Black Wedding by Emma Luna
It may not have quite been the start that I wanted for our first date, but I was determined to make sure Bree had a good time. I had planned this perfectly, and the idea that it could have been ruined by that bullshit phone call is pissing me off.
A part of me knew it was my father from the minute he started talking; he is synonymous with using those damn voice machines. But when he offered to spare my life if I walked away, that’s when I really knew it was him. My father hates me. There’s no doubting that, but he would never kill me unless he had to. It would kill my mother. If I refuse and leave him with no choice, he will move against me; he can argue his case for that. But he knows there is no way I will step aside and give him power. That’s the last thing that a lunatic like him needs. London would be so much worse if the Doughty Family gains any kind of power, which is why people are wary about me. They think I am secretly working to hand power over to him, but if they knew me at all then they would know that is the last thing I wanted even before I met Bree. Now I have her and her safety to think about. She is my priority, and I sure as shit will not let anyone take her from me, especially my family.
As I drive the remainder of the way, we sit in silence, but I want to get back to the fun and banter we had before the call. I want to remove the concerned scowl that Bree is currently wearing. I know she is considering all the scenarios and working out what we will need to do next in her head, but I need to clear all that out. I need her to be in the here and now…with me.
“Have you worked out where we are going yet?” I ask playfully, taking hold of her hand whilst using the other to drive.
I chance a glance over at her and see her taking in our surroundings. She will be able to see very soon where we are going. “The beach?” she replies, her pitch rising at the end and turning her guess into more of a question.
“No, that’s too far away,” I tease.
“Can’t you just tell me?” That adorable pout she uses when she isn’t getting her own way reappears, and I want to kiss her so badly right now.
“Nope. Keep guessing,” I sing, knowing I am winding her up but I can’t help it. I love seeing her pretend to be annoyed. I know she really wants the surprise, that’s why she hasn’t asked about it before now.
Her gaze scans the surroundings again as she mutters about me being an asshole, just loud enough for me to hear. I see the first signs of our destination and keep casting glances over at her to see her reaction when she realises. I also try to keep an eye on the road so we don’t die before getting to our destination. I know the moment she sees it because her whole body language changes. She sits up straighter and leans forward; her leg begins to bounce, which I have learnt she does when she is excited. The plastered pout on her face is quickly replaced by the biggest grin, and her silver eyes shine and glisten against the headlights of the cars zooming past us.
“We are going to the funfair?” she asks, almost in disbelief.
It might seem like a trivial date for some people, but not for Bree. I remember one of the first getting to know each other nights we had, and Kellan was there. He was telling her all about when we used to go to the funfair as kids. We would ride the big wheel, challenge each other at dodgems, just generally have a laugh. Kellan once ate so much cotton candy and doughnuts that when he threw up after going on the dodgems, it was a pink coloured vomit. Bree listened intently but never added in her own stories, so we asked if she had any. She was really sad when she told us she had never been to the funfair. Her mum thought it wasn’t ladylike to have fun, and her dad said the security was too risky. Basically, they just wanted to tell her who she should be. I wanted to show her that with me, she can have whatever she wants. If I can give her the world, then I will.
“Yeah, Princess. That okay?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
Thankfully, I just manage to park the car and as I turn the engine off, she takes off her seatbelt and throws herself into my lap, kissing me hard. Her hands grip my hair tightly, pulling at the ends as she sweeps her tongue across my bottom lip, demanding access. I let her take what she wants, gripping her ass to pull her closer onto my growing erection. She shuffles slightly to get more comfortable, trying to swing her leg over until she is in a straddling position. However, there is not enough room between me and the steering wheel. Her movement causes a deafening and continuous burst of noise as she accidentally sits on the horn.
The noise scares the shit out of us both, and she jumps back onto her own seat as we both start to laugh. Our chuckles turn into a full belly laugh as we look at each other laughing. Reaching over, I give her a light kiss before pulling back and adjusting my cock so it’s a bit more comfortable.
