Cardinal's Rule (34 page)

* * * *

An hour later, the doctor walked out to talk to them and they both stood to follow him to a quiet corner to discuss Landry’s condition. “He’s doing well, he’ll be in recovery for a few hours, then we’ll move him into a room. I want him to stay in for at least a couple of days just to make sure.”

They both sighed in relief. “How bad was it?” Tilly asked.

“It’s a good thing you got him in when you did. If he’d waited a day it could have severely

complicated his condition.”

“What about his other treatments?”

“I’ve already consulted with his oncologist. They said we’ll give him a few days to heal from this before they start him up again. But his blood work actually looked good, other than being anemic from the loss of blood, so that’s very promising. Don’t worry, this isn’t an uncommon occurrence.”

She relaxed against Cris’ comforting arm as he drew her close to his side. “Thank you, Doctor.”

She hugged Cris. “See?” she mumbled against his chest. “He’ll be okay.”

He stroked her back as he nuzzled the top of her head. “Thank you, Til. Thank you for being

here for him.”

She poked him in the chest. “Not just him. You, too.” She looked up into his face, stood on her toes, and kissed him. “No more whining about stuff you can’t control, right? New rule.”

He smiled. “Understood. I need to write these down. You have more rules than he does.”

“There’s only one rule you need to write down.”

He grinned. “Cardinal’s Rule: She must be obeyed.”

She let him hug her again as she laughed. “That’s right. Cardinal’s Rule. And I’m going to

smack Master Grouchypants upside the head when he gets better. He violated my ‘do what Tilly says’

rule.”

Cris snorted with amusement. “I’d hate to be him.”

They let them know when Landry was out of recovery and in a room. He looked pale and weak.

Tilly’s heart ached for him, wanting her strong husband back and knowing he had a long road to travel before that occurred.

Meanwhile, she realized she didn’t mind holding on to Cris’ hand for her own comfort.

Landry opened his eyes when she kissed his forehead. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I warned you I’m a suck-ass patient.”

Forcing a smile, she gently poked his shoulder. “Yeah, well, you get a whipping of your own for not listening to me and doing what I said. You promised.”

He nodded. “I deserve it.” He turned to Cris. “I’m sorry.”

Cris looked shocked. “For what?”

“For being an asshole, dumbass. That’s why. Why do you put up with me when I get like this?”

“Because I love you. So how badly am I getting beat for that little transgression?”

A weak smile curled Landry’s lips. “No. You stood up for her. I can’t punish you for that. If I hadn’t snapped at her, you wouldn’t have jumped in. That’s my fault. I admit it.”

Her heart ached as she watched Cris quickly wipe at his eyes. “I love you, Lan. Jesus Christ, you scared the hell out of us.”

“So, you’re still stuck with me? I’m not checking out yet? That couldn’t have been good.”

Tilly smiled. “Yeah, you don’t get away from us that easy, buster. Doctor says you’ll be okay, it’s just a minor setback. Ruptured blood vessel. They fixed it and after a couple days here for observation, you can go home.”

He started to say something when the nurse came in to take his vitals and check his IV meds.

“I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over,” she said.

Landry crooked a finger at them. “Come give me a kiss. Both of you.”

Cris let Tilly go first. When they stepped back, Landry pointed at Cris. “You keep taking good care of her, you hear? That’s an order.”

He smiled. “Yes,
Sir
.”

Landry settled back against his pillow. “Smart ass.”

“Grouchy bastard.”

“Brat,” Landry shot back with a teasing, albeit tired tone. Tilly got the impression this was some sort of tradition with them.

“Stubborn.”

“
I’m
stubborn?” Landry said. “You’re pigheaded.”

“Look who’s talking—”

“Boys,” Tilly interrupted. “Focus.”

The men chuckled. Cris leaned in for one last kiss. “Don’t harass your nurses, Lan. They might make your stay miserable. Especially if I bribe them.”

Landry smiled. “Say good night Gracie, and take my baby home.”

Tilly knew Landry addressed that to Cris, but she grabbed Cris’ hand. “Good night, Gracie.

