by Avery Gale
Jace’s words helped keep Ian grounded. “Yes, our guys called EMS. Their ETA is three minutes from now. She probably crashed when the adrenaline dropped. Did she seem okay until she saw you?”
Ian wasn’t surprised to hear Jace describe her behavior so accurately, the man had seen a lot during his years in the Special Forces. “Yes, it looked like someone had let the air out of her—she just wilted.” And there was a small part of him that had wanted to beat his fists against his chest that his woman had trusted him enough to wait until he held her safely in his arms before letting go. “Call Daph, I know she is probably tearing up the office worrying about us.”
“Jace just tapped me in to the call, boss. Holy flippin’ hell, the press is already calling. Damn, I want a raise I tell you. I’m going to need it for hair color because mine is going to be snow white by morning.” Ian chuckled, God he loved Daphne, she was the one of the best things in his life and she’d damned well get her raise. No doubt she’d earn it and more today.
“Daph, get the Lamonts on the phone ASAP and update them. Hell, with Grayson’s contacts they probably already know about what’s happened. Also get our guys on securing copies of that tape—lots of copies. I don’t want to take any chance of losing it. Send one to Mitch for analysis. And make sure the media refers to Callie as my fiancée—and make it clear to them that anybody who trashes her paints a huge target on their own backs. Am I making myself clear?”
“Crystal…and boss? I like her. Any woman who can break down those ice blocks you’ve been living behind all these years has got to be one hell of a girl. I can’t wait to meet her in person. If that’s it, I’ve got work to do.” She waited a half a second for his reply and then was gone with a click.
Ian felt like his entire body was going numb, and he was grateful when Jace spoke up again. “Boss, I’m walking in the front door, and as soon as I fight my way back there I’ll find you.” Ian hadn’t even had a chance to answer before he was hung up on again by someone he was paying. What the hell is that about anyway? Fuck, I must be getting soft. He hadn’t even finished his thoughts when Jace pushed through the doorway and crouched down in front of him and started stroking Callie’s cheek. “Fuck, she looks so pale and so fragile. I swear I’d take that Westmore bitch’s head off, but I want her to suffer.”
When the paramedics entered the room, they’d quickly taken charge of Callie’s care, and as reluctant as Ian was to hand her over, he knew she needed medical care and she’d get it much faster if he let the men do their jobs. Looking up at Jace, he simply said, “Hospital?”
Jace smiled and said, “Daph’s way ahead of you. She’s got the best plastic surgeon in DC waiting in the emergency room for Callie. And there will be a change of clothes for you by the time we get there. It’s amazing—it’s taking her longer to get the clothes there than it did for her to get a hot-shot surgeon to agree to be standing down by the back door with his thumb up his ass just waiting on your woman to arrive. I’m telling you the woman is a fucking warrior, and I swear if she wasn’t old enough to be my mother I’d marry her.”
Three hours later, Ian was still pacing the small private waiting room he’d been shown to when the media had swarmed the public waiting room. It still amazed him that the first question he’d been asked was if they’d set a wedding date yet. Seriously? What on earth was wrong with reporters these days? They were more interested in the society pages scooping each other with the details of Ian McGregor finally being “off the market” and that had set his teeth completely on edge. Talk about feeling like a piece of meat!
Once Daphne had arrived, she’d been able to run interference and manage the media while he and Jace concentrated on pacing ruts in the floor. Daph had brought along the new assistant she’d hired out of one of the other offices last week. Ian had only seen the young woman once, but considering the way she was keeping up with Daph, it looked like Holly Mills was going to be a good fit. It also looked like she had caught his best friend’s eye as well, albeit for an entirely different reason.
At one point, Jace, Holly, and Daphne had all been tied up with visitors, and Ian had excused himself to a small closet down the hall. Really classy, McGregor, fucking billions in assets and you’re using a broom closet as an office. Nice. He’d called a friend who was one of the best jewelers in the world and explained exactly what he had in mind for Callie. The man had been thrilled to hear he’d found a woman and promised to have designs e-mailed by midnight. This was one of those times that having friends was more important than money.
