I keep up the facade. I adore how happy my lovebug is. There's a weight off of him now. Jace was worried about the chat. His instincts were right, but I'll never tell him. It isn't just my big day, it's his too. I'll do whatever possible to keep him happy. We board the helicopter. I place on a headset, waiting for Jace to do the same. He doesn't...instead he texts: 

Jace: Not around my mother.

Me: That'll make it even better 😉

I sneak a horny glance his way. He clears his throat to battle off his titillation. "Is Kim in a better mood?" He asks his mother.

"Of course she is, I talked with her. Don't worry about your sister." Meredith gazes at me. "When is the dress fitting?"

"We can do that once we're home. Us girls can make a party out of it."

"We should." The same half smile marks her mouth.

I update my crew through text:

Me: The talk went great 😊 we're heading back to do a dress fitting.

Mom: 🥳🥳🥳

Lil: 👻

Jess: Actually 2 dress fittings I'm done with your mom's 💅🏼

We're home fast. I exit with a pep in my step. On a mission. I've waited so long to slip into this dress. I'm restless and pumped up. Mrs. Harrison keeps up with my energetic stride. Jace is behind us. "I'll be gone until 8. NASA has accepted the update."

I turn to look at him. "Oh good, that's one less thing to worry about. It's best you leave; I don't trust you to keep your eyes off the dress."

He smirks. "I'll vow my trust to you if you're worried."

"You better." I kiss him. "Bye."

"Have fun."

My girls pop champagne bottles as soon as we walk inside. I giggle at their enthusiasm. Lil anchors my arm into hers. "Let's hurry, that dress is suffering without you!" I'm guided down the hall. There's an actual fitting room, complete with an elevated stage.

"I'm so glad we can start over." My mom says to Meredith. "As long as our children are happy, so are we."

"I couldn't agree more."

Lil walks me up the stage and to the back curtains. My dream dress is hanging on a rack. I twiddle my thumbs. "I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of not looking great in it."

"Girl stop." Lil rolls her eyes. "That's what shapewear is for." She unhooks a cream slip from the racks. There's a built-in bra and compression straps across the waist and sides. There's butt-lifting undergarment as well. I think I have to loop it under my ass. 

I strip out of my clothes and slip into shapewear. Lil unzips the dress so I can step into it. The fully laced top is better than the picture. It's high quality and flat. Sown perfectly. She zips it. The gold belt is snug across my hips. My waist is slimmer. The mermaid bottom is sexy and form-fitting. 

I look like a model. A seductive goddess. A Disney princess. Lil tears up. "Aww, don't, because I'm gonna cry too." I fight my emotions.

"You're right, I'm sorry, babe." My sis wipes her eyes.

"Let's show them." I take a deep breath before parting the curtain. I strut out.

My mom gasps, jumping up from her seat. "WOW!"

Jess joins us on the stage. She pins my hair up to see the full glory of the lacy top. "You look like an angel!" 

Meredith stands and paces to me. There's something in her hand. "It's a lovely gown, but you're missing something old." Her hand opens. A diamond hair clip. I immediately think of the hairpiece from The Titanic movie. The green butterfly brooch. Only this one is silver and sparkly.

"Thank you." I take it, ogling at its shine.

My mom blabbers like a baby. I shed even more tears because of it. "You look better than I thought you would. You chose right Madison. You're glowing."

"I hope that's the glow of joy and not the other one." Meredith jabs, but I know it's not a joke.

"I hope so." Mom crosses her fingers.

"I'm not pregnant..." I smirk. "Yet."

The double doors of the room push in. We all stare. I should've known Meredith would invite her daughter. After all, I did say us girls should party. Kim shouldn't be allowed to exist in the real world. She's so ethereal...she'd fit perfectly in a 2-dimensional universe. Even her hair is unreal.

Red and curled like Merida, the Scottish Princess from Brave. She taps forward in golden heels and a matching power suit. All attention is on her more than me. It's her eyes. They're Jace's...meaning you can't look away at all. The color alone entraps you. Kim isn't as mean as before. She seems mellow. "Hello, Madison." Her voice is lighter than mine, but isn't squeaky. If honey had a sound, it would belong to her. 

"Hi, Kim." I cheese.

My soon-to-be sister-in-law stops before me. Her neon eyes study the dress. She's impressed. "Berta Balilti...that's a great choice. Daring, but elegant. Have you chosen a reception dress?"

