The Love He Craves (The Love She Craves: Selling Her Soul to Declan Book 2) (32 page)

Only then did she become aware of the feel of his kiss. An involuntary moan escaped her lips as he fisted her hair. How could having her hair pulled make her sex clench and her nipples tighten into hard buds?

He released her hair as he pulled back. Her eyes fluttered open to find him looking intensely at her. Both of them were trying to get their heavy breathing slowed.

“What God has brought together, let no man tear asunder,” the preacher announced. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Declan and Nyxie Stryker.”

“Are you all right?” he whispered into her ear. “I thought you were inviting me to touch your neck.”

“I was. I thought I was ready.”

He kissed her again, briefly, before extending his arm and beginning their walk back down the short aisle. Nyxie’s eyes first fell on her kids sitting in the front row. They all looked happy, but across the aisle sat his parents. Roy looked disgusted and had his arms crossed over his barrel chest and Dorothea had tears in her eyes above tightly pursed lips. Nyxie looked away, unable to do anything to make his parents like her.

Junior Vaughn was there. She hadn’t expected him to be invited. He was just one more person who thought Declan was a fool for marrying her. And worse, in the months since she had agreed to remain Declan’s wife, they had bargained with her new lawyer a nuptial agreement in which Declan made numerous concessions with which his lawyer did not agree.

When they reached the back, the seats quickly emptied and everyone lined up to greet the newlyweds.

Declan made sure she was on his left side so he could keep his arm around her as they shook hands because he understood her discomfiture in social situations.

~*~

“Do you think I should ask your mom if she wants some help?” Nyxie asked after everyone had greeted them.

“It’s our wedding, I forbid you from lifting a finger.”

“But….” Nyxie sighed.

“What the…?”

Nyxie followed Declan’s gaze and found Clete had returned. “Go find Emily and hang out with her, while I go see what he wants.”

Declan hated to leave her alone when his parents were so close, but he refused to let Clete’s presence go unchallenged.

“I asked you to leave nicely,” he said as he neared his former teammate.

“Dude, that little girl dropped a bombshell on me that she might be my daughter, and then you want me to leave? I don’t want to ruin your reception; I just want to talk to Melinda. Is she here? I don’t recognize her.”

“Melinda is in rehab. We are adopting Lotus and her sister.”

“Rehab? Like drug rehab?”

“Yeah, can you blame her for turning to drugs after what you and your friends did to her?”

“Not me. I had nothing to do with it,” he said, holding his hands up in a halting gesture.

“That’s not what I hear. You lured her to the party—you got her shit-faced.”

Clete’s neck and ears turned red. “I couldn’t stop them. I didn’t know how. I loved Melinda. We’d been seeing each other for a couple of months, but I was ashamed to admit it, so we kept it quiet. There was an abandoned house where we used to meet and hang out. My brother, Rowdy, followed me there and caught us. He talked me into taking her to the party. I think someone slipped something into her beer. She only had one or two before she passed out. I didn’t know how to stop them.”

“You should have called the police.”

“On my own brother? On my friends?”

“They were raping the girl you supposedly loved.”

“I was a fourteen-year-old kid.”

“So was she.”

Clete’s guilt and distress showed clearly on his rugged face. His eyebrows had drawn together and he looked as if he was fighting his emotions as he pulled his full lips between his teeth. His eyes closed as his head pivoted to the side as if he didn’t want Declan to see him fighting his emotions.

“Any one of them could be that girl’s father,” Declan said flatly.

“Unless she was already pregnant. We had been having sex almost from the start. She had been acting weird, but she wouldn’t say what was wrong,” Clete said, his eyes looking past Declan. “She looks like Melinda.”

“Leave the girl alone. She doesn’t need to know you. You lost your opportunity to be her father when you stood by and let your brother and friends rape her mother.”

“But if I’m her father….”

“Don’t even think about getting into the middle of the adoption. I will destroy you.”

Clete took a step back. “No, I just want to… I just want to know. I want a paternity test.”

“Over my dead body.”