“Come on, Princess. Let’s go for a ride,” I joke, and she rolls her eyes at my lousy innuendo.
Getting out of the car, I run around to open her door but find she has already let herself out. She then reminds me that she is an independent woman who doesn’t need men to hold her door open. While she mutters about feminine rights, I take hold of her hand and lead her to the entrance.
Buying our tickets, we walk inside, and I see her mouth is wide open in admiration. This is nothing new, but for someone who has never been before, it’s a sight to behold. The lights, the music, the shrieks from the rides, but it’s the laughter that rings out the most. Everywhere you look, people are having a good time. Couples on dates, families having quality time together, friends having a night of fun. Everyone is enjoying themselves, and as I watch Bree take in all the sights and sounds, it’s like I see it all through new eyes.
“Where do we start?” Bree asks.
“Wherever you want, Princess. What takes your fancy?” I ask, and her eyes light up again.
“Well, I definitely want to try all of these food stalls over here. So I am guessing we should go on all the rough rides first because as funny as a pink vomit story is, I do not wish to experience it,” she jests.
“Okay, so it depends on how aggressive you want to start. If you want to go for it straight out the bat, then something like slingshot, twister, or loop rage. They do anything from sling you in the air, spin you around, and go upside down,” I explain, and when she starts to go a little bit white, I decide maybe starting off with that is not the best idea.
“Alternatively, we can start with the mid-level stuff like waltzers, crazy frogs, or octopus, which are thrill-seeking but nowhere near as aggressive as the others.” I wait for her to answer as she looks around.
“And if I want to start really slow?” she asks tentatively, and I smile.
“Then I have the perfect thing for you,” I say before taking her hand and pulling her over to the dodgems.
We queue up, and her eyes light up with excitement. She watches the riders who are already on and laughs along with the people having their turn. As we get closer to our turn, I notice her reading the warning board, and she frowns.
“This says we aren’t allowed to deliberately bump into people. That looks like half the fun,” she asks, looking confused as she glances between the signs and the bumping clearly happening right next to us.
“Yeah, nobody follows that rule. They have it in place so that they cannot be held liable. Just try not to hit any kids too hard,” I explain, and she chuckles before turning her mischievous gaze my way.
“Oh, they are safe. But you...I’m coming for you,” she threatens with a sexy as fuck smirk on her face.
As soon as the ride attendant lets us in, Bree runs to the purple car she has selected in the corner, choosing colour over practicality. On the other hand, I carefully saunter to the luminous yellow one that is directly behind Bree. She looks around at me and catches the grin I have on my face, her eyebrows raise in question.
“Rookie move, Princess. Never choose based on colour. Always go for the dodgem directly behind your target. That way, you can get in at least one hit.”
Just as I finish talking, the music starts, and she speeds off, trying to get away from me, but I bide my time. She makes the first corner, and just as she is making the second, I make a quick left turn. Cutting off the corner and ramming full speed into the side of Bree’s pretty purple dodgem, it then sandwiches her against the wall.
“One - nil, Princess. Bring it,” I joke, and she laughs before speeding off.
Several manoeuvres later, when the score is four-nil to me, she finally manages to get behind me, and the girl holds no prisoners. Putting her foot down entirely on the accelerator, she speeds right into the back left side of my car. This causes us both to spin and laugh loudly before I hear her shouting, “Four-one, I’m making my comeback.”
She did manage to make her comeback, and eventually, she got her fourth hit just as the music stopped. As I helped her climb out of her car, she couldn’t stop giggling. A little boy, who looked to be about seven or eight years old, stopped us on our way out.
“That was so cool. You looked like a fiery assassin charging into people. I know you were keeping score. I think she wins because she got a few hits in on other people,” he says before his mum pulls him away, muttering an apology that Bree is quick to squash.
