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Five Years for Life (dbspock and SunnyCirce)

SunnyCirce

Moon
Joined
Jan 5, 2025
"Ree-ree, please don't think I am not appreciative. I am, more than you know. I just worry, because unless he has changed a lot he wouldn't do this without demanding something in return that is worth far more than this. And this is a LOT! Sweety, what is he asking for?"

"Nothing, Mama. I promise. He just wants to help me, and helping you helps me." Reese Reverie Reid lied to her mother, looking at her father's amused face across the intimidatingly large solid black desk that sat in his home office. Black like the color of his soul, she thought angrily.

Her mother's weak voice sounded loud in the office. Ree had the call on speaker, as he had demanded.

"Are you sure everything is alright, baby? Please don't lie to me. We can figure this out…" Her voice faded into a loud hacking cough.

"Mama, I promise. Everything is fine. He even helped me move into my dorm room. I am his daughter, and he is trying."

She looked up at him again. Her father. The cruel smirk curling his lips as he listened to her lie like a professional liar.

"I just hate I won't be able to come for your surgery."

Her mother hastened to reassure you. "Of course not, Ree-ree. I wouldn't expect you to. You will be in school and you need to focus on that. You got your schedule today, didn't you? What classes did you get?"

Ree let herself relax slightly as her mother moved on to safer topics. She allowed the conversation to focus on her new freshman college schedule. Her dorm room. Her part time job at the cute boutique downtown that she had quit three days ago as part of her agreement with her father – not that she intended to tell her mother she had quit. Her new friends. All Mama needed to know was her Ree-ree was happy and thriving at school and her own desperately needed operation was now going to be paid for by her ex-lover. Along with the obscenely expensive long term medical care afterwards.

When her father began to shift impatiently, Ree gently finished the conversation, told her mother she loved her, and ended the call. As soon as she had done so, his gloating was over and he was all business again.

"Paul will be by to pick you up at nine tomorrow." Paul was the man who had been driven her to her father's house each time she had come. She had never heard his voice. All she knew was he was a massive, ugly man with a brutal square jaw and hard eyes that frightened her.

"You will sign the notarized wedding license and meet your husband to be. Wear something decent." He eyed her jeans and KISS tshirt with contempt.

John Williams. The stranger that she had agreed to marry.

Such a NORMAL name. But she had googled him and knew he was not normal at all. He was obscenely rich for one thing. He was far too beautiful of a man to be taking a reluctant bride he had never seen. Secondly there were rumors about scandalous crimes his family was involved in but honestly it was google, she suspected most of that was a lie. But if even a fraction of it was true, that was scary. Almost as scary as the things her father was rumored to be involved in. She hadn't believed that either…till she met him. Now…now she wondered.

Reaching out to Leonard Garner after the results of her DNA test identified him as her father was a mistake she wished she had never made…except if she had not then her mother would still be dying with no hope of ever affording the surgery she desperately needed to live.

It was the only way her father had gotten Reese to agree to this marriage. She would marry John Williams and remain married for five years. In turn, her father would pay for her mother's surgery and needed care afterwards.

"Ok." Her response was abrupt and cold. Her father didn't seem to care.

"Very well, you may leave."

He dismissed her as if she meant nothing.

It hurt.

She was angry at herself that it hurt. She was so naïve. Leonard was nothing like she had hoped he would be. Nothing like the father Reese had longed for her entire life. He didn't care about her in any way except what he could get from her. She didn't understand why he wanted this marriage, she only knew he was willing to do anything to force her to do it. And once he got the agreement he wanted, he no longer cared. No wonder her mother had fled from him and never told Reese about him. Quite frankly, Reese didn't know what her mother had ever seen in the man.

She left his office and stalked out of his luxury apartment. It felt like a raw wound was throbbing in her chest, his lack of any paternal warmth for her burrowing down into her heart like scraping claws. She was still fatherless after all these years. After the hope of seeing his name matched to hers, the tentative phone call three months ago when she was still back home, her voice quivering on the line as she told him that she was his daughter.

His laughter on the other end…she hadn't understood. She thought he loved her, was happy to meet her. Instead, he was just happy to be able to get his claws in her and use her. Never once since she had first spoken with him had he shown her any sign of affection, of fatherly concern. Everything was to manipulate her. Paying for her college got her into the same city he lived in made it easier for him to control her. Paying for a small apartment near the college until dorm rooms opened and orientation for her first year started got her under his control sooner. Paying for the cell phone she could not afford because it gave him access to her anytime he wanted and allowed him to track her. The "security" he provided each time she went out with some of the girls from work.

Ok, so she had only gone out once and it had been so awkward she hadn't gone again. The three girls were in the dance club trying to giggle and flirt and dance and have fun with the glowering Paul always nearby like a wet woolen blanket, his aggressive vibes chasing off any guy who even looked in the direction of the girls. It had been awful, and she hadn't gone out again.

She had stepped into her father's world like a naïve pretty butterfly being caught in a spider's web. The first night he had invited her to dinner after she moved here he had told her about John and his desire she marry the stranger. She had laughed, refusing, treating it like the joke she thought it was. It had not been a joke, and he was persistent. When she realized he would never be the father she needed and started trying to pull back, he made his move. Marry John, and her mother would live.