He walked back into the waiting room just as the doctor arrived. After explaining the extent of her injuries and all the precautions they’d had to take because of her allergy to certain pain medications, he’d told them that despite his best efforts, Callie was going to have some scarring on her upper arm, but everything else would likely heal without a trace. The doctor said that scars were problematic for people for a variety of reasons, some people were self-conscious of the way they looked and the attention they brought, citing the general public’s insensitivity and incredible snoopiness. But to others, the scars were a constant reminder of a traumatic event. He’d cautioned Ian not only about making too much of an issue of the scars, but also about making too light of them also. Ian had asked the doctor to show him specifically where the scar would be, and then he’d sent a quick text message to the jeweler along with the new information.
Walking into Callie’s hospital room, Ian looked down at her and wondered how such a little slip of a woman had taken over his heart without even knowing she’d done it. God, he was proud of her for remembering to activate the panic alarm and audio on her bracelet. Her quick thinking had just bought her freedom from the Westmores and was also going to bring about some long-overdue justice to a family that had had believed itself above the rules others had to abide.
When she opened her eyes and looked at him with her violet eyes awash in tears, he took her hand in his and kissed her palm. Her hand was too cold—God, she’d lost a lot of blood. That damned cut on her arm had been so deep the doctors had said she’d need physical therapy to regain her muscle strength. Her whispered “I’m sorry” brought him back to the moment.
“Pet, what do you think you have to be sorry for?” She’d been beaten down for so long that it was obvious she felt she was responsible for anything bad that happened around her. Honest to God, if he ever got his hands on her mother he wouldn’t responsible for his actions. Forcing himself to relax before she picked up on his rage, he reminded himself that he was going to have a lifetime to rebuild her self-esteem.
“I know this has to be causing a media firestorm, and I didn’t want to cause you that kind of trouble. I’m sure the press will have a field day with your association with me.” Her tears finally breached the rim of her sad eyes and rolled down her pale cheeks. He brushed them away with his thumbs and swallowed past the lump that had formed in his throat.
“Well, I have wonderful staff that are happily telling anyone with a press card who will listen how my brave fiancée was attacked by the crazed wife of a senator. And how my woman’s quick thinking led to the arrest of not only the wife, but also her husband.” He smiled at her shocked expression—he wasn’t sure if it was his use of the word fiancée or the news that the Westmores had been arrested. “Now, they probably won’t be convicted, but the arrest along with Nanette’s attack on you will leave their reputations in tatters. And now that the news of his physical condition is out, he’ll be relieved of his Senate seat immediately. As for me not wanting to be associated with you, you couldn’t be any more wrong.”
Just then Daph knocked quietly and then stuck her head in the door. “Ian, I have a call on the line I believe you’ll want to deal with personally.” Her sly smile let Ian know his cagey admin was up to some sort of no good, and he had a sneaking suspicion he was going to enjoy it. “I’d be happy to stay with Callie while you take this out in the hall.” Oh yeah, she was up to something all right. Ve
ry smooth, Daph, very smooth indeed.
He took the phone from her and moved past her into the hall before raising it to his ear. “This is Ian McGregor.” He knew his words sounded curt, but he didn’t care.
“Oh, Mr. McGregor, this is Chrissy Reece, and I just heard on the news about you and my sister…and well, how she was injured and all, so I wanted to check and see how she was.” Oh he’d just bet the fact she had noted her sister’s relationship with him before inquiring about her well-being was the mother of all Freudian slips. “You know, Callie and I are so very close. She’d helped me a lot over the years.”
“Yes, Ms. Reece, I’m fully aware of how much you have relied on your sister for the past several years. As to your inquiry about her health, she will be fine. She was cut by a shattered mirror, but she should be dismissed from the hospital in a few hours. After that she’ll be back in my care. If you have any further questions for her, I’ll be happy to pass along your concerns, and she can call you when she is feeling stronger.” Ian was one of the most influential businessmen in the country, so dealing with venomous people was an everyday occurrence, but this woman obviously brought out the very worst in him. Her treatment of Callie over the years galled him, and it was going to stop right now.
