Shuttered Truth

Ryan

I went ahead of Leona as we exited the private plane in Dublin airport down the stairs and onto the tarmac. I turned at the bottom and offered her my hand. She glanced at it and took it but then squeezed my fingers.

"I'm okay babe, I promise," she said softly but I just frowned.

"You're not okay," I folded her hand into the crook of my elbow and held it there as we crossed to the waiting car. Pavel held the back door open for us.

"Pavel, it's good to see you, how are you?" Leona asked, pulling free from me to give our head of security a hug. His cheeks flushed pink and he glanced at me with a slight grimace but I just nodded. I gestured for her to get into the car.

"We're going to Doctor Geraghty's clinic."

"I want to go home, Ryan."

"And you will, after we go to the clinic and find out why you've been vomiting for the last three days straight and are the colour of my whitest shirt. Now, do as I say and get into the goddamn car."

"Ryan Vincenzi, did I raise you to speak to your wife like that?"

While on our yearlong world tour which began a week after we'd asked Leona to marry us my brothers and I drew straws to see who would be Leona's legal husband. I'd drawn the winning straw and so when we'd hit Australia our mother had insisted she be allowed to plan a civil ceremony there which would be recognised in Ireland. They'd then agreed to travel back home with us so that they could come to the commitment ceremony we were having at the club so that all three of us could make a lifelong commitment to Leona and vice versa. We'd been pleasantly surprised at how accepting they'd been about our relationship but then we'd discovered that they'd paid for a membership to our club so that they could watch the videos we'd been making. Apparently, they'd been exploring the lifestyle for the past number of years. That might have been one of the most awkward conversations I'd ever had and all parties agreed it wasn't a subject we should approach again.

My mother, Aoife, strode towards us followed closely by my step-father George Cunningham.

"Yes, husband dearest, is that any way to address your darling wife?" Leona asked.

I leaned down close so only she could hear me.

"It is exactly the way a Dominant needs to address his bratty submissive. You need to stop talking now otherwise you won't be able to sit down for a week at least. You've been racking up punishments at an alarming rate since we agreed to suspend play."

Leona put the back of her hand against her forehead and tried for a southern belle accent that didn't quite make it.

"But would you still beat me even when I'm ill, Sir?" she asked.

I growled and she laughed.

"If he won't, I will," Fionn came and stood behind his mother, towering over her. Dónal joined him and we made a full house.

"Aoife," George reached for his wife's hand, "I believe this is not a husband wife discussion but rather a Doms sub one so we should not interfere."

"But she's outnumbered..." my mother began to argue.

"Aoife. Ten. Come."

It was so strange to watch my mother's eyes drop to the tarmac as she allowed her Dom to lead her away. George glared back at me.

"I'm trusting you three to do right by Leona."

They climbed into the second car Pavel had brought and we crowded our sub.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but it doesn't make sense that I'm sick. We all ate the same things and were in the same places and you're all fine. I also only seem to feel sick in the earlier part of the day..."

Her face drained even more of colour and she sagged back against the car door.

"Oh god, what's the date?" she asked.

"It's the 12th of December," Dónal replied.

"No, no, no..."

"Jesus, Lee you're scaring the shit out of us."

"Get in...we have to get to the doctor to be sure but I think I might be..."

She climbed in to the car and we bundled in behind her.

"You might be what?" I asked.

"Pregnant," Dónal said softly.

The car was silent except for the sound of the engine as we began moving.

"Your birth control implant has been in for more than three years, hasn't it?" he asked and she nodded slowly.

"How long more?" Fionn asked.

"I got the implant in October three years ago so that I could go on the peace keeping mission year on year and not have to worry. I was sure I'd put a reminder in my phone..." she explained.

I glanced at Dónal and Fionn and their expressions made me realise we were on the same page but we needed to be sure Leona was with us.

"Would it be so terrible if you were pregnant?" I asked.

She looked from me to Dónal and to Fionn and we were all waiting expectantly, pardon the pun.

"Well, we haven't discussed having children. How would that work with the club being next door? I'm not sure I want to be a stay at home mother...how would you feel about that? We didn't plan it and you like to plan, Ryan, don't you?"