She couldn't say no, no matter how much she hated the triumph in her father's eyes. Ree adored her mother, and her mother adored her in return. It was never a question. Ree would happily sacrifice five years of her life for her mother. Hadn't her mother sacrificed 18 years of her own life for Reese? Reese could get a divorce after five years if she wanted to, it was in the agreed on contract. Indentured servitude was preferable to slavery. She had insisted on an end to it. She had also insisted on being able to finish college, though she could not insist on living there at the college.

Reese stood silently in the elevator as it shot down to the ground floor of the building, arms wrapped around her middle in an instinctive defensive gesture. Just outside the doors of the building she pasted a strained smile for the friendly doorman. Paul waited near the car patiently. By now she knew he would never respond to a greeting so she simply slid into the back seat of the car while he held the door open. The silence in the car was oppressive as he drove across town, dropping her off in front of her dorm room.

It was such a relief stepping into her room. Her side was fairly utilitarian. A small bed with a cheap dusky pink blanket and gray and white pillow, a cheap college provided laptop on her student desk with books and notebooks scattered around it. A picture of a nine year old Reese hanging smiling over her mother's shoulder (she was the spitting image of the older woman) standing in the corner of the desk was the only personal item visible except for the tattered Eeyore plushie propped in the corner of the bed. Reese was poor and it showed in the stark lack of pretty things on her side.

The other side of the room was the opposite. An explosion of bright colors and piles of brand name clothing and accessories. Pillows and plushies and squishy things covered the bed. You could hardly see the desktop under the macbook and Ipad and books and notebooks and adorable frog lamp and a pretty vine plant and piles of makeup. Everything that Reese did not have, her roommate seemed to have. Including a smile.

But Brioni Mattingly's smile was infectious and Reese couldn't help but return it. She and Brioni had become instant friends when Reese had moved into her dorm room yesterday with the silent Paul carrying her few things – her father's interest towards her did not extend to pocket money for more than what she had brought from home. When Brioni heard Reese's nickname she had immediately adopted it and insisted Ree call her Bree-bree.

So of course the girls greeted each other with delighted squeals of…

"Ree-ree!"
"Bree-bree!"

They laughed, hugged, and then Brioni immediately started throwing plushies at Reese.

"Come on, I have too many. Take some of these! Oh, let me see your schedule. Do we have any classes together?"

Brioni made it easy for Reese to forget her troubles, to sink into the exciting life of college and new friends and possible bright futures. They celebrated their one class together – American Literature. They went together to the cafeteria for dinner, Brioni's bubbling personality somehow making it not weird when the girls held hands all the way there. Reese got the Balsamic Chicken Stirfry with veggies, Brioni a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries. They split their dinner with each other, chattering. Excited vibes were everywhere. It was a fresh start for everyone. They met two familiar girls they had seen earlier at orientation and the four prowled the campus together, exploring and laughing and flirting with boys who walked by.

It was easy to feel like a normal person. To forget she was going to marry a stranger. To literally sign her life away for five years tomorrow. But that night as she lay in bed with Brioni snoring with adorable little snuffles across the room, Reese cried silently, overwhelmed with fear and anxiety.

She knew she was signing a marriage license tomorrow. One already notarized…wasn't that illegal? But what happened after? Was she married right then? Was there going to be a ceremony? Would she be able to stay in the dorm? Could she be friends with Brioni still? Why hadn't she asked these questions during discussions with her father? All she had been worried about was her mother and finishing school. She suspected there were a lot of things she should have been asking about besides that, and her father had taken advantage of her lack of experience with any of this.

Tomorrow was Saturday. Classes started Monday. By the time Monday came her entire life would probably be different.



Good lord, what would she even wear tomorrow? What was the dress code for getting married to a stranger to save your mother's life?



When Paul rolled up to the dorm room doors at precisely 9am on the dot, Reese was ready. Her long brown hair curled, dripping over her narrow shoulders. In a nod to the importance of today she went with a dress instead of more casual wear. She didn't have a white dress and wouldn't have had the nerve to wear one if she did. She had thought of black, but that might make someone angry. Maybe John. It didn't seem wise to start out her marriage insulting her husband, though the thought of an actual husband made her stomach twist with anxiety.

She had chosen a mid-length, snug buttery yellow sheath dress with narrow straps curling over her shoulders and paired it with beige kitten heels. Once again, Paul never said a word in greeting. Opening the car door for her and driving her all the way to her fathers in silence. When they pulled up to their destination, Reese felt like she would throw up. Usually Paul did not go inside with her. Today he did, leaving the car there for a valet to park somewhere.



Anxiety and stress and fear bubbled inside her as Paul walked her to the elevator and rode with her up to her father's penthouse suite. Neither of them said a word. She focused on taking big deep breaths to try to calm her rapidly fraying nerves.

Paul did not knock likeshe normally did. He simply opened the door to her father's apartment and walked in, with her following behind.
 
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"Are you sure this is a good idea, John?" Alice asked.

John was currently standing in his bathroom, but he didn't consider it an intrusion as Alice had changed his diapers once. True, that had been close to two decades ago, but the familiarity had earned his nanny a good deal of latitude. Besides, he was fully dressed in his tuxedo with the exception of the tie, and the door was open, so if wasn't like she was prying.