“Well, I am perfectly happy to speak with you, Ian, you don’t mind that I call you by your first name, do you? I mean, after all, we’re going to be family.” She practically purred, and Ian was getting angrier by the second.
She was still rambling on when Ian interrupted her, “Ms. Reece, I want to make my position here perfectly clear. I am in love with your sister. And a part of that, a very large part in fact, is my commitment to care for her and protect her from potential harm.” He paused for just a few seconds to give her a chance to catch on, if that was possible, before he continued. “Any potential or real threats to her health or happiness will be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Do I make myself clear?”
“Well, you know I’d never do anything to hurt my sister, Ian. Perhaps I’ll just drive up and visit her. Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea.” She hadn’t really listened to a word he said. And why that surprised him was anybody’s guess.
“We’ll be leaving on a trip in a day or two. So perhaps you could wait until we’ve returned. Callie needs to rest, and then we’ll be out of the country for a short time. I’ll have her call you as soon as we return. Thank you for calling. Good day, Ms. Reece.” He hung up before he screamed what a selfish piece of trash he considered her.
He walked back in the room to find his assistant and Callie talking and laughing like old friends. It was easy to see why her coworkers spoke so highly of her, she had a natural way of speaking with people that seemed to draw them out. “Well, I see you two seem to have hit it off nicely. Daph, where the hell is that doctor with Callie’s paperwork? Christ, these people won’t ever get anything done if we don’t push them.” He’d no sooner spoken than the two women looked at each other and burst out laughing.
As Daphne made her way toward the door, she looked at him and said, “On it, boss.” And then looked at Callie and added, “Welcome to my world, Callie. I’ll be seeing you soon. It was a pleasure to finally meet you. Oh…and good luck, dear.” And then laughing at Ian’s snarl, she was gone.
Chapter 27
Six Months Later
Callie stood in the shadows in the Main Lounge at Club Isola watching as her new friends moved around the room engaging in animated conversations and enjoying the celebratory atmosphere of the evening. Although the room still looked like it belonged in a European castle, it had been transformed so that it more closely resembled a ballroom and banquet hall than a torture chamber. Most of the BDSM equipment had been moved against the walls that were now draped in hundreds of yards of silver-gray gossamer.
She knew there were over twelve hundred flameless candles lighting the room. Oh yeah, the Energizer Bunny is alive and well on the island tonight. She had been so busy overseeing the resort’s construction that she hadn’t been that involved in the planning for this evening’s celebration. Only a very select few people knew that she and Ian had wed this evening at sunset on the private beach below their home. Sometimes she still struggled to grasp the changes her life had undergone in the past six months.
Glancing down at the beautiful ring Ian had given her, she smiled as the candle’s flickering lights danced over all the facets of the enormous, radiant cut diamond. She loved the woven band because it reminded her of all the beautiful Celtic knots and their meanings she’d learned about while touring Ireland with Ian and Jace after the nightmare at the dress shop. She hadn’t realized Jace had stepped up beside her until he spoke. “Nervous, Mrs. McGregor?” Jace was to be her official “escort” until the collaring ceremony.
She noticed that he’d changed from his earlier tux and that he was now dressed in black dress trousers and a black silk shirt that was open several more buttons than you’d expect to see at most formal occasions. Lord, you have to love the kink community. They take a formal occasion and add their own twist, and the men end up looking more yummy than the women. Well, duh, Callie, that’s because most of the women are not wearing all that much. Smiling to herself she turned and answered. “Yes, very. I haven’t done anything public since that first disaster…and well…I am worried that I’ll mess up…again.” She looked up at him through her lashes, worried she’d see pity, but all she saw was understanding.