I reached out and grabbed her hands in mine.

"Breathe, sweetheart. Breathe. We don't know anything yet but if you were pregnant I for one wouldn't mind, in fact I'd love to be a dad."

"Yep, me too," Dónal agreed but Fionn was quiet.

"Fionn, what do you think?"

"I think you'd make the most awesome mother ever and we'll do everything we can to make the kid's life the best it can be. Dadsville here we come. I'm in."

Leona took a deep breath and sank back into the car seat.

"I haven't really given it much thought but I suppose I always thought someday I'd have children, a family so I guess now's as good a time as any. Yeah, ok. There are four of us so that should make things a hell of lot easier, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"But wouldn't you want to know who the father was?" she asked and I shrugged.

"Everything we have or done we've shared so why not a child. I don't need to know if it carries my specific genes, regardless it'll still be part of my family...my child."

"Yeah I feel the same. Whether we're actually the father or the kid's uncles what does it matter? We won't love it any more or less for knowing."

"Dónal, you feel the same?"

"Absolutely. We all share DNA anyway so knowing the specifics of the child's DNA won't make a whit of difference."

Tears sprang into Leona's eyes and she swallowed.

"Let's just take things one step at a time, ok? Just remember we're here with you and we're going to look after you and our child or children, if we decide to make more..."

"Ok, one step at a time and one child at a time," Leona joked and she climbed onto Fionn's lap so that we all could be close to her.

Dónal

Sixty minutes later the four of us sat around the doctor's office waiting for the 'pee on a stick' pregnancy test to show a result. Our mother and George waited outside but we hadn't mentioned our suspicion to them just yet although our mother may have already worked it out. Doctor Rachel Geraghty was a member of our club and had worked with our family for years and so she wasn't surprised that we were all staying with Leona regardless of Ryan introducing himself as her husband. She crossed over to the counter and looked down at the stick. She picked it up and handed it to Leona. It was one of the types that gave a result in words.

"Pregnant...we're pregnant," Leona exclaimed and I almost jumped out of my seat. Fionn slapped me on the back and began to laugh.

"I'm presuming you're pleased with that result," Rachel asked and Leona nodded.

"It wasn't planned but we've talked and we're ready."

"I'm also guessing that you three have a tonne of BDSM related questions about what can and can't happen during pregnancy and in the weeks after the birth. I have a lot of patients from the lifestyle and so here..." she passed a booklet to Ryan, "I've put this together and so far it has covered everything but if you have any questions not answered in there feel free to bring them to your next visit. I'll send off your bloodwork so that we can monitor all your levels as the pregnancy progresses."

"We're not sure when it might have happened to know the due date," Leona said.

"When do you think your implant finished?" Rachel asked.

"Mid-October."

"Well morning sickness generally does not begin until at least six weeks in and you can fall pregnant almost immediately after an implant ends so an estimate of between six and eight weeks seems reasonable. We'll be able to confirm better with your first scan which I'll schedule. For now just take your time to adjust to the idea. Eat a balanced diet, continue to exercise as normal, continue other activities as normal."

My mother was on her feet as soon as we came out of the doctor's office.

"So...are you pregnant?" she asked and Leona burst in to tears. Our mother swept her into a hug and began to soothe her looking to us for the answer.

"Yes, we're six to eight weeks along," Ryan replied and my mother smiled and then tears sprang into her eyes.

"I don't know why I'm crying..." Leona sniffled and pulled back from our mother.

"Blame it on the hormones, honey. You're all pleased, right?"

We assured her we were.

"Oh it's such a pity Callie couldn't have seen this. She would have been thrilled for you."

"I wish I could have met her," Leona said softly, "she sounded like an amazing woman."

"No more so than the woman who brought down her killer," my mother wrapped an arm around Leona and hugged her to her side.

"Thanks Aoife. Can we go home, now?"

Fionn

The day was finally here. Today, my brothers and I made a life-long commitment to Leona and she to us and now we would also be committing to take care of our child. The marriage ceremony between Ryan and Leona had just been a formality. This was the one that meant something to all of us.