“Don’t apologise,” she says to his mum before turning to the little boy. “Thank you. I think I won too, but you were terrific as well.”
His mum smiles, and the boy’s face lights up before he runs off, pulling his exhausted-looking mother with him. This is what happens when you mix children and sweets; you get hyperactive kids.
“Looks like you have got competition, Liam, and I don’t just mean at the dodgems,” she jokes.
Silencing her quickly, I pull her body against mine and press my lips against hers. It’s searing and passionate but full of the promise of more. I pull away far too quickly, deciding that a fair full of other people and kids is probably not the place to get hot and heavy. But I want Bree to know it is on the agenda, which is why I lean forwards and whisper in her ear, “Later.”
Her breath seems to catch, and she smiles that shy but knowing smirk at me. “Where to next?” she asks.
We spend the next couple of hours wandering around the fairground, going on all the rides. The cute little carousel where we were the only adults that didn’t have kids, to the slingshot that had us sit in a ball before shooting us into the air. I’m sure Kellan would have been able to hear her screams all the way back at home, but as soon as we landed and our feet touched the floor, she was back to giggling. I think we literally laughed and smiled the whole way round. We posed for selfies, played hook-a-duck games, and she scared the shit out of the guy running the shooting stall with her incredible precision. He made the mistake of asking if she wanted me to shoot for her. He said she had a better chance of winning something. Instead, she won the grand prize, and that’s how I ended up having to take a four-foot bulldog wearing a union jack t-shirt back to the car. Apparently, we are naming him Gerard. After a few arguments about him taking up too much room, I finally just gave in and carried the damn stuffed dog.
We stuffed ourselves with hotdogs, doughnuts, cinder toffee, and cotton candy in between the rides. I had bags of sweets and delicious treats that I also took back to the car, including a very nice stick of rock in the shape of a large cock for Kellan. In addition, I won Hallie a giant, pink teddy which I know she will love. I was just grateful I managed to talk Bree out of choosing the goldfish. She felt Hallie would be more stimulated watching a goldfish. Until I reminded her that goldfish require actual care, Kellan is only just managing Hallie and himself, adding in another life, and he might crack.
A loud tannoy announces that the fair will close in ten minutes, and Bree looks a bit sad. “So we can fit in one more ride. What will it be?” I ask.
She looks around, taking her time to analyse her options. There are only a couple of rides that we haven’t done. Some we have done multiple times because she enjoyed them so much. I will say yes to whatever she chooses. Still, I really fucking hope it’s not the slingshot because I just ate a massive footlong hot dog and whippy ice cream, and I really want to keep that inside my stomach.
She starts pulling me quickly towards the far side of the ride. I must physically look terrified because nearly all the rides in this section will most definitely make me lose my dinner. “Relax, I want to go on the Ferris Wheel,” she says with a smile as she pulls me into the very short queue. It’s coming up for midnight, and the crowds left a couple of hours ago. The wait times are minimal now, and we are getting seated in the carriage in no time.
As the ride starts taking off slowly, Bree takes hold of my hand. “Thank you,” she says with a squeeze of my hand and a bright grin.
“You don’t have to thank me, Princess. If you want something and I can get it for you, then I will do it. I would give you the world if I could,” I reply, looking away from her. I don’t know why, but I feel vulnerable at this moment, alone above the stars.
Emotions are shooting through my body as I try desperately to grasp what I am feeling. I have never felt like this before. I have never felt like I might not be good enough for a girl, but with Bree, I don’t think anyone will be good enough in my eyes. She is perfect.
Bree takes hold of my cheek and forces me to look at her. “Hey...all I want is you. I told you about me not having gone to a fair before weeks ago, and not only did you remember, you made it your mission to change that. You have made a little girl’s dreams come true today, so don’t you ever think any less of yourself. But there is one thing you can do to help make a grown woman’s dreams come true,” she states.