Running his hands through his hair, the man’s frustration showed clearly on his face. “Melinda told her, I’m her father. She has a right to know me if I’m her dad. Hell, I have the right to get to know her. I don’t even know her name.”

“Lotus.”

“Lotus,” he repeated as if trying out the name.

Declan stared at him stony-faced, so he couldn’t help but be surprised when the smaller man changed the subject.

“So, you married her sister, huh? Were you and Onyx together in school?”

Declan shook his head. “She was too young.”

Clete smiled. “But you liked her?”

A half-smile played on Declan’s lips. “From the first time I saw her,” he admitted.

Chapter 29

Nyxie watched Declan long enough to be assured his confrontation with Clete was not going to be violent, before she sought out Emily.

“Are you having fun?” Nyxie asked, not really knowing what to say, but no longer feeling that awkwardness she felt around strangers.

“Don’t you know any single men?” Emily asked, looking around.

Nyxie shrugged. “His parents sent out the invitations. I only invited my boss and Cody’s English teacher.”

“So, his parents are the ones who invited the moron who ruined your ceremony?”

“Yeah,” she said, visually searching for Cody. He was sitting with Mrs. North at a table next to the swimming pool. She suspected they had invited Declan’s former classmates for the sole purpose of dredging up her past and embarrassing her. Did they expect Melinda to come? Did they want to see what would happen when she saw them? Would they have blamed her family for ruining the service? It wouldn’t have surprised her to find out they hoped to prove her family was trash by putting in place the tinder for a big fight.

“Is that his mother coming this way?” Emily asked.

Nyxie followed her gaze and saw Dorothea walking straight for them. “Oh, fuck me,” Nyxie said under her breath. Her neck pivoted to where she had last seen Declan and found him still engaged with Clete. “Please, don’t leave me alone with her.”

Nyxie resisted the urge to reach out and grab Emily’s hand to keep her from leaving.

“Mrs. Stryker,” Nyxie said, forcing a smile to her lips. “Thank you for letting us use your backyard. Everything was beautiful. I can’t believe what you accomplished in such a short time. Thank you.”

“It was rather fun organizing it—much like being in charge of the troops again.”

“We really appreciate it.” Nyxie tried to make her voice sound cheery to match her fake smile. She would just pretend the woman was an odious customer she hoped to get a tip out of.

“Well, Declan is our only child. We would do anything for him.”

Silently Nyxie added the words
but not for me
. Yes, she had noticed the unspoken jab, but she would pretend she had not.

Dorothea gave Emily a hard look as if she wanted her to go away, so she could have a private word with Nyxie.

“Oh, have you met Dr. Saunders yet? She’s one of Declan’s colleagues.”

“Yes, I figured as much when you said
doctor
.”

“Emily,” she said. “Just Emily is fine.”

“Emily, nice to meet you. I’m sure you would agree that Nyxie set womanhood back fifty years today.”

Emily laughed. “All of womankind? Are you referring to her vow to obey?”

“Yes, of course, to what else would I be referring? No one says
obey
anymore.”

Nyxie lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “You know how men always like to believe they’re the boss,” Nyxie said lightly, hoping her tone would sound dismissive of the issue. She wished Declan would notice his mother talking to her. “It was my decision to say it.”

She knew without having to be told that it had pleased Declan. Whether she said it or not, it would not change the dynamics of their relationship. She had entered into their relationship as his submissive. It was as much a part of her personality as being dominant was part of Declan’s.

“If I had known my words carry any weight outside of our marriage, I would have said them more quietly.”

Dorothea’s eyes narrowed at Nyxie. “Is that what you want for your nieces?”

Nyxie looked across to Lotus and Reina, giggling and playing with their nanny. Several of the other children there had joined in what appeared to be a game of some sort. “I hope they will choose words that suit them, just as I did. Declan didn’t ask me to say obey—he didn’t know I planned to say it until the words came out of my mouth. I’m sorry if it offended you.”

The older woman threw her arms up in the air in frustration. “It should also offend you.”

