Luke's Rogue Bride Read online

  Extending his arm out for her to take, he guided her into the restaurant, setting the tone for the evening, and he hoped, for their marriage.

  Carolyn stared blankly at her soon to be husband as she chewed slowly on a piece of garlic bread. Their food had barely been delivered and the waitress hadn’t even been out of earshot before he jumped straight into the hard questions.

  “So when do you want to get married?” had been the first thing out of his mouth. No small talk, no niceties, just straight down to business.

  “Hello, Lucas.” She responded with only a hint of sarcasm. “How was your day? How was the drive? Did you get your sermon written?”

  Lucas had the decency to at least look slightly embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Carolyn, please forgive me. I just figured that since you are out here going to college, and I am busy taking care of the town, I’m not sure how much face-to-face time we will actually have before the wedding, so I was trying to make the most of the time we do have. There are a lot of things I was hoping we would get to discuss tonight. But you’re correct, I could have waited at least a few minutes, and at least asked how your day was.” Lucas smiled, mischief sparkling in his green eyes, before he continued. “So, how was your day?”

  “It was fine. I studied and did laundry. Very exciting. How was yours?” she asked pointedly. After all, she had asked him first.

  “Oh, um, it was good. Thankfully uneventful. I finished my sermon last night so I wouldn’t have to rush today.”

  “That’s good.” Carolyn stalled, realizing she was much too nervous to continue small talk. She should have let him dive right in. What kinds of things did they need to discuss? Lucas seemed to have things in mind, but she had no idea what they were. Frantically racking her brain for possible topics, she latched onto the first one that came to mind. “So, how pissed is Rosa?”

  The change in Luke’s countenance was instant, setting all her senses on high alert as she took in the tightened jaw, raised brows, narrowed eyes, and the way he drummed his fingers angrily on the table top. “I believe,” he began humorlessly, “that what you meant to say is ‘How angry is Rosa,’ or ‘How upset is Rosa,’ because I’m sure a smart college girl like yourself is aware that soon-to-be bishop’s wives shouldn’t be using swear words.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Carolyn muttered. “I notice you declined to answer the question,” she added with a smirk.

  “I did, and there are several reasons for that,” Lucas said flatly. It was obvious to Carolyn that he was more than a little annoyed. “The first is that there are, as I have mentioned, a great many other things that we need to discuss, and the second is that I haven’t told her yet.”

  “Oh, I see, ashamed of me already?” She was gearing up for an epic rant of Carolyn proportions, but Lucas cut her off before she could even take a breath.

  “Knock it off, Carolyn. We’ve barely started talking, and you’re already skating on thin ice.”

  “What does that even mean?” she scoffed. “What happens if the ice breaks, Lucas? What are you going to do, spank me?”

  She instantly regretted the sarcastic question as dozens of hushed conversations she had heard over the years sprang to mind and she remembered that the ethos of Green Valley was one that advocated domestic discipline. What did Lucas think of that? She wanted to know, but she was afraid to ask.

  “Well, Carolyn, since you brought it up, that was one of the things I wanted us to talk about tonight.”

  Luke’s expression was one of amusement, but that didn’t help make Carolyn any less nervous about what he might say next.

  “I’m the head of my home. I believe that a domestic discipline dynamic is a great tool in a marriage. I believe in it more than I believe in polygamy, even. In my home, I have rules that I expect to be followed, and punishments I employ if they are not.”

  “I understand,” Carolyn whispered, swallowing to hold back the tears that threatened to spill and the questions that she was aching to ask. She didn’t want to get scared and emotional. She just wanted to keep him talking. She had heard the conversations; she knew in theory that a spanking given by your husband out of love for the sake of correction was inherently different than a beating given by a power hungry, narcissistic sadist for no other reason than to exercise his power as a prophet. She even believed it mostly. If he could just keep talking and give more details, maybe it would be enough to ease the fears she was too afraid to voice.