Before I can ask her what she means, she leans towards me and presses her lips against mine. As with all our kisses, what starts off sweet ends up being sizzling and sexy, full of passion. When we finally pull apart, we look around and see we are stopped at the top of the Ferris Wheel, looking out at the stars and the lights of the nearby towns.
“Now you have made my dreams come true,” she mutters, and I ask what she means. “I’ve always wanted to be kissed amongst the stars at the top of a Ferris wheel.” Her smile is incandescent, her fiery red hair illuminating in the moonlight with the bright lights from the fair hitting her at every angle.
“I’m a lucky guy,” I say, giving her a sweet but short kiss as the wheel starts moving.
“I’m the lucky one. You are a pretty great guy, Liam Doughty. Kidnapping aside, obviously,” she jokes just as the ride pulls to a stop at the bottom.
The ride operator looks horrified at her words. He’s looking at me like I’m a psychopath, and he is considering jumping me. He looks like he is in his mid-teens and has absolutely no muscles and several patches of acne dotted across his face. Although he would stand no chance with me, I respect that he is concerned enough about Bree to consider it.
“I didn’t mean that how it sounds. It’s an inside joke between us. I can promise you I am not being held hostage or in any danger. He’s my boyfriend,” she explains and as she says the last word, I feel my body tensing.
Nobody has ever called me their boyfriend before, I never go that far, but really, we are so much more. Technically we are engaged, but that was supposed to just be for business. I think when Bree calls me her boyfriend, that’s how she really sees us, and for once, despite how much it freaks me out, I am all in. I have no idea if we together will cause more harm than good, but I think I am falling for the fiery redhead. I will burn down the world around us as long as we can stand together through it.
After being shuffled out of the fair by the bosses who were closing, we climbed into the car, and I felt myself release an audible sigh I didn’t know I had been holding. We had been on our feet, going from ride to ride for around four hours, and I was so bloody knackered. I look over at Bree to see her shyly trying to hide her yawn. Then, with a smile, I start up the engine and start the drive home.
We had been driving for around half an hour when Bree finally plucked up the courage to speak. She had been casting glances at me, looking like she wanted to say something since we got in the car. I was just waiting for her to see how long it would take her.
“Did it bother you when I called you my boyfriend? You kind of froze?” she whispers, looking down at her leg that has started to bop, this time out of nervousness.
“I’m not going to lie; the word caught me off guard, but not for the reasons you are thinking. When I heard it, I waited for myself to freak out. I have never been a boyfriend to anyone before, never wanted to be, and whenever a girl has suggested it in the past, I would bolt. So, yeah, I was waiting for that moment, but it never came, far from it. I think I actually may have liked being called your boyfriend,” I explain. I know she believes me because her restless leg stops moving, and she tucks it under her bum as she turns as much as her seatbelt will allow so that she is facing me. The smile she has worn all night is now firmly back on her face.
“It just slipped out for me too, but I didn’t regret it like I thought I would. I have feelings for you, Liam, really fucking strong feelings, and that scares the shit out of me. I planned on just keeping this a business deal, no emotions, but that is so fucking far out of the window that I don’t know what to do.” The words rush out of her mouth like she can’t entirely control what she says, but they need to be heard.
“I have feelings for you too, Bree. As far as I am concerned, this doesn’t change anything except make it better. I have never dreamt of getting married or anything like that, so doing it for a business arrangement and to help you out seemed like an easy decision. But after talking it through with Kellan, I would have said no to anyone else, but with you, it was easy. So maybe we need to just go with the flow and see where things go. If this turns into a real marriage, then that’s a bonus. But, at the moment, I get to marry my friend and the only woman I have ever thought was capable of ruling her own syndicate.” I speak with confidence and conviction, making it clear I mean every word I say.
“I think I am one lucky lady,” Bree replies, and I can’t help but lower the tone.
“You are a very lucky girl, Princess, and when we get home, I am going to show you just how lucky with my tongue, my fingers, and my cock.”