Four Bonds Page 6

  My cheeks flushed again as I met his eyes in the mirror. “Er, I’m kind of not,” I mumbled.

  “What?! Shit. Okay hold on I got to tell Lander. Shit’s going to drive him mad.”

  “Don’t ruin the surprise of the dress!”

  Maalik just shook his head. “I’m not telling him a damn thing about the dress. I’m just informing him that his fiancée will be presenting herself without any undergarments on for the duration of his ceremony.”

  “I knew this was going to go badly. Maybe I should just ask them to bring in something else real quick?” I turned myself around to try and get a glimpse of my backside in the mirror, running my hands over the lace cutouts on the hips.

  “I refuse to let that happen. You’re going to make this whole kingdom fall in love with you in one night, Isla.”

  “Not sure I want that kind of love from them…”

  Declan put his one hand on my hip and the other on my chin to force me to look at him.

  “You’re rocking the hell out of this dress. There’s no time to change now so you might as well just take a deep breath and relax. You are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen, okay? There is nothing wrong with this dress. Unless you consider that it’s so damn good it should be wrong.”

  “You sure it’s okay? This is not me. I don’t wear stuff like this.”

  Atticus stepped forward and gave me a sweet kiss. “Isla, you’re wearing it now and you are the most stunning creature I’ve ever seen. Now. If you get nervous, know that we’re all here supporting you and we won’t leave your side until Lander’s got you. Remember who this dress is for.”

  “You’re right. I’m a grown-ass woman. I can do this.” I spun back around to take one last glimpse in the full length mirror and heard a strange click sound.

  “Did you guys just take a picture of me?!”

  “Not even sorry. This dress needs to be immortalized. I know once you hit that ceremony it’s not going to take long for Lander to grab you and run out the doors so he can tear it off.”

  “Think he’ll make it an hour?” Maalik looked amused.

  “I say he makes an excuse after the first dance.”

  “It would be funny as shit though to see him suffer for awhile. I don’t know, Isla. Maybe you should make him work for it.” Declan smirked at me as he continued to stare at my ass.

  “Oh I think you’re onto something man. I’ve never seen him sweat over wanting someone. This could be entertaining as hell.”

  “You think I should draw it out? Isn’t that a little mean?”

  Atticus shook his head and cocked his head to the side as he stared at my cleavage.

  “Maybe a little but he’s given us so much shit over the years, this seems like good way to return the favor. He’s going to be fighting a stiffy all night. He’s waited this long to put out, might as well make sure he’s really ready for it.”

  I giggled. “As fun as that sounds, you’re forgetting that I love that man and I will not make him suffer. You guys are awful.”

  “Not what you said last night.”

  “Or the night before that.”

  “Or the night before that. In fact, I remember hearing quite the opposite.”

  I bust out laughing. “Okay so that’s how it’s going to be? Is this what I should expect now that we’re married? Constant innuendos about our marriage bed?”

  “Well yeah. You’re stuck with us now so we can flip our switch and bring out all the dirty jokes. We’re going to make Lander sweat a bit before he gets his bride. Come. We’ve got plans to waylay and you’ve got a man to suck face with.”

  “Damn that sounds romantic.”

  “You love us Isles.” Atticus was right. And I was worried about their plans for the night, but this was my final ceremony and damn if I wasn’t excited to see Lander and finally get him to myself all night. They helped me walk to the door and then Declan swept me up in his arms and started carrying me to the palace.

  “I can walk, you know.”

  “In those heels? You sure?”

  I looked down at the uneven terrrain underfoot. “Okay maybe not.”

  “Leave those on tonight. Trust me.”

  “Well I wasn’t exactly planning on going barefoot at the ceremony.”

  Maalik chuckled behind us. “Not what he meant.”

  “Oh. Oh. Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Shit. Damnit Declan! Now I’m going to be thinking of her in nothing but those heels tonight and no way to see it in reality.”

