Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
JACE
“So this is billionaire’s row?”
“Yep.”
“Why doesn’t the scumbro suck off Mommy and Daddy’s tit and stop trying to take Vivian’s money?”
Grant’s full of questions, and I’m full of rage.
“Because they cut him off.” I suck my teeth, scanning through the binoculars.
We chartered a fishing yacht. It’s bobbing in the calm intracoastal lagoon on one side of the estate where Vivian’s staying on Palm Beach Island, with the Atlantic on the other.
This is the closest we can get to the palatial compound belonging to her ex’s family. The closest when I’m not tailing Vivian around the island in my rented Bentley.
The estate, with all its lush landscaping and security walls, makes it hard to scope the fortress hiding her, but I know she’s in there. The GPS on her gold tracking necklace pings on the west side of the property.
She’s in a guest villa.
For over a week, I’ve shadowed Vivian handbag shopping with a gaggle of women in tropical print dresses. She looked miserable.
They went to the spa twice, took a floral arranging class, then a watercolor class where they painted their best rendition of the groom.
They’ve had a movie screening night on the landscaped grounds, and my favorite, a brunchtime pin-the-tulle-on-the-donkey game with mimosas.
Vivian calls me every morning and texts throughout the day. And every night, she won’t go to sleep until she’s heard my voice, until she comes hearing me come for her.
We’re in this lavish preppy hell while Grant tails her ex.
David’s been at the golf course every day—a sore loser with a big mouth. But at least the sport’s dress code won’t allow him to look like a twelve-year-old.
The sun is rising on our tenth day here as my phone finally chimes with her call. Her new ringtone is Lenny Kravitz, of course.
“Morning, Smokeshow.”
“Morning, big guy.”
“Pft. Big guy.” Grant can hear us, so I flip him off and leave him by the stern, finding a private spot on the sundeck, where I can talk to her.
“How ya feeling?”
“After mimosas yesterday?” She groans. “Horrible. Clearly, I don’t have champagne taste. My schedule is all off. My stress is through the roof, but it’s worth it. Ruby called me yesterday.”
I grin, staring at the sprawling alabaster Bermuda-style architecture on the property, knowing Vivian’s in one of those villas with cobalt shutters.
“So I heard. She found the server in… What’s his name?”
“Brayton.” She sounds encouraged. “Brayton had a server, and Nash showed Ruby how to search it. She confirmed he had the file on it, then Nash showed her how to scrub it. That’s one server down, hopefully only two more to go.”
I’m glad Vivian trusts Ruby. She should. Ruby would never betray her and share what she saw.
“Delphine’s working on the other server. The other cousin—”
“Eric,” she clarifies.
“Yeah, him. She’s testing a Wi-Fi jammer for the security system on his house before she goes in.”
“God”—she sighs—“they’re badass.”
“So are you. Hang in there.”
“Yeah, rough life playing wedding Pictionary or the guess-what’s-in-my-purse game.”
I wince. “Don’t think even Navy SEALs could survive that.”
She laughs. “I don’t want to be mean. My sister-in-law… I mean, former sister-in-law is sweet. I swear, Deborah got all the heart and left the asshole for David. But this is exhausting; pretending like I don’t despise her brother.”
“I understand. It’s exhausting not putting a bullet in his brain.”
“Jace.” She half laughs, half chides.
“I’m kidding.”
“No, you’re not.”
“You’re right.”
I can’t lie to Vivian about my dark side. I’m a hundred layers of love, but at my core is a rage for those who hurt others. I become an animal able to destroy another, preying on the innocent.
Yes, it’s because of what my father did to me, my mother, and my brothers. I’d almost apologize for it if we didn’t need predators to stop their kind.
But I refocus on who I’ll always protect. “Just stay strong, Smokeshow. Make sure that fucker and his cousins play golf all day, while you have an ice-cream-themed bridesmaid brunch to endure today. It’ll be a struggle. The restaurant doesn’t serve your favorite Earl Grey crème br?lée.”
She blurts out, impressed. “Did you already case the event?”
“For you, I’m five steps ahead of everything.”
Her pause is long. It makes me hold my breath as I dive into this feeling with her.
“I miss you.” She sighs.
“Miss you too.”
“Is it just me who feels this beautiful pull?” she asks. “The power of knowing you for so long mixed with the passion of us being new?”
My heart jolts, aching, overflowing. “No, I feel it too. This storm of lust, finally touching you, and this calm lo—” I gulp, don’t know if she’s ready. “This peace from our deep friendship.”
“Mmm.” Her sigh tickles my spine. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes, it’s hard for you.”
Her husky giggle only makes it harder. “It’s about the kings and queens.” This pause is tender. “Did you mean it, that you want me to be your queen?”
Everything inside me roars at the same time it quiets to my only truth.