"Yes, off the shoulder with lots of flow." I reference a short one that has a snowflake pattern. 

"Hmm...it seems you've done everything right." I hand the hairpin to Jess. Kim notices it. "Welcome to the family tradition, that hairpiece has been worn by Harrison women for generations."

"I'm grateful to be part of the tradition."

Mrs. Harrison slyly eyes her daughter. I sense a snide remark coming. "Kim would have been the first of my offspring to honor the past. But she's so busy creating herself." This is a slick hit at my low value. Only I pick up on it...my squad is oblivious.

"I'd rather leave a mark on the world before I settle down. Us women need to make that a norm. Not just because times are changing, but because we can offer financial security the same as men do." She indirectly insults me. 

"Oh, listen to my little advocate." Meredith praises. "It seems this generation of women are self-sufficient." She tosses a hard look my way. One a cruel stepmother would give. It's quick. Meredith isn't dumb, she hides her bitterness well. She expects me to show rage...but I won't. My face is stone. I won't let her get me down. All she has are words. I have her son's heart. 

Jess clamps the pin into my hair and does an updo. She allows some strands to hang in the front. I adore the messy neat updo. I stare into mirrors which cage me in. I'm a vision brought to life. Jace won't know how to react.

JACE

Alonso accompanies me to Seattle. The jet crosses the ocean, passing the barricade of ships protecting the island. "I haven't gotten any updates. That means the Bacia Family are staying put for now." I watch the boats circle the border. "They're theatrical...the wedding will be their next move." 

"None will get in; you have my word. I won't fail again. The knifing was a one-time mistake." He's bothered by the slip up.

"Don't blame yourself. That wasn't a standard scenario."

"True." He relaxes his voice, it's no longer self-loathing. "The woman was well trained. The detectives can't get her to talk. She'll do her time before she rats out the family."

"Now we know what to expect."

"Everyone is a suspect...even Ms. Hart's fans."

"She won't sign anymore autographs. That's too close for comfort." My overprotective side returns. I need to check on her to know she's still alive...that she's still breathing. I text my baby:

Can I get a sneak peek? 👰🏼‍♀️

I already know she looks magnificent in white. Imagine her in a wedding gown...she'll stop my heart.

Madi: No sir 💋

Me: What about your hair?

Madi: It has to be dyed.

Me: Again?

Madi: Yeah...the platinum blonde will clash with the dress.

Me: What color?

Madi: Strawberry blonde

Me: 🤤

Madi: 😉

I haven't thanked her for today. I had doubts about my mother playing the good guy. My bunny was able to sway her. I wonder what she said. 

Me: Thank you for today 🤍 how did you convince my mother?

Madi: We had a heart to heart. I explained myself and she listened. Your mom was nicer than I thought she'd be.

Huh??? Really? She has to be lying....or has my mother changed? Did my threat to cut her off actually terrify her?? Maybe....?

Madi: Kim is being awesome too 😎

Kim??? My bratty little sister is being a normal human being??? How am I missing this?! I need to hurry back home. This is a literal miracle. My mother and sister are being kind??

Me: I don't know what you did to win them over, you're amazing 😘

Madi: I know 😌

I meet with the head leader in a conference room. It's just us two. We sit in the main chairs, across from one another. The table has microphones so we can hear each other. Johnson Cowell, the white-haired, older man from before. He rests his hands on the table, folding them. "I've reviewed the proposal and approved it. An additional 10 bio-codes will be issued to the Guardian Satellite. Your drones are granted permission into the air space. You have three days to enhance the satellite." 

"Thank you, sir."

"There is a catch. I need a favor."

"What would you like in return?"

"Funding for The Star Fleet Program. NASA is suffering. We're trapped with solar system exploration when we can reinstate space quests."

That's a huge favor. I recall President Bush announcing to revive space travel...but that failed. Either because of a performance issue...or a danger alert. I wish I could say no, but both of my families need this deal to save their lives. "Of course, just name the price." 

"$12 billion."

That's less than what I expected. "You have a deal."

Johnson stands. I rise from my seat and offer my hand. "Pleasure doing business." He shakes it.

"As always." I give a firm tug to his hand.

Alonso awaits me outside the room. He's on his phone. "Have you inspected the wedding gifts, Michael?" Our eyes collide. Green on brown. We're both thinking the same thing. There's a problem. "Inspect them again, then call back." He hangs up. "60 presents are posted outside the border."

