Saving My Submission BN (13 page)

Roaring with laughter once again, Trevor shook his
head, barely able to speak. “If you try to wear that damn thing, you won’t sit
for a month. Tony will paddle your ass till it’s black and blue.”

“I know. But, oh my god, it would be so worth it.”

“Yes, but poor
Gramma
Rose’s
false teeth might fall on the floor. That wouldn’t be good,” I warned.

“True.”
Leagh
pouted, then
suddenly a scheming flicker lit up her eyes. “I’ll just save it for our wedding
night.”

Trevor snorted. “By the time Tony’s done with you at
the club, you won’t even know your own name, let alone have the energy to put
that thing on your head.”

Leagh’s
eyes grew wide with
fear, and just as she opened her mouth to reply, a loud knock filled the room.

“Oh shit,” she hissed. Snatching the tiara from her
head, she shoved it back at Trevor. “Hide that.”

“You mean you’re not going to wear it?” Trevor teased
as he quickly tucked it back in his jacket and unlocked the door.

Dylan and Nick stepped through the portal, still
looking like bookends out of GQ magazine. Suspicion furrowed their brows as
they studied us.

“What trouble are you wild ones cooking up now?” Nick
asked.

“Nothing, Master.” Sanna smiled ever so sweetly.

“Right.” Dylan rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“You five look as guilty as a fox in a hen house. You didn’t start another
fire, did you?”

“Honestly, Master,” Sanna chastised with a peevish
scowl.

“Kitten,” Dylan’s tone dipped in warning, making it
clear he didn’t appreciate her sass.

“I think you just earned an attitude adjustment
tonight, precious,” Nick announced with a
conspiritory
grin.

“You bet your sweet ass you did,” Dylan chuckled, as
Sanna frowned.

“Come on, you two, it’s time for us to take our
seats,” Nick announced.

Both men stepped in close to
Leagh
.
“You look like an angel. Tony’s a lucky bastard,”

Dylan praised.

“Our happiest blessings to you both,” Nick added with
a grin.

“Thank you, Sirs.”
Leagh
whispered, softly.

Sanna and I hugged our partners in crime before
following Dylan and Nick to the chapel. Stopping at a pew close to the front of
the church, Nick stopped and tapped a man wearing a dark suit on the shoulder.
When he stood and turned I couldn’t help but smile. It was James, the cop I’d
railed on the night before. He floated an approving gaze over my body, and I
issued an inward curse. I didn’t want his attention… I wanted Joshua’s. That
was nothing more than a hopeless pipe dream… the man
still
hadn’t called; he wasn’t going to.

“It’s good to see you again, Mellie.” James grinned.

“Likewise.” I smiled as an awkward, itchy film
blanketed me within.

James sidled down the pew making room for us to sit,
and I exhaled a sigh of relief for not having to sit next to him. He seemed
nice enough; I simply wasn’t attracted to him and I didn’t want to encourage
him, especially after the inner conflict of Scotty’s kiss.

A buzz of excitement filled the air as the ushers
hastily seated guests. Soft organ music filled the ornate sanctuary as people
packed the pews. Sanna and I bided our time whispering and giggling, wondering
if
Leagh
would shock the crowd and wear the tacky
penis veil. Evidently we were getting a little too carried away, because Nick
flashed a stern glare in our direction. Of course that only made us giggle
harder. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. I was afraid our bad habit of
feeding off one another would wind up getting Sanna into trouble, so I quietly
shushed her and bit my lips.

I watched an usher escort Alisa to the front pew with
Tony’s handsome father following behind her.

When the organ fell silent, anticipation spiked. Tony
and the priest appeared from behind the nave, looking calm and cool. The groom
smiled at his family before locking his gaze to the back of the church, as if
mentally calling
Leagh
to join him. The organ blared
with dramatic music as both Sanna and I wiggled in our seats, staring toward
the back of the room. Drake and Trevor appeared arm in arm, wearing stunning
tailored tuxes. Drake’s dark charcoal gray ensemble accented his beautiful
eyes, while Trevor’s deep burgundy color seemed to make his pale skin glow.

