one on the chin.

  When he settled into a wide-legged stance with his arms crossed as he regarded her on her knees, he reminded Meghan of a wicked pirate captain surveying his booty.

  Booty! Get it? She almost snorted. Yeah. Whatever price she paid for pissing him off was going to be worth it when he saw his family crest tattooed on her ass. Talk about booty being the property of.

  In a voice that made her shiver, he ground out, “Not only did you scare me, woman.” A fireball of wet heat exploded in her core. “You also made me mad. Very mad.” He paused for good measure and then his expression went from hard and angry to hot and lecherous. “Not a smart move.”

  Jeez. She knew him so well. His reaction was just what she’d counted on. With an intentionally humble nod, Meghan turned her palms upward where they rested on her knees. The slight quiver in her lips came as a surprise and turned her response into a whimper. “Are you going to punish me?”

  His devilish smile and the ways his eyes glittered almost frightened her. She’d created this beast. “Of course,” he answered silkily. She could feel her body readying for what she knew was coming.

  Unzipping the small duffel, she reached inside and felt around, then withdrew something heavy and smooth to the touch. Carefully arranging Alex’s leather flogger on the floor, she ran her hands along the tails. Giving him her consent for something he’d shown a particular enthusiasm for was a big deal. A very big deal.

  The last thing she expected in that heavy moment was for Alex to laugh. Seriously? What was so funny?

  “You just never learn, do you?” He swung his head side-to-side and frowned at her.

  Uh-oh. Sensing a miscalculation, Meghan bit her lip and tried to gauge what was happening.

  Deliberately rubbing his hand over the thick ridge pressing the crotch of his jeans, the Major made a tsk-tsk sound. “No topping from the bottom.”

  Stopping the goofy smile, the immediate blush, and the involuntary wiggle was totally useless. Damn him. Playing right into his big hands, he rushed her, grabbing both arms in a fierce grip and yanking her upright. Finding her footing took a few seconds, and by the time she did, her nerves were shredding. She liked the beast, but sometimes, he really did make her shake.

  “Your punishment starts now,” he told her in a deceptively seductive tone. “Call your safe word at any time.” She started shaking for real.

  Releasing his grip, he left her standing and went to sit behind the drums. Reaching for a towel, he picked up his sticks and started wiping them off. His eyes fixed on her chest, and Meghan felt her nipples pinching.

  “Take your clothes off.”

  His husky growl filled her with need. Her hands steadily shaking, she fumbled with her clothing under his watchful eyes.

  Peeling off the form-fitting top, she regretted having dressed for seduction. This gruff stripping was a waste of her sexy lingerie. The stretchy teal-colored top in a ball on the floor, Meghan briefly covered her very exposed breasts, which were on full display in a quarter cup bra. The flimsy garment was little more than an unnecessary truss, barely supporting her ample boobs. An embellishment of fine lace adorned the top edge of the cup and covered most of her peaked nipples. When she reached behind to attack the clasp, the motion thrust her boobs front and center. Eyes blazing, he licked his lips.

  Quickly discarding the useless bra, she unzipped her little skirt and stepped out of it. That left only what amounted to a tiny scrap of silk and lace. Sliding her hands into the elastic across her hips, she started to take them off when he stopped her.

  “No, wait.” She reacted to the heavy thrum of lust in his deep voice. “Turn around.”

  Oh, my pleasure, she thought. Gracefully executing a spot-on model’s pirouette, Meghan took her time turning around. Before taking the white panties off, she straightened them smoothing the lace and patting the silk. Assured of his undivided attention, she began sliding the delicate silk down her rump. Wiggling slightly to aid in the descent, she shimmied and bent forward giving him a wicked view of her exposed ass.

  Seriously? She couldn’t get that tattoo quick enough.

  With her panties hanging by one finger, she turned around and faced him. Alex crooked his finger. “Bring them to me.”