"I think its an excellent idea." John stated as he looked at his image in the mirror, complete with bow tie, then nodded in satisfaction as he turned to face Alice, who tsked when she saw the tie and moved towards him. Alice removed the tie and began to fasten it for him. "Father's behind it, for one, and you know how upset he gets when things don't go his way. And if I didn't do it, he'd probably find someone for Caity to marry, and what would that do to my sisters education?" Father had never been happy with Caity's decision to go into the medical field, as he was old fashioned enough to believe it was no place for a woman, despite the fact Caity's skills had already come in handy on a few occasions. Still, John knew Father would have never included in the agreement the stipulation Caitlin could continue his education like he was being forced to do. Not that he minded, really. It would give his wife...he had a hard time wrapping his head around that one...something to do, at least, beyond bothering him.

That wasn't the only reason, of course. John loved his sister, he'd die for her, but he wasn't sure he wanted to live with a wife who was butt ugly and a total shrew. He had no idea if the second part was true or not, but as for the first...well, Father had shown him a picture of...Rey? Was that her name? Like the Star Wars character? No...Reese...like the candy bar. That was it. Father had shown him a picture of Reese, and, well, John couldn't say he'd object to having her around. Besides, it was only for a couple of years, and there was no stipulation about where Reese had to live during that time, so he could send her on a prolonged vacation or stick her in a dumpster out back if letting her in the house didn't work. The marriage was pretty much just for show, anyway, a way to unite the two families, and given the choice between marriage or war, well, there wasn't much of a choice, was there?

He shared none of these thoughts with Alice, though he suspected the older woman was well aware of most, at least, of the other reasons he had agreed to this, but Alice simply nodded in satisfaction as she fixed his tie.

"In that case...everything is ready. The manager of the Grand Plaza hotel has assured us that both the ballroom and the...ahem...honeymoon suite are available." Alice informed him. John doubted it had been that simple. The ballroom had likely been booked well in advance for another event, but frankly John didn't really care how the manager had pulled off the scheduling. John's family owned the hotel, so there had never really been a question of holding the event anywhere else. "And the cake is being delivered as we speak." Alice continued. John figured that had been a bit easier to pull off. Three months of not having to pay protection money added up to a lot more than the cake was worth, John knew, and he didn't really care if the Ferguson's had stayed up all night making it. It was better than having their shop trashed, the other alternative they'd been offered.

"And...Reese?" John inquired as he walked with Alice down the hall. Alice remained silent as she knew the question was really directed at Grant, the man who had been John's bodyguard almost as long as Alice had been his nanny. Grant had silently appeared and joined the walk down the hall, snot speaking until he was addressed.

"Reese was gone when we got to her room. Paul came by to get her, so its pretty much guaranteed she'll be at the ceremony. I grabbed her stuff and put it in my car...didn't take long, there wasn't much. Oh, and I did leave her room mate an invitation to the wedding. I think you'll like her." Grant informed him, the smirk on his face indicating he thought John would appreciate her appearance,

"I think that's everything, then." John said as they exited the house, walking past the fountain to where the limo waited. The vehicle was a bit fancier than John liked, he preferred the Porsche, but tradition was tradition. They all climbed into the vehicle, Grant climbing in the back for once as they had a driver, and it wasn't like there wasn't room, and the vehicle slowly began to head back down the driveway. There was no hurry, the wedding wasn't for another couple hours, and it wasn't like they had to tell anyone what was going on when they got there. Word of the pending merger had spread like wildfire, and John expected there would be quite the turnout to see if this actually happened.

********************************************

Leonard glanced up from his desk. It didn't look like he had moved since she left yesterday, except he was now wearing a tuxedo rather than the suit he had yesterday. His eyes raked over her form, and he shook his head. "Better, but not good enough. A lot of important people are going to be at the wedding, and we want to make a good impression on them." Clearly he regarded the entire affair as an elaborate act, and her as a piece of the puzzle to be maneuvered as he saw fit.

Another change to the room from yesterday was a box on the end table next to the couch, and her father pointed at the box. "Put that on." He ordered her, and if Ree opened said box, she'd discover it contained a white dress, along with a piece of paper that seemed to be the order form, an order form that had her measurements on it exactly, right down to her bra size, which she would discover was also included when she picked up the dress.

She would also discover that the room had only one exit, an exit that Paul was standing in front of, and it seemed Paul had no intention of letting her leave to change.

The only other difference in the room was a blonde woman sitting on the couch next to the box. She was wearing a black dress that matched the color of Leonard's tuxedo, and her hair, piled in a bundle on top of her head, appeared to have been styled that morning. She gave Ree a tentative smile. "Hello...I'm Sara, your maid of honor, it seems. As well as your new bodyguard, as of today." Sara rose to her feet, and though the two were the same height, Sara's heels gave her a two inch advantage as she held her hand out for her new charge to shake.

