7. Declan
7
DECLAN
C ara stayed at my side all through the reception.
It seemed like a waste of time and energy to throw a party celebrating my third wedding.
The first one with Erin was the fanciest, with five hundred guests. It ended with two separate brawls and three men killed.
Marrying Caitlin resulted in more drama, even though the guest list was smaller and the evening was short and simple.
This time, only a couple of hundred partiers drank and mingled in the grand reception hall Ian had secured when Shane complained that he wasn’t having luck finding anything in his “budget”.
Celebrating in a crowd wasn’t my preference, and there wasn’t any victory here. I’d put my ring on yet another bride. The real test that I cared about was whether she’d live long enough to bear my child.
Which is all the more reason to fucking go now.
Ian caught my attention at the head table, raising his brows as if he’d heard my thoughts.
I had no interest in pretending to be a newlywed with Cara. The faster I got her alone and fucked her, my true purpose with her would be settled. For tonight, at least. I’d soak her cunt with my cum until it took root and she was pregnant.
That was all I needed from her.
Yet, as I turned and glanced at her again, hearing her sigh once more, I felt stuck with this nagging curiosity to want to know more about her.
She was a stranger, one reluctantly connected to me forever.
And I knew not a single thing about the gorgeous redhead.
Other than the fact that she’s far from happy about being here. I could give credit where it was due. Every time guests came up to congratulate her, she faked a polite smile and pretended to be engaged with small talk. It was all a lie. She was just as sick as I was of sitting around here while this party dragged on.
It proved how little she would care about her marriage with me, and I wondered what she did value. What she cared about.
What made you change your mind?
I respected her bravery. Cara didn’t pout or stomp like a petulant child about marrying me like her stepsister had. No. Cara ran, trying to take charge of her life and do what she wanted. She’d taken a risk in attempting to flee as soon as she saw me. It didn’t bother me that the mere sight of me had frightened her off.
She couldn’t have been scared because of my reputation. While we stood at the altar, I wondered if she’d balked because she’d heard about the misfortunes that found my previous wives. My track record wasn’t stellar, but she hadn’t even known my name.
It hardly mattered what intimidated her about me. She’d stood there, bold and pissed, and said her I do .
But why?
I glanced at Shane across the hall. He sat with Keira as the woman ranted at him.
What a life. I wouldn’t be a husband to be nagged by my wife. I didn’t plan on being near her long enough to hold a conversation with her. Just to fuck her. That was all I needed.
Shane had to have held something over her to get her to comply. Something he’d used as leverage to get his unacknowledged and cast-aside eldest daughter to coerce her to marry me.
I wonder what that text was.
As soon as Cara’s phone pinged, she’d been reminded of why she should go along with this marriage. Her face had paled. She’d looked terrified. Whatever that message was, it convinced her to become the next Mrs. Sullivan.
She sipped her water, meeting my gaze, and I wanted to kiss her fucking smirk off her lips.
Yeah, hate me all you want. I’m not having fun either.
“Dec.”
I turned the other way, facing Ian. He tipped his chin toward the other side of the dance floor. Cara and I hadn’t bothered. Dancing was for fools. Just like the two men walking among the guests out there.
Peter Boyle and the same asshole who’d accused one of my fighters of cheating.
“How the fuck did they get in here?” I demanded.
Ian shrugged, moving to stand.
“No. I’ll deal with them.” I held my hand out to him, suggesting that he stand guard over Cara. She’d stuck at my side the whole two hours we were here. I didn’t trust her not to leave. She was already showing as a flight risk.
By the time I crossed the dance floor, they were dealt with. Another man I trusted had reached them and gotten them to think twice about coming here to spy or otherwise stir up trouble. Many members of the crime families were here. Some as allies, others as enemies, and more as something in between. But the Boyles were by far my father’s nemesis, and I refused to let them stay.
When I turned back to the table, surprised with how badly I wanted to be near my sexy wife again, I stopped short.
She wasn’t there.
The table was empty.
Fuck!
I hurried toward Ian, who spoke with a dignitary who liked having our protection. He smiled, mingling and doing that diplomatic, bureaucratic bullshit I didn’t have the patience for. As soon as he noticed me storming close, he frowned.
“What’s wrong?” He leaned to look past me. “Is Boyle?—”
I grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him closer, yanking him out of his conversation. “Where is she?”
He huffed. “On the patio outside. She wanted a breath of fresh air.”
Ignoring how he looked at me like I was insane to be this worried, I released him and glowered at the floor-to-ceiling windows that showed the darkness of the night out there.
“Dec.” He smoothed down his jacket where I’d wrinkled the garment. “Relax. The guards are out there.”
“She’s a runner. I can tell.” I wouldn’t update him about how she'd tried to make a deal with me to let her go in six months. I had no intention to ever give her up. Besides, couldn’t he understand how dire this was? Cara had to work out. She had to give me an heir. Dad wouldn’t live long enough for Ian to locate another bride for me.
“You’re seriously going to hover over her?” He shook his head, amused. “Relax,” he repeated. “The guards would stop her from running.”
I didn’t believe him. I jogged outside, seeking her in the shadows. When I didn’t spot her immediately, my heart raced. Adrenaline filled me. I wanted a fight. I was spoiling for one, eager to vent this instant anger that she’d fucking run off.
“Fuck!” I grumbled to myself as I stalked around, searching through the gardens out back. The landscaped area offered numerous paths leading to fountains and artistic hedges. It would be too easy for someone to sneak away with this confusing labyrinth of greenery. And she was determined, too.
“You fucking little?—”
I stopped short, losing the other half of my complaint as I found her.
Seated on a granite bench, she rolled her head like she was erasing the kinks in her tight neck.
