Initiative (Suncoast Society #31)(47)

Hell, he almost felt as nervous as he did for their collaring, when in front of everyone, Grant had put the day collar on his wrist.

It’d terrified him at the time, afraid someone would…he didn’t know what. Rationally he knew there wouldn’t be anything but celebration.

Living in fear in the real world, the cold, cruel world outside the protective walls of the club or their home, away from their friends, was something different.

He knew some of the people he worked with thought he was quiet, distant. Aloof, even.

The truth was, he couldn’t talk about most of his life. He couldn’t laugh and joke about gaming, or any of this, for fear of accidentally revealing something.

He had to pretend not to be who he really was.

Only at home and here, with the people he loved, and his friends, could he be his real self.

As they gathered around and Grant had Susie kneel on a large pillow in front of them, Loren raised her hands for everyone to quiet down. Kel and Mallory were taking photos and videoing it for them, careful only to get the three of them and Loren in the shots.

Loren lowered her hands once it was quiet. “Long story short—”

“Too late,” Gilo called out, earning him a round of laughter. “Ow,” he said as Tilly poked his shoulder, but from the way she then hooked her arm through his, Abbey on his other side and also with their arms hooked, Darryl knew they were just playing around.

Loren smiled. “Long story short, there once were three kids in high school who knew they loved each other, but didn’t know how to really express it. Life happened, tragedy happened, and love had a second chance. For those of you thinking you saw Grant collar Darryl a couple of years ago, you’re not wrong. But they’ve happily added to their family, three friends and hearts once again complete. Maybe one day I’ll get a wedding out of them, but for tonight, Grant wants to claim their girl.”

Darryl hoped he didn’t cry. He teared up a little during their collaring, because it—both sadly and happily—felt far more poignant and powerful than his wedding had.

He’d prepared something to say because Grant had asked him to, and Grant had told him he’d give him the cue to speak.

Grant stroked Susie’s hair. “When I collared Darryl, I promised him it was for life. That I would take care of him, that I would love him, that I would never take him for granted. That he would be my most precious possession, and he would always be my heart and soul.

“That wasn’t a lie. And it’s still true. We wouldn’t be here tonight if you were anyone but you. I’ve loved both of you for over half my life now, since we were, what, fourteen? Thirteen? I never thought we’d see you again. Then you walked back into our lives and it was like time never skipped those two decades. And I knew the only thing missing from our lives was you.”

He nodded to Darryl, who already felt himself tearing up.

Darryl tried to remember exactly what he’d written and gave up. What Grant had said was too perfect, so much better than what he’d wanted to say.

He’d go off the book. “There once was this awkward teenage boy who had these two amazing friends, a boy and a girl,” he said. “Friends who never judged him, who were never mean to him, who always had his back. Two people who made life perfect. Two people he loved. And then the boy grew up and was stupid enough to let the girl slip through his hands.

“One week became a month, and then a year went by before he realized he hadn’t tried to find the girl. Then he went and did something really stupid and married a woman his other friend, his best friend, hinted wasn’t the best choice. But he did it because he was scared. Because he didn’t just love his best friend, he loved his best friend, was in love with him, and didn’t know what that meant. He worried it might scare the friend away, and he didn’t want to lose both the boy and the girl, because he knew it would break his heart in ways he didn’t even fully understand at the time.

“Meanwhile, life happened. When the woman wasn’t in the picture anymore, his best friend still was. Finally, he could quit being scared and actually love his best friend. And they were really, really happy.

“One day, they went to a reunion, and there she was.”

He saw Grant brushing tears away. Then when Darryl looked down at Susie and saw her tears, he didn’t bother trying to hide his own any longer.

“The girl was there, and she looked so sad and so lonely it broke both of their hearts. All they wanted to do was love her. The way they wished they’d loved her for all those years, because for all those years, they’d both been in love with her and missed her like hell.

“And then they made the girl smile, and they both swore they’d keep making her smile, every day, for the rest of her life and theirs. And they lived happily ever after. With whips and chains and stuff to keep it even more fun.”

Through the titter of laughter in the audience, he heard someone loudly sniffle and glanced over to see Gilo handing Tilly a box of tissues.

He pulled the cuff out of his pocket. “Will you please let us spend the rest of our lives making you smile? Loving you? Because we won’t lose you again.”

Susie nodded, brushing her own tears away with her right hand as she held her left up to him for him to fasten the cuff around it.

He leaned in and kissed her, then kissed Grant. “Thank you, Master,” he said.