Sara hadn't been happy when she heard about the arranged...or forced, really...marriage, but she'd been undercover with the family for two years by this point, and while she had gathered plenty of evidence, she knew the FBI had had plenty of evidence before, and while they had taken down a few of the middle men, the upper management had escaped unscathed. That wasn't good enough for Sara, the ambitious agent wanted it all. So when she'd suggested to Mr. Garner that Reese be assigned a bodyguard as part of the agreement, the man had laughed, clearly not caring about his daughters well being. Sara had expected as much, and so played her trump card. She'd be living in the William's mansion, potentially with access to the son's study if Sara played her cards right. The treasure trove of information that kind of access might grant was too much to resist, and Garner had approved her request.
 
At first Reese was confused about why her father was in a tux, then her stomach lurched in horror. Was he actually expecting her to have a wedding of some sort? For some reason she had been thinking it was just going to be signing a paper and being done with it. She swallowed hard, eyes scanning the room anxiously. Paul stood to the side of the door as she stepped in. Her eyes went to the strange woman who offered a small smile. It felt friendly, but Reese didn't trust it or her. Anyone in her father's world couldn't be trusted.

Leonard's cold voice drew her attention. Her skin crawling as he eyed her up and down. She had to fight her arms from wrapping defensively around her middle. She loathed him. Everything would be better if she had never contacted him. Everything except her mother.

Reluctantly, she reached for the box, opening it. Her nails were clean and neat but unmanicured – she didn't have any spare money for that shit. She blinked down at the white cloth, lifting the dress out. She hated it on principle alone, but she really did hate the design. White satin. Sweetheart neckline. Princess skirt that fell past her knees. A pair of white heels lay in the box as well. She wanted to throw up all over it. As a little girl, she had dreamed of weddings like all little girls did. The flush of romance, the sweet start of a new life.

This was a mockery of that. She wanted to throw the dress in her father's smug, smirking face.

But she remembered her mother and swallowed back the bitterness. Instead, she put it back into the box, perhaps a little more violently than she would have otherwise.

"Fine." Her voice was brittle and sharp. Gathering the box into her arms she turned to the door. She froze, seeing Paul in standing like a sentry in front of it. His face impassive. Eyes cold. His body language denied access. She looked from Paul, to her father's smirk, to the strange woman.

"You can't be serious…."

The woman interrupted then, introducing herself and rising to her feet. Out of sheer habit, Reese took her hand. It was soft, but firm. A strong grip. Capable.

"Maid of honor?" Her voice squeaked and she flushed. Clearing her throat before continuing.

"And bodyguard? Why do I need a bodyguard?" She didn't bother introducing herself.

"Both your father and fiancé are important people, Ms. Garner."

"Don't call me that." Ree snapped. "My last name is Reid."

She took a deep breath, turning to look at Paul, then back at her father. She straightened her shoulders, lifting her chin in mute defiance.

"I thought I just needed to sign some papers. What is this all about?" She lifted the box slightly in emphasis.

"Appearances must be maintained. The ceremony is…" He made a point of checking his watch. "A little over an hour."

Fuck. This was really going to happen. Five years…

She kept her voice calm.

"Well, if you want to make it on time, I need privacy to change."

She could feel everyone's eyes burning into her. Leonard studying her with irritation, trying to decide if he wanted to push his point. Finally he grunted in annoyance, waving a dismissive hand at Paul.

"I don't have time to waste with this. You are his problem after today. Go, there is a bathroom across the hall.

Reese forced herself to walk steadily. Paul shifted away from the door, but the click of heels followed her. She stopped, turning to her new "bodyguard" with narrowed eyes. Sara smiled.

"Just doing my job. I will wait outside the bathroom door. Make sure no one goes in thinking it is unoccupied."

Reese didn't need that, she had every intention of locking the door. But she said nothing, turning and leaving the office. As soon as she was out of her father's malicious sight it was like a weight off her shoulders. She still had this awful charade to go through, but at least for the moment she didn't have to tolerate his insufferable presence.

The bathroom was a decadent place with black marble and gold. Tacky, she decided. An ugly sign of wealth with no taste. It had a lot of room and very little sense of style. She changed swiftly, packing her own dress and shoes neatly into the box. She stopped, studying herself in the mirror. It was like looking at a stranger. She was pale, her eyes looking wider than normal as if she were shocked. She couldn't stop the bitter snort of laughter. Of course she was shocked. She was getting married to a man she had never met, for fucks sake. A man who was in all likelihood a criminal. What was he like? Would he be kind? Unlikely. Somehow she didn't think anyone her father had to force her to marry would be kind. Or handsome, not that it mattered. Ugh. Would she have to have sex with him? Ugh.

She pushed that thought away, stepping out of the door, box clutched in her hand. Was that a flash of sympathy in Sara's eyes? She didn't care. A brittle numbness seeping into her bones. She welcomed it as the armor she needed to get through the next few hours. Paul was waiting at the front door down the hall, her father nowhere in sight. Her heels clicked loudly on the floor as she stalked down the hall, ignoring Paul as she pushed back him. Sensing Sara's steady presence behind her. The car was waiting and she hesitated when she saw her father's figure waiting in the back seat. Grimly, she forced herself forward and into the car.

The ride was awkward and silent, but she was grateful for the silence.

