Dare You Forever (Brothers of Ink and Steel #2.5) Read online

She wiggles to sit up in the big bed. “Sit here.” She pats the mattress next to her.

  “You need to get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

  “Because you’re gonna marry me and Mommy! Right?”

  “Right, chickadee—I’m going to marry you and Mommy.” I tuck a stray golden colored curl behind her ear.

  “And then you’ll really be my daddy forever!” Charlie leaps over at me and throws her soft little arms around my neck. “I love you, Joshy-Daddy.”

  My nose stings and I blink back the wetness that begins to pool in my eyes.

  “Do I get to wear my pretty princess gown?” She squeezes harder. “And throw the flower petals?”

  “You get to do all of those things, but first you have to go to sleep so morning can come.”

  “Okay! I’m going to sleep.” She kisses my cheek. “You’re scratchy!” she complains.

  “I need to shave,” I apologize, rubbing a hand over the offending beard growth.

  “Hurry up! Or you’ll scratch Mommy when you kiss her tomorrow,” Charlie warns woefully.

  “Good thinking. I’ll fix that right away!” I carefully kiss her cherubic cheek.

  “Tomorrow, can I name you Daddy?”

  I want to tell her yes as I swallow hard and fight to keep the tears back. “I think so. If Mommy says it’s okay.”

  The meaning of tomorrow’s ceremony and the lifelong commitment and responsibility I will vow to honor with my life is very real to me at this moment.

  “I love you, Charlie,” I say, caught in a riptide of emotions.

  “I love you … Daddy.”

  Sophie

  “OH MY GOD!” I exclaim. “What have you done?!”

  My sister-in-laws, Jules and Livie, are full of smiles and laughter! I thought Kate and I were just dressing up and coming down to the hotel bar for a drink; instead I have a gathering of friends surprising me for the ultimate bachelorette party!

  The three of them fist bump, and soon enough Quinn and Britt are with us and high-fives go all around.

  “I knew we’d get her!” Livie cries.

  “It was not easy to keep all of this a surprise!” Jules waves her hand towards the luxuriously decorated ballroom.

  Gold and black balloons float everywhere. The walls and ceiling are adorned with sparkling twinkle lights and gold and black ribbon-like streamers and banners. Over on the right is a huge banquet table filled with food and goodies. On the left is another banquet table—both are draped with beautiful tablecloths of black and gold—and on top is a mountain of gifts about as high as Everest!

  “It’s … INCREDIBLE!” I just about shout, completely taken off guard!

  Friends from all of the places Josh and I have traveled together are here to celebrate.

  “And damn it, my eyeliner and mascara are going to run!” I whine and wipe my moist eyes carefully with the flat of my finger.

  They all rush at me, and I’m hugged by everyone. Then someone shoves a strong-smelling alcoholic drink in a phallic shaped glass into my hand.

  “Oh my God!” I laugh. “I’m supposed to drink out of the head of a penis!?!”

  “Oh, just you wait!!” Jules grabs my free hand and pulls me to a gold velvet high-backed chair on a pedestal that’s at the head of a circle of folding chairs at the front of the room. “Sit. You are the guest of honor!”

  Livie puts a sparkling tiara on my head.

  Britt, who I think is already half in the bag, wraps a gold feathered boa around my neck and leans in toward my ear. “We’ve been decorating for a while.”

  My first suspicion is confirmed.

  “You’re going to love this!” She clinks her penis glass against mine.

  We both bust up laughing!

  Jules stands in the middle of the circle of chairs and taps the head of a microphone. Now I notice the dance floor and a punked out woman disc jockey who looks curiously like PINK.

  My attention is taken by Jules. “About a year ago my beloved husband, Nate, proposed to me. When we announced the engagement to Josh—in Vegas, after he won an MMA fight—he was pretty shocked … Nate showed him my hand and said, ‘A man finds the woman he loves and puts a ring on her finger.’ And that’s exactly what my big brother did. He found Sophie, the love of his life, put a ring on her finger and, tomorrow, will make it forever official.”

  Everyone says awwww, and I blush.

