Cardinal's Rule (20 page)

When he returned to his room, he couldn’t help but stop by the office again. As far as he could tell, she’d kept all his books. Ones that had been his alone and not hers were crammed on the inconvenient shelves in the far corner. But books they’d bought together and both enjoyed, she still had those, too.

He wanted to talk to her, to apologize again, hopefully without her trying to take his nuts off in the process. He knew he could never make it up to her, but he wanted her to understand why he’d done what he did.

He couldn’t let Landry die.

Cris tried not to think while he took his shower and dressed. He waited as directed in the living room. A little before six, Landry emerged from the bedroom. Cris’ heart thumped in his chest when he saw the way he was dressed.

The man looked damn good, especially in the tailored suit. Cris wondered when he’d bought it.

“How do I look?” he asked as he turned. “You may answer.”

“Very handsome, Master.” No lie. He wanted to drop to his feet and cling to him, beg him to

forgive him and let them move forward. The loneliness he’d felt since the revelation ate at him.

Landry smiled. “Tilly picked out the tie.”

Cris didn’t know if he was expected to reply to that, so he kept his mouth shut.

“I will remind you that, no matter what, you do not speak unless I give you permission to do so.”

Cris nodded.

“Go get the toy bag. I want you to put on your locking wrist cuffs, the black leather ones, not the suspension ones. I want a double-ended clip and the braided leather leash to take with us. Lay out the coil of blue rope on the bed, along with your ankle cuffs and the big ball gag.” He hooked a thumb 

over his shoulder, indicating the master bedroom. “On that bed in there. Do it fast.”

Cris’ heart hammered as he went to comply. When he carried the items into the bedroom, he

spotted how Landry had arranged the unlit candles. The fresh flowers had been transferred to vases full of water.

It looked romantic.

He suspected those weren’t for his sake. He had an even stronger feeling that the rope and other accoutrements were.

Promptly at six-thirty, he heard a car in the driveway. The doorbell rang a moment later. He went to answer as Landry walked up behind him. A limo driver stood there. “Mr. LaCroux?”

“Yes,” Landry said. “We’ll be right there.” He grabbed his keys, turned off the lights, and

locked the door behind them. Cris carried the leash and clip as ordered.

The driver held the door for them. Landry climbed in first then pointed to one of the side-facing seats. “You, there,” he told Cris.

He complied.

Landry sat back and then patted his pocket. “Wouldn’t want to forget.”

Cris didn’t ask what.

“Remember, no talking tonight.”

Cris nodded.

Landry smiled. “That’s my good boy.”

Chapter Eleven

Cris felt hope mix with his fear.

That’s my good boy.

If Landry still wanted him, he would tough out whatever punishment was headed his way. He

had no doubts that whatever his Master had in mind was a doozie in terms of retribution.

He recognized they were heading to the club. Cris tried to beat back his anxiety. He would do whatever Landry asked of him, except hurt Tilly again. He’d hurt her enough already. She’d deserved better than he gave her, no arguments there.

When the limo pulled up to the club, Landry’s face hardened as he leaned forward. “Remember, no talking. If you don’t like what happens tonight, you can leave and I’ll put you on a plane back to California. You get no say in the matter.”

Cris nodded.

Landry motioned him over, snapped the leash to his collar, and used the other clip to secure his wrist cuffs together. Cris had a feeling this wasn’t the worst torment he’d endure tonight, even though it’d been several years since Landry had put him on a leash in public for punishment.

He despised the leash and the humiliation it brought him.

When the driver opened the back door, Landry exited first. Cris followed close behind when

Landry jerked on the leash. He cringed when Ross met them in the club’s lobby. No one else was there, although the many cars in the parking lot indicated more people were inside the dungeon already.

Ross greeted Landry with a friendly smile and a handshake and totally ignored Cris. He waited, head bowed, while the two men talked. After a few minutes, Landry’s sharp voice and a snap of the leash caught Cris’ attention.

“Slave!”

Cris stepped closer, keeping his eyes on the floor.

