Page 50 of Darkest Before Dawn (His Perfect Darkness #2)

R ex

I’ve never enjoyed weddings. After years of delving into the dark secrets of New Rome citizens, I know too much. Everywhere I look in society, I see sinister motives bubbling under the superficial smiles. It’s hard to make small talk with the mayor’s wife when you know he’s cheating on her.

On the other hand, if someone was good and pure-hearted, they held no interest for me.

I didn’t trust any show of happiness. Most of it was fake, and when it was real, it was bland.

This wedding is different. This one is mine. I stand at the altar, vibrating with readiness. The guests murmur to each other in their seats, but I can’t hear or see anything. I’m waiting for Inara.

The string symphony starts up and the guests quiet. Inara appears, and my heart stops.

She’s breathtaking in a white sheath and gold jewelry. Her right hand now bears a ring with the Roy crest, the roaring lion. It’s obvious to everyone she belongs to me.

What the guests don’t know is that my wife’s ass has cane marks all over it.

Remnants of our revelries last night. They don’t know that even now, she also wears a harness of soft white leather crisscrossing over her entire torso because she is rarely out of bondage anymore.

They don't know that the golden circlet at her neck is really a collar. Or maybe they do. St. James is smirking in the corner. The bastard invited himself like we thought, and I don’t even care.

Inara walks toward me. I want to run to her. I want to banish all the guests and make her crawl to me.

Maybe later.

She meets my gaze, and the rest of the world ceases to exist. There’s only the two of us and our promise to each other.

Will you let me hold you?

Yes.

Will you let me collar you?

Yes.

Will you let me keep you?

Yes.

Every step she takes is another affirmation of her commitment to us. Yes, yes, yes. She draws near and I take her wrist, pulling her closer. The officiant starts officiating, but I can’t hear a word. I can only hear my little bird saying I love you over and over again.

Inara

Before Rex, I’d never been to a wedding, much less imagined one for myself. This one is more beautiful than I could’ve dreamed.

Nadia and her team outdid themselves again, transforming the lawns of Roy Manor into a jasmine-scented paradise. Giant urns are overflowing with flowering vines, and peacocks stroll past the guests. They installed seven new fountains and extended the labyrinth.

I feel like I’m floating. As soon as Rex took my wrist, my feet left the ground. I’m flying and never coming down.

When it’s time for our first dance as a properly married couple, I take Rex’s hand, noting how his eyes crinkle when he pulls me in. His back straightens, and his chest swells, and I know he’s feeling triumphant. Just like he did the first time we danced.

“No gloves,” he murmurs.

“No.” I never want anything between us again.

He spins me around, and I glide easily in the direction he guides me. My back twinges a little, reminding me my muscles are sore from our scene last night. But the leather harness I’m wearing holds me together. It’s a reminder of both Rex’s care and control. I’ll never be without it again.

We dance and drink and laugh under the stars, surrounded by our friends. When it’s time for the guests to dance, I see Victor’s white-blond head across the way. He’s dancing with a dark-haired diva who’s wearing red lipstick and a form-fitting navy dress.

Mina and Lacy are sitting in places of honor. They’re my first stop when I make the rounds.

“Damn, girl.” Mina waves her drink around, making champagne slosh everywhere. “Is this your house?”

“It is now.” I grin at her, then turn to Lacy and give her a hug.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispers.

“Thank you,” I whisper back.

I notice Hamish has seated himself between both of them. I drift away, confident that Hamish will take care of drunk Mina. Although he seems to be more interested in keeping Lacy’s glass filled.

Silva waves at me when I pass. He’s got not one, but two dates, both masc-presenting and gorgeous. Bonds is seated at their table, watching the throuple with an amused look on his face.

Our Fraternitas guests have their own table, as far away from my cop friends as possible.

“Look.” I nudge Rex. “St. James came.”

Rex grunts. St. James raises his glass in a toast to us. I wave while Rex seethes.

“At least he’s behaving,” I say.

“Unlike those two.” Rex points out Victor, who is leading his lady toward the labyrinth. “Shall I send security to break up their fun?”

I remember the times Victor had my back in a dangerous place and how he became a silent shadow. “He’d probably find a way to elude them.”

“Too right. But maybe I will send security after them, just to make things interesting.”

I wait until Rex gets cornered by the mayor and slip away to find St. James. He’s lingering on the edge of the dance floor, studying the dancers. For a moment, the torchlight plays on his face, and he looks lost. Then the shadows flicker, and the vulnerable expression is gone as if it never was.

