Author's Notes:

'Natalie's Wedding' is the third and final story in Natalie Renaud's story arc. Unlike the first two parts, this story wasn't written for a contest. It was written to fulfill Natalie's dreams.

And who doesn't love a wedding?

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Natalie's Wedding

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Chapter 1

Leaning back against an ex-supermodel while sitting up in bed seems like a dream come true. It certainly was for Natalie.

However, designing wedding invitations on a tablet PC while said ravishing beauty nibbled on her earlobe proved to be impossible.

Every time Natalie added a tiny improvement to the design, Sonja indicated her approval with her lips, teeth, and tongue on her ear, scattering Natalie's thoughts into the stratosphere as tingles exploded through her body.

"Uhhhhh! Geez! How am I expected to finish this with you driving me mad with tingles!" Natalie moaned sweetly.

Sonja chuckled next to Natalie's ear, and her gust of breath sent shivers down the shorter woman's spine. She shut the cover on her tablet and tossed it on the mattress.

"I surrender!" she sighed, then gasped as Sonja's long, graceful fingers cupped her generous breasts and squeezed that softness just the way Natalie liked.

"Always the boobs," Natalie grumbled with fake annoyance as she squirmed in her lover's grip.

"They're so wonderful! They beg me to enjoy them!" Sonja teased.

Natalie snorted in amusement. "My breasts have never begged a day in their life!"

That struck Sonja's funny bone, and she laughed happily as she wrapped her toned arms around the softly cushioned woman.

They enjoyed the warm cuddles as they listened to the January snowstorm sweeping through the city outside their window.

"Seriously, though, I really need to finish up the design for the invitations. We need to send them out tomorrow!" Natalie asserted.

"Yes, I know. The design looks amazing, but I think you've reached the state where you're just polishing perfection."

Natalie struggled to turn in the other woman's arms to look her in the face. "You don't like the latest design elements?"

Sonja shook her head as she held Natalie's eyes. "I didn't say that. I merely stated you've already completed the task. The invitations are gorgeous. You can move on to the next step."

Natalie saw the truth in her fiancé's eyes and relaxed. "I just wanted to make them special--"

"And they are!" Sonja smiled as she leaned forward and kissed Natalie.

When their lips parted, Natalie sighed happily. She smiled at the beauty holding her, and once more she felt her moorings on reality slip.

How could someone like her, a small-town girl barely over five feet tall, with a curvy-but-slightly-top-heavy figure, be so lucky as to be loved by this five-ten svelte Swedish super-goddess! She could see love in the beauty's blue eyes, and it sent a thrill through her.

She sighed and nodded. "Okay. Okay, they're done." She raised her hands in surrender and got a wide smile for that. "Did you finish your guest list?"

Sonja nodded. "For non-family, we have the execs for Audacious!, around twenty key clients, sixteen designers, roughly a dozen celebrities, and select members of the media. Each of them with their plus ones."

Natalie held Sonja's eyes as she knew she'd been very hesitant to talk about family, so she'd start.

"My dad's still not talking to me, so I don't expect he'll come to the wedding. Mom will, though, with the twins. That's everyone on my side."

"I'm sorry to hear about your father. Maybe Janet will invite her friend Barb. We should give her a plus one as well," Sonja suggested, and Natalie nodded with a smile. "Are the twins dating anyone?"

Natalie grinned and shook her head. "They're as keen to escape the small town as I was. Outside of Mom, they have no connections left there. They've said they won't speak with Dad as long as he shuns me."

"Families," Sonja said with a quirk of her mouth, and Natalie sighed as she nodded. Then she looked into the blonde's eyes questioningly.

It was Sonja's turn to sigh. "You won't get a chance to meet my parents as they aren't coming. Father's a senior executive at Sveriges Riksbank, Sweden's central bank, and mother's the chief psychiatrist at her clinic. They sent me a brief note informing me they're too busy. They also don't approve of my career, this wedding, or my lifestyle choice." Natalie took her hand between hers, but Sonja just shrugged sadly. "This from the people who were so enthusiastic about my marriage to Gerry. In my response to their note, I reminded them of that and attached the video of him trashing the condo." She smiled, and Natalie grinned at her.

"This brings me to my twin brother," Sonya said hesitantly, and Natalie's eyes widened with surprise.

"You have a twin?" she gasped.

Sonja nodded and looked down at Natalie's hand in hers. "Erik and I did not have an idyllic childhood with parents like these. Father had no interest in parenting as he was too absorbed with his self-importance. Mother was too busy observing our development to actually get involved in raising us. We were lucky to have house staff who did their best to show us human compassion. Our parents' lack of emotional connection to us affected Erik and me in different ways." She sighed softly as Natalie waited for her to continue.

"Erik is older by five minutes. We were very close during our early years, as our parents showed us little affection." Sonja glanced at Natalie nervously. "When we became teens, Erik... began to develop an unhealthy obsession with me." Natalie squeezed her hand for support as she could tell Sonja was uncomfortable disclosing this. "Mother sent him away to a clinic for treatment. When he returned two years later, he was cool but courteous toward me, and our relationship has remained that way. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want him to return to his previous behavior, but this new distance between us wasn't healthy either."

Natalie hugged Sonja, and a shudder went through the tall blonde's body as she clung to the softer woman in her arms. When she felt Sonja relaxing, Natalie pulled back to let her continue.

"When I got married to Gerry, Erik didn't attend the wedding. He claimed to be on a walkabout in Australia at the time." She snorted and glanced at Natalie's curious gaze. "Erik's not the outdoorsy type. He'd get lost in a suburban backyard." Natalie grinned at the exaggeration, and Sonja's smile softened as she thought of her brother. "He's a dabbler in multiple fields, but he never found his passion. He still does the occasional male modeling assignment."

"Is he coming?" Natalie asked.

Sonja looked into her eyes. "Yes."

Natalie smiled. "I'm glad. I'd like to meet him."

Sonja suddenly pulled her lover into a firm hug. "You're mine."

Surprised by Sonja's display of possessiveness, she cuddled the woman in her arms and kissed her neck. "As you're mine," she purred.

She took Sonja's face between her hands as she pulled back from their hug to look into nervous blue eyes. "You need to know, I don't want to meet Erik for any other reason than he's someone important to you."

She held the woman's gaze until she saw the unease become love once more. She squeaked when Sonja rolled them over to pin Natalie to the mattress with her body.

"Good, because I'm not the sharing type!" the gorgeous blonde said as she rubbed her body against Natalie's.

The memory of their engagement announcement on a Fiji beach last Christmas suddenly flashed into her mind. She recalled how excited everyone was, except for Sam and Lee, Sonja's old modeling colleagues.

The ex-models had been hanging out with the crew and took the news of Natalie's off-the-market status with less-than-thrilled expressions. She recalled the almost defiant smile on Sonja's lips as she stared down her old rivals. She was definitely not someone who shared her lover.

Her trip down memory lane was obliterated by Sonja's talented hands on her breasts once more.

"Oh god, that feels good," Natalie moaned.

Sonja's smile told her lover it was only the beginning of their fun.

Chapter 2

Wearing only her short silk slip, bra, and panties, Natalie's face felt like it might spontaneously burst into flames or melt off. Right now, either outcome would feel like mercy.

Standing atop a riser, she held her arms out from her sides as Sonja's good friend and favorite fashion designer took her measurements for the custom wedding dress he was creating for her. Isaiah Kaplan was a handsome, tall, and trim man in his fifties, and his bold designs had graced the home page of Audacious! multiple times. Intensely creative and effusively expressive, Isaiah was one of Natalie's favorite people, too.

That opinion was threatening to change as she squirmed under the gaze of so many of her coworkers, as Isaiah took her measurements and read aloud the proof of her... thickness. His eyebrows rose, and he winked at her with a twinkle in his eye as he released the tape from across her full breasts.

Natalie knew this location might have been the most suitable place to do this, but couldn't they have done it after hours?

She took another calming breath and begrudgingly acknowledged this was likely the only time the busy designer was available.

She sighed in frustration.

The tall and svelte models Audacious! employed were relaxing against the outer walls of the large room or sitting before the make-up stations, but all were facing the action in the center of the room. She saw their smirks, bold admiring stares, and genuine amusement. She knew they weren't intentionally trying to be mean, but none of them shared measurements anywhere close to hers.

Finally, he spoke aloud the final embarrassing digits and helped her down from the podium. Sonja was immediately there to help her put her dress back on and give her a hug for being a trooper. Isaiah hugged her as well, and the models clapped, but she thought their smiles were still a little too smug to take seriously.

Natalie shook it off, patted her cheeks to relieve the heat on them, and glanced at Sonja before turning to Isaiah. He looked at her curiously with a smile on his lips.

"Isaiah, I want to personally thank you for using your valuable time to design and create wedding dresses for us. I'm sure they will be dazzling!" Natalie said to the man.

"It's an absolute delight for me! Sonja has been so incredibly generous with her support over the years, and your help in improving the site's presence has definitely benefited us all. It's the least I can do to repay you both!" he expressed happily.

Natalie smiled at his enthusiasm, then she got a little nervous as she prepared her next question.

"I recently learned that my father has disowned me due to my lifestyle choices. Not that he was ever supportive of anything I did. I know we're already asking so much of you, but I was hoping I might convince you to do me the honor of walking me down the aisle at the wedding?" she said.

Isaiah's face was frozen as he looked at her in shock. Then tears came to his eyes, and he slowly took her in his arms again. He was trembling and crying, which triggered Natalie. They clung to each other as their tears flowed. Sonja smiled and dabbed a few from the corners of her eyes as she rubbed his back until they got control over themselves once more.

"I-I would be deeply honored to walk you down the aisle. I wasn't invited to my daughter's wedding, so I missed out on the cherished experience. My ex-wife's new husband stole that from me--not that I'm bitter! I'm deeply touched by your request, and I accept! I can't begin to tell you how happy you've made me!" he gushed as his eyes began to get glassy with more unshed tears.

"Thank you!" Natalie said. She paused for a moment, then looked at him curiously. "When do you think we'll get to see the designs for the dresses?"

He grinned mischievously, gently pinched her cheek, then winked at Sonja. "It's a surprise, yes? Don't worry. You will love it!"

Natalie rushed to assure him. "I know we will! Your art is second to none! I'm just... intensely curious."

Isaiah chuckled, kissed her cheeks and Sonja's, smiled at them, and left with his assistant.

Natalie watched them leave as a little wrinkle of frustration appeared on her brow. Then, she spun to look at Sonja. "Wait! He didn't take your measurements!"