Following the two men were Mika and Julianna, linked
arm in arm. The dungeon owner wore the same gray sophisticated tux as Drake,
while Julianna wore a luxurious strapless flowing burgundy
ruched
chiffon gown. Their fashions were lavishly chic, but it was their dazzling
smiles—even Drake, who rarely ever wore one—that cast each in an almost
ethereal hue.
 

At the altar, Mika, Drake, and Tony shared a private
chuckle as Julianna and Trevor stared at the doorway waiting for
Leagh
to appear. As the chords of ‘
The Wedding March’
began to echo through the
A-framed interior, I joined the rest of the crowd and stood.

Turning to watch
Leagh
walk
down the aisle, I noticed one lone guest facing the front of the church. His
gaze locked with mine. A startled cry fluttered over my lips as Joshua Lars’
twinkling green eyes snared me like a hunter’s trap. My heart clutched. My
knees nearly buckled, and I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t
dreaming. Unable to avert my gaze, I stood mesmerized by the fiery lust
shimmering in his sexy eyes. Once again, his bewildering talent to see right
deep inside slammed me hard.

My entire body began to shake. My heart thundered in
my ears, and my mouth felt as dry as a desert. The room began to spin and I
placed my hand on the back of the pew to keep from sliding to the floor. Trying
to keep my hammering heart in place while struggling to draw air into my lungs,
I placed a palm to my chest and issued a tiny whimper.

Amused by my astonished reaction, a brazen smile
crawled across his lips—lips that had unraveled me to the bone—before he
flashed me a devilish grin. Drinking in the sight of him, every minute detail
of our night together rushed through my mind, bringing with it an onslaught of
arousal. My nipples tightened and my pussy wept. The physical ache to be
beneath his naked body, filled with his massive cock stretching me with that
amazing silken burn, stole my breath. Tearing from his gaze, I bent to whisper
in Sanna’s ear.

“What the fuck is Joshua Lars doing here?” I hissed.

“What? Where?” Sanna blinked as she scanned the crowd.

“Right there,” I choked, nodding in his direction.
Scared to lock gazes with the man for fear I’d never break free, I looked at my
sister, hoping she’d see the man staring at me.

“That’s not Joshua Lars, that’s Master Stephen,” she
whispered with a frown.

“No,
that
is
Joshua Lars,” I spat.

“Are you kidding? Oh, my,” she replied, seemingly
surprised. Tugging Nick’s sleeve, she arched on her tiptoes and whispered in
his ear.

Taking his attention off
Leagh
,
Nick and Joshua exchanged nods then Nick bent and softly said something to
Sanna.

Fighting the urge to look at him and failing
miserably, I watched his shoulders begin to shake in a silent chuckle.

Sanna’s breath warmed my ear as she leaned in. “Yeah,
that’s him all right. Damn. I had no idea Master Stephen was Joshua Lars.”

“Nick did,” I grumbled in a terse whisper. “Why didn’t
he tell me?”

“Don’t be mad at him, Mel. You know the rules.
Anonymity is a sacred thing among
lifestylers
.”

“I know, but… Shit. I am so screwed,” I hissed under
my breath.

“Not yet. But I’d say the way he’s undressing you with
his eyes, you could have another shot at it,” Sanna whispered, then giggled.

So stunned I couldn’t even think of a witty comeback
to Sanna’s jab. The blurring white figure of
Leagh
making her way down the aisle briefly obscured my view of Joshua. Thankfully it
was long enough to sever the magnetic hold he had over me.

Vaguely aware of people around me turning to face the
front of the church, my feet remained frozen in place. Sanna elbowed me in the
side and I almost tripped readjusting myself in the narrow pew.

When
Leagh
reached the
altar, the priest stepped up to the microphone and invited us to take our
seats. His words registered in my brain, but my body wouldn’t seem to obey.
With a tiny giggle, Sanna cupped my elbow and pulled me down next to her in the
pew.

“You’ve got it bad, sweetie. Really, really bad,” she
whispered in a giddy tone. “He’s an impressive Master, by the way.”

Like I hadn’t already
figured that out?

“Does he have a sub?” I murmured.

“Not anymore. He released the one he had a few months
ago.”