“Sweetness, you didn’t mess up. You used your safe word, and that is exactly what a sub is supposed to do when things are too much either physically or emotionally.” When she shivered at the memory of that night, he looked at her thoughtfully and added, “Are you cold?”
Knowing he’d seen her absently rubbing her hands up and down her upper arms, she deliberately tried to still the movement. It had become a habit more because she was so self-conscious of the large scar on her arm than anything else. “No, I’m fine. Has Ian come down from his office yet? I haven’t seen my new husband yet.”
Jace chuckled. “Worried I’m going to tie you up on the stage and leave you naked for all to see and he isn’t gonna show, sweetness?”
Callie felt her face go instantly hot and knew she had flushed bright red. “Well, something like that, yeah. I mean, that would be pretty embarrassing, and I’m already worried about how much my scar is going to show up under the lights.” She saw him frown so she quickly added, “Yes, I know, I’m not supposed to worry, that I am only supposed to submit and leave the worries to Ian…and you.” She smiled at him sweetly and gave him a quick hug.
“Good save, sweetness.” He laughed and pulled her tighter against his chest. “Just so you’ll stop worrying yourself into a tizzy—Ian is out at the dock greeting some very special guests. He’ll be here any minute. And as for how you’ll be dressed, well, I think I’ll let you fret on that one for a bit longer.” He laughed out loud and leaned down and kissed the top of her head before he released her from his embrace. Nodding toward the door, he said, “Looks like they have arrived. Ian will seat them while I take you to the stage. Come on, let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”
The butterflies that had been fluttering around in her stomach suddenly turned into B-51 bombers hell bent on mass destruction. She must have gone pale because Jace suddenly had his arm around her waist, and she was grateful when she stumbled and nearly took a header off the small step she where she’d been standing. Jace turned her so that she was facing him and tilted her face up so that he was the only thing she could see. The lights in the large room had been dimmed, and the soft stage lighting was enough to illuminate his face so she could see his protective expression.
“Sweetness, have I ever lied to you?” He waited patiently for her reply.
She was light headed, and all she could think about was that there were now important people in the audience and how horrible it was going to be if she let Ian down. She loved him with everything in her, and failure was just not an option.
Jace gave her a swat on the ass and snarled. “Sweetness, I asked you a question.”
His tone brought her back to the moment, “No, Sir, you have never lied to me, I trust you…as I trust my Master.”
“Very good, sweetness. Now, know this, your Master and I are both very possessive bastards, and we didn’t much like sharing you all those months ago. And you may be married to Master Ian, but I am still your permanent third. And, sweetness, that means I have some very strong feelings about how this evening should go.” He smiled when her eyes went wide. He stroked his finger down her cheek, and the calming effect that simple move had was amazing. His words changed to a sweet whisper. “Callie, Ian and I are both well aware of how self-conscious you are about the scar. Trust us.” He waited for her nod, and then he turned and led her up the steps to the stage.
* * * *
After Ian had seated his friends, he’d turned to see Callie stumble, and he’d watched as Jace had steadied her. Just as he’d started to head that way, Mitch Grayson had reached out and stopped him. “Jace is handling it, she is just scared she’s going to let you down and she’s worried about that fucking scar on her arm. What is it with women and scars? Christ, Rissa freaks out about her C-section scar, and God knows that’s not nearly as visible as Kat’s whiplashes.” Ian knew his friend had kept talking long enough to let Jace speak with Callie without his interference, and he was grateful. He knew it was important to Callie that she do well tonight. He wanted her to succeed more for her own self-confidence in the lifestyle than for him.
He had known the scar on her arm was going to be a huge reminder of all she’d endured, and he watched on their trip as she had repeatedly tried to dress in clothing that had long enough sleeves to cover up the indelible proof of Nanette Westmore’s insanity. Hopefully, after tonight, she’d feel she had a reason to show off those beautiful, long, slender arms of hers. Her social position as his wife and her job at the resort would require her to wear ball gowns often, and he wanted her to feel as beautiful and elegant as she was. He knew as well as anyone, self-confidence shines from within.