"From fans?"

"That's what it seems...we'll know for sure once I investigate."

"Let's get back." An impending doom rattles my core. 60. Why 60 presents? And why at the border? "Could they be explosives?" I ask him on the way to an elevator.

"Yes. Interconnected explosives in separate containers to hide the true mass of the device." Alonso presses the call button for the lift. "We should enter Alodia the opposite way in case the bombs are motion activated." 

The flight home is nerve wrecking. A mental clock counts down in my head. I visualize the sea setting on fire and wiping across the water. My mind creates a scenario of the island catching fire. I clutch the armrest. "Increase speed." 

"Increasing speed." The jet's AI obeys me.

I activate the guardian satellite through my phone. An exclusive NASA app. I jot in the coordinates for Alodia. The app gives an aerial view of the live sea. The dozens of boxes rest in a tiny boat. There's no captain. There are no lights on it. It's a menacing object floating by itself. A tiny fleet, yet it's more terrifying than anything I've ever seen. I share the screen with Alonso. He unlocks his phone to view it. I turn on an X-ray feature. Thermal signatures radiate from the boxes. Red and orange. Heat signatures. "Can you determine a blast point?" 

"Could be in the range of 10 miles judging by the size of each. The ships should retreat as far to the island as possible."

"I thought you said motion could set them off." I frown at him.

"The bombs are queuing in place. There are no white heat readings or rapid activity as of now. If the blast were to reach the island, it'd only be an after-shock wave."

"Strong or weak?"

"Strong." He examines the screen. "This is another warning. That explains why the boat is in idle."

I hope he's wrong. The craft circle around the Alodia. The backside is free from threats. Twenty patrol the island, creating a barricade line. I rush out of the jet and call Madi as soon as my feet meet the ground. "Hey, you."

"Where are you?"

"Waiting in bed for my fiancé." Her voice simmers sexually.

Good, she's not out on the beach. "What about everyone else?"

MADISON

He's ruining my sexy mood by asking about everyone else. "They're enjoying the mansion. Lil and Jess are shopping. My parents are sleeping. I'm not sure about Kim and your mom." I roll over on the bed, wearing lingerie made for an OnlyFans chick. "Now, let's stop worrying about that. Come here."  

"Stay inside." He commands before terminating the call.   

Is the urgency in his voice his sex drive? Is he burning inside like I am? I sigh, watching the time tick. A minute strike by so slowly; it seems like 5. I get out of bed and wrap myself in a robe, going to the kitchen for a drink. I mix vodka with ginger beer. My fingers drum on the counter as I drink. The sky is darker than usual. I spy it through the windows. I can't spot any stars. It must be very cloudy. I check the time on a hanging clock, then I check my phone. Jace hasn't texted. 

"Still up?" Jess says from behind me. She switches on a light.

"Yep, I'm restless."

"Why?" I turn to give her a naughty look. "Oh..." She titters. "You got a treat for your boo?" I sip the drink and smirk.

Lil comes in with pearls and my mom's dress. A red vintage gown. A square neckline. Puffy shoulders. A ruffled waist, with a flattering silhouette. The hem is shiny with beads. "Do the pearls outdate it?"

"No." I shake my head. "My mom wants to walk back in time."

"Told ya." Jess rolls her eyes.

"You might as well do outdated makeup too, so she can show up as a time traveler." Lil pokes.

The back door opens. It's Jace. I beam at him. I wasn't expecting the deep hug he gives me. It's cute.. "Missed me?"

"Yes."

"He's just trying to get lucky," Lil calls him out. "Don't fall for the adorable act."

"Hey to you too, Lily." He ends the hug. "How was the dress fitting?"

"A dream come true!" I hop in place. "I'm gonna blow you away."

"I'm sure you've already done that." Lil playfully sticks out her tongue.

"No...I'm a good girl." I put on an innocent act.

Jace wags his head from side to side. "There's no need, Jace, we already know that's a lie." Jess waves her hand.

I lean to whisper in his ear. "Fine, I won't be good to you tonight." There are footsteps from the hall. I wonder who it is? There are two people by the sound of the steps. Alonso and my father emerge from the dark hall. "Dad...I thought you were sleep?"

"No...my mind is too awake."

"Why?" Dad looks at Alonso. That's odd. He's trying to have the bodyguard answer for him.

"The bachelor party...we haven't arranged anything." Alonso answers.