The svelte blonde chuckled. "He has them from the ball gown he made me two years ago. They haven't changed."

Natalie pouted as she once more felt like a frosted donut, with sprinkles, hanging out with the celery stalks.

Chapter 3

The office of Audacious! was absolutely buzzing with activity. This was over-and-above the elevated energy levels they'd been enjoying since their magazine's Valentine's edition the year before and the fun spin they'd added for this year's celebration of love. Creativity was up, and it showed in the quality of the writing and photo essays gracing each monthly publication. The attitudes of their contributors were positive and uplifting, and their steadily increasing number of subscribers were enjoying this breath of fresh air.

The employees were happy to come to work, feeling they were contributing to that energy, and their managers ensured they felt appreciated.

For the first time since its inception, Audacious! was planning an edition focused on weddings. Other publications incorporated weddings into their offerings with dedicated issues and even permanent sections. This generated income for them, but the costs just kept increasing.

Keeping with their rebellious nature, instead of following this trend, Audacious! focused on bridal wear only when something revolutionary occurred within the industry. Then they would report on it to illuminate their audience. Any articles they ran focused on the meaning of the event and how to cut through the noise and expense, to truly enjoy the day.

The idea to run a wedding edition was born during the engagement party in Fiji, but it didn't come from Sonja or Natalie. The on-location art director and primary photographer got word back to the Audacious! executives and the brainstorming began. When Sonja and Natalie returned to the New York office, they were pulled into the boardroom to hear the executive's pitch.

To be released at the beginning of July, the online magazine wouldn't be another wedding catalog but would focus on actual weddings that took place in beautiful locations around the world during June. Ten weddings would be covered, but only four of them would be celebrity weddings. The remainders would be chosen from Audacious! subscribers.

In January, in the midst of other sites rolling out annual wedding editions, Audacious! presented their subscriber base with the opportunity to have a June wedding of their choice covered in their July edition. This allowed subscribers to submit requests for their own wedding, a family member's, or a friend's.

News of this offer spread immediately across social media and then to entertainment outlets. The online magazine saw a huge surge of new subscribers, followed by requests to be included, with wedding invitations attached. They hired a team of sorters to review the incoming submissions. After weeding out fake or duplicate requests and sorting the events by location and date, the final selections were made during an executive team meeting. The winners were contacted to inform them that a photographer and writer from the magazine had been assigned to capture the magic of their event.

With so many details flying around the room at the time of the selection, Natalie didn't pick up on the fact that one of the four celebrity weddings had been reserved for her own. Sonja noticed this immediately and delightedly asked the executive team to keep the secret.

As all this additional effort unfolded, work on the monthly editions continued at its brisk pace. This was only possible due to the highly positive vibe in the office.

Natalie was finishing up her work on the online magazine's latest edition, slated for early May, themed around vacation getaways and making the most of stay-cations for those who didn't or couldn't travel. As it was the end of April, this update was in the final stages of preparation to go live.

She was very pleased about how the pages flowed. She'd simplified the navigation once more to make it even more intuitive. This also freed up more space for ads, which would boost their revenue. The mobile version of the site was especially fun, but it couldn't do justice to the incredible photography they'd received for the edition. A larger tablet or computer monitor was required for that. Still, the mobile app was pretty and a lite version of the magazine that didn't bog down cell phones. Their client's ads were still well placed for more revenue.

It was almost time for the executive meeting, and she had a standing invitation, even though she was not an executive.

Sonja wanted to promote her, but Natalie insisted she was happy with her role and found Maggie to be a good manager. She agreed to be included in the meetings and was getting really good at on-the-fly mock-ups of the ideas being discussed. That really energized the team.

Maggie had been surprised when Natalie told her she would remain in her department, but they got along well, so there were no difficulties. Natalie also noticed that the other execs were pleased that she'd made no effort to alter the team's power dynamic.

What she told Sonja was true. She was happy doing what she did and had no desire to change that.

Natalie saved her work and unplugged her laptop to carry it to the boardroom. She arrived just as the last exec settled himself into his chair.

Sonja raised an eyebrow at her for almost being late. "Busy?" she asked. Several of the team chuckled as they knew how busy Sonja kept everyone, but especially her not-so-secret weapon.

Natalie blushed and hustled around the table to take the open chair next to the president. The projector cable was ready to connect to her laptop, so she did, and the large screen at the other end of the room suddenly displayed her desktop. She slid the machine in front of Sonja and pointed to the touchpad. The president reached out a finger, and one quick click was all it took to launch a local copy of the vacation edition for everyone to see.

The room fell quiet, save for a few sighs of admiration, as a spectacular tropical beach image from one of their best photographers appeared, with simple site controls painted along the edge of the page to navigate the new publication.

"That's lovely!" Sonja said. "Emilio really outdid himself with this one. Again, wonderful selection for the cover image, Gwen!" Sonja said, sharing a smile with her photo editor. The woman grinned and nodded back to her.

The team returned their attention to the review, and Sonja navigated through the links. They didn't spend any time reading the text of the stories, as that wasn't the point of the review. They asked whether one of the editorials was strong enough to fit among the other brilliant writing, as it was from a new contributor.

Their editorial manager, Bronwen, vouched for the writer and said the story was a perfect introduction. He expected good things from the talented young woman and was pleased with this work.

Sonja nodded to him and continued the review. Natalie saw the man take a deep breath and gave him a small smile when their eyes met.

It didn't take long for the team to finish their review, and Natalie saw many delighted expressions.

"Another quality edition, people! Excellent work!" Sonja said, clapping for her executive team. Faces lit up with smiles, and everyone joined in, clapping for their peers as they looked around the table. "Please pass along my gratitude to your teams. They can be proud of yet another stellar edition of Audacious!" Sonja added.

When the clapping finally died down, Sonja smiled at Natalie and slid her laptop back in front of her. She faced the team again. "It's also an excellent lead in for our big July publication," Sonja continued. "I wish I could say we'll return to a more relaxed pace afterward--"

The team laughed, knowing how busy the fashion industry was as it ramped up in August for the big international and local runway shows in September. Scheduling trips to London, Paris, and Milan, arranging logistics to send writers and photographers to these locations, and covering the local New York scene was a daunting task.

The president turned to Natalie with a wide smile, and the chief Web Designer's face turned pink as she knew what was coming.

"Thank you, Natalie, for taking the work of these brilliant people and making it into a smooth and intuitive website. It's amazing!"

The team applauded and chuckled when the petite woman hid her rosy cheeks with her hands.

"Excellent meeting! Thank you!" Sonja said, and that was the cue for everyone to return to their regular activities. The execs began to file out of the boardroom as Natalie disconnected her laptop from the projector. Soon, it was just the two of them.

"Why do you do that?" Natalie groaned at Sonja.

The blonde smiled with an extra twinkle in her eyes. "You deserve credit for the work you do as much as they do. The new publication is gorgeous and informative! I can't tell you how proud I am of what Audacious! has become since you joined us. I mean, we had good content back then, but it was terrible to navigate through. Now, it's a joy! Everyone is singing its praises." She paused with the hint of a smile. "Not our competitors, of course."

Natalie looked at Sonja curiously. "Are you still getting grief from Ms. Vantoot?"

Sonja smiled at Natalie's subconscious name butchering of Vogue's Editor-in-Chief.

"No, Ms. Van Touf hasn't tossed any insults our way in recent days. That just makes me suspect she's planning something," Sonja said with a crooked smile.

She patted Natalie's hand to get her full attention. "I'm going to be tied up with the finance people until late this evening, so you're on your own for dinner, and I'll meet you at home."

She leaned in and gave Natalie a tender kiss and left with a smile on her lovely face as Natalie took a moment to let the tingles fade.

Giving her head a shake, she packed up her laptop and headed back to her desk.

Chapter 4

Natalie sat at the dining room table, going over the wedding guest list and once more reflecting on how little her side was represented. But then, she was just a small-town girl, and her fiancé was... Sonja Hellström!

Her tummy grumbled because she hadn't eaten yet. She'd nibbled something at lunch, but truthfully, she's missed that meal as well.

The problem was... she didn't feel like cooking.

She sighed and picked up her cell, calling the little restaurant around the corner, which had become their go-to spot. The hostess said they had a table for two they'd hold for her for the next fifteen minutes.

Natalie quickly dressed for going out again and stepped out of the apartment to lock up. She hustled toward the elevator and heard it Bing as the doors began to open.

A tall and lithe beauty with lovely white-blond hair stepped from the car, and Natalie grinned happily. "Sonja--" she began, but jolted to a stop as it wasn't her.

The man turned his face toward Natalie, and she was stunned by how much he resembled Sonja.

"Erik?" Natalie asked quietly as her mind struggled to deal with this gender swapped doppelganger.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "Yes, and you must be Natalie?" he said as her ears caught the subtle depth of his voice over his sister's.

"Yes, that's me. Uh, Sonja hasn't returned from work yet. She'll be late. I-I was just stepping out to dinner. Have you eaten?" Natalie blurted.

His smile grew, and this threw Natalie's brain once more. "I'd love to join you for dinner," he said and pressed the elevator call button. The chime rang immediately as the doors opened on the car he'd just stepped from. He held the door and gestured for her to enter.

He followed her in and smiled as he pressed the button for the lobby.

"Sonja didn't mention you'd be visiting tonight," Natalie said.

He shook his head gently. "I arrived in New York today as I got a modeling job. I thought I'd drop by to see my little sister. We haven't seen each other in some time."

"Little sister?" Natalie asked with a curious upturn on her lips.

Erik pointed to himself. "I'm five minutes older," he said with a cheeky smile.

Natalie couldn't stop the little snort of amusement as he was very charming, and she was still a little dazed by how good-looking he was. So much like Sonja.

They stepped out onto the street, and she led the way to the quaint little restaurant.

"Who are you doing the shoot for?" Natalie asked politely.

"Vogue," he said, and she nodded with an impressed look.

He shrugged. "I don't do that many modeling gigs anymore, but they're paying very well. The photographer is a friend, too."

"Good for you," Natalie said, and his eyes locked on her for a moment as he seemed to be reading her expression.

She opened the restaurant's door and led him inside to speak to the hostess.

He passed his eyes over the interior of the restaurant. "Very nice," he said with an impressed nod as he followed her to the table.

The waitress stopped next to the table and froze as she gazed at Erik.

"Good evening, Julie. This is Erik, Sonja's twin brother," Natalie said to the young woman they'd come to know well.