  “Come on and hold up that ring!” Jules, who’s acting as MC, instructs.

  “It really is a big rock!” I admire it as I soak up the applause. “Josh goes big with everything … HA! Josh IS big everywhere!”

  Everyone cackles with laughter, whistles and shouts.

  Jules lifts a halting hand. “No! Too much info about my brother!” she cries, but she’s laughing too.

  “It’s the perfect lead in though!” Livie breaks in with another microphone. “And trust me when I say I know ALL the women here want to know just how huge your husband really is!”

  All the women scream.

  He’s a celebrity—might as well enjoy it!

  “Jules will get over it.” She laughs and turns to me. “Are you ready for the festivities?”

  I swallow back my drink, lift it in the air and shout, “BRING IT ON!”

  Jules and Livie look at each other and together announce, “Let’s welcome Mistress Kim from Hot Seductions!”

  The crowd goes crazy. I turn my head to see two musclebound gods—I mean guys—one Caucasian and one African American. Both are wearing black dress pants and black bow ties—that’s it—and they’re carrying a long luxurious chaise on a platform with a woman dressed in a studded black leather pantsuit perched on top of it.

  They set it down and lift Mistress Kim to her feet.

  We’re all applauding; whistles echo over the walls, even above the throbbing tech music.

  Mistress Kim simply nods her approval to her audience then cracks her long braided leather whip in the air.

  Both Adonises flank her, one at each side, and kneel subserviently.

  “Are you ready for me to bring you pleasure?” she asks in a feminine dom tone that makes you say yes!

  The crowd screams with excitement!

  “What are you waiting for?” she shouts into her mic, scolding her servants.

  She raises her whip and it snaps sharply. The men bow as they run offstage and, in a moment, come back carrying a long table that they place in front of me like an offering.

  HOLY FUCK! It’s covered with sex toys and kinky playthings!!

  Everyone howls as the guys each kiss me on the cheek, one on each side of my face, and then dance through the crowd, winding the women up even higher.

  “Our gorgeous, willing-to-please gentleman will be back!” Kim, announces. “But now we’re going to have some intimate playtime with our beautiful bride-to-be!”

  The guests all clap.

  “Let’s all start off with some sexy Q&A,” she purrs. “Now tell Mistress Kim all, Sophie.”

  The women scream, out of their minds, and “Hey Mama” with David Guetta and Nicki Minaj begins to thunder through the sound system.

  “Our entire audience wants you to come clean,” Kim says, emphasizing the word come. She says it almost as much to the crowd as me. “I bet that man of yours is an alpha male tiger in the bedroom, with his in-the-ring moves, his sinful bod constructed of pure muscle and ink and come-fuck-me eyes!”

  I don’t think the screaming is ever going to stop.

  “Do you and Josh like to employ the use of toys during your intimate times?”

  Livie sneaks up and hands me her mic.

  “If you want me to answer a question like that I’ll need this …”—I hold out my empty cock-cup—“filled back up.”

  The girls roar and a new glass replaces my empty.

  After a stiff shot, I answer. “Yes. He loves to please me in every way possible,” I tell them. “And always likes to try new things.”

  The crowd likes that answer!

  “This is the dish we want to hear!” Mistress Kim says. “Let’s give Sophie a hand for being so sexy with her man!”

  The room fills with shouts and applause.

  “Now tell us the truth.” Her voice hints at a threatening punishment. “What is your favorite?”

  She indicates the smorgasbord of sensual devices on the table—dildos, strap-ons, vibrators, anal beads, butt plugs, masks, cuffs … “You asked for the truth?”

  “Ladies, we want the truth, right?” she asks, riling the crowd.

  “Then the truth is, my favorite toy is Josh North’s hard, hot, and ready naked body completely slick and oiled with naturally flavored organic coconut oil that I can lick when I want to.”

  Everyone goes berserk! She’ll be lucky if she can get them reeled in again! A trace of a smile peeks over her lips, and I have a feeling she’s thinking about how many toys she’ll be selling tonight!