  I looked at Atticus as he adjusted himself.

  “These shoes are really doing something for you guys? They’re torture devices!”

  “They’re sexy as hell. Bring them home with you when you come back, they’ve got quite a bit more torturing to do before they can retire.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. More lame jokes. “Fine. I guess I can do that.”

  When we got off the dirt path and climbed the back steps to the castle, Declan set me down gently and wrapped his arms around my hips. He lifted the three necklaces that lay against my throat, the rocks all sitting beside each other.

  “When you’ve got Lander’s stone on here we can combine them into one chain if you want. I hope you know how happy you’ve made us, Isla. Thank you for being so good and for loving us. I know we’re a lot to handle and adding Lander to the mix is only going to intensify that, but you should know that you’re going to be the most loved and cherished woman in the entire world.”

  “Damnit you can’t make me cry yet. I still have to go inside there and let Lander pour his heart out. I love you. You guys are my everything now.”

  Each of my guys kissed me before leading me to the front of the ballroom where the closed doors were waiting on us to open.

  “Okay, last time guys and then we get to be all together. I can do this, right?”

  “You got his baby. Let’s go make Lander’s jaw drop.”

  Maalik and Atticus opened the doors as Declan escorted me in and then they joined in right behind us. As had happened each night before, the room fell silent and Declan paused for a moment at the edge of the flower strewn path that led to Lander. My heart was beating right out of its chest, blood was pounding in my ears as I sought out the eyes of the only man that I needed to see right now. My other guys had assured me as much as they could but now I just needed Lander.

  Feeling shy, I slowly let my eyes lift up and when I see him he throws a hand to his chest and stares at me open-mouthed. I hear a rumble of laughter behind me but all I can focus on is him. I throw my shoulders back as Declan starts leading me forward, but Lander doesn’t wait. He jumps off the platform and nearly runs to intercept me, throwing Declan’s hands off me and dipping me so low I am nearly parallel to the floor before he claims my mouth.

  There were whoops and hollers all around us and awkward laughter but his reaction was everything and was all the confidence I needed to get through this night in this dress. Lander took on the role of escort as he leaned forward and whispered in my ear how ‘fucking gorgeous’ I looked, telling me he loved me as we walked towards where one of his fathers was on the dais. He had a smirk on his face too as he watched us amble our way up.

  “Well then. In case anybody missed it, Isla arrived.”

  There was some light laughter at those words and Lander took the little bit of distance between us as we were holding hands in front of our bodies and crushed it, opting to face the kingdom with his arms around my waist and barely an inch of space between our bodies.

  “Isla, you have now accepted three of my sons as your husbands, so if you’re having second thoughts it might be a little too late to do anything about it.”

  More giggles around us as Lander glared impatiently at his father.

  “To the people of Nogalia here tonight, whether this is your first ceremony this week or your fourth, thank you for supporting my family as they bring their new wife into our folds. Thank you for giving up your time to come out here and
help us celebrate the marriages that will give you a new queen one day. You are the reason this country exists, and without you all supporting us we are nothing. We love you all as we love the rest of our family and are truly proud to call this kingdom our home.

  Lander. You’ve grown up knowing you’d likely marry one day, and out of all your brothers, your hope in a solution to the curse was most steadfast. You’ve always been sure that Isla existed somewhere, and you deserve every ounce of happiness that she will bring into your life. You are good. Isla, you’re getting one hell of a husband in Lander. Not to play favorites or anything.”

  I heard my other men giving their father a hard time for speaking so highly of Lander.

  “He’s our youngest son and therefore the hardest to let go of. But Isla, I know you deserve him and I sincerely hope that your marriage is everything it can possibly be. Lander? When you’re ready.”

  Lander never took his eyes or hands off me as he gathered his thoughts and then slowly sank onto one knee, holding onto my hand like a lifeline.