The Grand Plaza. She had seen it a few times since she had come to the city, passing by it on her little errands. The store she used to work at was nearby, less than ten blocks away. But she had never been inside and had never expected it to be. As she walked through the side entrance behind her father, with Paul and Sara behind her, she fought back a wave of panic.The Grand was where rich people went, and Reese had never expected to be rich. How would that work anyway? She assumed her new husband was rich. Did that mean she was rich? Or would he expect her to make her own money? How could she do that if she didn't work? All the questions tumbling in her brain made the stress eating away at her stomach worse though, so she pushed the thoughts away and welcomed back the numbness.

If she were suddenly left alone, she would be lost. She followed her father through a maze of halls, wondering why he had taken the service entrance that employees used. Was he actually worried about the groom seeing the bride before the wedding? She almost snorted in amusement. What a pathetic joke.
 
Damn, there are a lot of people here. John thought as he peeked into the hall where the wedding was to be held, and the place was, while not packed, at least over half full he estimated. Well, the union of two of the major families in town was a big deal, so in retrospect he wasn't to surprised...the real surprising part was that no one had killed anyone yet. Officially the policy was no weapons allowed, but John had a pistol strapped to his ankle, and he was sure most of the other guests did likewise.

I suppose they want to see if the lady actually exists. John mused as he stepped back into the little waiting room that had been set up for his party. There was a part of him that wondered the same thing, certainly there had been no indication Leonard had a daughter until the wedding had been proposed, but John figured he wouldn't have gone to all this trouble if he didn't actually have someone at least pretending to be his daughter. John just hoped they looked like their photograph.

"Their here, Boss.' Mike, his father's chief of staff, announced as he poked his head in the door. John didn't bother to correct the man...again...that he wasn't really the boss, that was his father, even though his father couldn't be bothered to show even for his only son's wedding. Though truthfully, John thought it might be better that way. Certainly less likely for any shooting to start.

"Well, I guess this is it, then. It's been nice knowing you, Alice." John joked, and Alice laughed.

"now, it's a wedding, not a funeral." She reminded him, and John was forced to nod in agreement before he headed out to join the reverend on stage. There was supposed to be a rehearsal before this moment, but there hadn't been time. The reverend had assured him he just needed to stand there and follow direction, and John hoped he was right.

****************************************************************

"Ah, Mr. Garner. Miss Garner. Delighted to meet you." The manager of the hotel stated as he met them outside the hall. It was a lit, frankly the man was terrified that either the guests would start shooting, or something would go wrong and he'd be blamed and at best fired. But not only was there no point in giving voice to such fears, it would have just made things worse he was sure.

"I was told there was a maid of honor?" The man glanced at Sara, who was the right sex and seemed dressed for the role, and she nodded in agreement. "Ah, yes, if you'd just come with me, then, and I will get you on stage. Mr. Garner, the front row on the bride's side is open for you and your entourage, just walk your daughter down the hall when the bridal march starts, and the reverend will take it from there." He assured them, and Leonard nodded curtly. He was still disappointed Reese hadn't changed in front of him, and had seriously considered having Paul strip her when she refused to change, but he didn't want to hand over damaged goods to Williams. he was trying to prevent a war, not start one.

Sara and the manager walked down the hall, a short walk, until they entered the room just off the stage up front. Alice and grant both glanced over at her. Alice had a smile on her face as she held out her hand. "Miss Garner..." Alice began before Grant stopped her.

"That's not her. That's our new houseguest." he pointed out, having been briefed on the arrangement, something no one had thought to do to Alice.

Alice looked confused for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, it's still nice to meet you." She insisted as she held out her hand again. "And since you are going to be staying with us, please let me know if you need anything, or have any allergies I need to be aware of." She said.

Grant hadn't moved from his position on the wall, though his eyes did rake over Sara. He wasn't evaluating her beauty, though, but evaluating her as a threat. She was short, and probably fast, and though she clearly worked out, he bet he had her beat on strength. He certainly had the edge on her on reach and mass, though if she had a weapon, that shouldn't matter. "No weapons allowed on the podium." He informed her gruffly. He didn't like the rule, but he had left his arsenal in the car. "Leave them here, if you have them. And did you want to remove the dress, or have me frisk you?" The dress was too tight to conceal much. but he knew a weapon could be strapped to her thigh or in her cleavage, and he wasn't about to take a chance. Bad enough he wasn't being allowed access to the bride, there was no way he was going to allow her bodyguard up there armed.
 
Sara was maneuvering through a deadly mine field of a wedding. Her position was, in her ever so humble opinion, far more dangerous than that of the bride. No one wanted pretty little Reese dead. Raped and humiliated, perhaps so. But not dead. She had value in tying two powerful families together. Value in either bringing peace to a crime torn city or in being a weapon for one of the opposing sides pretending to be friends today.

But Sara did not have that luxury of being wanted alive. She was a weapon being transferred from one enemy to another enemy. She had worked for Reese's father. Now she would work for Reese's husband. Neither side would trust her, but the opportunities she would have as Reese's bodyguard were too potentially important. She just needed to stay alive.

She knew who Alice was. She knew who everyone was. But she pretended ignorance, smiling politely, professionally at the woman. Alice was as close to innocent as you could be when you associated with either of these families unless your name was Reese, but that didn't mean she was innocent. That didn't mean Alice wouldn't turn on her in a second at the slightest hint if disloyalty to her family. Alice was not a threat, but Alice was not safe either. Sara couldn't help but hope Reese realized that too.