“Ross has something he wants to say to you, slave,” Landry said. “Look at him when he talks to you.”

Cris forced his gaze up. The man he used to consider his best friend wore a murderous look.

“You fucking son of a bitch,” he growled. “Losing you nearly killed her. Tilly won’t let me castrate you, but Landry said I can do this.” He punched Cris square in the gut, doubling him over in pain.

Landry stood there, smiling, his arms crossed. “You should have heard his better revenge

fantasies involving a propane torch,” Landry teased. “Unfortunately, my sweet Tilly is a spoil-sport.

Lucky for you, she’s forbidden castration and maiming.”

Cris struggled to catch his breath and finally did, coughing, his restrained hands on his knees as he stayed doubled over for another moment to recover. Even through his pain he didn’t miss the possessive term Landry used to describe Tilly.

“I would let him answer for himself, Ross,” Landry continued, “but I’ve forbid him to speak

without my permission tonight. That will have to wait for another time.” He slapped Cris on the shoulder. “You did very well, I must say. I expected at least a cry of pain or a swear word, but you remained silent.”

His eyes on the floor again, Cris nodded after he straightened, praying Landry wouldn’t let Ross take another swipe at him.

The door leading to the dungeon opened and a woman stuck her head out. “Ross, Loren just

called. They’re on their way.”

Ross and Landry, with Cris following behind at the end of the leash, entered the dungeon area.

Cris didn’t want to look around. He knew the brief, angry silence that greeted him even while people cheerfully greeted Landry told him more than he needed to know. With a practiced, familiar flick of his wrist, Landry jerked the leash downward. Cris knelt on the floor at his side, head bowed.

If he had to endure this, he would endure it as best he could. He suspected it was the only way to regain Landry’s good graces. He tried to ignore the conversations around him, choosing instead to drift into his memories. Not a day went by he didn’t think about her, miss her. It felt weird to be in her house without her there, familiar and strange signs of her presence all around, things he remembered, things he’d never seen before.

A well-known stranger.

Voices near the door greeted someone. When Cris didn’t look up, Landry jerked the leash hard, indicating he wanted his attention.

Loren wore a beautiful blue brocade corset and long, flowing black skirt. When Tilly walked in 

behind her…

His breath left in a rush. The purple dress suited her, gorgeous.

Landry leaned over and viciously pulled his hair to yank his head back. “Isn’t she beautiful?

Just think…you could be in my position right now instead of on your knees like a dog.” When Landry released his hair, he patted the top of Cris’ head.

Tilly and Loren walked over. When it looked like Loren wanted to kick him, Cris didn’t miss

how Tilly deftly stepped between them as they talked.

Cris felt a measure of relief at that, immediately followed by a wave of guilt that after what he’d done to her, she felt she had to protect him.

Landry smiled and leaned in for a kiss from Tilly. “You’re beautiful, love.”

She was. Cris wanted to stand, take her into his arms, and kiss her.

He also realized that might get him killed, considering the gathered group of people and how they glared at him.

Landry offered her his arm and, without hesitating, jerked Cris’ leash. Cris scrambled to his feet and scurried to keep up, knowing Landry wouldn’t hesitate to yank him off his feet and drag him across the floor if he didn’t follow fast enough.

Loren and Ross left Tilly’s side and went to talk to some other people. Cris had a bad feeling what was about to occur, even though he didn’t want to believe it. When a photographer started taking posed pictures of Tilly and Landry, together and with other people, he knew.

After Landry spent a few more minutes talking with Tilly and others, Landry patted her on the arm and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be right there. I need to take care of something.”

She walked off, talking with others, while Landry pulled him into one of the curtained alcoves set aside for privacy. He pulled the black curtain shut behind them and turned on him, his voice low.

“You will not ruin this for her, do you understand me, slave?”

Cris nodded.

“You’ve behaved perfectly so far. Keep it up.” Landry unclipped Cris’ hands but left the cuffs on him. Then he reached into his pants pocket and withdrew a ring box. He opened it and took out a beautiful, delicate wedding band and handed it to him.

