Cardinal's Rule

Epilogue

They celebrated their one year wedding anniversary at the club, playing. Tilly decided to mark the occasion by helping Landry top Cris for the first time before she and Landry topped Bob. Kim and Kylee didn’t mind sharing their “love stud” with Tilly and Landry in the dungeon, as long as he still went home with them.

The wistful guilt had finally disappeared, too. Tilly no longer had the little nagging “what if” thoughts where Bob was concerned.

After returning home, the three of them made love until they collapsed, exhausted. Landry lay sandwiched between them, Cris on his left. Cris had rolled onto his right side and lay with his right hand tucked against his chest, his left splayed flat on Landry’s abs.

Tilly studied the wedding band on Cris’ right hand before her gaze fell to the rings on her own left hand. Landry let out a soft snore she knew meant he’d fallen deeply asleep. Her heart pounding, she reached across Landry, to Cris’ right hand, and gently tugged on his ring. At first surprised, he relaxed his hand and silently watched as she slipped the ring off his finger. Then she reached over to his left hand and slid it onto that ring finger before she laced her fingers through his.

“There,” she whispered. “That’s better.”

He looked stunned, his eyes on their hands. When his gaze silently swiveled to meet hers, she winked.

A slow smile crept across his face. “I love you, baby girl. I love you so much, and I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, I swear.”

She squeezed his hand tightly. “I love you, too. If you leave again, I’ll hunt you down and kill you in a very slow and painful way. Then I’ll hold you down while Bob, Loren, and Ross have their way with you.”

He tried to stifle his amused snort so he didn’t wake Landry. “Never again. I’m not leaving unless he orders me gone.”

He let out another soft snore from where he lay between them.

Cardinal’s Rule – Tymber Dalton Page 285

“Good.” She laid her head on Landry’s chest and closed her eyes. She enjoyed the feel of Cris’ thumb gently stroking hers. “You still have my pendant?”

His finger froze. “Yeah?”

“I’d like to wear it. Not as your slave,” she quickly added. “I miss wearing it. I loved that necklace.” She eventually added, “I always knew you loved me when I had it on. It was like a wedding ring, in a way. I can’t be your slave again. And I can’t wear your ring because I’m his wife. But I would like that back. I love you. I never stopped loving you even when I hated your guts. I wear his ring. But I wouldn’t mind wearing your necklace again. I’m sure he won’t either. Just to be fair,” she clarified.

“I love you, too. Always and forever,” he softly promised.

She smiled. “Always and forever,” she agreed.

THE END