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“W ell, well, well, if it isn’t the Duke of Gotham. Didn’t think you were ever going to leave the honeymoon suite, Batman.”

Groaning, Darius strode into the Trident Security conference room where most of the operatives and supervisors had gathered for a morning briefing.

Boss-man hadn’t been the only one teasing him about his new title—Duke of Kasala—that King Rajeemh had bestowed upon him following the wedding.

Thankfully, it was one he wouldn’t have to use often, just at formal functions in Timasur, however, the press had been referring to him that way.

Hopefully, all the hubbub would soon die down, and he and Tahira could find a new, comfortable normal life together.

For now, they were living in the Clearwater Beach estate—it had been the easiest thing to do, and Darius preferred to know Tahira was protected there when he wasn’t around.

He still had his job to do—it was something they both agreed he wouldn’t give up for now.

“If you think we’re going to be bowing and kissing your ass, think again,” Devon added with a smirk.

Darius took an empty seat between McCabe and Foster. “You have permission to shoot me if I ever demand that. I finally got most of the staff at the mansion to stop bowing. Thank God I didn’t get a “Royal Highness” title. I’d go fucking nuts.”

“Where’s Tahira?” Lindsey asked from across the table.

“Visiting with Angie and Kristen. She’s nervous about tonight and wanted to talk to them.

” When Darius had told Tahira he wanted to attend the meeting, even though they were leaving for Tahiti tomorrow for their honeymoon, she’d decided to take the ride with him.

This evening was their collaring ceremony, and he had to admit, he was really anticipating it.

Telling everyone he was her first and last Dom meant a lot to him. Tahira had told him she felt the same.

They’d barely been off the estate grounds since leaving the hotel they’d spent the first two nights in as man and wife, and he knew she’d been looking forward to some time with people who treated her like everyone else.

The club members didn’t bow to her or gush over her, and as a result, Tahira was able to relax and just be herself.

No crown. No protocols, other than D/s. No media hounding her.

In the club and in their bedroom, she was just Tahira, Darius’s sub, wife, and lover.

And according to her, that’s all she’d ever wanted. “So, what’s on the agenda?”

Ian glanced at his watch. “Just waiting on—”

“I’m here!” Logan Reese rushed in and took a seat. “Sorry, I’m late—hit traffic.”

“All right, let’s get going. As of right now, I’m on labor alert until my kid decides to finally join this fucked-up world we live in. That means you’re calling Dev for everything that’s not a dire emergency. If he thinks I need to know about it, he’ll pass it on.”

Picking up a folder, Ian proceeded to run through a long list of assignments, doling out new ones and getting updates on cases in progress.

For the first in a very long time, Darius was looking forward to going on vacation, but knowing he’d be spending most of it in bed making love to his new bride was probably the reason behind it.

He was still getting used to the fact he was married and a ring proving it was on his left hand.

Before Darius knew it, the meeting was breaking up. As they all filed out of the conference room to start their days, his teammates and friends slapped him on the back, telling him to have fun and not to do anything they wouldn’t do. Since that wasn’t much, it left him with a lot of leeway.

“Come on, Batman; I’ll walk over to the studio with you. I want to check on Angie.”

When they entered the little cottage that housed Kristen’s and Angie’s workspaces—perfectly set up for the famous author and creative artist—the three women looked up and smiled.

Little JD was swinging back and forth in some cradle contraption, kicking his legs and giggling.

Between him and Tahira, sitting on a nearby sofa, was Beau.

The black and white dog was enjoying the ear scratching Darius’s wife was giving him.

For a moment, Darius had an image of Tahira with their child.

He or she would have his green eyes and her dark hair.

Maybe they’d even get a dog for the kid to grow up with.

But no matter what they did, they’d do it together.

Somehow, some way, Darius had found his soulmate.

The woman who took his breath away from across the room.

The woman he would love, cherish, and respect until his dying day.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed Darius and Tahira’s story! If you have an opportunity to leave a review on your favorite sites, they are greatly appreciated!