Masters of the Shadowlands 8 - If only (55 page)

Pull it together, Kouros
. Crooking a finger, he beckoned for her to join him.

With instant obedience—not a given with Sally—she hurried over. He grasped her hand.

On her other side, Vance did the same and grinned at Galen over her head.

VANCE TOOK OVER as he usually did if a situation required a voice loud enough to be heard over shouting or gunfire. This was a hell of a lot more fun. He sucked in a breath and called, “People, may I have your attention?”

Conversations stuttered to a halt.

Looking down, Vance caught Sally’s puzzled expression, and unable to resist, he ran his fingers along her jawline. Fine bones under the smooth skin. Stubborn little chin.

Stay on task, Buchanan
. “I’d like to announce the engagement of Sally Hart to Galen Kouros.
And
Vance Buchanan.” He added with a grin, “That would be me.”

Sally’s gasp was drowned out in the laughter and cheering and congratulations. The enthusiasm filled his heart. He liked having friends outside the small FBI community, ones he’d have around after he quit. Ones who’d be there for their marriage, children, maybe even old age.

“You didn’t
tell
me. Just announced it.” Eyes sparkling with outrage, Sally punched him in the stomach.

Fuck
. Then again, he might not reach old age. That tiny fist had a concentrated impact. When his partner laughed, Vance tossed him to the wolves. “This was Galen’s idea.”

She spun around.

Warned, Galen caught her fist in one hand. “You want a public spanking to go with your engagement, pet?”

“You should have told me!”

“Seemed like we owed you something for the lights going off during our last scene,” Vance said. Next time he heard
please, please, please,
he’d gag her before she got the third one out.

Galen huffed a laugh. “Vance voted for mercy; I wanted you naked and gagged for the announcement.”

Vance could almost see her blood starting to boil.

Galen put an arm around her waist, pried her fist open, and held her hand out to Vance.

He pulled out the ring he and Galen had chosen and slid it on her finger. “You’re ours, sweetheart,” he said softly.

Stunned to silence, she stared down at her hand, and with the quicksilver changes of mood he loved, she burst into her enchanting giggles. She threw herself at Galen, bestowing kisses and hugs and love-you’s before doing the same for Vance.

He lifted her over his head and treated himself to a long kiss.

Once back on her feet, she announced to the crowd, “Just wait. I am
so
going to make them pay for their sneaky ways.”

Under the wave of laughter, Z walked over and hugged her. “Felicitations, little one. I’m happy for you.”

She had tears in her eyes and a quivering chin when he released her. Z turned to shake hands with Galen and Vance. “Congratulations, gentlemen. She’ll keep your home lively—and filled with love.”

“Thank you.” Vance smiled. “We know.”

The stream of people continued.

Cullen slapped Vance’s shoulder. “Glad it worked out.”

“So am I.” Vance rubbed his jaw with painful recollection. The bastard had a wicked right hook.

Cullen gave a bark of laughter. “Heard you’re doing supervision rather than fieldwork. How’s that going?”

Vance stroked his hand down Sally’s mink-brown, mink-soft hair. “Safer. But it’s harder to send people into danger than to handle the trouble myself.”

Cullen nodded. “Know that feeling.” He put his arm around his Andrea. “Having someone to talk with helps.”

“So I’m finding. And I have two someones. Galen understands; Sally comforts.”

Hearing her name, Sally stood on tiptoe to kiss his chin, her brown eyes warm with love.

As planned, the next one up was Marcus, with Gabi a step behind. Marcus was already grinning.

Vance swept his arm in a welcoming motion, giving Marcus the stage. “Your turn.”

“I do look forward to the sound of an outraged pup.” Marcus gripped Gabi’s shoulder, pulling her closer, and raised a voice trained to reach the farthest corner of a courtroom. “Ladies and gentlemen, to add to yo’ah pleasure, I’d like to announce the engagement of Gabrielle Renard to Marcus Atherton.” He shot Vance a smile. “That would be me.”

The welling of laughter and outpouring of renewed congratulations didn’t come close to smothering Gabi’s shriek.

Marcus’s little redhead whipped around so quickly she almost fell. “You…you douche bag. We were going to wait until winter. You said.”

“I lied, darlin’.”

Galen muttered to Vance, “Better warn him to keep Sally away from his computer.”