Now let’s go home.”

Cris drove as she sat slumped in the passenger seat, her nerves shot. Nearly midnight, she was starving, exhausted, and belatedly realized she was looking at a night alone in a too-large bed.

Even though she’d spent years sleeping alone, now she couldn’t face the empty real estate on the other side of the mattress.

Cris fixed them both sandwiches. She took a long, hot shower and didn’t even try to go to sleep.

Instead, she changed into an oversized T-shirt and sleeping shorts and curled up with a blanket on the couch with an old movie channel on. A little after one, Cris returned to the living room, dressed in nothing but sleeping pants and his collar.

“Can’t sleep either?”

She shook her head.

“Mind if I join you?”

He looked like he expected her to make room at the foot of the couch, but she sat up and patted the other end. Once he sat, she settled herself in his lap. “Don’t make anything out of this,” she groused.

He held her hand. “I told you, I’ll settle for any scraps thrown my way and be damn grateful for them.”

She fell asleep in his lap five minutes later.

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning she awoke with a start to find herself cuddled against Cris on the couch. At some point during the night they’d changed positions. He was stretched out next to her with his arm comfortably draped over her waist.

A rush of memories swept through her, making her heart ache. More than one night they’d

curled up to watch a movie just to fall asleep like this.

“I’ll make us coffee,” he mumbled behind her, “if you want to call and check on him.”

“How’d you know I was awake?”

“I’ve been awake for a while.”

That’s when she realized the firm shape pressed against her ass was his hard cock. It had felt so comfortable, so familiar, it took a moment to realize what it meant. She’d even snuggled more tightly against him, like she’d used to.

Reality finally broke through. Like a hot poker to her flesh, she jumped up from the couch.

“Um, okay. Yeah. I’ll call. Thanks.”

Racing to her bedroom, she closed the door behind her, all sleep gone from her system.

It had been all she could do not to roll over and kiss him, to make love to him.

She pressed her forehead against the door and took several long, deep breaths to calm herself.

Landry’s nurse assured her he’d had a comfortable night and might be allowed to eat breakfast, albeit a clear liquid diet, that morning. When she returned to the kitchen, this time with a bathrobe on over the clothes she’d slept in, she didn’t miss Cris’ playful smirk.

“What?” she asked.

“It won’t bite you.”

She felt her face redden. “You know, I’m not forcing you to walk around with twenty pounds of weight hanging from your balls, and I told him he’s not allowed to castrate you. Cut me some slack.”

“I’m sorry, Til.” He still looked amused as he poured her coffee first and fixed it before handing it to her. “It’s just you ran like a scalded cat. The look on your face was hysterical.”

Unfortunately, she couldn’t get the thought out of her mind as she took a shower. She’d slept damn good, like a fucking rock.

It was the rare night she hadn’t slept well when with Cris.

Filing those conflicting feelings away under the heading of
Ignore at All Costs
, she got ready to go visit Landry.

* * * *

Unfortunately, the memory of what Cris called her in the waiting room kept creeping back to

mind.

Baby girl.

The unexpected flood of memories and emotions that simple endearment had brought back

startled her. Despite that, she still slept on the couch the next two nights, with Cris, quickly falling asleep while watching movies, until Landry returned from the hospital.

Upon returning home Landry immediately went to bed to sleep and she lay there and stared at

him, studying his features. She’d missed him, even with Cris’ presence to soothe her. Maybe one day she could bring herself to talk to Landry about it, to broach the subject and let him in that much more, to confess that longing to him.

To be his baby girl.

She went to sleep with the soothing, steady sound of his breath lulling her into sweet dreams.

* * * *

Landry’s healing and treatments progressed until he had another break from chemo six weeks

later. Tilly was working on her computer one evening when Landry walked into the office and kissed the back of her neck.

“Busy?”

“Not too much. Why?”

He draped his arms over her shoulders. “I have a favor to ask.”

His tone of voice more than anything put her on alert. “What?”

“Would you mind if I spent some time with Cris tonight?”