Sara dismissed Alice from her focus, turning it to a far more worthy adversary. She would have to challenge him. He could not think she was uncapable of defending her charge. He wouldn't believe it for one thing – he was far too intelligent to fall for the "oh no I am woman I am weak" line that so many other men in her past had fallen for. As soon as she had decided to follow Reese, she had dug deep into her new "coworkers". Grant was on the top of her list of people to be careful around.

She gave him the same polite, professional smile she had given Alice, with an added coldness.

"I am responsible for the safety of the bride. Are you trying to make it more difficult for me to do my job? Do you have harmful intentions towards her?" Her voice was a low hiss. A challenge, but not a public one. He would be forced to make an example of her then.

He grinned back, delighted at the opportunity to flex that she had given him.

"The only one planning on harming her is John, and he is just going to use his dick. Strip or frisk, your call sweetheart."

She let anger flash in her eyes, but deep inside she felt smug. He had reared to the challenge just like she had expected. All those years of studying psychology with an emphasis on criminal psychology had not gone to waste. She hesitated, letting the challenge linger until his eyes told her he was going to choose for her. Only then did she huff. An adorably angry sound that had him relaxing.


She wordlessly lifted her arms and waited.



She was not disappointed. He deliberately groped her as he efficiently frisked her, squeezing her tits that were barely restrained in her dress. At least he did not do it so openly that it would attract unwanted attention. But he kept his eyes on her while his fingers roughly kneaded the soft flesh of her breasts. She met his gaze with boldness, allowing a touch of her contempt for him show. Men. Always the same. His lip curled in amusement and his hands slipped lower.

Before he made it past her waist she interrupted his movements. Her hand slipping deftly into the slit on her skirt, extracting something small and black.

"Diamondback DB9." She handed it over with a sweet smile. "I expect it back after the ceremony."

The gun's metal was warm from her thighs. He took it without a word, handing it to a man standing nearby, resuming his efficient frisk. She had no other weapons and he stood back, nodding in satisfaction.

"We will walk together."

They did, and she smiled the entire way like all of this was real.



*********************************************************



Deep breaths.



Deeeeep breaths.



In…out



In….out



Reese fought back the dread anticipation swirling threateningly in her belly. The music began and everything in her wanted to run screaming for help.

"Just remember your mother." Leonard reminded her grimly, feeling the muscles in her arm tense.

Immediately, those muscles relaxed in despair. Her face lowered as she gathered herself, then raised. Her father gave her no time. Beaming at his friends and enemies as he led his daughter down the aisle to the son of his enemy. Of course they thought this was an olive branch. An offer of an old man finally feeling his mortality. In truth, it was merely the beginning. In truth, it was the mere beginning of his vengeance. The daughter at his side thought his demands on her after this would end. How little she knew. He had a weapon that worked. His ex-mistress, her mother. Wielding that weapon meant Reese would bend to his every demand. Leonard was not a man who ever hesitated to wield a weapon.

But Reese DID think her father's interference in her life would be over after this. Instead of focusing on him, her wide eyes were on her fiancé. She was relieved to see his physical strength wasn't as overwhelming as so many men her father surrounded himself with. He didn't feel like an immediate physical threat…but that didn't mean he wasn't. She studied him as she walked, soaking in every twitch of his face, every blink. Trying to read him. Something familiar moved in her peripheral vision and she almost tripped as she saw Brioni. Her friend was dressed in a …why was Reese not surprised…red dress with a fluffy chiffon skirt and a skin tight bodice beaded with glittering gold.

She mouthed to Reese, "What the fuck, girl?"

Reese didn't know what to do except give her friend the smallest of shrugs and a half second smile before turning back to the sham of a wedding – HER wedding – taking place. Before she could fully recover from the shock of Brioni here – who had invited her? – she was there. Her hand being given to a stranger's. Her entire body was hot as she stared blankly forward, her skin prickling at the touch of a stranger who was about to be her husband. Yet another stranger reciting sacred words that meant nothing to her. Was this really happening? Was she really going to go along with this?

She remembered her mother's weak voice over the phone. Yes, she was really going to go along with this.
 
Grant looked at the weapon she presented him and nodded appreciately. It was a nice weapon, not as nice as the B-cups he'd just fondled, but it was the type of weapon he would have kept if Sara had been killed in a shoot out with him. As it was, she deserved a bit of professional courtesy and he nodded at her request. It was easier to think of it as a request rather than a demand. "You'll get it." Grant promised as he passed the weapon on to one of the minions. Yes, he wanted to take it onstage, but he'd promised, and whatever else one might say about him, Grant was a man of his word.

"Let's go, B-cup." Grant couldn't entirely hide the smirk on his face as he reduced her identity to her cup size, and Grant held out his arm so she could place her hand on it as he escorted her to the stage to her position to the left of the podium. It was only then that Grant realized he had taken on the role of the best man. The plan, at least in his mind, had been to take a seat on the almost vacant front row, still close enough to react if needed, but that would leave the stage looking a bit lopsided. Grant cast a questioning look at John, who shrugged lightly, so Grant took a place up on the right side of the podium, also smiling a bit, as he wondered if he and Sara would have at least the customary Best Man/Maid of Honor dance after the ceremony.