  “I grew up hearing the tales of dragons, seeing them fly around our kingdom. I grew up hearing about the freedom I would feel when mine emerged and how incredible that first flight would be. This kingdom is unlike any other place in the world, and calling it mine is something that I am incredibly proud of.

  I also grew up with dozens of people looking for a solution to this curse that was brought upon us. The thought that future generations would not be able to experience those freedoms first-hand was sickening. But I never thought that a solution wasn’t possible. I think I was 16 the first time I dreamed about you.

  I had this wildly vivid dream of a girl with eyes that pierced through me and a heart that stole me immediately. I saw you. Wandering amidst fields and laughing in the sunshine. Reading by a window. Dancing around a living room. For several years, you came in and out of my dreams, and I never knew why.

  I didn’t know who you were, but I knew you mattered. I thought I’d sound crazy if I told my brothers that I was dreaming of someone I knew existed somewhere and I wasn’t sure when you’d become our reality. So I helped in the search. When my brothers got frustrated or distracted, I had hope because I knew you were out there waiting for us. I had seen you. When we got word that you were coming to Nogalia, I knew that you would be everything I’d dreamed you were.

  You’ve surpassed even my dreams, Isla. Your heart is such a gift, and for every single thing you’ve had to give up to come to Nogalia, I hope to give back tenfold in other ways. I vow to you that I will protect you with everything I am, to love you with every atom of my being. I promise to build a life with you that makes all of your dreams come true, because you being here makes all mine come true. Isla Damani, will you take me to be yours?”

  I cupped my hands around his face as I spoke my consent, feeling overwhelmed in his devotion. Lander stood as he withdrew another chain with a shiny black rock on it and began to put it around my neck.

  “Then I present you with this rock, mined from our sacred cave, for us to join ourselves together with after this ceremony concedes.”

  Feeling the weight of the last chain fall onto my throat brought about a sense of peace and I had to remind myself I still had a part to play.

  “Isla Damani, if you accept Lander as your Husband in front of the eyes of this kingdom, to grow with and to experience life with, to love and to be a partner to, forsaking everyone outside of your marriage, so say it.”

  “I do.”

  “Lander Damani, if you accept Isla as your wife in front of the eyes of this kingdom, to grow with and to experience life with, to love and to be a partner to, forsaking all others, so say it.”

  “I do.”

  “Isla, please place your ring on Lander so that everyone will see his commitment.”

  Once it was firmly placed on his fourth finger mirroring my ring, he gave my hands a gentle squeeze and his face looked supremely happy. I knew the feeling because it was the exact same way I was feeling.

  “I pronounce you to be husband and wife, engaged to be soul bound. Kingdom of Nogalia, I present to you your future king and queen. Lander, please kiss your bride. Again.”

  I giggled as Lander descended onto me, wrapping his arm around my lower back and securing my face to his with a hand around the back of my neck. His kiss was intense and difficult to pull out of, but when his father cleared his throat next to us we remembered that we were in fact standing in front of an entire room full of people.

  Lander just kept both arms around my waist as his father backed off, bringing his mouth right next to my ear.

  “They say I’m supposed to stay for awhile and make pretty with the other people here but all I want to do is drag you behind closed doors and explore every inch of this dress before peeling it off of you and exploring every inch of you without the dress. Please tell me we can leave soon. I can only wait so long and the level of turned on I am is getting to be painful.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, loving how his warm breath felt on my neck.

  “I hear this is for us. If we don’t want to be here, they can’t really stop us, right? The way I see it, we’ve done our part. Maybe we owe them a first dance for good faith, but I will leave with you the second you tell me you’re ready.”

  Lander kissed me again as the orchestra started up and instead of making our way to the dance floor, we stayed right where we were and swayed to the melodies, not separating an inch. His face stayed pressed against the side of mine and feeling his strong hands on my hips, pulling me into him was making tingles run up and down my spine. We stayed like that for a bit, ignoring everyone else in the room but soon Maalik came and broke us up, stealing me to dance with him.