“No shit.” Last Friday night, when he’d logged on to finish some work, the screen had frozen while the speakers blasted out Alan Jackson’s “Good Time”—an unsubtle hint his workweek was over. At least the tune had been country western, unlike what she’d done to his partner.

Postsurgery, Galen had given her trouble over taking his pills, and she’d booby-trapped the poor bastard’s laptop with “A Spoonful of Sugar” from the Disney
Mary Poppins
movie. She’d set it off every time he refused his meds…which had been often.

Unable to resist, Vance hummed a bit of the song.

Sally snickered.

Galen’s look was deadly.

As everyone clustered near, the noise levels continued to increase, but the mere clearing of Z’s throat silenced the group. He pulled Jessica in front of him and wrapped his arms around her from the back. “Since announcements are the order of the day, I’d like to announce that Jessica Randall Grayson is expecting her first child. The father is delighted.” He gave Vance an amused glance. “That would be me.”

Jessica’s shriek of outrage was higher pitched than Gabi’s had been. “You, you,
you
. I just did the test this morning—I haven’t even told you yet!”

Z captured the hands beating on his chest, smiled down at his submissive, and asked gently, “Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“I—” She sputtered for a moment before shaking her head. “Are you really delighted?”

“Absolutely. Incredibly. Completely.”

The answer set her to glowing with a beauty that showed Vance why Z was so in love. “Well, okay.” She snuggled closer to her husband with a low grumble, “But still…”

Peeking around Z’s side, Jessica whispered to Gabi and Sally. “We are
so
going to make them pay.”

LIKE AN INEBRIATED bumblebee, Sally’s body buzzed with joy. Tucked between Galen and Vance, she bounced on her toes, wanting to dance. To sing. Her friends and her family surrounded her. She had a home. A cat. And
two
Doms.

When she sighed, Galen tightened the arm around her waist and studied her face. “You’re happy.”

“Oh yes.”

To her joy, he stole a quick kiss. He’d changed over the past months. Not only was he more relaxed and happier, but also more open with his affection.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Vance grinned at her, looking far too pleased with her surprise.

So she told him begrudgingly, “I suppose…maybe…I might eventually tell you I love you. Since you saved me from that palmetto bug and everything.”

“Eventually?” The muscles in Vance’s square jaw tightened, reminding her he still worked in law enforcement. “If I—or Galen—don’t hear ‘I love you’ often enough, one little subbie will be punished.” He glanced at Galen. “Right, bro?”

“Ayuh.” Galen’s lips quirked. “Either way, I win.”

Fun punishment or bad punishment? Sally eyed her men warily. “I think we’d better talk about—”

“I like that rule.” Master Sam’s gravelly voice interrupted. Arm wrapped around Linda, he looked down at his redhead with icy blue eyes. “If you don’t tell me at least once a day, I get to beat your ass.”

“Really? Oh my goodness.” Linda smiled slightly. “I don’t think I told you today. Or yesterday. You’d better beat on me extra hard.”

Galen snorted. “Got yourself an S.A.M., Sam?”

Sally snickered. No matter how motherly she was to the Shadowkittens, Linda was definitely one smart-ass masochist with her sadistic Dom.

“If you prefer not to delay the punishment”—Vance pointed to the nearby dirt path—“we made the cabana into a dungeon. The cupboard has a supply of toys for guests.”

Sam’s hand closed around Linda’s nape.

Her eyes widened, and she protested, “Wait. This is a party. You can’t just—”

“Yes.” Sam’s voice was flat. Uncompromising. “I can.” Behind her back, he winked at Galen and Vance and steered Linda across the patio.

Nearby, Dan grinned. “
Seize the day
—before more babies arrive.” With a swift move, he swept Kari up. She gave a loud scream as he tossed her over his shoulder and headed down the cabana path.

After a second, Sally managed to close her mouth. Kari had said things were going well at home, but
dayum.

Sometime later, Sally walked out onto the dock.

Jessica, Beth, Kim, and Andrea had been swimming and, near the end, they’d stretched out on beach towels to dry off.

Midway, Gabi lounged in one of the old chairs with her feet up on the railing.

“Gabi.” Sally took the other chair. “Marcus is
fetching
you a drink and food.”

“God, I love that man.” Gabi glanced back at the patio, then smiled at Sally. “Great party, Sally.”

As the rest chimed in with agreement, Sally flushed with pleasure. “I’ve never planned something this big. It was fun—although I’d have had better decorations if I’d known it would be an engagement-announcement celebration.”