John's eyes flickered to Sara for a moment as she appeared, but unless the photo had been extremely misleading, this was not his soon to be bride. He then remembered the part of the contract about the bodyguard moving in as well, and gave Sara a polite nod. "Welcome." He said softly. No need to be rude, after all, and the security guard had Grant beat by a mile when it came to looks as well. John couldn't wonder if perhaps she wore a bikini if/when she went swimming at the pool...though he also couldn't help but note the way she carried herself, and the leery eye Grant kept on her. The woman was clearly more than a pretty face.

John's eyes flickered to the doorway as the speakers began to play 'here comes the bride'. There was no band present and John figured it must be a recording since there hadn't been time or need to arrange for much else. As the doors opened and two people entered, John immediately recognized the male...he'd had more than a few meetings with Leonard over the years. He let out a small breathe of relief as he saw the woman on Leonard's arm, obviously his daughter. If the white dress hadn't been a giveaway that she was the bride here, the photo hadn't lied. If anything, she was even prettier in person. John couldn't help but smile slightly as he saw Reese stumble as she caught sight of her friend...inviting Briana had been a nice touch, John figured, and her friend didn't look half bad either.

John reached out and gently squeezed Reese's hands as her father gave her away...an act that had more meaning than it usually did in these circumstances. "You look gorgeous." John told Reese softly. He wasn't sure who had picked out her dress...he couldn't see her father choosing something that revealing (one of John's miscalculations as that was indeed the source of the dress. Leonard had taken great pleasure in choosing it). Perhaps Reese was more into the wedding than he'd anticipated? He never would have guessed it from the look on her face, but hey, he was nervous too. "Yeah...I'm nervous too." John admitted with a soft smile before he repeated the words the reverend told him to say. He'd never met the man before, and probably never would again, and John doubted Reese had met him either, so there were no personal anecdotes to stretch out the ceremony, so it only took a few moments for John to hear the words "you may kiss the bride."

John didn't hesitate, but stepped forward and bent down...Reese was almost a foot shorter than him, even in heels, something the picture hadn't really conveyed...as he released Reese's hands so he could cup her face, gently tilting it up until he could meet her lips with his, giving her their first kiss even as the photographer caught the moment forever.
 
This wasn't Sara's first rodeo with working with men. Leonard's men had said far worse than Gage did. She simply rolled her eyes and smirked. It didn't bother her. She would prefer words be used than other weapons. Besides, if she was perfectly honest it was kind of clever.


Her missing gun was far more of a concern than stupid misogynistic jokes. At least half the audience were outright enemies of the other half. Probably a quarter of the audience pretended to be friends of the rest but were secret enemies. And most of them were probably armed. What idiot thought it would be a clever idea for the bodyguard of the bride and bridegroom to be unarmed? It wasn't her place to argue though. It was her place to smile prettily, tuck her arm through his, and parade up the aisle.

She nodded briefly at John before turning her attention to the crowd. Her eyes taking in each person, cataloging them. Some she didn't know, but most of them she did. As far as she knew Reese was the only innocent person here, and she suspected Reese wouldn't stay innocent for long. Not with the company she was going to be keeping.



Reese's hands felt cold in his warm hands. She couldn't even bring herself to smile as he greeted her with startling curiosity. She simply blinked at him in astonishment before stammering out an ungraceful,

"Umm, thank you."

He was nervous as well? Whatever for? HE wasn't the one being forced into a marriage for five years or watch her mother die. She didn't believe him. She faced forward with a grim face, repeating when she was prompted. Steeling herself the whole time. She would NOT kiss him. Would NOT!

She was so focused inward she didn't even hear the conclusion. When the man beside her shifted it caught her off guard. That was the only excuse she had for failing to avoid the kiss. His hands felt startlingly large, covering her cheeks. One leg took an anxious step backwards but then she was caught by his lips, her breath freezing. It was over before she knew it and she stood there stunned, remembering only his gentleness.

A shrill whistle pierced the air and everyone – including Reese, jerked around to stare at Bree who was now clapping, grinning at the newly married couple!

"You go, girl!"

Dead silence from the astonished audience, and Bree shrugged, going quiet with a shameless grin.
 
John briefly returned Sara's nod. He knew who Sara was, of course, she'd been part of the agreement, but he had to say she looked a lot more attractive now than in the photo he had been shown. Not that the photo had been unflattering, he would have been happy to marry Sara as well if it came to it, but the dress showed off her figure almost as well as Reese's did. Yes, Sara would be a most welcome houseguest.

Grant pretty much ignored Reese after he took his position. Aside from Alice and Bree, she was probably the most nonthreatening person here. And while he scanned the crowd, or at least the so-called bride's side, for threats, he kept a lot of his attention on Sara as well. She wasn't armed, he'd made sure of that, but he was sure she knew how to kill someone with her bare hands, but he wasn't going to give her the chance. Though as the ceremony went on, it seemed attacking the groom was not on her agenda. Still, he did keep an eye on her, but not for security purposes necessarily.