"Ah! There are two of them? Amazing!" the waitress said with a smile. "Can I get you a drink from the bar?"

Natalie looked at Erik, who shook his head. "Eight years sober," he said with a little smile.

"Water for the table?" Natalie asked, and the waitress left with a nod.

"No beverage for you?" Erik asked.

"I'm a lightweight, so it's better I avoid booze. Besides, my last meal was breakfast, so it's guaranteed to go right to my head," Natalie sighed.

"Sonja hasn't put you on a diet, has she?" Erik asked in surprise.

Natalie burst into giggles, thinking how much Sonja enjoyed her curves. "Oh my! No. I just get too busy at work and forget to eat."

They reviewed the menus and gave their orders when Julie returned with their water.

"How long have you known Sonja?" Erik asked.

Natalie cast her mind back. "I suppose it hasn't been that long, really. I came to New York to be a web developer and graphic designer and landed a job working for Audacious! I brought a new design for the website, and Sonja incorporated it. We've done really well with the new design, which continues to evolve."

"You were a couple since your arrival?" he asked carefully.

She blinked at him. "What? Oh! No. We only became a couple about a year and a half ago. The day she divorced Gerry Ellison.

"The same day?" he asked.

"It was Valentine's Day. Sonja went through a very terrible ordeal, and the doctor proved himself to be a complete jerk!" She then smiled. "It was a magical day for us, though."

Their meals arrived, and Natalie sighed as she took a mouthful of the delicious pasta.

"How about you? Are you currently in a relationship?" she asked.

Erik's eye locked on hers as he seemed to be looking for something. Before she could ask, he shook his head gently. "No, Cupid's arrow has not stung me... yet."

Natalie couldn't help but smile at his wording. "You'll capture the eye of a fair maiden--Oh! Sorry, was that presumptuous of me?" Natalie blurted as she wasn't certain if he might be attracted to the same sex.

He was surprised into a chuckle and shook his head. "A fair maiden would be preferred. While many of my peers enjoy the company of men, I'm not one of them."

Natalie's face was flushing with embarrassment, and this seemed to amuse Erik as he watched her closely with a smile.

She turned her attention back to her meal and tried to think of something else to say, but he filled the silence first.

"I suppose I should blame my parents for my poor ability to recognize love. How two people so estranged from this emotion managed to find each other and produce offspring is one of life's great mysteries. Was your childhood a happy one?"

"Happy? Yes... it was happy enough, I suppose. I had my share of frustration with my parents growing up, but Grandma Jane lived with us, and she had a surplus of love," Natalie said with a fond smile as she thought of the old woman.

She glanced at Erik's face and caught the tail end of an expression flashing across his face quicker than she could interpret it. Envy, jealousy, maybe even resentment, but before it truly registered, he was covering it with a tight smile and a little snort.

"We could all use a Grandma Jane in our lives. I'd love to meet her. Is she coming to the wedding?" he asked with a charming smile.

Natalie shook her head sadly. "No. She passed last Christmas. Sonja and I just made it to the hospital in time to say goodbye. I'm so glad she got to meet and speak with Sonja."

"Oh! I'm sorry for your loss," he said awkwardly.

Natalie smiled at him and shook her head again.

"So, you're a small-town girl?" Erik asked with the hint of a cheeky smile.

She rolled her eyes with a playful grin. "Yes, a very small town in Iowa!"

"Not a lot of opportunity in a small Iowa town, I suppose," he continued.

She nodded with a wry grin. "You're not wrong. That's why I came to New York."

"Sonja's a big city girl. We were born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. In Östermalm, to be precise. Our parents are amongst the wealthiest in the city. We've lived in luxury and wealth, surrounded by the trappings of high society," Erik said as he watched her closely.

Natalie tried to imagine it, but failed, so she just shook her head politely and smiled. She wasn't sure where Erik was going with this.

"Are you enjoying your exposure to Sonja's world?" Erik pressed just a little more.

Natalie raised an eyebrow. "Sonja's world?"

Erik's expression showed he was becoming just a little frustrated that he wasn't getting through to her. "It's a far cry from a small Iowa village! You've done well to find a wealthy girlfriend."

Lights were finally coming on for Natalie. "Oh! My knowledge of finances is limited to managing a household budget. Outside of that, I'm clueless. Sonja hasn't felt it necessary to involve me beyond my current activities."

Erik frowned and went still for a moment. "So, you're not aware of the inheritance?"

She was a little surprised by the stiffness in his voice. "No. Why should I be? I'm not marrying Sonja for her wealth."

"How can I be sure?" Erik immediately insisted.

Natalie blinked in surprise as she suddenly became aware of his growing agitation. She recalled what Sonja said about his unhealthy obsession with his sister. Maybe he wasn't as cured of it as Sonja believed.

Natalie suddenly felt out of her depth.

"I-I love her. It's the one thing I'm most certain of in my life," Natalie said softly as she held his eye.

"I've heard those words before. That's all they are, words." Erik said bluntly, and Natalie began to worry.

"Words backed by emotion, but I'm not sure how I'd prove that to you. Would you even recognize it if you say you've never experienced it for yourself?" she replied.

Erik surged to his feet. "I know love! I know her better--" he stopped suddenly as his lips trembled with his unspoken words.

Natalie watched him cautiously, his body vibrating with tension. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

His expression was certainly hostile. Erik struggled to regain his control, and soon his face was impassive. He took his wallet from his pocket and pulled out a few bills, which he tossed on the table.

"My apologies for my outburst. Let me pick up the tab. It's something we Hellströms do, as I'm sure you're aware. Good evening."

Natalie watched him as he walked away with as much dignity as he could. She couldn't stop herself from admiring how gracefully he moved, and once more saw his similarity to his sister.

Speaking of the woman, Natalie decided it was time to go home, so she caught Julie's eye and settled up with Erik's cash.

Julie received an extra generous tip.

Natalie hurried back to the condo and let herself in. She walked into the living room and was surprised to see Sonja stretched out on the sofa. "You're home earlier than expected!"

She sat on the edge, and Sonja held up her arms to make Natalie lean down and kiss her.

"Mmm! You went to our favorite restaurant!" Sonja said with a little chuckle as she tasted a hint of Natalie's favorite dish.

Natalie sat up and put a hand over her mouth. "I did, but you didn't need to mention I had bad breath!"

Sonja grinned. "I didn't say it was bad! You taste delicious!"

Natalie sighed as she looked into her lover's eyes. She truly loved this woman, but that made her think of her recent interaction with Erik.

"Sorry I made you eat alone tonight," Sonja said, stretching.

Natalie smiled as she admired the woman's lithe movements. "Actually, I didn't eat alone."

Sonja's eyes widened as she looked up at her. "What? Picking up strange women already?"

Natalie giggled. "No. It was your brother, Erik."

Sonja's smile instantly disappeared, and she sat up quickly. "Erik's in town?"

Nodding, Natalie watched Sonja's eyes. There was tension around them. "I was going out to get dinner by myself, and he stepped off the elevator. He said he's in town for a modeling job for Vogue. He'd come to see you, but you were going to be late, so I invited him to join me for dinner."

"I should have been here," Sonja replied.

"It was just dinner," Natalie assured her. She decided not to mention how it ended with Erik's hostility. Sonja's relationship with her brother was already strained. She didn't want to be responsible for damaging it further.

"What did he say?" Sonja asked.

"It was just a getting-to-know-each other kind of dinner. It's remarkable how much you two look alike!" Natalie teased, but Sonja wasn't playing along. She sighed. "We talked about our childhoods, mine in a small town and yours in the big city."

Sonja seemed to be evaluating that, looking for traps, but Natalie was grateful her tension eased, so she changed the topic. "Did you get something to eat?"

"Finger sandwiches," Sonja sighed, then flopped back onto the sofa.

Natalie stood and grabbed Sonja's hand. "Come on, you. No sleeping in the living room when there is a big, lovely bed waiting for you."

Sonja moaned but allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and led down the hall.

They prepared for bed, and Sonja took liberties, touching Natalie's body as the woman struggled to get her nightie on, but they could tell they were both too tired to do more tonight.

Slipping under the covers, they sighed happily as they cuddled.

Sonja quickly slipped into dreamland, but Natalie's brain chose that moment to return to Erik's questioning her motivations for marrying his sister.

Natalie truly hadn't considered the implications of marrying someone wealthy. She'd never been financially motivated to do anything before, and as she'd told Erik, finance wasn't her area of expertise. She decided to speak to Sonja about it... soon.

Once Sonja was more relaxed about Erik's surprise visit.

Chapter 5

Natalie's cell rang as Sonja was opening the condo's door at the end of the day. Three days had passed since Erik's dinner-time visit. He hadn't reached out to either of them since that night.

Sonja glanced at Natalie, who checked her phone as she kicked off her shoes. "It's Mom," she said as she answered it.

"Hi, Mom! What's up?"

"I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I?" Janet asked in concern.

Natalie smiled. "Not at all. We just got in the door." She caught Sonja's eye and pointed to the living room sofa. Sonja nodded and headed off to the bedroom to get comfortable. Natalie dropped onto the sofa cushions and leaned back. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes... no," Janet said hesitantly. "I'm calling to let you know your father won't be coming to the wedding," the mother said.

Natalie nodded as she'd seen that coming. "I... guess I expected that. It's fine. You, Abby, and Zoe are coming, right?"

Sonja trotted down the hall and into the living room, wearing tights and a loose t-shirt. She immediately stretched out on her back with her head resting on Natalie's thighs. She looked up at Natalie with a grin.

"Yes, we're coming. I was hoping I could bring Barb?" Janet said hesitantly.

"Of course, you can! We'd love to see Barb again!" Natalie responded with a grin, and Sonja nodded. She could almost hear the relief in her mother's breathing.

"I... have more information about your father," Janet said hesitantly.

"Oh?" Natalie said cautiously.

"He wants to disavow you, remove you from our will. We had a big blowout over it. Even his mother's words wouldn't sway him. So, I've filed for divorce. I'm serving him the papers tonight," Janet confessed.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know it had gotten that bad," Natalie said gently.

Janet sighed in frustration. "I couldn't envision myself living in this house alone with him as he becomes increasingly bitter and foul-tempered. Without Jane to keep him on an even keel, I'm afraid he's spiraling. Barb asked me to move in with her as she's a widow with no kids and lives in a big house. She's great company, and we get along so well. The twins will stay with us until they leave for college, which is right around the corner! With the money I set aside, the scholarships they received, and their inheritance from Jane, they should be set for their education. Our house will have to go on the market unless your father pays me my share. I'm asking for half of everything. If there's anything in the house you want, let me know now," her mom explained.