“Can I see your ring?” Jessica asked, sitting up on her towel.

Sally leaned forward and held her hand out. In the bright Florida sunshine, the jewels were almost blinding.

Jessica considered. “The big blue is a sapphire. After the huge diamond, what is the big yellowish one?”

“Citrine.” Sally smiled, remembering how she’d started to walk into the office, heard them discussing her rings, and had managed to tiptoe away after only listening a…little…bit. “Birthstones. Vance’s is sapphire, I’m diamond, and Galen’s is citrine.”

“Got you tucked between them, don’t they,” Kim said with a grin.

Andrea frowned at the gold band, so thickly encrusted with diamonds the metal had almost disappeared. “Please tell me that all the little diamonds aren’t supposed to be babies?”

“No. Galen said they thought my ring should sparkle almost as much as I do,” she whispered. Tears stung her eyes. They really felt that way.

Andrea’s eyes filled. “Oh, don’t start or we’ll all be crying.”

Kim blinked quickly. Jessica sniffled.

“It’s perfect, Sally.” Gabi leaned over, kissed Sally’s cheek, and pulled in a long breath. “Okay, moving on, or the guys will stomp out here, wondering why we’re all bawling. I’m snoopy enough to want to know how you’re going to marry two men. Aren’t there laws?”

“Oh yeah. Can’t you imagine the headlines?
FBI agents arrested for polyandry
.” Sally laughed, remembering the night they’d proposed. “First, they offered to have me ‘officially’ marry one of them—and Vance said it should be Galen, because he’s older.”

Jessica frowned. “Well, that sounds—”

“Actually”—Sally snickered—“Vance called him an
old man
.” Which was just wrong since she should be the only one telling
old
jokes.

“Galen let him?”

“He shoved Vance off the dock.” Sally shook her head. “We had to haul him out, before the gator got him.”

“You’ve definitely improved Galen’s sense of humor,” Gabi observed. “Which one will you marry?”

“Neither. Oh, being they’re crazy overprotective, they’ll set up trusts and legal stuff for me and any children that come along.”
Children
. Sally felt as if her heart actually swelled as she imagined Galen’s face when he saw his baby for the first time. And Vance teaching a little boy to play football—or, being Vance, he’d teach the girls too.

“Yeah, that sounds like men.” Jessica scowled. “And that’s it? Just legal stuff?”

“No.” Sally smiled. “They think we should have a ceremony.” She glanced back at the crowd on the patio and whispered, “Actually, I think they want one more than I do.”

Kim nodded. “Honestly, men are more romantic than women are.”

“But, how?” Andrea asked.

“The guys talked to the other Masters about the local laws. They said Master Z has married people—and done ceremonies—before, and he volunteered.” And wouldn’t that totally appeal to Matchmaker Z. She beamed.
I’ll be married by Master Z
. It seemed only right.

Jessica blinked. “I hadn’t thought of that. He’s mentioned conducting marriages.”

“Ohhh.” Kim smiled. “That’s actually pretty clever.”

“I thought so,” Vance said, coming up behind Sally. He bent over and kissed her cheek and handed her a cold soda.

Her other cheek received a kiss from Galen, and he set a plate of snacks in her lap.

She turned and smiled at them, her big Doms standing shoulder to shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” Kim frowned at Gabi. “You’re thinking so hard I can see steam coming out your ears.”

“I had an idea.” Eyes alight, Gabi grabbed Sally’s hand. “Now if you don’t like it, just say no, okay?”

Gabi always had good ideas, so Sally grinned. “Shoot.”

“Okay, it’s like this. Although Marcus’s family is wonderful, mine is completely stuffy. And they’ll try to score points with
my
wedding, going all fancy and inviting their clients. I’m not good at standing up to them.”

“Oh God, seriously? That sucks.” Sally shook her head in sympathy, remembering one sorority sister having hysterics because her mother-in-law-to-be messed up all her plans.

“Yeah.”

Families
. Sally stiffened. “Oh my God, Galen and Vance have families. I hadn’t even thought about them. Oh no!” She turned to face her Doms. “We’re flying to Vegas. I’m sure Elvis will marry us.”

“Sweetie,” Vance said, obviously on the edge of laughing. “I’ve heard rumors that Elvis has left the building.”

Before Sally could answer, Gabi said, “See? You get it. You totally understand. Why do you think I kept putting Marcus off?”