  Lander tried to put up a fight but Maalik only reminded him that it was his husbandly duty to dance with his pretty wife. Lander had nothing to say back to that so he just huffed off the dance floor to go and stand by his parents and brothers as Maalik twirled me around for a bit.

  “Why Maalik, I’m impressed. I didn’t know you could dance like this. I’m usually super awkward on a dance floor.”

  “I was a little distracted last night. Can you blame me? Now that the pressure is off me, it’s easier to remember that I know how to dance. Besides, I’ve got to make Lander sweat a little, remember?”

  “Oh, you’re so mean!”

  “So you don’t want to dance with me?”

  Maalik cocked an eyebrow up with a smug expression on his face. He knew I was putty in his hands and couldn’t tell him no.

  “I suppose this is acceptable. You look hot by the way. I am into these suits you all keep showing up in.”

  “Baby, this is nothing when you’re in the room. How hard was Lander trying to get you to leave the party already?”

  I threw my head back and laughed, because he really knew his brother so well.

  “He definitely didn’t see the merit in staying to dance. You were right, he said he wanted to drag me out the second we were alone up there.”

  “All the more reason to delay it. You handling all this okay? You feel crazy yet married to four men?”

  “Well now that you’ve reminded me…”

  Maalik dipped me and kissed me and his lips made me forget any and all protests I had.

  “You’re going to love this, promise. I think Atticus is up next. Take care of my baby brother tonight, yeah?”

  I blushed furiously at his words, burying my face in his neck as I waited for Atticus to step in.

  “So awkward.”

  Maalik just laughed as he handed me off, and so when Atticus got me I was still red as hell and buried my face in his neck to avoid the embarrassment of it.

  “Did Maalik talk about sex again?”

  “Ugh. How did you know?”

  “Because you’re as red as sunbunt tomato.”

  “He told me to take good care of Lander tonight.”

  “Oh, little virgin Lander.”

  “Hey, that was
me until a few nights ago before your brother defiled me.”

  “It was within the bonds of matrimony, that makes you non-defile-able.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being a virgin. I think it’s sweet.”

  “Well I can tell you that Lander will probably lose his fucking mind when he finally gets you. I’m not a virgin and yet I thought being with you was going to do me in. How are you doing, hmm? Everything feeling okay? You holding up with everything that’s going on?”

  I loved that this man holding me was my husband. Well, one of them anyway. There was something so right about being in his arms.

  “Definitely sore. It’s not incapacitating, but I’m not forgetting what my body’s been up to anytime soon either. And not that I have anything at all to compare you all with, but if you were all considered average size I think we’d see a lot more women walking around bow legged more often.”

  Atticus grinned at me like a lunatic, his smile twisting up on one side. “Yeah, I think we’re all pretty uh, gifted, in that department.”

  For a minute I forgot what I was about to say because of the images that started appearing in my brain, but I congratulated myself when I got back on track.

  “I’ve loved every minute of being able to stand in front of everyone and claim you guys one by one, but I’m looking forward to having some normalcy in our lives because I really haven’t had that since I’ve got here. I pretty much went from zero to a hundred in terms of our relationships. I think some downtime will be amazing.”

  “Which is why after we get through the soul binding ceremony tomorrow, we all will be flying out to an island where we shan’t be bothered for a few weeks. I’m going to absolutely love waking up next to you everyday.”

  “Mm. Yes, I just don’t know what I’m going to do with all four of you at once. And I’m not just talking about sex.”

  “We’ll figure it out, Isla. This is new for us, too. I love you, and you look smokin’ hot by the way. Enjoy your evening with Lander, tomorrow we truly become one.” And with that he kissed me, right in the middle of the ballroom but I wasn’t even shy about it. They had all seen me marry this man a few nights ago, newlyweds were supposed to be all touchy feely and make out in public. The problem was, kissing him like this kind of made me want other things, and I was pretty sure that kind of thing would be frowned upon in a public setting.