John nodded at Reese's thanks. He didn't know her well enough to pick up on how nervous she was, and he hadn't been lying when he said he was nervous as well. He hadn't had much more choice in the marriage than Reese did...the only difference was he got to choose where she lived. If he'd refused the marriage offer, it would have been an insult where the only answer was war, and neither side really wanted, or could afford, that. He also missed the fact she stepped back to avoid the kiss, though it would have been impossible to miss Bree's reaction to it. John grinned at Bree's enthusiasm and gave her a quick thumbs up before he leaned over and whispered to Grant for a moment, and the man nodded.

Reese still appeared stunned, probably from Bree's outburst, but John chose to believe it was from his kiss. Nonetheless, she wasn't looking at him, and John grinned as he darted forward. He managed to get his hand between Reese and the train of her wedding dress, so his hands touched her bare legs as he caught her by the knees. He lifted up a bit and so she fell back until her bare back pressed against his other arm and he literally swept her off her feet. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Williams." John told her with a smile as he carried her down the aisle. The doors were no problem, the ushers the hotel had hired took care of that, and it wasn't far to the reception hall, so John had no problem carrying her up to the head table. Under the circumstances, a reception line was not in anyone's best interest.

Grant smirked as he saw John scoop his new wife off her feet, and he quickly decided to do the same. He too darted forward, but he planted his shoulder into Sara's stomach even as he reached around, finding the slip in her dress, until his hand was on her bare thigh. He then straitened up, leaving Sara draped over his shoulder, as he followed John down the aisle, stopping for a moment when he reached Bree. "If you'd care to follow me, there's a seat for you at the head table." He offered before he headed out the door himself, fully intending to simply drop Sara on her butt when they reached their destination. Professional? Not really, but who was she going to complain to?
 
He was actually nice.

Reese squealed when he caught her up in his arms, her own arms throwing themselves around his shoulders by reflex alone. Clinging to him as he carried his blushing bride down the aisle.

His...well...niceness caught her off guard. "Umm, nice to meet you too."

She immediately felt stupid. It was a dumb thing to say. She found herself giving an awkward little laugh.

"Not going to lie, it's a little wierd meeting you. but nice too."

It WAS nice. She found herself looking up at him curiously. He was cute. Lean and sexy. Obviously strong, he didn't seem to be making any effort in carrying her. He smelled good too. She couldn't identify the cologne but...honestly....if he had asked her out, she probably would have gone. He definitely was nicer than her father. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.


Sara, on the other hand, was furious. Laughter rippled through the audience as she squealed in shock. Her cheeks flaming scarlet as she found herself bouncing on his shoulder as he walked down the aisle. This was too much. Too much disrespect for her to tolerate.

She reached down, her hand turning into a claw as she thrust it between his walking legs, closing them on his balls and squeezing viciously.
 
Well, that was unexpected. John certainly hadn't expected her to squeal when he picked her up, and despite the fact that she did it practically right in his ear, he managed not to drop her, or even really lose his grip on her. it helped that she wrapped her arms around his neck, cementing her position a bit, and he couldn't help but glance down and get a good look at her cleavage. He found his cock stirring a bit at the thought of the honeymoon suite that awaited them once they got through the reception. Being married did have its perks, it seemed.

John wasn't a muscleman by any means, but Reese was hardly fat either, so it wasn't really a struggle to carry her to her seat in the reception hall. The hardest part was getting her into her seat afterward, but one of the caterers, clearly having been warned by his boss to be extra attentive, saw them coming and had her seat pulled out for them. John couldn't resist running his hand along Reese's butt for a moment as he set her down, and then their faces were so close...well, another quick kiss was clearly in order.

John chuckled as she acknowledged the weirdness of their meeting. "Yeah...meeting someone for the first time as you get married has got to be one of the top ten weirdest ways to meet someone." He agreed. Some cultures practiced arranged marriages, he knew, and he figured some families still practiced it, he just hadn't even expected to be a part of it. John glanced over and nodded in appreciation as the caterer placed their meal in front of them. Nothing fancy...despite his wealth, John had never acquired a real fancy pallet, but it wasn't cheap either. Steak, salad, a bowl of vegetables and a roll, along with a glass of water and some champagne. John reached for his silverware to begin eating, then glanced over at Reese. "You don't have any food allergies, do you?" He asked worriedly, not wanting to poison his bride on their wedding day of all things. As he waited for her answer, he glanced at the door. Grant had been right behind him...he should have been here by now. Had there been some sort of incident that was keeping him?

There certainly had been an incident, though it had been one Grant hadn't expected, so John certainly couldn't have. Grant had figured Sara had been instructed not to make waves at the wedding, so her hands would be figuratively tied when he picked her up, but clearly that wasn't the case. Grant felt her hand between his legs, but the action was so unexpected he didn't think to react until it was too late. "Unnnnggghhhh!!!!" Grant's groan was less high pitched then her squeal had been, but he found his body starting to go down in response. Grant hadn't trained for this exact situation, but his reflexes still kicked in as he repositioned Sara so she would take the brunt of the fall. He'd already planned to drop her on her butt, so that's exactly what he did, except he didn't release her. Instead, he aimed his knee at the sensitive spot between HER legs, even as his hands once again went to her breasts, but this time it wasn't just a quick search for weapons and an excuse to grope her, his hands squeezed her melons harshly even as he brought his full weight down on her, trying to knock the breathe out of her, for once ignoring the crowd that had begun to form around them.
 
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