Dorothea’s brows lowered as she leaned in toward her. With Dorothea’s military bearing, Nyxie shrank back slightly and pulled her lips between her teeth. She wished she could explain it in a way that her mother-in-law would understand, but would not expose that aspect of their relationship.

“What do you think, Emily?” Dorothea asked.

“It was her decision to make. Did I cringe when I heard it? Maybe a little, but I suspect I know more about their relationship than anyone, and it didn’t surprise me. You’ve raised him to be competitive in all things—maybe when he’s home, he likes to relax and not compete.”

Major eyed Nyxie speculatively. “I guess I can understand that. But you don’t have to let him have his way all the time.”

“I don’t.”

“Really? Tell me one time that you have asserted yourself and made him take a backseat.”

Nyxie could’ve pointed out that he allowed her to mete out the kids’ discipline when necessary, but Dorothea would have pointed out they were her kids, not his. Or she might have said that he had agreed not to make her see his parents except on special occasions. She chose not to mention that either because she didn’t want to offend his mother.

“I trust Declan to make decisions that are in my best interest. I’ve been making decisions for my family for as long as I can remember. It’s a relief to let someone else make them.”

“I’m sure,” Major said condescendingly. “I imagine Declan has nothing better to do than tell you which paper towels to buy. I’m sure his patients appreciate the distraction.”

Nyxie stared at the woman at a complete loss. “It’s not like that. I don’t call him at work unless it’s an emergency.”

“Oh, so you wait till he’s home from a hard, high-pressure day at work to help you.”

Nyxie’s head involuntarily turned to seek out Declan, but he and Clete were still deep in conversation.

“I don’t ask him to make my decisions for me. He just does it.”

“Then what kind of decisions are you referring to?”

Nyxie shrugged. “I don’t know…like buying me a car,” Nyxie said, and winced when she realized the woman would not want to know he had spent his money on a car for her. “I don’t just follow him blindly. Sometimes we disagree about big stuff.”

“Such as?”

Nyxie racked her brain. It didn’t help that she was so nervous and intimidated by Dorothea that her hands were trembling. “Like whether or not I should be on birth control.”

Emily made a scoffing sound. “Oh please, Nyxie. You caved on that one.”

“Eventually. He wore me down.”

A small smile played on Major’s lips. “I’m glad to hear it. You don’t need to add to your family.”

Emily and Nyxie looked away in different directions as if his mother would not see the truth if she couldn’t see their expressions. Finally, Declan made eye contact. He turned and began walking in her direction. “He wants me to get a degree and he’s going to let me decide what I want to get it in.”

“That sounds like a challenge,” she said under her breath as if Nyxie wasn’t actually supposed to hear the insult.

Nyxie tried to hold her facial features neutral. “I didn’t flunk out of school. My grades were okay. But because I didn’t finish, I’m sure it will be more of a challenge for me.”

“What else, dear,” she said in a saccharine sweet way. “Ah, Declan, darling, I’m glad you’ve joined us.”

Declan stepped up behind Nyxie, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against his torso. He placed a kiss on the crown of her head.

“Plotting ways to double-team me?” he asked.

“Don’t be foolish, sweetheart. We were discussing Onyx’s choice of vows.”

“Ah. Why do you care, Major? No one is asking you to obey.”

“That’s not the point. No woman should say that. It was absolutely… medieval.”

Declan laughed. “I thought it was sexy as hell.” He splayed his fingers and made small circles on her abdomen. “Made me want to make love to her right then and there. Mind if we borrow your bed for a little bit.”

Nyxie saw the look of disgust on Dorothea’s face as she spied his hands’ movements. Nyxie put her hands on Declan’s wrists and tried to push them away. “Stop.”

His hands froze in place. “What the…?”

“Declan, stop,” Nyxie said. “You’re not helping matters. Your mother already dislikes me. You’re making it worse.”

“Listen to your girlfriend for once, Declan,” Dorothea said.

Nyxie wasn’t surprised his mother didn’t deny that she disliked her. She had made no attempt to disguise her feelings before, so why start now?