My heart sank as a combination of anger and grief
burned within. What were the odds of me attracting another
player
who got his jollies off slapping Velcro
collars around subs’ necks? Why did they always seem to sniff me out?
Joshua Lars was really Master Stephen in disguise.
My brain swirled in shock and dread, while unwelcome desire zipped through my
girl parts like a bumblebee on crack.

Drawing in a deep breath, I forced myself to focus on
the priest’s words as he instructed
Leagh
and Tony to
join hands. All the while Joshua’s heated gaze bore into the back of my head,
making it impossible to concentrate on anything but him.
The fucking rat bastard.

I needed to stop him from driving me insane. He was
forbidden fruit. Not only was he a friend of Sanna and her Masters, but a Dom
with little regard for the gift of submission or the sanctity of a collar. No
matter how badly my body ached for one more night with the man, drowning in his
commanding lovemaking skills wasn’t enough to warrant self-inflicted emotional
harm. I needed to box up my lofty fantasies of submission and slap on a shiny
new lock—one that couldn’t be picked quite so easily again—and drive him out of
my psyche.

The harder I tried to ignore him, the hotter his gaze
seemed to grow. Clenching my jaw I squared my shoulders. If he wanted to watch
me, fine. Let the man get his jollies however he chose. I didn’t have to
participate in his stupid cat and mouse game. I may not have known Tony and
Leagh
well, but I was there to celebrate their union, not
get sidetracked obsessing over some
wanna
-be Dom and
our one-night stand.

I spent a whole thirty-seven seconds mentally
browbeating myself before I caved. Glancing over my shoulder, I discovered
Joshua’s fiery stare had not been a figment of my imagination. He still remained
zeroed in on me with those gorgeous green eyes and toe-curling gaze.

His hungry stare flipped some masochistic switch in my
brain. I could feel the warm texture of his lips, taste the tart bead that
swelled on his cock, and smell his masculine scent, as sure as if he’d been
hard-wired inside my brain… my body.

My growing arousal sparked an electrical current that
literally hummed in my ears. The man hadn’t so much as touched me, yet he had
the power to draw me to him, like a moth to a flame. I had to put a stop to it
all. Once and for all, I had to exorcize the demon known as Joshua Lars.
Problem being, I had no idea how.

The priest cleared his throat. Snapping my head toward
the sound, I swallowed tightly. “Dearly beloved,” he began. “We are gathered here
today…”

To watch Mellie Carson
lose her ever-loving mind.

I closed my eyes and drew in a ragged breath. The
forty-five minute ceremony seemed to drag on for hours. The nuptials were
beautiful and heart-warming, yet I couldn’t focus on anything except Joshua’s
incessant stare. Well, that and calculating how long it would take me to jump
from the pew, dash out the church, and race back to Sanna’s to hide away in the
safety of my room. There were only two obstacles in my way: I couldn’t run
three seconds in my five-inch heels, plus I didn’t have a car to get me back to
the house. It was a hell of a long walk in stilettos, which I probably wouldn’t
achieve without breaking an ankle. Nope, running away wasn’t an option. I’d
have to stay and face the music—which pissed me the hell off.

“You may kiss the bride,” the priest instructed,
pulling me from my ruminations.

Tony cupped
Leagh’s
cheeks
in his hands and bestowed her with a commanding, potent kiss. A shiver rippled
through me. Joshua had kissed me in that exact manner and I could still feel
the heat of his lips.

Aarrgghhh
.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the priest cried out as he
raised his hands, “It is my privilege to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Anthony
Delvaggio
.”

Tony and
Leagh’s
faces
beamed in absolute bliss. For a few glorious moments, joy for their happiness
drowned out the chaos swimming inside me. Tony wrapped a protective arm around
Leagh’s
waist then bounded down the stairs, escorting her
toward the back of the church. The rest of the wedding party followed behind,
all wearing happy, broad smiles as they joined the bride and groom in the
receiving line.

The guests began to spill into the aisles toward the
church’s foyer. The passage quickly became so choked there was no place for us
to go, so we remained in our seats waiting for the steady line to shorten.

When it came our turn to get in line, I stood, but
froze like a statue, unable to move. I had assumed Joshua would follow the
other guests in his pew, but he didn’t. He lingered in the aisle, paying no
attention to the people going ahead of him. Joshua’s focus was on one thing—and
one thing only—me.