  “Do you, Carolyn? Do you understand that if you don’t follow my rules you are likely to find yourself over my knees for a long hard bare bottom spanking?”

  The open frankness with which he casually uttered phrases like “over my knee” and “bare bottom spanking” had Carolyn squirming in her seat. She had never been bare, and she had never been over anyone's knee before. What she had been on the receiving end of had been less of a spanking and more of a beating. She was old enough to understand the difference in theory, but she had to wonder how she would feel when she was actually in that position. Desperate to keep him talking still, she posed the first question she could think of.

  “Bare bottom? Isn’t that terribly improper?”

  “It won’t be once we are married. You’re not planning on doing anything to earn a spanking before your wedding day, are you, Carolyn?”

  “No, Sir! I mean, no.” Carolyn quickly corrected herself.

  “ ‘No, Sir’, is just fine,” Lucas smirked. “In fact, when you are being disciplined I will expect it, so you may as well get used to it now.”

  If anyone but Lucas had said such a thing to her, she would have instantly gone on the defensive, but Luke’s easy smile, and twinkling eyes made it easier to take. It almost looked like he was joking, except he wasn’t.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “just try not to get into any trouble before we are married and there won’t be a problem. But if there is, I won’t hesitate to deal with it. I’ll just spank harder over your clothes. It won’t be the first time.”

  Carolyn’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as she took in the meaning behind his veiled comment. “Yeah right!” she scoffed in disbelief. “You expect me to believe that you spanked Rosa before you were married or even now? Perfect little Rosa who never does anything wrong?”

  “Nobody is perfect, Carolyn. Especially not Rosa. Remember that time she shoved us both into the mud puddle?”

  “Oh!” Carolyn laughed at the memory. It had been the first time she had even seen Rosa behave badly or sound angry. Secretly, she had enjoyed the moment, and had respected Rosa more afterwards. Carolyn liked people who stood up for themselves, and she really liked people with flaws. After all, she had so many of them herself. “Wait! You spanked her for that? Lucas! I was awful to her. I totally deserved it. I would have pushed me in the mud, too! Or worse!”

  “I’m not arguing that Rosa was not the only one at fault. However, she was the only one whose discipline was my responsibility.”

  “Hmmm, well I guess I got lucky,” Carolyn teased.

  “I guess so,” Lukas agreed. “That time.”

  “What do you mean?” Carolyn had a sinking suspicion that she knew exactly what turn this conversation was about to take.

  “You and Rosa must try to get along as sister wives. I will not live in an unhappy home, with my wives fighting all the time, understand? If I see it happening, I will put a swift end to it.”

  Carolyn caught his intent quickly and nodded. “Yes, Sir. I will do my best not to make any trouble, but I can’t force her to like me, and I can't change the things I have done in the past.”

  “No, but you can be sure not to do any new ones.”

  “Yes, Sir. Anything else?”

  Lucas had to admit that he was very pleased with how the night was going so far. Carolyn had been funny and agreeable, and as always, easy on the eyes. He liked it immensely when she responded to his questions and edicts, with a shy but firm, “Yes, Sir.” He had expected her to scoff at that, but she hadn’t. It must be her sout
hern upbringing, he mused, anger pooling in his stomach as he remembered his brief stay in Filmore, Georgia, the polygamist commune in the south where Carolyn’s family had moved from only three years ago. He knew he needed to ask her about her experiences there, but tonight was going so well, and discussing Filmore would put a fast damper on the mood if his instincts were correct.

  Besides that, Carolyn was waving a hand in front of his face and gazing at him expectantly. “Earth to Lucas! Where did you go? I asked if there was anything else, and you just spaced out for a bit.”

  Picking up his water, he took a long sip as he mentally gathered his bearings before speaking. “Rules will probably change from time to time as we grow and find our groove as a family. That’s what happens. For now, I will just say to remember that your place in the community will be as the bishop’s wife and act and dress accordingly. Be respectful. Obey if I ask you to do or not do things. Keep yourself safe. Lock your doors, keep your phone charged, and follow laws, things like that.”