He turns to me. “Congratulations, Mrs. Ramos.”

“Roy-Ramos. We’re going to hyphenate.”

“Ah. In any case, well done. You’ve tamed the lion.”

“I don’t know if he’s very tame. And it might be fair to say he tamed me.”

St. James dips his head to show his agreement, and I sense a beam of light glowing deep in the foggy depths of his aura.

I have a premonition that he’ll soon find the submissive he will want to cage forever.

Then it will be his turn to have someone drive him out of his mind and break all his iron-clad control.

“What is it?” he asks. His gray eyes miss nothing.

I shake my head. “I just wanted to thank you. For everything.” On impulse, I push up to tiptoe and kiss his cheek.

His breath huffs out of him, and he goes still, as if the touch of my lips turned him to stone. Then his lips curl up slightly. “You’re playing with fire.”

I look past him to where Rex is glowering at both of us. “I know. He’s not going to be happy with me.”

“Ah, the bratty games of a masochistic sub,” St. James chuckles. “You better return to him before he tries to kill me in front of the mayor.”

“I won’t let him do that. He has to get permission from me before he murders anyone else. We agreed.” But I move on, returning to Rex’s side.

“Do you want to spend another night in the dungeon?” he growls in my ear after he extricates us from another boring conversation with a senator.

“You know I do.” His fingers tighten on my arm and I get a thrill.

“Don’t test me, little bird. I will put you in a cage.”

“I know.” That’s what I’m hoping for.

He thinks he’s clipping my wings, but I know the truth. Before Rex, I was in a cage, and now I fly free.

And tonight, when the guests have gone and we’re in the dungeon together, he undresses me himself. My gown falls away, leaving only the body harness framing my breasts and my sex. I feel perfect like this, bound and on display and owned.

Rex starts with gloves, stroking his leather-clad fingers down my skin until I’m mindless. Then he removes them and pinches my nipples until the pain washes me clean. We repeat our vows.

“Will you let me cage you?”

“Yes.”

“Will you let me keep you?”

“Yes.”

“Will you let me love you?”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

He grazes his teeth along my shoulder, biting into my skin until I cry out. I hope that he leaves not just a mark but a scar. I want this moment written on my skin. This blissful feeling, this all-encompassing love.

I can’t imagine feeling any more happy than I do right now.

But there’s more. Another revelation for us to share.Another frontier to conquer together.

It starts with a dream.

I’m lying in bed clutching my plush toy rabbit, pillow soft under my cheek. There’s a noise outside my door. A rush of air, a crackling sound, then I’m drenched in smoke and heat and flickering flame ? —

I jerk upright out of the dream. Rex is awake almost before I am. His hand slides over my back. The gentle touch brings me to the present moment.

“What is it?” Rex asks. “A dream?”

“A vision.”

“Past or present?” He’s not using his dom voice, but the commands help me focus.

“Future.” I squeeze his arm and nod to let him know I want him to keep prompting me.

“What did you see?”

“Smoke. Fire.” I describe the scene as best I can. It’s not a memory, although it felt like one. At first, I thought I was in my childhood bedroom, but it wasn’t mine. I explain this to Rex. “It was an apartment building. There was a window looking out onto the city.”

“Where? Can you give me any details?”

Please, I beg the gods, or my own mind, or whatever the supernatural source of the visions is. Please give me what I need.

The picture comes clearly. “There are four bell towers. A church. . .” I describe the view. “It’s a family. Mom, dad, four children. Twin toddlers and an older brother. And a little girl.” I saw everything through her eyes.

“All right.” Rex rises. I know he’s headed to his lair and surveillance system. He’s going to search the city, using the details of vision to try and help. If anyone can do it, it’s him.

I both want and don’t want him to go. I’m still half asleep, my heart sick with adrenaline. I’m too afraid to hope.

He pauses beside the bed, turning like he’s attuned to me. “It’s okay, Inara.” He kisses my forehead. “You rest. Call me if you get a vision of anything else.”

“Be careful,” I whisper, but he’s disappearing out the door.

The little girl sleeps curled with Binky, her plush rabbit. The much-beloved toy has one eye missing and matted fur, but to her, it’s the most perfect thing in the world. She dreams of sunshine and playtime in the park. But her nose wrinkles when a gust of air coats her face with smoky heat.

She comes awake with a start. Something is wrong. There’s no shouting, only a soft, strange noise, but it alerts her all the same. She calls for her mom and then her dad.