"I took everything I needed when I left. I'm glad you're going to stay with Barb," Natalie said in relief.

"I think I hear your father pulling into the driveway, so I'll say goodbye for now," Janet said in a hurry.

"I love you, Mom! Please give Abby and Zoe my love," Natalie said quickly.

"We love you, too, Natalie! Say hello to Sonja from us. Bye!" The line went dead.

Natalie looked down into the concerned eyes of her lover.

"I'm sorry about your father," Sonja said.

Natalie shook her head. "Yeah, it's sad, but I think it's for the best for mom."

"It's good Janet has someone to rely on with Barb. Are they going to be okay financially? I overheard her mentioning she was going after a fifty-fifty split of assets," Sonja said.

Natalie shrugged. "I don't know mom's expenses, but she didn't sound too concerned about it." This was outside of her experience, so she shrugged.

Her mind returned to Erik's questioning her reason for marrying Sonja. This might be a good time to address her burning question.

"Mom and Dad didn't have any pre-existing conditions in their marriage. They're small-town people, like me. You were fortunate to have maintained the separation of assets with Gerry. Considering the vast disparity between what I'm bringing to the marriage, and what you are, do you think it might be advisable for us to have some kind of pre-nup--"

Sonja sat up quickly and locked eyes with Natalie, her expression frozen. Natalie's mouth went dry with worry, but she couldn't stop talking.

"It would also have the benefit of setting aside impressions that I'm after your money... and inheritance," she blurted.

Sonja rocked back as she continued to stare into Natalie's eyes, which were becoming glassy with unshed tears. "I never mentioned anything about an inheri--ERIK!" Sonja suddenly snapped as she realized where that information came from. She took Natalie's face gently between her hands.

"Did Erik question your reason for marrying me? Did he claim you were after the inheritance?" she asked firmly.

Natalie sucked on her lower lip as she realized she'd messed up and potentially poisoned Sonja's relationship with her brother. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to cause any more tension between you two."

Sonja closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Natalie's as she felt tears dripping onto her hands.

She pulled back and grabbed a box of tissues from the coffee table. She dabbed one against Natalie's cheeks. "Please don't cry. This isn't your fault. There will be no pre-nup contracts. I know you aren't after my money. I know your love for me is genuine. We both received Grandma Jane's approval. That's all I need."

Natalie burst into tears as she surged forward to wrap her arms around Sonja. They both shed a few tears, though it took Natalie longer to recover.

"I love you so much!" Natalie said. After she caught her breath, she pouted at Sonja. "No fair, invoking Grandma Jane's name."

Sonja shrugged with a smug little smile. She gently pushed Natalie back so she could sit before her. "Now, tell me what happened at your dinner with Erik. Word for word and leave nothing out."

Natalie took a deep breath and released the truth.

Chapter 6

Ha-eun, their Korean manager of the talent department, approached with a sly smile as she watched Natalie. "I will get you in a photoshoot soon!" she teased.

Natalie held up her hands in a blocking gesture. "Not in this lifetime!"

Ha-eun grinned, then turned to Sonja. "The ladies are asking about the possibility of having an informal bridal shower for you two here at the office. We would include Jasmine and Tygr to capture the evening for the behind-the-scenes celebratory article on your wedding."

Natalie froze in surprise. "Article? Our wedding is going to be published?" Natalie asked, looking at Sonja.

The blonde looked at her and nodded. "The executive team insisted we should include a behind-the-scenes style series of stories with images. Our followers are curious, and it would increase our audience significantly."

"When were you going to tell me?" Natalie asked quietly.

"Tonight. The behind-the-scenes story was only brought to my attention this morning." Sonja took Natalie's hands and saw she was nervous. "We have final say on the content. I promise I won't let anything embarrassing get out."

Natalie looked into her eyes and saw the love there. She took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay. Who is Tygr?" she asked, turning to Ha-eun.

"She's our newest photographer and an experiment," the woman explained. "She was a war correspondent, so her work is raw and provocative. She captures incredibly spontaneous and candid moments."

Sonja focused on their model wrangler. "We will make ourselves available for the bridal shower."

Ha-eun grinned happily. "I'll get the preparations started! It will be so fun!"

She held her thumbs up for the others in the room, and a cheer went up from the models.

-=-

Kylene grinned at Laysia, her fellow first-year model, as the other ladies cheered. The party was on!

The previous evening, they'd been out clubbing when they ran into two colleagues from their fearless leader's early career. They'd been shown a really good time with the two wild ladies. They lost count of how many clubs they hit. Kylene hooked up with at least three top-shelf studs during the night, while Laysia made out with so many young beauties.

Sometime during the night, the topic of the Audacious! bridal shower came up, and they worked out a brilliant prank to play on the newlyweds-to-be. It would be simple to sneak Sam and Lee into the office. The two veterans would see to it that Sonja got drunk and take some funny, embarrassing pics of the Ice Queen. Once Sam and Lee gave them the all-clear signal, they would play their own prank on Sonja's short, pneumatic plaything.

Laysia sent a quick text to Lee and grinned at her friend. It would be quite a party!

Chapter 7

Beatrix Van Touf leaned back in her plush leather chair and brooded as she glared at the breathtaking new edition of Audacious!

God, she detested Sonja Hellström!

Worse, she envied her. Sonja's Audacious! made Vogue seem outdated and old by comparison. This made Beatrix feel old, and she hated that!

That's not to say Vogue didn't have excellent writers and correspondents, brilliant photographers, and innovative designers. They had their finger on the pulse of the fashion industry!

But... it was missing the fire that was so evident in Audacious!

There was so much energy in the articles, from the writing to the photography and art. This spoke of highly motivated and engaged contributors. The magazine's tone was breathtakingly positive!

Then there was the presentation. The site navigated so smoothly and intuitively. The ads were non-intrusive but visible. That probably made their advertisers very pleased and content!

She had her tech people reverse-engineer the site to see what secrets they could find. They couldn't just copy the site design and use it for Vogue. They needed to learn what made it better and more efficient. They'd learn from it so they could evolve their own site to surpass Audacious!

Vogue's head of web design, Kristian Colombe, knocked on the door jamb and gave her a tight smile. There was tension in the man's eyes.

"Yes, Kristian, come in. What have you found?" Beatrix asked.

The man quickly crossed the distance and sat in the offered chair before he spoke. His voice was gentle but wobbled slightly.

"Madam, the Audacious! site code has undergone another revision. This is the third time this year! Their designer has created a functionally distinct new process. The latest code is... highly efficient," his voice tapered off as he saw the frustration on his boss' face.

"Are you telling me you cannot match the effectiveness of their code?" the woman forced out.

"N-no, Madam! While it would take a good deal of effort to convert all our assets and adopt a similar code methodology to that of their present website, matching their innovation is another matter. We tried to make our code structure similar to the one they used earlier this year, but it's now outdated compared to theirs, and it looks like a knock-off of theirs. We are chasing a moving target." He gave her a pained look as he knew this wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"Why aren't we innovating to the same degree? Do we need fresh blood?" Beatrix asked stiffly.

Kristian rocked back slightly from the verbal slap, and his expression slid toward desperation. "We follow the latest trends in our field and remain at the forefront of technical excellence for a website of our size, but retooling it to match Ms. Renaud's code design is not such an easy task."

"I'm not asking you to copy her! Exceed her!" Beatrix snapped.

Kristian's expression stiffened, and Beatrix could see the walls going up. She'd get no more from him.

"My team is working hard to meet this goal," he said quietly.

Beatrix leaned back and looked away from the man. "Thank you. Keep me informed. Close my door on your way out," she said in dismissal.

He stood and left with his dignity damaged but not broken.

When the latch clicked shut, the CEO leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

She knew she had to separate her distaste for Audacious and its CEO from Vogue's operations. Her magazine's voice was well respected, and she would not sully that for her peace of mind. The only dig she could make was a tasteful article on groom's wear featuring Sonja's brother Erik as the model. This would be released at the same time as the other site's wedding edition.

She wondered if she could convince Erik Hellström to wear a wedding dress for the shoot.

Chapter 8

Sonja was focused on her work, so she missed the knock on her door jamb until a second, louder knock.

She glanced up and saw Donna, her personal assistant, standing there with an odd expression on her face.

"Sonja? You have a surprise visitor. He says he's your brother, Erik? I can't think of anyone else he could be!"

Pulling her mind back to the now, Sonja stood and walked to her door as Donna returned to her desk.

Standing in the middle of the small room was Erik. Her eyes quickly scanned him for differences, but he remained unchanged from the last time they'd met, years ago.

She saw a slightly more masculine version of herself.

He'd say she was a slightly more feminine version of him.

"Erik, come in."

He smiled at Donna, enjoying her awe, and moved smoothly past Sonja to enter the office.

She closed the door behind her as she saw him take a seat before her desk.

Sonja returned to her chair and tucked away her work, using the time to reach a calm state.

"I understand you had dinner with Natalie," she began.

His expression shifted slightly before returning to his calm smile. "Yes, I popped by to see you when I first arrived in the city."

"And you felt it was your duty to question my fiancé on her motive for marrying me?"

Erik went still as he heard the tension in Sonja's voice.

"I-I merely asked if her motivations for marriage were fiscal--"

"YOU DON'T GET TO QUESTION THE NATURE OF OUR LOVE!" Sonja snapped.

Erik's eyes widened, and his mouth moved silently.

"You know nothing about Natalie Renaud, yet you hurt her. It was only your first meeting with her, and you attacked.

She didn't tell me what you'd done, but instead said the dinner had gone well. Days later, she tried to suggest that we get a pre-nup. That's when I realized what you'd done.

Natalie didn't want to drive a wedge between me and you, because she understands the importance of family!

If you can't understand and accept the love that Natalie and I have for each other, you should consider yourself estranged from my life, permanently."

Erik gasped and desperately leaned forward in his chair. "No! Please! You're all the family I have left!" he exclaimed, almost in a panic.

"I don't want you out of my life. We've had a rough start, we have shitty parents, but we can get past that. You just need to accept that you and I are family, brother and sister, and truly understand the tremendous value in that.

I will not allow you to threaten the woman I love, as Natalie makes me happier than anyone ever has."

Erik finally saw love in his sister's eyes.

A love he'd once hoped she would have for him. He understood now that it couldn't be, and he didn't want to lose her as his sister, so he nodded.

