Her Lord's Claim (The Forbidden Saga #4) - Maggie Ryan Page 0,22

and deep love I am blessed to share with Louisa.

“I’m not trying to frighten you, Lucy. I’m simply telling you the truth. I do not wish you to enter into this marriage with your eyes closed no matter what your heart is saying. You need to ask yourself do you truly wish to learn to be the wife in your husband’s bed? Do you wish to submit and learn to become the special little one you know you must be for your new papa? Tell me, Lucy, are you anxious to become the student at Lucas’ feet as he becomes your teacher, even though your lessons will be difficult? Is Lucas the husband, the papa, and the teacher you desire? Is he the one man you feel you cannot live your life without?” he asked, his voice soft and full of concern.

Lucy’s eyes never left his even when she felt her face heat at the directness of his words. The images they conjured caused a delicious warmth to spread into every cell of her body and a light that her heart couldn’t seem to contain. She could feel it shooting from her fingertips, from her eyes, and from her smile.

“Yes,” Lucy whispered only the one word, but it was enough to set her upon the path she would follow for the rest of her life. Edward pulled her to his chest, hugging her and closing his eyes briefly.

“Then it is time,” he said as he released her to place a kiss on her cheek. She nodded, her smile bright, her body throbbing in anticipation as she turned to take Louisa’s hand as well. Edward led them to the open door of the church. Lucy’s eyes found those of the man she had chosen and her heart filled. As the three walked slowly to the front, she found all she needed to know reflected in the eyes that held hers captive. Love and promises of things unimagined flowed into her. Her blood began to race through her veins. Her body seemed to vibrate with the desire to fall at his feet to beg to begin to learn to become all he desired.

Louisa and Edward moved to the side as Lucas stepped forward. He took Lucy’s hand, lifting it to his lips to place a kiss on her knuckles before placing it in the crook of his arm and covering it with his own. They stood in front of Pastor Reed, though each only had eyes for the other. Lucy listened to the pastor read the vows that would bind her to this man for eternity, vows that were both the same and yet very different from those of a traditional marriage. Promises made here were not given easily, and when broken, carried a penalty that would not always be easy to pay. Lucy’s eyes never left Lucas’ as she answered.

“Do you promise to love, honor and obey your husband?” Reed asked.

“Yes, I promise to love, honor and obey my husband,” she answered.

“Do you promise to give your obedience and submit your body to your husband as he guides you along the proper path with whatever discipline he deems necessary…” he paused as if reminding all that he was aware the bride was already slated for some form of discipline before completing the vow, “or simply desires?”

Lucy never hesitated, upcoming discipline or not, she answered instantly. “Yes, I promise to be obedient and accept my husband’s decisions and submit my body to my husband’s discipline whenever he desires,” Lucy answered, seeing the promise of such discipline in Lucas’ eyes. She felt her stomach flutter but knew deep in her soul that she would do as she vowed.

“Do you promise to offer all of your body in complete submission to your husband’s pleasure whenever, and in whatever way, he deems or desires?” Reed asked.

Though she remained an innocent in so many things, Lucy was intelligent enough to know that outside this small circle of people who practiced a lifestyle of dominance and submission, his words would have been received with shock. Lucy flushed hotly, her eyes remaining on Lucas’ as they seemed to draw her into their depths with promises of pleasures she couldn’t even fathom.

“Yes,” she whispered, her heart pounding as her entire body seemed to throb. “I promise to give all of my heart, as well as all of my body, in submission to my husband to fulfill the pleasures he shall desire.”

“And, Lucille Rose Furniss, do you accept not only