Clamping my lips shut, I gritted my teeth and stalked toward her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
She whirled around, standing as she pivoted on the bench. “What?” Narrowing her eyes, she lost that slight peaceful expression she wanted to hide from me.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I grabbed her arm, bringing her with me out of this clearing of soft grass. She wobbled in her heels, struggling to walk as quickly as I did over the lawn.
“I was getting a breath of fresh air!” She struggled to wrench free, and I growled, turned on and riled up even more by her antagonism.
“The fuck you were.” I leaned back, hoisting her up and over my shoulder.
“Declan! Put me down!”
“You were going to run.” I gritted my teeth as she wriggled to get free.
“I wasn’t. Goddammit! I just wanted fresh air!”
She wiggled and fought, shouting obscenities at me as I hastened to carry her straight to one of the cars waiting on the drive.
Putting her down wasn’t possible. The longer I kept her in my arms, touching her with my hands, I knew she was here. With me. Without anywhere to go. The relief of finding her and catching her was bliss, but just entertaining the possibility that my third wife could have left me too soon had me furious.
I shoved her, fighting and growling, into the backseat. Then I exhaled hard, my nostrils flaring, as I rounded the car to get in the driver’s seat. The uniformed valet worker trembled, mouth open in fear and shock, as I held out my hand.
“Give me the fucking key.”
He did, and I wasted no time speeding out of there and taking Cara straight to my house. Tuning out her threats and shouts, I focused on getting her to my bed as quickly as possible. Driving to the estate house in the country would take too long. I couldn’t manage that much of a wait. I had to take her. Now . I had to show her in the simplest yet complicated way that she was fucking mine no matter how much she’d try to run.
“I just wanted to breathe !” she snapped, wrestling with the billowy layers of her dress. She was surrounded by the material in the backseat, frustrated and batting down the material.
Oh, I’ll get you out of that shit in just a fucking minute.
I parked, slamming on the brakes hard enough that she jolted forward. She put her hand up to stop the impact against the back of my seat, but by the time I got out and wrenched open the back door, she’d scrambled back to the other side of the car.
I wasn’t fast enough. She was still so determined. At any other time, in any other circumstances, I would’ve admired that she didn’t give up.
I ran around the car as she stood. Holding her hands out, warding me off, she caught her breath. “Stop!”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“You don’t have to haul me around!” She glanced at the mansion and grunted. “I can walk.”
You sassy woman. Desire swelled within me as I passed her, taking her hand and pulling her inside.
I never cared to have much staff here, and I made sure no one would be on duty tonight. I wanted all the freedom to stuff my dick into Cara’s pussy as much as I wanted without any interruption. If I were lucky, she’d carry my child from tonight’s efforts alone and spare me the obligation to try again.
Slamming her against the back of the door after I closed it, though, I realized it wouldn’t be a chore at all.
Her fiery glare made my blood burn hotter. The sight of her tits damn near spilling out taunted me. And the stubborn lift of her chin challenged me.
“Bend over,” I growled.
She grunted in surprise as I whirled her around fast. Her hands shot out, slamming against the old wood panel.
I yanked at her dress, shoving it up until I found her panties. One tug ripped them, but she protested.
“Declan. Can’t?—”
I grabbed her hands and smacked them to the door. “Keep your fucking hands right there.”
I unzipped my pants and freed my cock, stiff as steel and dripping moisture. She was temptation personified, making me ache for her submission. And I didn’t wait to claim it, to take her and possess her.
Keeping her dress up, I grabbed her hips and tugged her back. She gasped at the first touch. I lined my dick up with her slit, but I paused.
Looking down at her pussy lips, her legs splayed wide from my kicks at her feet to open up her stance, I watched the glistening smear of her cream as I held my cockhead right there.
She was wet.
She was…
She wanted it. She wanted me. Even though she’d protested, she was aroused.
So I notched myself deeper, watching my mushroomed head disappear into her pink flesh.
She arched back, and I grabbed both of her hands in one of mine. Shoving her hands back to the door, I followed through and thrust my dick into her.
Every hard inch. All the way into her tight, slick pussy. She choked me, squeezing me in so hard that I growled at the intensity of pressure.
She either hadn’t done this in a while or?—
A virgin.
Fuck. I hadn’t counted on that. I should have. She had to be at least fifteen years younger than me, but I hadn’t anticipated this gift.
“Fuck.”
She cried out, sobbing instantly at the intrusion.
I didn’t stop. It felt too fucking good. Like heaven. A rare treasure. I hammered her cunt, pulling out and driving back in so fast that her head hung low until she hit it against the door.
Soon, her cries turned to gasps. And with every torturous glide back and forth as I stretched her, I felt the tension of her inner walls clamping down on me. Slick with her juices, I stared as my dick sank into her over and over. Until my balls tightened. My spine zinged with pressure. And I came.
I continued fucking her as hard as I could, flooding her womb with my hot cum. Jerking from the force of losing my load in her, I punched my hips toward hers.
Her pussy fluttered, still reacting with waves of her own orgasm as I pinned her to the door. Exhausted from the burn and buildup of wanting to fuck her, I leaned against the entrance until my knees weren’t as shaky, until I could straighten and pull out of her tight sheath.
She winced, her head turned sideways and pressed against the door. Her eyes remained closed, and I watched as my cum dribbled down her thighs.
I reached over and flicked the lock on the door she rested upon. The sound jarred her, and she opened her eyes.
Without stepping back, I reached low to thrust two of my fingers into her, shoving my cum back inside.
“Don’t even think about running,” I warned.
Then I turned, heading to bed without another glance at the thoroughly fucked woman who was no longer a virgin.
My wife.