  After a few moments she lifts her hand and speaks over the rowdiest guests. “Now, since you have the perfect boy-toy, come choose a play-toy the two of you would like to share.” She waves her palm over the table of pleasure,

  “How about a vibrating love ring?” Kim lifts the soft purple silicone ring with the pink bullet attached. “They come in—extra large.”

  “He might like that,” I say, suddenly shy now that we’re talking my fiancé’s dick size—oh, if they only knew.

  “What was that, Sophie?”

  I laugh. “He’d like that.”

  Everyone whistles.

  “And how about a set of nipple clamps for you?” She holds up the black little devices.

  “Not for me. But I could be talked into these silk ties and Velcro cuffs.” I point at the black silk and red cuffs.

  Mistress Kim addresses the audience. “What do you say, ladies?”

  The women shout their approval and Mistress Kim adds, “I think they want to spoil you tonight, Sophie.”

  I’m trying to decide whether this is more or less embarrassing than the strip club when Mistress Kim commands that I turn, face the audience and BEND OVER!

  Um … no??

  When I fail to move, she insists. “Come now, we can’t keep your audience waiting for pleasure.”

  Not exactly sure how my bowing to the crowd lessens the possibility of postponed pleasure, but … I bite my lip in more mortification, turn a little, bow to the audience and smooth my thin cotton skirt in the back.

  In a second, I feel a gentle sting simmer over my ass right before I cry out with surprise!

  Immediately I start to stand, but Mistress Kim puts a firm hand on my shoulders. “Not yet, Sophie—we want to know if you think you and Josh would have fun playing with this sweet leather flogger.”

  OH MY GOD! I just had a woman whip me IN PUBLIC!

  “Yep, think we’d have fun with that,” I say in a monotone voice into her mic.

  I can feel my face turning all kinds of red!

  Everyone is laughing and shouting. I’m happy I have a sense of humor. And that Josh’s mother isn’t in the crowd!

  “How about we add in a tantric feather teaser for Sophie being so amazing?”

  They all clap.

  Soon I have a rather large “goody” basket filled with the things I picked out and an assortment of various flavored body powders and gels, warming sex lubes, sexy tips cards, bondage tape, vibrators and other things I’ll need to read the directions for in order to figure out how to use!

  At this point, everyone gets to come over to the table and play and place orders for themselves with Mistress Kim. Others find their way to the buffet table and decorate their plates with the delicate macaroons, chocolate covered fruit slices and other lovely dessert treats, along with appetizers.

  After we eat—and drink some more—the gifts friends brought are presented. I tear off beautiful wrappings to some spectacularly thoughtful presents: lacy lingerie, restaurant certificates, books, salon vouchers and concert tickets, bottles of wine and whiskey and many charming gifts for Charlie.

  Toward the end of the gift boxes and bags, something catches my eye—a shiny gold envelope.

  Couldn’t be.

  I whisper to Jules that I want to see that next, and once she picks it up, she smiles and shakes her head.

  “Looks like Josh’s handwriting.” She passes it to me.

  I’m pretty buzzed and rip it open like it’s the best fucking treasure yet!

  A flash drive and two notes are inside, but one of the notes has a melted seal of red wax.

  Quickly I unfold the other.

  I bet you’re having a freaking great time! Jules told me what they were going to be doing.

  So, what I want you to do is for after your party. When you’re alone in your room read the sealed note, IN PRIVATE!

  Be prepared—I know you must be soaking wet and squirming now after the drinks and touching battery operated cocks and thinking of me for the past few hours—and my hot girl has to get a little release before she can get relaxed enough to get married. So choose your favorite new toy, read my dirty-talking erotic letter, think of me as if I’m there and get ready to come hard!

  And know this, MISS—soon to be MRS—I am going to tease you and please you and FUCKING ROCK your gorgeous body the moment I get that dress off you after the wedding! And fuck the reception! I’ll either get you in the limousine or the closet or the fucking bathroom! I am SO hard just thinking about getting into your panties!

  No one but you, baby—you’re my fucking universe.

  P.S. Play the thumb drive while you’re getting into your dress tomorrow.