"Please let Natalie know I'm sorry--"

"You will do that yourself at our reception," Sonja insisted with a little smile as she held his eye.

Erik smiled in relief. "Yes, I will. Thank you."

"Now, I'm swamped, and I don't have time for a visit. Let's schedule one later," she insisted.

He grinned in amusement. "Yes, Sonja."

He stood and smiled back at her as he left her office.

Sonja smiled as this was the healthiest conversation she'd had with her brother in a long time.

-=-

Another business day was over, but Natalie wouldn't be heading home just yet. She and Sonja were to attend a wedding shower for them tonight, thrown by the models.

She would have preferred to snuggle on the couch with Sonja, but duty called.

"You ready to go?" the woman in question said as she grinned at Natalie from the doorway. "Come on, I know, I feel the same way, but we must show our coworkers we know how to have fun, and that we appreciate their efforts!"

Natalie smiled at Sonja and followed her over to the elevator bank. They headed up to the floor where the party was being held, and when they stepped off the elevator, they heard a loud cheer!

Immediately, models rushed forward and collected the two ladies. They were rushed inside and taken to opposite sides of the floor until they could no longer see each other. Natalie glanced over her shoulder to see Sonja smiling back at her before she disappeared.

Natalie was moved to the center of the room, where she stepped up on a box. The models circled around her with grins.

"It's time to put on your wedding dress!" one called out, and all the models suddenly showed they were holding a roll of toilet paper.

She was going to be TP'ed.

Oh, fun.

-=-

Kylene and Laysia were quickly heading to the side staff entrance, but stopped when they reached the last stretch because a security camera was pointed at the door. Glancing at her cell, Kylene received a text from Miika, another junior model, indicating she was about to deliver cake to the security desk.

"Three, two, one, now!" she said and walked casually toward the door with Laysia at her side. They pushed the bar on the door to open it, and Sam and Lee ducked inside. They immediately headed back to the service elevators and rode one up to the model's floor.

Lee smiled at Kylene. "Well done, so far! Now we have to loosen a few inhibitions." She handed each of the two young models a small vial. "Pour this into a cup of whatever they're drinking. We can't do it as Sonja would be suspicious if it came from us." Kylene nodded as if she understood, and Laysia just followed along.

"Are the ladies together?" Sam asked.

"No, they will be separate for half the night to answer questions for one of the games at the end. 'She said, She said' it's called, in this case," Laysia explained.

Lee grinned in approval. "Perfect! Kylene, you slip your treat into Sonja's cup. Laysia, you do Natalie. Meet us here when this is done."

The models rushed away, grinning, as Lee and Sam smiled at each other.

-=-

Sonja kept her smile in place, but she was deeply regretting agreeing to this party. She didn't want to disappoint her people, but the games she was asked to participate in were straining her capacity to pretend she was enjoying herself.

Having a cup of bubbly liquid forced into her hand soon after she sat down immediately raised her hackles. She'd graciously refused and ignored the awkward expression as they rallied and explained the rules of the game, 'She said, She said'.

To maintain her sanity, she'd observed Tygr slipping around the periphery of the party, capturing candid shots. Every once in a while, she'd disappear to get shots of the group with Natalie, who was also answering the game's dumb questions.

When Tygr returned this time, something in her expression made Sonja immediately stand and walk through the group to speak to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I can't find Ms. Renaud," Tygr said, her eyes darting across the faces behind Sonja, looking for something.

Sonja ignored the voices behind her, calling out in playful protest as she made a beeline for the other side of the office. The ladies there were chatting and drinking, and genuinely looked surprised to see her.

"Where is Natalie?" Sonja insisted, and heads turned to glance around.

"She looked tipsy. I think Laysia took her to the ladies' room," Miika offered, then spotted the model in question slipping out the door. Miika pointed toward the door, confused.

Sonja was out the door in a flash and chased down the young model who was frantically hammering on the elevator button.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Sonja snarled as she pushed the model up against the wall.

Laysia whimpered as Tygr captured the moment.

Chapter 9

Lee and Sam carried their prize between them into the elevator of their building and brought her up to their penthouse apartment. Another inheritance from Sam's sugar daddy, the condo had a lovely city view and provided the privacy they craved for activities like this.

Natalie wasn't completely unconscious, but the second dose of Rohypnol they gave her in the elevator before leaving the agency was enough to keep her in this malleable state for hours.

"She's surprisingly heavy for someone so short," Sam said with a grin.

"She's just completely relaxed," Lee offered as she reached over with her free hand and roughly squeezed Natalie's breast. "Besides, she's got these and that yummy ass! That has to add some weight to the package."

Sam giggled, and they finally got the woman into the bedroom and onto the mattress. They quickly undressed their toy and stood at the end of the bed to admire the woman.

"Fuck! She's so curvy for someone so small!" Lee said with an excited grin.

Sam went to her bureau and picked up the digital SLR she'd prepared earlier. She turned on the flash units she'd set up around the bed and moved to the end of the bed to get a shot of Natalie lying back on the silk sheets, her auburn hair spread out over the pillows. Sam thought she looked gorgeous!

She took the picture and quickly confirmed it was good on the viewscreen. She'd wanted to tether her camera to her computer so she could livestream these to her private website, but Lee was overly cautious and wanted to be in their Fiji getaway before they uploaded anything.

"The shot is good," she announced.

Lee was immediately on the bed, completely naked, rubbing her body against Natalie's. Sam moved closer and got a shot of Lee squeezing a breast and tugging on the nipple with her teeth.

"Fuck! That's hot!" Sam sighed. She was far more visually stimulated than Lee was, but they were highly compatible.

Lee enjoyed Natalie's tits, and Sam got great shots of Lee's tongue teasing her nipples and her teeth leaving impressions on the fleshy orbs. She also got one of Lee sliding a finger into Natalie. "She's so hot! I can't believe Sonja was being so fucking greedy to keep this all to herself."

Sam wanted a turn, so Lee got behind the camera as Sam went to work on Natalie's pussy.

Looking up with juices and spit running down her chin, Sam stuck her tongue out at Lee, who got the shot. Then she leaned in and sucked Sam's tongue into her mouth in a deep kiss.

When Lee pulled back, she purred. "That's one sweet pussy!"

"I think it's wet enough. Get me the smaller dildo," Sam said.

There were two on the dresser, but smaller didn't mean small. It had better-than-average length and girth. The other one was a monster. Even Sam had a hard time taking it, and she was a fan of fisting.

Sam lubricated the silicon toy with her spit and Natalie's juices as Lee took pictures.

Lee suddenly walked over to collect her cellphone from the bureau and climbed onto the bed. She leaned over and placed her face just above Natalie's stomach, as Sam was just above her thighs, as she pushed the dildo into Natalie.

"Smile for the camera, bitches!" Lee said, holding the camera at arm's length to angle it properly and capture Natalie's face as well as theirs in the shot.

When she got the picture, she sat up on the bed, and Sam moved closer to peer at the screen. "Fuck! That's a great one!" she said, making Lee grin.

Lee pulled up the prepared draft email she'd written the night before and attached the picture.

"When we get on the plane, I'll send this to Sonja," Lee said with great satisfaction.

She walked back to the bureau and tossed her cell onto the surface, where it bumped the huge cock. She was walking back to the bed when they heard a deep thump and a whoosh sound from behind her. She spun and saw the dildo had fallen across the screen of the phone.

Sam stared at Lee in shock. "Did... did that just send the email?"

Lee moved back to pick up her cell, and the message wasn't in the drafts folder anymore.

"Shit."

They heard a faint ping from an incoming email in the outer hall.

Sam and Lee both turned their heads toward the bedroom door. Then they locked eyes, as confusion and doubt battled in their minds.

The condo's door crashed inward with an explosive crack. This was quickly followed by shouts from the cops as they charged into the unit.

"POLICE! GET ON THE FLOOR! HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!"

The bedroom erupted into chaos as the squad rushed inside, grabbed Lee and Sam, and slammed them to the floor on their stomachs at the foot of the bed.

Lee looked up and saw Sonja walking into the bedroom behind them, her expression grim. She immediately went to check on Natalie, looking for a blanket to cover her naked body.

Sam and Lee noticed a woman standing in the bedroom doorway taking pictures.

Once Sonja had covered Natalie, she picked up the SLR camera and quickly went through the menu to confirm it wasn't tethered to a computer. Satisfied it wasn't, she reviewed the images and her expression cracked a few times. She closed her eyes for a moment, turned the camera off, and handed it to one of the detectives.

"Please ensure this evidence isn't leaked for her sake," she said stiffly, and the officer accepted it.

"Sonja! Don't get your tits in a bunch! Scale it back! It was just a prank!" Lee shouted from the floor.

The blonde ignored her, went to the bureau, and picked up the cell. She saw it wasn't locked, so she knelt down before Lee and Sam and took a picture of them pinned beneath the officers.

Then she opened Lee's Insta account and posted the picture, adding a quick caption about their being arrested for forcible abduction and rape.

She stood and gazed down at them, a cold look in her eyes as she handed the cell to the same officer.

"This wasn't a prank. This was a crime you two will serve time for. I informed you at the engagement party that Natalie was off limits, so this was premeditated abduction and rape. For me, no punishment is severe enough to pay for what you did, so I'll just have to ensure the full extent of the law is brought to bear on you two."

Paramedics arrived and wheeled a stretcher into the room. They gently collected Natalie and wrapped her in their blankets before strapping her down on the stretcher.

"I'm coming to the hospital with you," Sonja said, and they nodded as they began to wheel the woman out.

Sonja looked to the officer in charge. "They are airline tickets on the bureau, so they were planning to flee the city tonight. They've likely done this to others."

"We'll be thorough," the officer said with a nod.

Lee watched the mystery woman in the doorway take one more shot of her handcuffed, naked on the floor, then slip out of the room.

Sonja nodded to the officer and left, ignoring the shouts from the two women on the floor.

She had someone more important to be with.

Chapter 10

Natalie felt as if she was immersed in murky water, struggling to reach the surface. Something was wrong with her arms and legs as they weren't responding. The light was dim, but she finally managed to open her eyes as she surfaced.

Her senses failed her for a moment, and she didn't know where she was, but there was something familiar about her immediate surroundings.

An IV dangled from a stand next to the bed.

Ugly fluorescent lighting above her with a privacy drape surround.

A soft noise drew her eyes to a machine that went Bing.

Ah, she was in a hospital.

Why?

Trying to recall was useless as her memories were either a chaotic mess or just missing.

She must have made a sound as the shadow that had been resting in a nearby chair suddenly leapt to her feet, and Sonja was leaning over the bed to look into her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" the beauty asked her.