"Boys." I tick my tongue. "I can't believe the stereotype is true."

"It'll only take an hour," Jace says.

"If you guys get it done in an hour, I'll hate you forever! It took us days." I squint at them.

"No strippers, be good boys." Lil jabs a finger at them like a mom.

"I'll see you in a bit," Jace says into my ear.

"See you later."

JACE

There's no speaking on the way to my office. We can't risk letting the information out. Women tend to escalate a crisis. I know this all too well because of my sister and mother. The silence doesn't break until I close the door. Alonso and Paul stay standing. So, do I.

"How the fuck did the explosives get so close?!" Paul hisses.

"Fan mail isn't uncommon when you're famous. At a glance, the patrol squad assumed nothing out of the ordinary. Just wrapped gifts. It wasn't until there was no captain spotted that the suspicion began. Michael called to report it."

"60 bombs?!"

"Yes."

Paul huffs and puffs. "What are you going to do about it?!"

"We have a strategy to disable the explosives. But it's risky." I explain.

Alonso places his hands in his trouser pockets. "The use of a suit would allow me to swim below and deactivate the devices. I have a thermal canceling, motion encrypted one I attained from Iraq. This is the only option to prevent a blast."

"You're going under the danger zone???" Paul is puzzled."

"Yes."

"Trust me, Paul, this is the least hazardous thing he's ever done."

"It'll be a quick in and out."

"Keep alert," I advise.

"I will, sir."

"This could go wrong. What then?" Paul is flustered. "You could die!"

"A martyr is a hell of a promotion. One death to prevent many...that's a no-brainer." Alonso says without dread. A true man of steel. Paul can't rebuke his words...because they're true. A good soldier sacrifice themselves. Alonso goes to the door. "As for the bachelor party, let's just be typical men and have it in the bar."

"What do we tell the ladies?" Paul inquires.

"Nothing, the men can handle this." Alonso leaves the office.

I eye Paul, he's on edge. "That I agree on...but going under the hot spot!"

"He'll make it back." I say with complete confidence.

Paul shakes his head. "He's suicidal."

We both follow after the agent. The girls are still chatting in the kitchen. The topic is hair color. "Either strawberry blonde or honey blonde." My baby juggles the two.

"That was quick!" Lil exclaims. "No way you guys chose a place that fast."

"We did, a bar party." My eyes tease Madi. "Complete with strippers."

"Or hags." Jess cracks.

"Yeah, what she said." My baby pokes.

Alonso makes his way to the back door. "Goodnight, ladies."

My bunny spots the wrap on his arm. "Wait..." Her eyes overload on empathy. Alonso halts and about faces like an active trooper. "I never thanked you for the stabbing."

"There's no need." His zesty accent is soft. "I was only doing my job."

"It had to hurt..." She clenches her teeth.

"Only a little."

"I sense a stubborn military man." She chortles.

Alonso grins to the side. "Till the very end." He gives a farewell to us all, then continues to the door and out.

We all bid each other goodnight. Madi hugs her dad and blows kisses at her girls. I'm not sure if I can hug them. We're not that close yet, so I give a wave instead. My mind stresses on the way to the bedroom.

I know my fiancé has a treat planned. But I can't get in the mood when the mafia has a surprise in the sea. I work out a way to say this without causing alarm. Could I say not tonight? I'm not in the mood for fooling around. But my bunny has been preparing this all day. I'd hate to ruin all her effort. I guess I'll have to fake it.

Madison strips from her robe. The bustier corset has little fabric. The thin cloth only covers a few inches of her privates. Almost everything is exposed. She swishes around to show off her ass in a thong. Madi twerks. I chuckle at her tiny butt jiggling. "That's the best I can do with my lil booty." She sniggers.

"It's adorable."

My sugar devil catwalks to the bed. "Lay down." I do so. She loosens my tie from my collar, then blindfolds me with it. Her hands unbutton my blazer while her mouth presses on my shoulder. "You're tensed. Has it been a bad day?"

"A little bit." I lie.

"I can help you relax."

"How?" I hope it isn't anything too sexual. I won't be able to perform. Stress is a boner killer. My dick will be limp. The night is giving me too much pressure. I don't want my baby thinking she isn't satisfying me.

"I got a game for you. It only involves your nose. Rule number one is no hand contact." She removes my jacket. "You can't touch me."

Good...nothing physical is involved...that's a relief. "What am I allowed to do?"

