Twisted Together (Monsters in the Dark #3)(163)

“What?”

“Tu es à moi.” You’re mine.

“Yours,” she breathed, swaying she pressed her lips against mine. The instant her soft mouth touched me, my vision shattered into colourless light. The countdown to taking her increased its incessant tick.

I wouldn’t last much longer. I couldn’t last much longer.

Her lips kissed along my cheekbone, ending on the shell of my ear. “I was going to deny you, husband. I didn’t think you were strong enough to take me. But you haven’t stopped making love to me since the moment I entered this marquee. I believe you’re strong enough. And I want you to take me away. Take me completely.”

She pulled back, permission blazing in her eyes. “I’m all yours. Every inch.” Gone was the fear about letting me inside the final part of her. Gone was the hesitation at exploring the unexplored.

My muscles locked into place, fighting a full body shudder. My cock punched the buckle of my belt, demanding to have her now.

Tess left me standing like a fool, sealing the marriage contract with a flick of her wrist. Tess Mercer.

My Tess.

My esclave.

Frederick grabbed the pen with a wink. “You’re looking at her like you’re about to eat her. You guys better leave before you end up saying screw the guests and giving us a show.”

I let him finish signing before punching him in the shoulder. “We’re only here because we’re Suzette’s prisoners.”

Suzette giggled, taking the pen. “Fine, I know a man in pain when I see one. Go. I’ll rearrange the reception for tomorrow.”

A thick arm wedged between us, scrawling illegibly on the paper beneath all four signatures.

What the—

I looked over my shoulder. Franco.

He shrugged. “Hey, couldn’t let you get hitched without the top quality authority of your favourite bodyguard. I just made that thing legit.”

I rolled my eyes. “Trust you to ruin everything.”

Franco chuckled, giving Tess a one armed hug. He’d discarded his grey blazer, revealing the white shirt beneath. His sling matched the fabric, hiding the fact he was injured. Sort of. The bandage around his hand had been changed, and the minute I could breathe without needing to sink into Tess, I would source a world class doctor to replace his thumb.

He would also receive a huge bonus.

Pulling away from Tess, Franco said, “You look incredible. I’m very happy for you both. I’ll always have your back, Tess. You’ve earned my deepest respect.” Tess dropped her eyes, unconsciously tugging the collar around her throat. Her cleavage was deep and f*cking enticing.

“I’ll forever be in your debt for helping me get him back. I think you deserve a long holiday and someone to pamper you.” Her eyes darted to Suzette—not at all subtle and way too insinuating.

Ah, for f*ck’s sake what was with weddings and hook-ups?

She added, “Don’t be an idiot, Franco.”

His mouth fell open; eyes just as wide.

I grabbed the leash from her collar, wrapping it around my fist. “Enough, esclave. He’ll figure it out. And if he doesn’t, there are plenty of other body parts that can be sliced off to make him understand.”

Franco spluttered. “Hey, what?” His green eyes landed on Suzette who turned bright red. She coughed, backing away, the tips of her ears flaming.

I didn’t have any time for other people’s lives. Mine was all I wanted and I was done being the centre of attention.

Tugging the leash, the collar slipped a little, glinting with an inscription: property of Q Mercer.

My eyes slammed closed. I was ruined. High on the need to claim.

My cock twitched, clawing its way through my trousers to my wife.

Yep, I would never be removing that collar.

Screw the reception. Screw the guests. I was done.

“We’re leaving,” I snapped.

Tess’s eyes popped wide but slowly she nodded, tasting my need, echoing it back.

I’m married! I survived. And now I would claim my wife.

“Spoilsport,” Frederick muttered good-naturedly. He clasped my shoulder, crunching me into a painful hug. “Fair enough. We can have the reception tomorrow on the beach. I’m sure Suzette has a few days’ worth of events for us to enjoy.”

Franco rolled his eyes. “That woman is a nuisance. She’s too damn organised and when the hell did she become so freaking gorgeous?” His eyes trailed to Suzette who’d broken apart from our group, returning to Angelique.

“Since always,” Tess stated, crossing her arms.

Franco frowned. “You’re forgetting that I was the one who carried her into Q’s house. She weighed nothing more than a bag of feathers, her hair shorn, her skin covered in burns, and her fingers completely mangled.” His eyes tightened, looking at Suzette laughing with Angelique. “I’ve seen her at her worst. All I see is a broken girl who needed so much help.”

I agreed completely. That was my issue, too. “That’s how I see her as well. But maybe it’s time we looked at her with new eyes. She’s no longer that girl.”

I glanced at Suzette, truly seeing the strong woman she’d become. Pride filled me. Compared to the broken slave she’d been—it was incomparable.

Franco’s eyes widened as if truly seeing Suzette for the first time. He cleared his throat.