Struggling to keep her eyes from rolling with the movement of the room, her next challenge was speaking. "Awful. Wha... what happened?"

A pain suddenly made its presence known as a sudden cramp flared in a personal place. She winced, squirmed, and must have moaned as Sonja's expression went through a series of emotions from despair to rage, shame, and back to despair.

"Wuz I hit by a car? Is my head broken? I have pain in private places," she whispered to Sonja, and saw the woman grind her teeth.

"You're frightening me with all these faces you're making. Tell me!" Natalie begged.

Sonja seemed to get control of herself. "Sorry, I'm extremely upset." She took a breath. "Tonight, you were given Rohypnol at the bridal shower. Then you were abducted by Lee and Sam. They... they took you to their condo, where they undressed you and... did some things to you."

Natalie's expression showed her horror, and her skin crawled at the thought of them touching her without her permission.

"No. No, no, no, no, no," Natalie whimpered and began to cry.

Sonja was shaking with grief and rage and didn't know what to do with herself.

"I love you, Natalie. I'm so sorry they did this. I should have known that challenging someone like Lee would just make her escalate," she said miserably.

Hearing Sonja's pain drew Natalie from her torment as she reached out weakly and grabbed Sonja's hand.

"NO! You've done nothing wrong!" Natalie gasped, and the room spun. Her emotions were off the rails, and her body was still fighting her.

She sagged back against the pillows.

Sonja leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Natalie."

"I love you, Sonja...." Natalie managed before she faded once more, exhausted by her emotional upheaval.

-=-

A gentle knock on the door drew Sonja's attention, and she looked up to see Tygr standing there with her camera in hand.

"Yes," Sonja asked.

"Is she going to be okay?" the photographer asked.

Sonja looked back at Natalie and realized how strong her lover was. With all the terrible things that had been done to her, she was still concerned about Sonja's feelings of guilt.

She kissed Natalie's hand. "Yes. She's incredible!"

Sonja stood and joined Tygr in the hall.

"I'm sorry I didn't come find you earlier when I saw some of the models acting a little off. I've been in the shit so long that I didn't recognize the significance of a less-than-life-critical situation," Tygr explained.

Sonja blinked at her as she tried to understand. "The models were acting suspiciously?"

Tygr nodded. "Miika, Laysia, and Kylene. Definitely, the latter two were up to something right from the beginning of the party. They were probably the ones who slipped drugs into Natalie's punch. Did you drink any?"

Sonja shook her head.

"But you were offered?" Tygr asked and received a nod.

"From Kylene," Sonja said softly as she recalled the young model's odd expression when she rejected the cup.

"Laysia and Kylene kept disappearing then reappearing. They may have been the ones to bring those two into the building." She turned her camera around and showed Sonja a picture she'd taken from cover, showing Lee and Sam in a service hallway, talking with Kylene. "I didn't know the significance of their presence at the party."

"Laysia must have been the one who gave Natalie the cup of punch. I saw her helping Natalie to the washroom, where she was likely collected by these two."

Sonja was fuming. "Lee and Sam shouldn't have been able to get into the building. They've been banned! Security has their pictures and should have stopped them when they entered the building."

"They probably didn't go through the front door. Someone opened a back door to let them in."

"All doors are monitored with cameras. The security team would have seen this," Sonja argued.

Tygr smiled. "Unless some sweet young thing distracted them," she nodded. "Miika hinted to me that there would be a surprise guest. I think she was asked to be a distraction at security, and she might have been told they were bringing in strippers."

Sonja stared at Tygr in shock. "Were you a detective at any point in your career?"

Tygr grinned. "No, but you have to be observant to survive in a war zone."

Sonja's expression became grim once more. "Three young models are going to be our star witnesses in the case against Lee and Sam, or they will never work in this industry again."

Tygr gave her a particularly vicious-looking smile because of her pronounced canines, and Sonja realized where the woman's nickname came from.

It suited her.

Chapter 11

It took a week of Sonja-cuddles to get Natalie to return to the office, but her positive outlook could not be suppressed for long, especially when surrounded by love. All the execs gave her hugs at their first meeting after her return.

Ha-eun was effusively apologetic, as it was her models who'd helped in the abduction. Two of the three were no longer with the company, and one was on probation for her poor judgment.

Natalie gave Tygr a long hug for detecting the trouble and alerting Sonja.

The work waited for no woman, so Natalie had to leap right back into the fray to ensure the month's magazine went online.

Then it was the week before the wedding, and she heard from her mother that they were on their way to visit.

Hearing that Janet would share a room with Barb, Sonja booked two adjoining rooms, each with two double beds in a lovely hotel near the American Museum of Natural History, the venue she'd arranged for their wedding and reception. Natalie didn't know how she pulled that off, except that she was a contributor and had significant pull in the city.

The first night her side of the family arrived, Sonja took everyone out to dinner. The restaurant was lovely, and they treated everyone like royalty, keeping silly smiles on Janet and Barb's faces all night.

Natalie was so happy to see her sisters and was especially excited to know they'd be moving into the college dorm together. They'd be able to visit far more frequently.

As they were enjoying their after-dinner drinks, Janet turned a serious expression on her oldest. "I want you to know we all support you. I'm sorry your father couldn't get his head out of his butt long enough to truly appreciate what a wonderful daughter he has, but he's made his decision, and he is out of our lives. He signed the divorce papers and has agreed to put the house on the market. He'll be moving to live with his brother in a trailer park in Miami, Florida."

"Note to self: avoid Miami," Natalie said with a sad little smile.

Janet held her hand, and they shared a smile.

"What's your plan for tomorrow? It's your free day before the wedding!" Natalie asked the ladies.

"Shopping!" they all cheered.

Sonja smiled at the excited women. "Save some of your energy, as we have some surprises for the wedding afterparty in the museum. Be prepared to dance!"

Abby and Zoe squealed with excitement, prompting Janet and Barb to join in the laughter.

Natalie held Sonja's hand as she savored her family's happiness.

It almost made her forget her own excitement and nerves.

She still hadn't seen her wedding dress!

-=-

The incredible sight of a Blue Whale seemingly floating above the rows of wedding guests drew their eyes upward. The Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life at the AMNH was an unconventional venue for a wedding, but breaking conventions was a core principle for Audacious!

There wasn't a huge number of invited guests, but some last-minute additions meant the organizers had to add extra rows of seating under the whale. Everyone had a seat.

The center aisle ran from tail to mouth where the officiator stood smiling at the gathering.

The press cameras were off to the sides, as discreet as possible, yet they captured the happy, delighted expressions on the faces of the famous, the not-so-famous, and the just-dazzled-to-be-there.

Standing next to the officiator, Sonja looked resplendent in her shimmering white sheath dress. It was covered with a cascade of tiny, brilliant crystals and small, white and light-blue feathers. From her shoulders to just below her breasts hung a lovely feathered accent piece that looked like glistening snow.

Next to her, looking proud enough to pop, was her brother Erik. He leaned closer to whisper to her.

"I'm not sure why you're going with the Elsa from Frozen look," he said while keeping his smile for the guests and cameras.

She glanced at him curiously. "You seriously haven't heard what I'm called behind my back?"

He shook his head slightly as he waited.

"The Ice Queen," she whispered back.

His first reaction was to get angry, but he pushed it down when she showed no sign of upset.

"A-and you're leaning into it?" he asked in confusion.

Sonja grinned at her brother. "Hold that thought."

-=-

Natalie was taking slow, even breaths, practicing a technique called Box Breathing to keep herself from passing out from her stress.

After a light lunch, she was whisked away from Sonja's condo and taken to Isaiah's studio by the designer and some experts from Audacious!

It was finally time to see her wedding gown!

Isaiah had come through big time with his latest creation. It was one of the most unique and gorgeous wedding gowns she'd ever laid eyes on. The work that had gone into it for just this one moment in time was beyond her comprehension.

She just didn't think someone like her should be in it.

There were so many exquisitely beautiful models at Audacious! Any of them would have amplified its beauty a hundredfold.

Then the Audacious! makeup artists, and hairstylists swarmed over her, transforming her light application and gentle styling into pure glamor. She almost didn't recognize the woman in the mirror. She knew that anxious expression in the eyes staring back at her, but everything else was new.

Her serious but attractive dark-framed glasses were tucked away in Isaiah's jacket pocket for later, so she couldn't hide behind them. Her naturally long lashes and pale green eyes were exposed to the world and accentuated by cosmetics.

Then there was the dress. It clung to her voluptuous curves like the hands of a lover. She was grateful for the beautiful, feathered piece that went from her shoulders to just under her breasts. She wasn't overexposed in the upper quadrant, at least.

The final result was a complete transformation. She was still short and overly curvy, with a cute little upturn on the tip of her nose, but everything else could have been found in the pages of their monthly magazine. She had to look away, or she might get trapped by the image.

Isaiah then drove her to the museum, and they entered the guest entrance after Isaiah showed security their IDs. The museum was closed to everyone except the special-event guests.

One of the event organizers said something softly into her earpiece, then led them through employee corridors to the hall where the guests were waiting.

It was showtime.

Isaiah turned to her and took her hands in his as he smiled at her with glassy eyes.

"Thank you so much for blessing me with this experience," he said to her.

She waved her hands to fan her face. "Don't make me cry! I'll ruin this incredible makeup job!"

He stiffened his upper lip after giving her a grin, then held out his elbow for her to place her hand on his arm.

The music swelled as they stepped out into the hall and faced the lights and cameras.

"Holy shit, there are a lot of cameras!" she thought.

As they passed between the rows of seats, she smiled at the faces she recognized and nodded politely to those she didn't. She didn't look toward her destination as she wasn't wearing her glasses and didn't want her first view of Sonja to be a blur.

Isaiah was sniffling and struggling to keep it together, which was keeping Natalie on the edge of losing it as well, so she did her best to tune it out.

Finally, they were getting closer to the front, so she risked a glance toward Sonja.

Seeing her in the glittery snow dress shocked her, and she almost stumbled. The wedding dress screamed Ice Queen! She looked into Sonja's eyes, confused, and saw love there, and more than a little mischief, so she smiled at her and closed the distance.

Isaiah had tears running down his cheeks, but he wore no makeup, so it was mostly invisible. Natalie turned to him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you!" she whispered, and he gave her a jerky nod and smiled at her with joy.

She stood before the officiator next to Sonja and heard a whisper from her.

"Face the guests."