“
Wife
, Nyxie’s my wife, not my girlfriend.” Looking at his mother, his stilled hands tightened on Nyxie possessively. “I know this feels really sudden to you, but if you force me to make a choice, I’m picking my wife.”

“Only because you know that will hurt me,” Dorothea said, her face fighting the Botox to frown.

“I don’t want to hurt you. I love Nyxie. I want to be with her for the rest of my life. She will be the mother of your grandchildren. You’re not even giving her a chance.”

“It’s because I don’t understand it. Why her? Why not this one?” she said pointing at Emily.

“Emily is not my type.”

“Mrs. Stryker,” Nyxie interrupted. “Declan likes to be in charge. He gives my life structure I’ve never known before. If I had had a thirty-year-old boyfriend when I was twelve, my parents would not have cared. They didn’t care if I went to school, or roamed around town all day, as long as I wasn’t underfoot. You were in the military. Surely, you can understand the need for rules.”

Dorothea’s eyes narrowed at her son and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Did my parents spoil you so much that you don’t know how to compromise? You can’t have your way all the time.”

“Do
not
say anything about Grams and Gramps. They have nothing to do with this.”

His mother’s lips pursed, making unattractive lines through her upper lip. “They have everything to do with this. You’re spoiled rotten and you have to have your own way.”

“No, Major, this has nothing to do with them. I’m not going to try to explain it to you because frankly, it’s none of your business. I love Nyxie and she loves me—that’s all you need to know.”

“Love isn’t enough,” Dorothea said. “When love fades, what then? You have nothing in common. Nyxie will get tired of being the
little woman
and playing house soon enough.”

“Please, Mrs. Stryker, it’s not like that,” Nyxie said. “Maybe
rule
is too strong of a word. He doesn’t treat me like a housewife from the fifties, or go around making up unrealistic rules. My family was a train-wreck. All the things that seem normal and mundane to other people are foreign to me. If Declan tells me not to let the gas tank on the car fall below half a tank, I make sure I keep it above the line so he doesn’t have to worry about me running out of gas. I’ve never had a car before, so it’s nice to have guidelines to follow. If he told me he wants me to spend two hours a day learning calculus, until I can pass my GED test, I want him to know I will do it. I know when he tells me to do something, it’s because he has a reason, and he loves me and wants what is best for me. How is it going to harm me to do that?”

“Jesus Christ! Are you kidding me?”

“I actually find their dynamic fascinating,” Emily said. “Declan is like a different person around her. He’s kind and solicitous to her. I’ve known Declan almost two years now. Before Nyxie, he was this uber impatient, short-tempered jerk.”

“Gee, thanks, Emily,” he said sarcastically.

“But he’s not like that around her. He’s sweet and he likes taking care of her. He worries about her—much more than he needs to. He must look at her picture on his phone every five minutes.”

Nyxie craned her head around to look at him. “You do?”

A chagrined smile formed on his lips and he gave her a little nod. “That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I did set your picture as the wallpaper on my phone and every time I check my phone I get to see your picture.”

“Not the changing-room selfie, I hope.”

“No, the Say-goodbye-to-Onyx, picture.”

She chuckled softly. “I should have known.”

“Yes, you should have. And honestly, I should change it to the other picture. I’d get more work done.”

Dorothea shook her head, and put her hands on her hips. “Haven’t you heard enough horror stories about women sending naked pictures to others to know not to do it?”

“I wasn’t naked. I was wearing jeans and a bra, nothing showing. Trust me, no one wants to see me fully undressed.”

“You are going to pay for that remark later,” he whispered into her ear.

A wide smile crossed her lips and she wiggled her bottom. “Promise?”

“You know, Mrs. Stryker,” Emily said. “Declan once told me you hated Nyxie. I really thought he was overstating it, but I can see that he wasn’t.”

“I don’t hate her; I barely know her. I don’t understand how Declan can fall for someone like her. She’s uneducated. She’s weak. She’s not even particularly pretty.”