She took a deep breath and stared into the cracked and gritty mirror of her mother's, holding her lungs purposely still as she considered herself. Her face looked tired, dark shadows under her brown eyes. Her cheeks were gaunt, making her chin look sharper. She realized that she looked older than she had the last time she had sat in front of her mother's mirror. But then, it had been more than a year since the Matron had brushed her hair out in front of it. And it had been two months since her mother's death.
"Jetta?" The voice caught her attention but she held still, waiting. "I'm sorry, Matron?"
"Yes?" She asked, turning toward the door, smoothing her hair.
One of the older women was leaning in the doorway, a council member who she couldn't quite remember. "Our Provider is here."
Langdon. Fuck.
She had no idea how he'd even found out about the ceremony but she couldn't just leave him standing around waiting, "Send him in."
She stood as he came through the door, his height and presence making the frame seem small in comparison. Jetta gripped her hands closed, one fist pressing to her stomach as he smiled. There was a holster strapped to his back, hooking on his shoulders to put two pistols on either side of his torso. The cream colored shirt he was wearing beneath it lacked a collar, three buttons down the front instead. Dark hair was perfectly waved back, flecks of gray at his temples. She hadn't noticed that before. It was... attractive.
"Langdon," she acknowledged.
"Today it's Lucas."
"Okay," she nodded, suddenly nervous and flushed hot under his watch. "Lucas."
He grinned then, the smile devolving to breathy laughter as he looked her over and set his hands to his hips. "You look beautiful, Jetta."
He sounded surprised, almost. In a pleased way, or proud.
"Thank you," she exhaled, glancing down the front of her form fitting dress. "I didn't know that I should invite you, or - "
"The council notifies me of a change in Matron. Today I serve you." He arched a brow at her, cocking his head slightly as his hand rose to rub her stomach. "I am sorry about your mother. She was a formidable woman."
She nodded her appreciation, the scent of him close a sudden comfort to her senses that jarred her emotions. "I... don't know what I'm doing."
"Right now you're letting me help you relax," he nodded as he stepped even closer into her, both his hands catching her hips to pull her in. "So relax."
Jetta shut her eyes, exhaling through her nose as he ducked his face into her neck. His mouth was hot and damp against her skin and she lifted her hands, catching on his sleeves as he dug her close. She lifted her jaw as he pushed her hair back, gripping into the dark waves as he licked his way up her earlobe.
"Look at me, Jetta," he hummed along her cheek before pulling his head back and meeting her eyes. "You own them now. Their opinion of you means nothing. Not even your Council can remove you."
"They can. If I don't conceive within a year."
"I'll make sure of it, alright? Have you bled since you left me?" Langdon asked, catching her hip closer. He pulled her in by the skirt of her dress, jerking the fabric up as their hips squared up.
"No."
"Good," he murmured, pleased and pressing his fingers past her underwear, already tweaking at her clit. She made a noise that even she hadn't expected, her back arching her breasts up into him. He smiled in such an intimate way, it caught her still and trapped by his blue eyes. "I'll stay the night. For good measure."
She simply nodded, knowing not to even consider denying him. And especially when he already had her skirt up and his fingers slicking up inside her. Jetta moaned, biting down against her bottom lip as he brushed what almost felt like a kiss across her forehead.
"Has anyone else touched you?"
She thought briefly of Tally and the distance he had been keeping, both literal and emotional. "No one else wants to."
Both fingers drove up inside her hard, purposely cruel in the way they twisted inside her. "Don't you lie to me, girl."
She whimpered, pulling up against him to try and lessen the force. "No, no one."
He pulled his fingers from her slowly, letting her skirt slide and lifting them to his lips, sucking on them slowly. One came out clean from between his lips and he groaned, tasting her off the other too. It flushed her with embarrassment just as much as it made her twice as wet as she had been before.
"Good," he nodded, wiping his fingers on his pants and nodding for the door. "Now go out there and see what I brought you."
*
The tailored coat he had brought was plush and warm, cut just below her hips, lapels out wide to hug around her breasts. It was a deep burgundy colour with three thin black straps and when closed it hugged her waist so snug that she felt more like a topsider than she ever had before.
The trim black leather gloves were all Nightrun, though. Just as were the knee high black boots and the corset that peeped out from beneath the jacket.
She could feel everyone watching her as she stepped closer to the low fire pit at the center of the meeting hall. Langdon's hand at her back was what she focused on, that and his other hand when he offered it to her.
His fingers grasped hers to make her pause before she stepped down into the ceremonial area and she looked up. His smirk was cocked over her and she barely had time to blink before his mouth was on hers, tongue between her lips and sliding her teeth. He caught her tongue with his own and made her unintentionally moan.
Jetta whimpered in surprise when he pulled away just as fast, his mouth at her ear, "Let them dare call you a 'whore' near me now."
She flashed him a surprisingly genuine smile, appreciative as he offered his support down the stairs. Her fingers trapped in his as she stepped down into the pit and nearer the low crackling fire that glowed beneath a three legged brazier. Jetta let go, nodding to one of the elders as he stepped forward opposite her, a heavy looking leather bag in his hand.