She turned as Sophia did, and the flashes went off like a paparazzi blitz. The light seemed to reflect back from the dresses, so Natalie wondered if any of those shots caught more than a bright glow.

"Face Isaiah," Sonja whispered, so she turned to face the man. He reached up to her shoulders, released two elastic clasps, and folded them down to refasten them at her hips. She looked down in shock.

Now her dress was displaying far more cleavage than she'd ever shown before, but that wasn't what trapped her eyes.

The underside of the panels he'd folded down was covered by fantastically colored feathers. The glittering white had been replaced by an explosion of color!

Nestled between her breasts was a bright red heart made of feathers. This was surrounded by orange and yellow feathers arranged to look like beams of light radiating from the heart as if it was the sun. She looked into Isaiah's eyes with wonder in hers. Tears were flowing down his cheeks again.

"Thank you," she mouthed to him, and he gave her a shaky nod as he stepped back.

Natalie turned back to look at Sonja, whose 'snowy shoulders' had also been folded down to expose a red heart between her breasts as well, but her yellow and orange feathers were made to look like flames, the Ice Queen's burning, passionate core.

Natalie beamed a broad smile at Sonja, then they turned to face the guests once more. A second barrage of flashes went off, but the reflections were far more muted this time.

They turned back to face the officiant, who gave them both a delighted smile and began.

"Welcome, everyone. Friends and loved ones, we gather here today to celebrate the love and commitment of Sonja Hellström and Natalie Renaud...."

-=-

Floating across the dance floor in the arms of the woman she loved, Natalie felt another wave of tingling cascade through her body as she gazed into her wife's loving eyes.

It almost felt surreal, but Sonja's arms around her brought her back to reality.

Sonja looked in her eyes and smiled. "Now I can officially call you Natalie Hellström, and you were right. It does have a lovely sound to it."

Natalie burst into giggles as she recalled her faux pas from their first night as a couple.

They'd decided not to have a formal sit-down dinner after the ceremony and opted for delicious hors d'oeuvres. The sheer quantity and variety of the scrumptious one-to-two-bite treats were enough to satisfy anyone's appetite without feeling weighed down from a full meal. While they'd enjoyed these, the chairs were moved to the outer perimeter of the hall in groups, a stage was quickly set up, and the musical entertainment set up their gear.

As per Audacious! mandate, their selection of musical talent cherry-picked established and up-and-coming artists. They were being paid well, and the fact that they'd get so much publicity from this intimate event certainly wouldn't hurt their careers.

The dance floor was filled with their guests, and Natalie was so happy to see they were all enjoying themselves.

Her eyes widened in shock when she spotted Beatrix Van Touf dancing with Erik! The woman was smiling blissfully as she glided across the floor with the gorgeous best man.

"It was Erik's idea to invite Ms. Vantoot," Sonja said, using Natalie's name for the woman. "She and her entourage were our last-minute guests, and I think it was a smart idea."

"Burying the ax?" Natalie asked.

"There was never an ax in my hand," Sonja said with a smile.

The song ended, so they left the dance floor as the next one was a little more energetic than Natalie's dress could deal with, unless she wanted her breasts to pop out and say hello. She caught Sonja watching them jiggle as they walked toward the bar. She added a little bounce to her step and gave Sonja a little thrill.

"What you do to me," Sonja said with a hungry grin.

Another set of tingles rushed through her body.

Several of their executives were gathered by the bar, smiling as they arrived. Gwen rushed forward and pressed her cheeks with them as she'd missed her opportunity earlier.

"Such a beautiful wedding! May I see your rings! I heard they were custom-made!" she gushed.

The newlyweds held out their hands, side by side.

Sonja was thrilled by the bold and rough-hewn look of her wide wedding band. Made from hammered together layers of white and yellow gold, it was a custom-made one-of-a-kind work of art, crafted by Natalie's Grandpa Joe.

Natalie's was similar but slimmer, with a notch to fit next to her engagement ring.

"Those are incredible!" Gwen gushed. "As are your dresses!"

Natalie smiled and glanced down to ensure her breasts hadn't popped out. "This is the most daring dress I've ever worn. It's a good thing that Isaiah kept it hidden until today, or I'd never have had the nerve to wear it!"

She glanced at Sonja's wide grin, and a mischievous glint came to her eye. She placed her hands under the cups of her dress and lifted. Her breasts rose and squeezed together, and Sonja's eyes widened in delight.

When the flash went off, Natalie's smile instantly became a look of shock as she realized what she was doing in public. She just caught the grin on Tygr's face as the photographer slipped away into the crowd.

Natalie spun to look at Sonja in dismay, but the blond just gave her the trademark head tilt as if to ask, "What did you expect?"

Natalie glanced back at the execs and caught Bronwen adjusting his suddenly tight pants uncomfortably. She put her hands over her cheeks to hide the burning.

"Sorry," she said, and received several nods.

Isaiah stopped by, and Sonja and Natalie kissed his cheeks in thanks. Someone took pictures of that, too.

"I can't recall a happier wedding. It's a magical night!" the designer sighed in contentment.

He gave Sonja a mischievous smile. "Beatrix Van Touf offered to do a story on my career for Vogue."

Sonja grinned. "That's wonderful!"

He nodded, but he seemed conflicted. "I'm just not sure if Vogue is the right platform for me. Most of my career has already been covered and assisted by Audacious!"

Sonja shook her head. "There are poor souls out there who've never been blessed by seeing your creations! It never hurts to spread your wings and let others see how you fly," she said, as she ran her fingers through the gorgeous feathers of her dress.

Isaiah was in tears again and gave Sonja a hug.

"Don't cry on my beautiful dress," she said with a cheeky smile, and he nodded to her with a grin.

Another slow number began, and Erik appeared at Natalie's side. "Would you honor me with a dance?" he asked. She blinked at him in surprise, glanced to see Sonja smiling, then nodded.

Once they reached the dance floor, he took her in his arms, and they began to move with the music.

"Firstly, you look amazing tonight!" he said, and her face warmed up as she smiled and nodded to him.

"You look very handsome," she offered, and he smiled before his expression turned serious once more.

"I need to apologize for how I treated you at our first meeting. I was way out of line and unjustly judged you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"I can, and I do. All is forgiven. I never wanted to drive a wedge between you and Sonja. Family is too important," she insisted.

He nodded. "All I ever wanted was to make Sonja happy. We had such a cold upbringing. I got it in my head that I was the only one who could do it. I see now, you make her happier than I ever could. Promise me you will always keep a smile on her face."

Natalie smiled. "I will, every day! I love her so much!"

Erik finally seemed to relax. "Thank you!"

They moved around the dance floor until Erik got a puzzled expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" Natalie asked.

"There are two young women who've been eyeing me all night, looking at me like they know me, but I don't believe I've ever seen them before," he said.

Natalie looked up at him with a raised eyebrow and a grin. "You must get flirty looks all the time."

He nodded. "Yes, I won't deny it happens frequently, but not like this."

Natalie nodded. "Point them out discreetly."

Moments later, the opportunity arose. "Those two. The blondes."

Natalie glanced and caught sight of Abby and Zoe. She had to bite her lip to prevent a laugh from escaping.

He frowned in puzzlement. "What is it? Do you know them?"

She nodded. "Yes. They're my sisters, Abby and Zoe. If I'm now your sister-in-law, what does that make them to you?"

Erik looked at Natalie as he worked it out in his head. "As my sister-in-law is my sister's wife, your sisters are not directly related to me, so they are just my sister-in-law's sisters." He grinned as he managed to get through that tongue twister without garbling it.

The song they were dancing to was nearing its end, so Natalie guided Erik across the floor, leading him to stand before her sisters.

"Abby, Zoe, let me introduce you to my brother-in-law, Erik Hellström."

The twins' smiles were wide and delighted.

"It's very nice to meet you!" Erik said with a smile.

"You look so much like your sister! Were you twins?" Zoe asked.

"Yes, but I'm five minutes older," Erik said with a smug little smile.

"That so important!" Abby agreed with a giggle, as she was born three minutes before Zoe, who rolled her eyes.

A faster number began, so Erik smiled at the two. "Would you like to dance?" he said to the two, and they nodded.

Natalie smiled at them as they went out to enjoy the music.

She walked over to join her mother and Barb, who were talking with her boss, Maggie.

"Hey, Worker Bee!" Janet said. Obviously, Maggie had been telling stories.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Barb. Maggie."

"Oh-oh, I forgot I wasn't supposed to use that nickname anymore," Maggie said with a grin.

"A thing of the past. Let it be forgotten," Natalie agreed.

Maggie held up her hands in surrender. "I was just telling them how important you are to Audacious! You're like the Proton Energy Pill that gives the rest of us the power to achieve miracles month after month!" she said with a grin.

It was Natalie's turn to make the surrender gesture. "That's an exaggeration! I merely take everyone else's brilliance and present it in an organized and efficient way." She looked at her mom and her friend. "The team really outdoes itself every month. They are great people!"

Beatrix Van Touf chose that moment to appear next to Natalie, who turned to face the woman.

"Congratulations on your beautiful wedding!" the woman began. "I've been meaning to stop by to meet you at last."

Natalie felt a little surprised, but she smiled at the woman. "Thank you very much, Ms. Van Touf."

"Please call me Beatrix!" the woman returned, so Natalie nodded with a smile.

"Mom, Barb, this is Beatrix Von Touf, Vogue Magazine's editor in chief," Natalie said. "Beatrix, my mother, Janet, and her friend Barb."

The two ladies were wide-eyed and starstruck as they shook her hand, which seemed to delight Beatrix.

"Vogue Magazine! Such an honor to meet you!" Janet gushed.

"Thank you!" Beatrix said demurely.

Someone took a picture of them, and Natalie was sure it had to be Tygr, as when she looked, no one was there.

"You have some guerrilla tactics photographers here tonight!" Beatrix said, mildly annoyed.

Natalie thought she probably didn't like having her photo taken without her practiced smile in place.

"Yes, I've been caught in some embarrassing moments," she said as she placed her hands under her breasts, but didn't lift them in case Tygr was nearby.

Beatrix's eyes dropped to Natalie's décolletage with a trace of envy.

Janet was feeling a little giddy. "I told her the booby fairy had been over-generous when she hit puberty."

"Mom!" Natalie groaned.

Janet chuckled. "That has to be another gift from Grandma Jane."

"MOM!" Natalie exclaimed in her embarrassment.

She saw Beatrix enjoying the moment as she turned to look at the woman.