  “That does seem pretty reasonable,” Carolyn agreed. “Except you mentioned dressing like a bishop’s wife, and I need to know exactly what you mean by that.” She winced and Luke noted that she looked and sounded nearly frantic. “I can't wear long skirts and high necklines, Lucas, I can’t.”

  She looked genuinely distressed at the thought, and a memory of the high neck, ankle length dresses that were a requirement in Filmore danced across Lucas’ memory. The same dark heavy fabrics every day, even in the sweltering heat of a southern summer. He had always felt sorry for those ladies. Filled with compassion for Carolyn and the girl she once was, he took her hand across the table.

  “Carolyn, I’m not asking you to become something you’re not, or to do anything other than be mindful of who I am. Cover your shoulders, keep your necklines modest, and your skirts knee length. That’s all I ask.”

  Relief shone all over Carolyn's delicate features, and she squeezed his hand happily. “Oh thank you, Lucas!” I can do that!”

  The way the anxiety instantly melted off her features at his words was both telling and heartbreaking, and made him angry at her past, and more than a little nauseous. It was time to turn the conversation to lighter things. Like wedding themes and colors. Women liked to talk about that kind of thing, Lucas figured, and it wouldn’t kill him to get to know the lighter side of Carolyn.

  Chapter 2

  “Did you hear me?” Lucas frowned. He had just dropped a bombshell of epic proportions on his wife and she had yet to react in the slightest. After his successful dinner with Carolyn, he had decided to tell Rosa at the earliest possible convenient time, which had been at their house after church while they were making a quick dinner and getting their week planned out. They had taken to eating dinner either very early or very late because of Rosa’s morning sickness, which had not been limited to mornings at all, and only seemed to break for a few short hours in the evening.

  “Rosa? I said—”

  “I heard what you said, Lucas, you don’t need to repeat yourself.”

  “Well, are you going to respond then?”

  “I’m processing, Lucas. What do you want me to say? Carolyn Atwood was absolutely terrible to me in high school. The thought of living with her and enduring her brand of torture on a daily basis, or having our children around that kind of toxicity makes me ill.” She paused, holding up her hand in front of her when Lucas tried to speak. “However, I will admit that dumping her in the mud that one time, and yes, even being punished for it afterward, was somehow very therapeutic for me. So, I don’t know if it was that, or if she has actually changed, or if my standing up to her made her somehow less intimidating, but she really hasn’t seemed as awful lately. She was even nice at Christmas Eve Dinner at the church.”

  Lucas nodded, not bothering to point out, what he knew and Rosa did not, that by that time, Carolyn had already given Lucas’ name as the man she was supposed to marry, and was probably making a conscious effort to make things less awkward between the three of them. Regardless of the reason, Carolyn had made an effort, and if it had been helpful. He wasn’t going to lessen it by sharing her possible motivation for doing so.

  “So you’re okay with it?” Lucas asked, hopefully.

  “I’m not livid about it, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I’m quite okay with it yet either. I’m processing. It is, however, safe to say that you will not have a pre-wedding Beth Ann and Mollie style war on your hands. And that’s all I can promise right now.”

  As far as sister wife wars went, the one between Beth Ann and Mollie had been pretty epic. It was nearly the stuff legends were made of, and as far as promises went, it wasn’t all that promising.

  Luke snorted. “Great. Well, thank you for promising not to try to kill Carolyn the way Mollie tried to kill your sister.”

  “First of all, Mollie did not actually try to kill Beth Ann. She served a dessert made with strawberries knowing that Beth Ann wouldn’t be able to eat it. It’s not like she hid strawberry seeds in her food or anything. Besides,” Rosa continued snarkily, “I don’t think Carolyn has any food allergies.”

  “Very funny,” Lucas responded dryly, standing up from the table and moving to help her up, pulling her into his arms for a hug.

  “Thank you for taking it so well, Rosa. I would have understood if you hadn’t but I’m very proud of the maturity you are both showing about this.”

