Beckham took her hand and kissed it once before guiding her down the aisle to their seats in the front row on the left side. Groom’s side.
Just as they sat down, instrumental music filled the room. The guests rose, turning to find Laura standing in the aisle. She looked like Cinderella in her wedding dress. Reyna peeked back at Brian to find his mouth open and his eyes wide with shock and admiration. He was a man in love. Laura swept down the rose-petal aisle to her beloved.
As they stared at each other, Reyna realized she had never seen either of them look so unbelievably happy.
Elle had given them this. Elle and Beckham and security they hadn’t known back in the warehouses. It was a magical thing to witness. She squeezed Beckham’s hand as tears came to her eyes at the sight. He squeezed back though his eyes were on her and the joy this brought her.
“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning her head onto his arm as Brian and Laura said “I do.”
“Anything for you.”
The ceremony ended and everyone helped to clear the chairs to the side of the room for the reception. Meghan and Tye wheeled in refreshments, and music played from the speakers.
Reyna approached her brother and tugged him into a hug. “Congratulations, big brother.”
“Thanks, little sister.”
Beckham held his hand out to Brian. “Congratulations.”
Brian placed his hand in his and they shook. “I appreciate what you did for me. Maybe I had it wrong about you the first time.”
“It’s an easy mistake to make.”
Reyna liked that he didn’t try to correct Brian. Normally he’d disagree and say that he wasn’t one of the good ones. It had to be a mark of progress that he didn’t.
“Well, thank you again. We owe you. Big time.”
“Absolutely not. It’s a gift. A wedding gift.”
“It was very generous.”
“We’re going to let other people say hi. I’m so happy for you!” Reyna said, pulling Beckham away. She turned to him. “You made their life. You know that, right?”
“I hardly did anything.”
“When you have nothing, anything is a miracle.”
After all the congratulations, Brian tugged Laura into the first dance. The rest of the party joined in on the next song. Reyna saw with some amusement that Gabe slipped in for the reception and pulled Meghan into a dance. Tye looked disgruntled and when he tried to dance with Jodie instead, she flipped him off and grabbed Xavier. What a lover’s quadrangle.
Reyna’s eyes widened even further when she saw Drew work up the nerve to ask his roommate, Gregory, to dance. She was even more surprised when the man’s smile lit up his whole face and he all but dragged her brother out onto the dancefloor.
“Would you care to dance?” Beckham asked.
“I’d love to.”
They moved forward into the crowd of people just as a slow song came on. Reyna slipped both of her hands around his neck and he placed his hands on her hips. The moment felt surreal. Here she was in Beckham’s arms, surrounded by the people that she loved. It was impossible to believe that after what she had suffered…all was right with the world.
All was finally right.
They danced through the night.
Laughing and cheering and celebrating this blissful union. Taking all the happiness they could where they could. In the midst of a rebellion organization, these moments were rare. No one wanted the night to end.
Even Reyna.
Though she was having a hard time keeping her hands to herself after the bottle of champagne she split with Jodie. Her head buzzed. She felt amazing. And all she could think about was Beckham’s promise to shred her lingerie. She was ready to take him up on that.
Meghan and Gabe slipping out of the room was the first sign that the festivities were winding down. Reyna kissed Brian and Laura as they decided to return to their room. He squeezed her hand and then they were off.
“Oh Reyna,” Beckham said as she twirled back toward him. “You are intoxicated.”
She trailed a hand down the front of his tux. “I’m fine.”
He hefted her into his capable of arms against her protests and carried her all the way back to her room.
“Okay. Okay. Put me down. I can walk,” she insisted.
“Perhaps I enjoy carrying you.”
She leaned her head onto his shoulder. “I like when you’re a gentleman.”
“I am no gentleman.”
“Beg to differ.”
He gently set her on her feet, holding on to her waist to steady her. “Do you always see the good in people?”
“You paid for the most elaborate wedding of the century for my brother, who up until today wasn’t even sure he liked you.”
“But you love him.”
“That’s what I mean. You do it with no thought for return. A wedding gift.” She reached up and cupped his jaw. “You are a good person.”
“My present does not erase my past.”
“No, it doesn’t. But your past doesn’t define your future either.”
Beckham stared down at her as if he were seeing his future written in her eyes. He leaned forward and branded a kiss against her forehead. She closed her eyes and breathed him in. He slowly walked around her, found the zipper at the base of her spine, and tugged it down over her ass. He grasped the straps on her shoulders and let them fall. The fabric tugged on her hips before falling into a puddle at her feet.
She could feel him assessing her from behind. Her breathing hitched when he grabbed her ass fully in both hands. They slipped up to the thong she was wearing. She heard a tear before the slinky material shredded and fell on top of the dress.