Her body tensed. “Why would I mind?” He hadn’t spent time with Cris like that since the last time, the night she watched them together without them knowing about it.

“It is all right if you wish to say no.”

“It’s okay,” she insisted.

He stroked her hair. “Are you sure? I don’t wish to cause you any distress.”

“It’s fine.” She shut down her computer. If Cris was going to get laid, frankly, she wanted to be on the other end of the house with the door shut and the TV turned up loud enough to drown out the sound. Sharing him wasn’t as easy to agree to as it once had been.

Despite how she’d promised herself she wouldn’t do it, she still crept down the hall later after Landry made love to her and left her bed to go to Cris. As he had the last time, he held off his own climax, yet gave her two mind shattering ones that normally would have put her to sleep like a light.

Cris’ bedroom door stood open more than halfway, but she kept back far enough to watch them

in the mirror. Landry held Cris, kissing him, two lovers embracing and not a Master using his slave.

Her clit throbbed as she watched Landry straddle Cris and impale himself on his cock. It took every ounce of will inside her not to join them.

Cris stroked Landry’s thighs, twisted his nipples, then reached down and grabbed his cock.

“That’s it,” he hoarsely said. “Use my cock. Let me make you come.”

She felt an uncomfortable flashback as she remembered many times he’d said the same thing to her, in the same tone, as she rode him in their bed.

Cris closed his eyes and threw back his head, and that’s when Landry looked into the mirror and met her gaze.

Without words, she knew. He’d known about her presence the whole time, and probably the

other time, too. He smiled at her but didn’t stop his slow rise and fall on Cris’ cock

Still looking in the mirror, he crooked his finger at her.

She bolted for their bedroom and quietly closed the door behind her, leaning against it and

gasping for breath as tears spilled down her face. Dammit, she didn’t want to lose control like this.

She couldn’t be with Cris, not even like that.

Not after what she’d survived.

Never again could she make herself vulnerable to that man, even if she had Landry as her rock 

to keep her steady. Sleeping—clothed—on a couch was one thing. Watch him get the shit beat out of him? Sure.

Not this. Maybe one day, but not now.

She crawled under the covers and tried to go to sleep, but her heart raced in her chest. After what felt like forever, but she knew was maybe a half-hour later, he returned and slipped into bed with her.

Not a drop of sleep in her system.

He kissed the back of her neck. “Are you all right, love?”

“Yeah.”

He made her roll over to face him. “Do you wish for me not to do that again?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s okay.”

He brushed the hair away from her face. It was now long enough he could run his hands

through it while they made love. “If you ever wish it,” he rumbled, “you are always welcomed to join us.” He nibbled on the base of her throat and she softly moaned as her body betrayed her.

He entered her, slowly stroking. “I saved that for you, love. Just for you.”

Her body melted as she writhed against him. Before he could ask for it, she climaxed as her

throbbing clit rubbed against him perfectly.

Another quick thrust and he joined her. With his lips buried against her shoulder, he whispered,

“You are my love. I will always save the best for you.”

She immediately dropped to sleep in his arms, with his softening cock buried inside her.

* * * *

One more round of treatment, then another break. With his break in chemo, Landry returned to

a playful, if somewhat subdued mood. He awoke the next Saturday morning and rolled on top of her, kissing her.

“Good morning, tiger,” she teased.

“Let’s go to the club tonight.”

She frowned. “Are you feeling up to it?”

“You are worse than Cris.”

“Well, the nurse part of me can’t forget the whole vomiting blood incident. I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard.”

“The doctor said I can do what I feel like doing. I feel like going to the club tonight. I’ll take a nap this afternoon.”

She didn’t miss the playful gleam in his eye. “Aaannnd?”

He grinned. “I want to take you out to breakfast, and then shopping.”

“Shopping?”

He kissed her, long and hard enough she felt her own desire stirring. “Shopping.”

Cris didn’t react when Landry told him not to bother making them breakfast, that the two of

them were going out. He nodded. “Yes, Master. Any instructions?”

“Use the day for any work-related issues needing your attention. Make sure you don’t wear