  Fuck! My heart is pounding, and it feels like all the blood in my body is either filling my cheeks with color or rushing to my nether regions! A toy will NOT be enough! I want my hands all over him NOW!

  “Read it out loud!” Jules squeals.

  “No way!” I blush. Holy hot hell, I need to leave and find him!

  “Oooh … what kind of note was it?” Livie pipes in.

  “A sexy one.” My voice falls to a whisper.

  “Now, you know you’re not supposed to see the groom before tomorrow!” Quinn laughs. “And we all know Josh is cunning!”

  “And stealthy,” Britt adds.

  They must have come over when they saw the envelope.

  Tove Lo’s “Talking Body” comes on, and I’m thinking of ways to sneak out.

  “You’re not leaving yet!” Jules senses my plan. “I see that look in your eyes. You’re dancing!”

  I whine, completely sexually frustrated as they literally drag me under the lights and onto the dance floor.

  Josh

  “I thought I specifically instructed you—no strippers, Will!” I growl at my brother.

  “Fuck right.” Liam has his thick arms folded across his chest. “I didn’t sanction this. I’m the best fucking man!”

  “You do know the girls are having a penis-toy party, right?” Will cries in his defense. “Jules even has two male models she uses at her book signings to ‘rev’ up the crowd!”

  I watch as a big breasted, twenty-something-year-old woman slips past me with a tray of drinks. She’s wearing a barely-there maid’s outfit. There are about twenty of them high-heeling their way around the room, serving the men at this “cock” party.

  “You need to get them dressed, Will. Now,” I tell him.

  “Fine.”

  He’s not fine.

  “You know this is your wedding too, Josh! Not just hers,” he retaliates.

  “You don’t get it. You don’t get any of this! It’s all about her. The waitresses themselves don’t bother me. They probably wouldn’t bother Sophie either. But hell, the issue is I love her and she’s been fucked over. And my entire mission is to make sure she knows without a shadow of a doubt I’m not going to betray her!” My blood is starting to boil. “Sometimes you can really be fucking insensitive and immature.”

  “How did you even change the plan?” Liam breaks in.

  ���Yeah that was hard to do—dropped my name with the hosting service and told them what I wanted.” He rolls his eyes.

  “You’re a prick.” Liam points at Will, sparks in his gaze. “I’m walking the fuck away.”

  When Liam is out of earshot, Will states defiantly, “I’m not apologizing.”

  “I didn’t think you were going to,” I quip.

  “Hello, Mr. North. Can I interest you in a … drink?” The blonde waitress holds the tray in front of her at her waist so I’m forced to look at her tits if I want to choose a drink. She’s also using her arms to press and push her breasts up and together

  “Honey, I’m good,” I say while averting my eyes.

  She walks away disappointedly.

  I seethe at my brother. “You forget who I am and that my life is in the spotlight even more than yours. You want to live like this?” I shove my finger into his chest. “You go ahead. But I’m not anymore. One fuck up—one wrong move—and I lose everything I care about.” I ball my hand into a fist and force it to my side. The anger at the thought of losing Sophie churns the acid in my stomach. I’m seeing red. “Goddamn, Will, you’re a dick! Fix it and get them dressed or get them out of here.”

  Liam comes back over once he sees Will is gone. “Man, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I assure him. “Only thing is, I’m pissed and need to get my composure. Fucking little brothers.”

  “Hey! Don’t lump me into that shit,” Jake, another younger brother says. “I’ve been married longer than all of you.”

  “Don’t get your whitey-tighties in a knot,” I quip.

  “Fuck that, I wear sexy black designer briefs,” Jake says. “And I heard what you said about them getting more clothes on; only prob is that it could take a while if the waitstaff doesn’t have uniforms here, and remember we’re like a thirty minute drive to the actual party. This is just the dinner.”

  “Yeah,” Sam puts in. “Can we just eat and go? I’m starving.”

  “I think it’s the principal of the thing.” Caleb is now in the circle. An auburn haired server winks at him. “Yeah, I’m going to need a cold shower.”

  Ryder and Reese are at a side table actually chatting up two of the waitresses, who they’ve talked into sitting down with them.

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