  “Wait, what?” Rosa pulled back, and looked at him angrily. “What do you mean we both are showing?”

  “I, uh,” Lucas licked his lips nervously. He had his reasons for the way he had done things, and he knew they were good ones. So why did he suddenly feel like a child sent to the principal’s office?

  “You talked to her already? Before me? Are you serious?” Where before, Rosa had pulled back in his embrace slightly, to look up at him, she now stepped completely out of his arms, jerking away angrily, when he moved to stop her.

  “Rosa, now hang on just a minute before you go saying or doing something that gets you in trouble, young lady. I am the head of this house, and I make all my decisions with you in mind. If you stop and listen for a moment, you will see exactly why I made the decision I did. However, if you don’t,” he warned, pointedly, because he could see that that was exactly the direction she was leaning, “you’ll be going to bed early with a very sore bottom.”

  This stopped her in her tracks if only momentarily. Rosa had not been seriously spanked since she found out she was pregnant, and she was very afraid to be, because her sister had told her the hormones made it hurt more. Whether or not that was true, Lucas had no idea, but the effect it had had on Rosa’s ability to stop herself before she found out, was nothing short of miraculous some days.

  “Okay, fine!” she shouted with an exaggerated pout. “Tell me your reasoning, oh wise leader of our home.” She had instantly gone into what Lucas had affectionately termed her “war stance.” Eyebrows furrowed, lips pursed and eyes fixed into a hard glare as her hands balled into angry little fists at her sides.

  Lucas raised his eyebrows in warning at her sarcasm, but otherwise ignored it for the time being. “When my father told me, I was not exactly pleased with the idea. I will even go as far as to say that I was convinced it might be some sort of great revenge scheme on her part. But, my dad seemed sure, and had taken an extra-long time to pray about it before telling me. So, I took a few days and prayed as well, eventually coming to the same conclusion that my dad had. It was His will; I was sure of that. What I wasn’t sure of was why. I felt no peace about it, no matter how hard I prayed for peace, all I got was a sense of urgency, but no peace. And honestly, I thought I needed to have some semblance of understanding when I told you. I had no idea how you would take it. Now I can see that you probably could have calmed me down.”

  Her face had softened, but her fists stayed clenched at her sides. “Okay,” she said finally.

  “Okay?”

  “That’s all I can give you right no
w, Lucas. I can see why you thought you were doing the right thing, but I’m still upset. I don’t want to fight, and honestly, I’m kind of done talking about it. I need to process, and I would like the space to do so without getting myself in any trouble. So, I’m going to bed.”

  “It’s barely six o’clock.”

  “Fine. I’m going to Beth Ann’s!”

  He said nothing, just raised his eyebrows and looked at her coolly. He was torn between wanting to force her to stay here and talk it out with him, and being happy and thankful that she had a sister whom she was close to that happened to have experience in this very area. And he didn’t want her to get in trouble. He was actually very proud of her for realizing that she needed space and asking for it, rather than throwing a fit, or getting mad and storming off. But he was still the head of his home, and there was something missing.

  “What was that?” he asked expectantly.

  “May I please go to Beth Ann’s?”

  “Yes, you may. Be back by ten please, so I don’t worry.”

  He could tell she was holding back a number of tempting sarcastic comments. “Fine.”

  She left quickly, stopping just short of slamming the door behind her.

  Lucas frowned, not quite sure what to do with the rest of his evening. He had fully planned on spending the evening with his wife, even if it had meant holding her while she cried, listening while she went on one of her rants, or spanking her for having a bad attitude. He had foreseen many different endings to their evening, but this had not been one of them.

  So, he did the only other thing that made sense to him. He picked up the phone and called Carolyn.

  Unlike most college students, Carolyn loved Mondays. She only had one class and it was an evening class, so she had the whole day to herself, and after Lucas’ phone call last night, she knew just how she was going to spend it. She was going dress shopping.