Her legs cradle beside me; the mattress sinks in from her weight. "Sniff out a scent I hid somewhere on my body." She bites my nose. "The nervous system is stimulated by odors. Surprising a man with an addictive smell increases the blood flow to his penis."

"Interesting."

"It is..." She smooches my nose. "Your major senses are disabled as of now. No sight or touch." She grips the back of my head and pulls my nose close to her skin. "Now find the scent." I love this erotic scavenger hunt. I've never done this one before.

My nose hovers across her skin. I keep my distance since I can't touch her in any way. I wonder where the odor is hidden. I take slow sniffs, searching her neck, and down her arms. From her fingers to her waist, down her stomach to her hips. I linger here, checking both hips. It isn't here. I move to her chunky thighs. My nose scans. Nothing. Madi's legs and ankles are the last spots I survey. She hid it well. "Can I get a hint?" 

"Not yet."

"Turn over. I bet it's in your ass." Madi flips around on the bed. I feel her hands dig into the mattress. Her feet rest at my sides. My honey dangles her booty in my face...in a position I'm sure would turn me to stone. Damn this blindfold! I search her ass. My nose taps against her perky cheeks. Hmm...I was wrong. I explore up her back and to her neck. "This better not be a prank to make me look like a creep." 

Madison giggles. "You caught me." Her nails scratch along my crotch. The sharp drag muddles my brain. I can't help but moan. All the anxiety vanishes. All my worries slip away. "I'll give you a hint...you're cold." My penis jerks under her nails. Madi deepens the digging. "It's not there." She flips around and saddles into my lap. Her hand clutches my dick. I groan. "It's higher." She guides me by the chin, up to her side breast. 

I sniff. I can't find a smell. "Am I close?"

"You're warm." My nose crosses her nipples. I go down lower. "Warmer."

My nose brush the thin bra. It crisscrosses under her breast. This is where I get a hint of a sweet, earthy undertone. Cedarwood. Leather. Musk. Vanilla. My primal instincts trigger on. The bold and sexy smell rules me. My pupils dilate. My dick pulses. I feel it harden. A rush of blood fills it. The thumping thrills me. "Oh, ooh, ooooh!" I grunt. 

"Do you like the treat?"

"Yes." I croak.

She uses both sets of nails to razor up and down my dick. The scratching hand-job is holy. Euphoric. Bone-chilling. Every nerve connects to my cock. I overdose on adrenaline. My heart triples in speed. My lungs overwork to expel air. My boner nearly rips through my pants. The confinement is maddening. These slacks need to come off. "Does it hurt?" 

"Yes....take off my pants."

"Beg." Madi nibbles at my ear.

"Please."

I'm undressed within seconds. My bunny is hungry for cream. "I wonder how much I can suck out?" Her lascivious voice is music to my ears. Madi's mouth caps around my tip. I hear her slurp. She's slurping on the slit. I quiver, the bed shakes from my jerking body. She sucks like a venomous snake. Her jaw muscles shift on my penis. Every inch of semen leaks out in long streams. The veins of my shaft pop and swivel. 

"UGHH! UGHH!!!" Madi covers my mouth. I yell against her palm.

"Shhh...it's late." She continues to drain my soul from my body. I seizure and drop load after load. "Hmmm." She licks it up. "CoolWhip." She depletes my dick of all its liquid. I drop my head on the bed and convulse. My queen possesses my body until I pass out.

I dream of our wedding day. The stone arena is decked out in peach and cream. The floral arch. The rings sliding onto our fingers. The union of our hearts. Our vows. "I promise to love and cherish you. To protect and confide in you. To love you until our last days and never walk away. No matter how bumpy the path becomes, I'll never leave your side."

My phone wakes me. Madi is asleep. I check the time. 1:14 am. It's Alonso. I get out of bed and go out of the patio doors. "Status?"

"The fleet has been neutralized."

"Are you back on the island?"

"No...ETA is five klicks out."

"Make it back alive, that's an order."

"I always do."

I smirk...glad that we're apart so my man crush isn't obvious. I know that part of me is over. But bisexual tendencies seem to appear every now and then. I can't completely block out men I'm attracted to. "Rest up, you deserve a good night's sleep."

"Copy. Over and out."

His suave accent crackles my abdomen. I think it's natural to be drawn to a daredevil. His dangerous ways only raises his sex appeal. "Over and out."