Chapter Thirty-Three #3
“I told you she was perfect,” Cian says on a sigh as he lets
his head fall back.
“Not quite perfect,” Beck replies. “She seems to think she
gets to call the shots.”
“What?” The question comes out as a strangled shriek. I
strain to turn my head around so I can see him, but he holds me close. “Are you
kidding me? I haven’t called a single shot since some asshole demon kidnapped
me and I woke up in chains.”
“Is that true, love?” Beck nips gently at my ear. “Poor Meg.
We big strong men have held you down and forced you to do our will.”
“Well, I liked that part,” I admit.
“I could tell.” Beck chuckles. “But, my wife, you’re going
to have to explain your definition of submissive to me. I think we’re speaking
two different languages here. So far you’ve run from me and nearly gotten
yourself and me killed. You’ve cursed me and my whole line at every given
opportunity. You attempted to manipulate me into things I wasn’t comfortable
with.”
“I did not.” There isn’t a whole lot of enthusiasm in my
defense. I pretty much did everything he accused me of. Cian snorts at the
statement.
Beck ignores me. “The minute I leave, you decide to move out
and start a life that doesn’t involve me. I write to you. You refuse to reply.
You use my own brother against me. These are not the acts of a submissive
woman.”
I flush because he is right. “They were the acts of an
impatient woman.”
Beck turns me and forces me to look him in the eyes. “Megan,
I’m sorry for the way we started. I’m clinging to a life that doesn’t exist
anymore.” He sighs and tugs me close again. “I love you. I haven’t shown it
because I didn’t fully bond with you. I’m scared of it, to tell you the truth.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of, and you’ll see them. I won’t be able to stop
it. I’m scared that when you see me, the real me, you won’t want me anymore.”
I sit quietly, listening to Beck and trying not to wrap my
arms around him. I want to press my lips against his and promise there isn’t a
plane in existence where I won’t want him. Instead, I simply open my mind. I
let my feelings flow outward.
Beck sighs, and I know he received the message. Cian comes
around the other side. He leans over to kiss my hair.
“Beck is afraid of what I’ll think, too, lover,” Cian
explains. “Once we bond properly, our connection will be complete. He doesn’t
want me to know what happened the night our parents died. I’m not stupid,
brother. I know something happened. I also know whatever you did, I’ll back you
on it.”
“I hope so. I hope, when the time comes, you’ll understand.
In the meantime, we need to discuss this marriage of ours.” Beck’s eyes are
dark as he looks me over. “I don’t know if you realize what you’re getting
into, love. I won’t always look to your pleasure. You’re mine. Sometimes, I’ll
just use you because I own you.”
Cian’s hands run down my shoulders. “That’s why I’m here,
brother. I’ll take care of her.”
I lean back and let Cian press his lips to mine. He’s the
soft touch. Though he tried to be what I need, he can’t really work up the will
to truly dominate me. He would rather worship me and coddle me. He’s the soft
side of the man.
Beck pulls my attention back to him. He’s the rough side.
He’s the dominant side that takes what he wants. It says something about the
man that even his dominant half would never hurt me. He’s hard and possessive,
and we will all be so much happier now that he stopped fighting his true
nature.
“I want a yes, Meg,” Beck says quietly. “I want a yes, but
before you say it, know that you can’t take it back. Once you say yes, I won’t
ever let you go. You’ll fight me every day for control. I’ll try my damnedest
to make decisions for you. I can’t help what I am. Cian will balance me by
being the biggest softie on the plane when it comes to you.”
Cian grins. “I have no shame about that.”
My heart swells with love for them. It’s hard because they
are really one person in two bodies, their personalities stronger for it. Beck
has to struggle with his own instincts because all the pieces that would
balance him are in Cian. Cian feels weak and often unappreciated because the
arrogance is mostly housed in Beck. I can help them once we bond fully. They
need me.
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “Though I think you’ll find
me more difficult to deal with than you imagine. But I promise when we’re
intimate, I will be your perfect little submissive.”
A happy smile curls around his mouth. “I’ll try to take
more, wife. I’m a bloody selfish bastard.”
I lean forward. “You’re welcome to try, husband.”
He kisses me roughly. “I promise I will. Now, you have a
duty to us. You will wash your husbands’ hair, and then we’ll join the
villagers. I assume there’s a party. When I’m away, Ci always throws a party.”
Cian unbinds his hair, getting it wet. “The ale is already
flowing freely, brother.”
Beck shakes his head. “We’ll partake, then. I want the
villagers to see how happy our bride has made us. Then, later tonight, we bond.
All three of us.”
I catch his strong jaw in my hands. “It’s going to be fine,
Beck. I love you. Ci loves you. Nothing is going to change that.”
“Nothing,” Cian promises.
Beck allows me to start soaping his hair. It’s easy to see
he hopes Cian’s words will prove true.