Beatrix patted her hand with a smile. "I just wanted to stop by, say hello, and let you know you have an open invitation to come by the Vogue offices for a tour. We'd certainly welcome you should you ever decide to expand your career options."

Natalie blinked at her in surprise as the woman waved and walked away.

"Holy Shit! I think she just offered you a job at Vogue Magazine!" Barb gasped as Janet stared at her daughter in awe.

Maggie was staring daggers at Beatrix's departing back.

Natalie began to chuckle as the three ladies watched her curiously.

"Vogue is a lovely magazine, and it has an amazing long history, but she's nuts if she thinks I'd want to be anywhere other than by Sonja's side!"

Maggie stepped close and gave Natalie a hug. When she pulled back, she grinned at her junior. "There's no other place we'd want you to be, too!"

Natalie chuckled at the woman's relief.

"Who's that dancing with the twins?" Janet gasped.

"That's Erik, Mom," Natalie said as she watched the three energetically moving to the beat.

"How old is he!" the mother gasped.

Natalie looked in her mother's worried eyes. "Only twice theirs."

Janet squeaked in dismay, and Natalie pulled her into a hug. "They're just dancing, Mom. Far too soon to worry about it becoming something else."

She paused, watching her sisters having a good time. Considering how isolated they'd been in that small town for so long, this was a relief. She'd talk to Sonja about Erik to see if she had any concerns. Her gut told her it would be okay.

"I should go mingle," she said as she moved to hug Barb.

"I'm so thankful you two could join us for this. Your support means everything to me."

Janet was looking glassy-eyed. "My babies are all grown up!"

Natalie gave her another hug and a kiss on the cheek. "We love you, Mom!"

She stepped back and quickly walked away before she got all teary as well.

She knew her Mom would be okay now that she was living with Barb. They really were two peas in a pod. Their response to meeting Beatrix proved this so well.

Natalie found Sonja speaking with the catering team. She heard her arranging for them to bring the remaining food to a nearby shelter.

Sonja turned to smile at Natalie. "It's almost time. Ready to go home, Mrs. Hellström?"

Natalie grinned. "Ready when you are, Mrs. Hellström!"

They heard the music change, and Sonja led her wife back out onto the dance floor.

Epilog

Natalie surfaced from a deep, restful sleep, feeling the bed's gentle rocking. It took her a moment, but she recalled once more that she was on her honeymoon on a yacht moored off the Italian Amalfi coast next to Positano.

It was so far from her regular daily routine that every day felt like a new adventure. Traveling around the Mediterranean Sea by night, they woke up in a new place every morning and spent their time exploring new sights, sounds, and scenery.

As they explored, they collected glass art for a new collection because it was Sonja's favorite, and they were making new memories.

The wedding edition of Audacious! was an enormous success. The ten weddings had been covered, though one was cancelled when the groom had cold feet. The writer did such a poignantly beautiful piece for the failed wedding that it was still included in the piece. The images for all the weddings were brilliant.

For their wedding, Natalie was embarrassed by most of the pictures of herself, so she let Sonja choose the ones that best represented their day. For the behind-the-scenes story, she still couldn't believe Sonja included Tygr's image of her lifting her breasts to show off her abundant cleavage. In the shot, Sonja looked like a kid on Christmas morning, discovering she'd received a puppy.

It was embarrassing, but she had to admit it was also hilarious! She cracked up each time she looked at Sonja's expression in the image.

They'd taken their honeymoon shortly after the edition went live, and two weeks away from the office had been possible due to satellite connectivity for emergency purposes only. There hadn't been any critical issues, so they'd managed to relax and enjoy themselves.

The executive team knew what to do for the fashion week preparations. Pictures were being taken, edited, and filed. Writers spoke with people who had something significant to share. Stories were being filed.

As they neared the end of their trip, Natalie was unwinding and relaxing, enjoying this married life thing.

Speaking of her lovely spouse, Sonja slipped through the door of their luxury cabin and smiled when she saw Natalie was awake. She prowled over to the bed and climbed from the foot. She suddenly tugged the sheets down, exposing Natalie's naked state, then purred as she resumed her prowl up the bed on hands and knees until her face was above her lover's.

She lowered her face until their lips met and sensually kissed her wife.

They'd been especially passionate the night before, so Natalie's breasts were just a little sensitive this morning. This didn't stop Sonja from gently trailing kisses over them.

"Always the boobs," Natalie sighed.

Sonja snorted gently and circled her nipples with the tip of her tongue.

"Oooh fuck!" Natalie moaned as she began to squirm.

Sonja moved on the bed, and Natalie opened her eyes to see the blonde's legs straddling her head. Then Sonja's clever tongue teased the inside of her thighs, and Natalie could no longer simply lie back and enjoy this! She began to kiss her way up the inside of Sonja's long tones thighs and felt the woman twitch and gasp with every touch. Sonja had to spread her legs farther and farther apart to bring her pussy down to where Natalie could reach it.

Then she did and Sonja cried out in bliss.

They worshipped each other's bodies with mouths and hands until their pleasure peaked and they cried out their joy and love for each other.

Once they caught their breath, Sonja led Natalie into the shower, where they did their best to curb their enthusiasm for each other's bodies until they completed the task of getting clean.

They dressed for exploring the streets of Positano, in comfortable, cool clothes and sturdy footwear for climbing the steep accessways between the cliffside streets. They had a full day ahead of them.

They had breakfast at a little table on the deck, served by the friendly ship's crew.

Natalie felt very spoiled, yet she went along with Sonja's wish to pamper her.

Early in their trip, they'd received word that Lee and Sam would be spending the rest of their lives behind bars. When the news came out about their arrest for forced abduction and rape, other victims came forward until the prosecutors had almost too much evidence.

The police technicians also found Sam's private website, where page after page of victims was on display. Her records linked the pages to a diary of sorts, which listed names and dates. In a horrifying twist, some of these women had ended up in hospitals or the morgue after enduring these attacks.

They were able to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the two ladies were serial offenders. They pleaded guilty in the hope of a lighter sentence, but their assigned judge handed down thirteen ten-year sentences to be served consecutively. One for each of the thirteen cases filed against them.

Natalie had a little cry that night as she relived the ordeal. Sonja held her in her arms and eased her through it.

Sonja was satisfied that the two would never be free to harm anyone else.

Today, they shopped, snapped touristy photos, and stopped for lunch at a little roadside restaurant with phenomenal views.

They allowed themselves fifteen minutes of screen time to check for messages, and Natalie was pleased to see none from the tech team. All was working smoothly. She had one from Abby, who let her know about their dorm move and how excited they were to be going to college. A second note from Zoe hinted at the twins' latest date with a twin.

So, it seemed they'd gotten along better with Erik than expected. Abby was still keeping quiet about it, but Zoe had always been the more excitable one of the two and couldn't keep secrets.

She grinned.

Sonja looked up from her cell to lock eyes with her. "Erik is buying an apartment in New York City!" she gasped in surprise. "He's saying things like needing to put down roots, and he's done with his wandering ways! Who is this man?"

Then she spotted Natalie's knowing smile.

"Sounds like he's growing up," she said.

Sonja focused more intently on Natalie. "You know something."

"I do... but not officially. I haven't been given a clear answer, but I have my suspicions," she offered.

"Don't keep me in suspense!" Sonja complained.

"I think Erik is dating my sisters," she said.

Sonja's jaw dropped. "What? They're so much younger than him!"

"Robbing the cradle," Natalie said with a wry smile as she looked into Sonja's eyes. The woman suddenly remembered that she was ten years older than her wife. "Still... they're, what, nineteen? He's thirty-six!"

"They're all adults. I haven't been told specifically that they are dating Erik. Zoe just dropped a clue that they are dating a twin. But being so new to the city, what other twin could they have met?"

"It has to be Erik!" Sonja said with conviction.

"Remember, Abby and Zoe are going to college. They're going to meet people there. They don't have much life experience when it comes to dating, probably none. I had no experience when I arrived, and I went through two terrible boyfriends! I got the impression that Erik has no shortage of opportunities to date. I think it's still too soon to say what's going to happen."

Sonja wore a pained look. "I don't want Erik to get hurt."

Natalie smiled at her and reached across the table to hold her hand. "It's sweet to hear you being protective of your big brother."

"Big brother? Five minutes!" Sonja complained.

Natalie grinned. "Let me send a quick note to see if the girls are in fact dating Erik. I'll ask if they think it might become something serious."

Sonja nodded quickly, so Natalie banged out an email to both Abby and Zoe. She made sure they'd understand that she wasn't judging them in any way.

She sent it off and smiled at Sonja. "Done."

They ordered dessert, and as they enjoyed their gelato, Natalie's cell made the incoming mail sound. Sonja immediately perked up.

Natalie saw that the incoming message was from Abby, so she read it aloud.

"Why is Zoe incapable of keeping a secret?" That brought a smile to their faces.

"Yes, we've been on a few dates with Erik since the wedding. He's been trying to be a perfect gentleman, but we couldn't wait any longer and forced the issue by ganging up on him to have sex. I hope you aren't weirded out by that.

We discovered we really enjoy sex, and we both really like Erik. We'd like to keep seeing him if that's okay with you and Sonja?"

Natalie looked at Sonja and saw her relieved smile.

"So, you're okay with my sisters continuing to date your brother?" Natalie asked.

Sonja nodded. "Are you weirded out that they have sex with my brother, together?"

Natalie thought about that for a moment. "I mean, it's not for me, but I'm not going to judge them."

Natalie responded to the message. "Not weirded out, as long as no one gets hurt. We're happy you two found someone nice. No need for secrets."

She sent it off.

Sonja paid the bill, and they continued exploring the town.

-=-

After a long but productive day of seeing the sights of Positano, they returned to the port, met their crewmate, and got a lift back to the yacht.

They freshened up and found dinner ready for them on the little table at the rear deck of the ship. The sun was beginning to set, the waters were relatively calm, and the breeze was warm and gentle. They were served their meal, and wine was poured for them.

Then they were alone.

"Tomorrow, we arrive in Naples and head to the airport for our flight home," Sonja sighed.

Natalie smiled at her wife. "It's been an absolutely wonderful honeymoon! I've truly enjoyed the get-away but I'm ready to go home. Our daily life together is more precious to me than I thought possible. The little routines we have together at home and at work make me feel connected to you. That gives me such a feeling of contentment. Truly, I'm at my happiest when I'm with you. No matter where we are."

Sonja's eyes caught the last rays of daylight and seemed to smolder with its fire.

"We have tonight."

Natalie realized she was probably going to sleep through the whole flight home.