She gasped. Her body clenched. All the heat pooled in her core. Oh God, she was a goner. So lost to him.
Beckham nudged her foot, urging her into a wider stance. She moved to kick her heels off and Beckham gripped her hip.
“Leave the shoes.”
She raised an eyebrow as she turned to look at him.
“I like them.”
He leisurely trailed his hand back down to her ass. Around her cheeks and down the backs of her thighs. A map of all the things he liked that the heels accentuated.
“Bend over.”
“What?” she whispered.
“Bend. Over.”
She swallowed. Her core pulsed at the thought of what she was about to do. She was wet. His commands making her so hot and bothered.
With exaggerated slowness, she leaned forward until she had enough balance to bend over and grasp the footboard of the bed. Her ass was in the air and completely on display for him.
His hand slipped back up her thighs and then he was opening her wide for him, pressing two fingers in her already soaked pussy. She groaned at the movement. He slicked another finger through her lips and then circled the wet digit around her clit. She bucked against his hand, but he held her steady. He slowly finger-fucked her, drawing out her pleasure until her legs trembled and she thought her legs might buckle and she might come.
“Becks,” she pleaded. “Please.”
“What would you like, Little One?”
“Fuck me. Get inside me.”
“Don’t move,” he said.
He withdrew and she nearly fell over at the absence. But she somehow managed to stay upright. She heard his jacket fall to the floor along with the rest of his tux. Then he had his cock in his hand and it replaced his fingers. She moaned his name, seeing stars as he thrust deep inside of her.
They moved in tandem, taking and giving. This was primal. A claiming. She was Beckham’s. And Beckham was hers. They belonged together.
Her body exploded on the last thrust. She cried out, tightening around his cock still buried deep inside of her. She could be claimed by Beckham Anderson any day of the week. All days that end in y—and all days that don’t, for that matter.
He pulled out and she would have hit the floor if he hadn’t been there. He picked her up into his arms, lying her across the bed. She reached for him again.
“More,” she breathed.
He grinned that insufferably attractive smirk that had her hot all over again. Then he pushed into her. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer until their lips almost touched.
Their breath mingled.
Their eyes met.
The world stopped.
“Bite me,” she whispered.
“Reyna,” he groaned.
“I’m not like all the other girls. You’re different. I’m different.”
He slowed his movements. “I don’t want to get carried away like last time.”
“Then don’t.”
“I can’t promise…”
“I want all of you, Beckham,” she said sincerely, wrapping her legs around his powerful body. “And I want you to have all of me too.”
He started to push into her again. She knew the minute he decided to give it a try. His breathing slowed. His pupils dilated. His fangs flashed.
She felt the prick on her neck and sighed with sweet relief. Endorphins flooded her system. And she felt incredible. Beyond incredible.
This was nothing, nothing at all, like what it was like getting venom through an IV. She’d gotten too much in her system every time. She floated away and couldn’t have cared about anything.
But this was pure bliss. It was heaven. It was Beckham.
Nothing else could ever compare.
Her body ignited and she came apart a second time. She felt him release his hold on her as he too climaxed. She saw blood glisten on his fangs. His eyes were closed and his face was contorted into ecstasy. Blood dripped down his chin and landed on her chest. It should have terrified her, but all it did was heighten her orgasm. She could have gone a third time with the rush pushing through her system and him bellowing his triumph over her.
He slowly returned to himself. His eyes sweeping her naked chest dotted with her own blood. He eased out of her tenderly.
“Are you all right?”
“I have never been better.”
He tilted her head to assess her neck. “Those should heal quickly.”
“Mmm-hmm,” she mumbled.
“I stopped.” He seemed shocked that he’d done it.
“I knew you would.”
“We should get you cleaned up.”
“Wait,” she muttered, “I have something for you.”
“I think you gave me everything.”
“Stay here.” She wandered in her closet quickly, wiping the blood off of her with a towel. Then she extracted a carefully wrapped present. “Here.”
He’d found a tissue to clean up his face and slung his boxer briefs back on. She passed him the gift.
“What’s this?”
“A Christmas present.”
He frowned and then opened it. Inside was a stretched canvas print of the city skyline that she had taken when she was with him on that rooftop all those months ago. It was the night they had first really known they’d had feelings for each other. It was also the first night that Beckham had told her about the rebellion, about looking from a different perspective, about seeing Visage as it was and not just how it appeared.
His eyes were wide with wonder and consideration. “From the rooftop?”
She nodded. “I thought it would look nice in your apartment or at work. To have a piece of me in the heart of the beast.”
“You already have my whole heart.”