“You’ll be my best man, slave. Apropos, is it not? You get to help me marry the woman you

love. She’s asked Ross to stand up for her.” He studied Cris. “Everything changes back to some 

semblance of what we used to have as of Wednesday, because that’s when I go into the hospital. Until then, if you wish to stay by my side, you will behave and obey without hesitation, question, or complaint. Understood?”

Cris nodded.

“Good.” He led Cris out of the alcove.

Loren waved Landry across the room. “Ready?” she asked when they joined her.

He nodded.

Everyone, about thirty people in all, gathered to watch. Dressed in everything from evening

casual to full fetish gear, Cris knew about a third of the people in attendance.

He suspected everyone knew who he was.

Tilly walked up, her arm hooked through Ross’ and carrying a small bouquet of purple flowers.

Ross tenderly kissed her cheek before handing her off to Landry.

She never looked at him, her eyes only on the man she was about to marry.

Cris didn’t listen to the words. He couldn’t. His heart breaking, he watched as she recited the vows Loren told her before she slipped the ring Ross handed her on Landry’s finger.

Only because Landry reached back for the ring did Cris know to hand it to him. Cris fought his tears, refused to cry in front of everyone and spoil this for her.

Loren sounded genuinely happy. “By the power invested in me by the laws of the State of

Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

* * * *

Tilly couldn’t believe she was actually going through with this. The day had rushed by in a blur with Loren unerringly steering her through the preparations, her nails and hair and make-up, everything.

She tried not to focus on Cris. This could have been her day with him. She’d been willing to spend her life with him.

His loss.

Instead, she let herself sink into Landry’s green eyes. His gentle hands felt scorching hot against hers as he slipped the ring on her finger and recited his vows, his gaze never wavering from her.

When Loren declared them married, Landry leaned in and kissed her with a gentle passion that threatened to unleash the fires raging below her surface. Dammit, she did want him, revenge or not.

She wanted him to fuck her brains out. She knew his game, and maybe he didn’t love her, maybe she couldn’t honestly say she loved him—yet—but she could and would enjoy tonight.

Everyone applauded as they kissed. When he lifted his mouth from hers he whispered, “I can’t wait to take my beautiful wife home and ravish her.”

Her knees weakened. She felt thankful he’d already offered his arm for her to hold on to. For a gay man, he damn sure pushed her buttons with precise accuracy.

Cris trailed behind them as they walked to the other side of the dungeon where tables and chairs had been set up. Landry paused only long enough to clip the leash to the table leg next to his chair, snap the clip onto his cuffs to hold them together, and point to the floor.

Cris obediently knelt beside Landry’s chair.

She swallowed back the uncomfortable lump in her throat. Shouldn’t she be enjoying this?

Seeing him cut down? Participating in his public humiliation, even? Isn’t that what she’d wanted?

Landry distracted her by offering to get her a plate of food. She nodded. While he was gone, even as she talked to others and accepted their congratulations, her gaze wandered to Cris’ bowed head.

When Landry returned, he sat next to her and blocked her view of Cris. She didn’t miss how

Landry occasionally took pieces of food from his plate and reached his hand down beside him.

She tried not to think about that and focused on their friends. Loren and Ross sat at their table, as did Kim and Kylee. When it came time to cut the cake, that’s when Tilly felt her next apprehension.

Even though it was a beautifully decorated sheet cake, not a traditionally tiered wedding cake, Landry stood with her to help her cut it. While everyone cheered them on, trying to get them to smash the cake into each other’s faces, Landry winked at her and gently fed her a small, manageable bite.

He kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “I am not a stupid man. I don’t wish to upset a woman so skilled at wielding a whip as you are.”

His eyes twinkled and she couldn’t help but laugh. When it was her turn, she deliberately

brushed the piece of cake against his chin, dabbing a little frosting on him in the process. The spectators hooted, albeit slightly disappointed.

Landry laughed too, but before he wiped his chin she leaned in and licked the frosting off,

prompting a pleased round of cheers from the others.

Before she could step back he kissed her again, the taste of cake fresh on his lips.