I have to close my eyes at the regret she isn’t right in front of me when I answer, “Yes, I’d be honored if you’d be my queen, Vivian Tate.”
I wanted to make a grand romantic gesture, but I won’t leave her vulnerable and questioning us. She’s put up with enough volatility from her ex for me not to be the most certain safe force in her life.
Her question is so pure. “What will it mean to be your queen?”
It’ll mean my dream came true. My destiny is fulfilled. Done. Married to you. Children with you. Taking pictures of our grandkids on the beach. I can see it; me, drawing my last breath, holding your hand.
“It means I want to have this conversation with you when you’re in my arms again.”
Another pause. I can tell she’s still lying in bed; her breath is changing. “And you told me there’s a ritual. When a queen receives her first king and her second king, and I can’t stop wondering what happens.”
It has my cock swelling even more.
I had heard every word Vivian’s ex threatened her with.
Like, fuck, if I wasn’t standing steps away, ready to snap his neck if he touched her. I’d suspected the secret she’s been keeping from me about that video, but I won’t push her. I won’t make her feel even more exposed than she already is.
Once Vivian is rid of this threat. Once she knows she can be free with me. Once she believes she’ll never be judged again, she’ll only be worshipped—that’s when she’ll tell me.
And honestly, I don’t know about our ritual.
It’s changing.
The kings and queens met last month and agreed it should be different for Alena, who’s next. Loch wants to initiate her next week. He’s just waiting for me and Grant to come home.
As our first princess becoming a queen, Alena’s initiation will establish a new precedent. Our bonds will change.
What will that mean for Vivian when I make her my queen?
“It depends,” I answer her. “But it’s never forced. It’s always what a queen wants.”
“I want you,” she almost begs, breathlessly. “I want to share everything with you, Jace.”
My voice is dark, aroused as I murmur, “You don’t know what everything is yet.”
But I can imagine it… and want it.
“Yes, I do.” She tempts, “I’m not as wholesome as you think.”
“Good, because I don’t want wholesome.” Here comes my dark side. He’s been waiting for her. “I want you to take every inch of my cock and more. I want you to come like my sweet slut, getting fucked however she wants.”
“Oh god, Jace.” She gasps softly.
We can’t seem to be on the phone without this hunger taking over.
“Are you touching that wet pussy for me, Vivian?”
“Yes.” She sighs. “I’m using my fingers, but I need you. I even dreamed about it. I was sucking my cum off your huge dick until your cum was choking my throat.”
“Fuck, baby.” I’m standing on the bow of a yacht in the middle of a busy body of water. Trying to blend into Palm Beach relaxed fashion. It’s not easy at six foot six with a raging erection, tenting your light linen pants.
I wish Viv would just tell me her fantasies, how I can make them come true. She doesn’t have to be ashamed with me. I want everything with her.
“Jace.” But right now, she’s whimpering; she’s close.
And I’m fucking dying to take her there, to free her.
“You want to choke on my cock, Vivian? Is that what you want? You wanna take it like a good girl after I tie you to a fuck bench because you know I will.”
She moans.
“Do you want me to keep you strapped there and open for me to fuck? To watch my cum dripping out of you?”
She gasps yes. Gasps like she’s trapped and wants out, and I’m right here. Waiting. Taking. Giving.
“Goddamn, Vivian. You’re gonna fucking come right now, knowing you’ll exist for me to fuck every day. Do it. Be my sweet, shameless slut and come for me.”
Her orgasmic groan sounds like she’s in pain. It matches mine. I’m dizzy, dazed by desire and daylight with a throbbing cock for her.
“Jace.” I live for how she loves my name, how it belongs on her lips. “Did you come too?”
“Can’t right now. The whole public thing’s illegal in every state.”
“God, I wish you were with me so I could take care of you. So I could just even hold you. I’m so tired of waiting for us.”
I drag in a ragged inhale, making a dirty plan. “Soon, baby, I promise. Now, get dressed for brunch, and I’ll be with you the whole time. Okay?”
“Okay.” She lets another sigh free. “I got this.”
I end our call. Using my trick of tensing every muscle bigger than my swollen dick, I redirect my blood. After a couple of minutes, it works. I feel human again.
With hunting steps, I find Grant still standing by the stern. He’s watching the estate through the binoculars.
“There he goes,” he mutters, scoping the scumbag. “Off to the golf course in Mumsie and Daddy’s Windsor blue Bentley.”
“You sure that fucker will be there all day?”
“Yep.” Grant lowers the binoculars, aiming for the helm.
We know the drill. We’ll moor at the marina in minutes, and Grant will tail the scumbro, while I protect Vivian.
He jokes, firing up the engine. “It’ll be another rough day at the country club for me.”
“Good. Keep an eye on him and keep me posted,” I order over the rumbling water. “Because I’m craving ice cream today.”