  Hoping her legs worked, Meghan confidently strode forward with her shoulders back and head held high. Being naked and taking orders gave her a vulnerability that turned her to jelly. Only Alex made her feel this way.

  Stepping right up to his side, she went to hand him the scrap of lingerie until he demanded something totally different.

  “Show me.”

  Oh. Dear. God. A pulse of ferocious arousal made her wobbly. Doing as he’d instructed, she fingered the flimsy silk, found the crotch with the tell-tale wet spot, and held it up for him to see. He grunted, and she lit up inside with his approval.

  “Let me smell,” he husked.

  Rolling the silk into a ball, she held her panties up and nearly fainted dead away from overexcitement when he growled and buried his nose as he inhaled.

  “I smell your need, wife.”

  What was she supposed to say?

  After a minute, he stood up, took the panties out of her hand, and stuffed them in his back pocket. With nothing that resembled gentleness, he dragged her by the arm to a spot in the room she was familiar with. Pulling at a recessed carabineer, he pulled it down, let go of her arm, stood back, and leered at her.

  “Ah. I see the light of awareness growing in your mind’s eye.”

  Yeah, no shit.

  He left her side briefly then returned with a hank of silk bondage rope. Trying to calm herself as best she could, Meghan automatically held out her wrists. Between her legs, she felt the distinct sensation of sensual wetness trickling along her inner thigh.

  As Alex concentrated on binding her hands, he occasionally leaned in and bit her. Once satisfied with his handi-work, he held her tied wrists above her head and secured them to the carabineer. With one last tug to ensure she was helpless, he ran a beefy finger down the center of her chest and circled her navel.

  “What lesson do you learn here, Meghan? To love, honor, and what?”

  Damn, he was good. “Obey.”

  His smoldering leer made her nervous. “Will you obey, wife?”

  “I will, husband,” she quickly assured him.

  She was losing herself in his forceful gaze when she felt his hands pull her legs apart a second before two sturdy fingers plunged inside her. Massaging her gushing pussy with demanding fingers, she spiraled dangerously close to a violent orgasm within seconds. Her muscles tightened, and she struggled against her bindings when he suddenly withdrew his hand.

  “Bad wives aren’t allowed to come when they’re being punished.”

  She gaped at him helplessly.

  “You will obey me,” he growled. Brutal
ly tweaking both her nipples, he swatted her several times on the ass then walked away. Hanging there, naked and shaking, made what was happening very, very real.

  “And now, we’ll see how sorry you really are. I’m afraid the beast is quite hungry, so I suggest you prepare yourself.”

  She watched as he walked around the private room. First, he went to the control panel and tapped away. She felt a soft flow of cool air coming from the vent overhead. Then the main lights lowered. One low lamp over the drum kit stayed on, as did a brighter one above where she hung. With the rest of the room shrouded in shadow, her naked body was in a spotlight.

  And then he sat down, picked up his sticks, and looked at her. The admiration in his expression made her back arch. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be pleasing in his eyes.

  His foot hit the bass pedal. Boom. Seconds passed and then he did it again. Boom. The sound reverberated around the room before ending in her center with a thud that made Meghan shudder.

  He unleashed a sensual torture as he teased her senses with the thudding rhythm of his drums. Fast. Slow. Deep. Shallow. Wild. Steady. It was a symphony of fucking that left her limp and wanting. Despite the air-conditioning, they were both sweaty now.

  IT TOOK ALEX hours to leave behind the upset of yesterday and force the hangover from the whiskey meltdown at Parker’s to loosen its ugly grip. When Meghan crept into the studio as he punished his body with a grueling drum session, he felt all the pieces fall into place.

  Coming to him, head bowed and her willing submission on display, sent all his anxiety fleeing in a massive rush. Knowing she understood moved him. He was a reasonable man—except where this one thing was concerned. She was his to protect and love. He’d promised her father, and he took this shit seriously.

  Was he a certifiable basket case at the same time? Fuck, yeah. Love made a man crazy like that.