It had taken a month of preparation but Andrea had pulled out all the stops and we couldn't have been more grateful considering she was also running a very popular club. Ever since the grand opening just before Christmas last year she'd been turning people away night after night for the public part of the club and forming a waiting list for the private members side.

We now had plans to gut the house we were currently living in and the apartment upstairs and expand the club. We were all agreed we didn't want to raise a family in the city centre and so we were actively looking for something a little more in the countryside but within commuting distance of Dublin city.

During the last month Leona had pretty much moved into our house but last night she had insisted on going back to her apartment to adhere to the more traditional idea of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding she'd insisted that the next time we saw her would be when she presented herself to her Dominants during the ceremony.

Since she had no family of her own the club family had rallied around her. At the moment there were three very excited submissives making their way upstairs to help her get ready.

Luckily the morning sickness had stopped and now Leona was beginning to glow rather than look drawn and a little green. We knew she was a little worried about looking well because we were streaming the ceremony live so that any private members who hadn't been able to attend could tune in.

I went back into our house and upstairs as I had an hour to get ready. The box containing Leona's collar was on the kitchen table and I traced my finger over it as I passed by. The three of us had picked it out together and we hoped she liked it. Leona had picked her daywear collar and that was in a smaller box to one side.

The showers in Dónal and Ryan's bathrooms were already running and so I picked up the pace. Today was one day I was not going to be ready last.

The club didn't have a strict policy about what was worn for play as we three were different in our tastes and so we assumed everyone else was also. We knew however that Leona felt supported by us more if we matched what she was being asked to wear, or not wear, in some way in our attire.

To that end we each were wearing sheer shirts that meant our upper bodies could be seen quite clearly through the material. Mine was black. I normally wore blue jeans for play but today my jeans were black also and quite tight. My feet were bare. I met Dónal and Ryan as they exited their bedrooms and headed for the living room.

Dónal had chosen a deep purple sheer shirt and matching slacks and he wore soft black loafers.

Ryan had chosen dark maroon as his colour and for once in his life he wasn't wearing a suit and tie and he looked more comfortable and relaxed than I'd seen him in an age. I glanced at his feet and looked again. He also wasn't wearing any shoes.

He tapped the collar box and slid it towards me.

"Do you think she'll like it?" he asked and I nodded. We'd found a leather worker among the private members who had watched all of the videos Leona had recorded as well as the ones in which she was featured and he'd come up with a design we hoped she loved.

Leona had asked us if we'd consider allowing her to present us with something we could wear as a symbol of our commitment to her and so we'd agreed. We had no idea what she might have chosen and if it was only for play or she might have something we could wear all the time. I hoped it was the latter.

The door to the house opened and our three resident Dominants strode in. Weston wore his full black leathers, waistcoat, tight trousers, heavy boots, wrist bands and a thin strip of leather around his neck at the end of which hung a gold J for Jessica.

Jacinta was resplendent in a red dress that had a leather corset and flowing stain skirt. Her shoes matched perfectly and had to be at least three or four inches high.

Gary sported a sky blue suit with white shirt and white shoes that matched his mop of white hair perfectly.

"So are you ready?" Jacinta asked and I blew out a breath.

"I've never been so nervous in my entire life," I admitted and Weston clapped me on the back.

"Wait until you're waiting to greet your child and then you'll know what nervous really feels like," Gary said with a chuckle. Before he'd met and fallen for David, Gary had been married and had three daughters. They all adored their dad and step dad and refused to take sides between Gary and his ex-wife.

"Are you girls coming today?" Dónal asked and he nodded.

"They missed David's collaring ceremony so they're excited to see what it's all about. I have a feeling they might be thinking about dabbling so I've made it clear this is the only club they can use where I'll know they'll be safe but at the same time I'm not sure how I'll feel once they begin to play."

"It's time you took your places, gentlemen," Andrea called through the open door and I swept up the box and followed my brothers out.

The main club area was the largest room we had and so Andrea and the team had cleared it, rearranged it so that it was laid out with a tradition seated area and a walkway down through the seats towards the stage, which is where the ceremony would take place. As we stepped onto the stage I was surprised to see so many familiar faces from the membership but it also buoyed me.

Kyle, who was Leona's new videographer apprentice had the roving camera and so he followed us as we climbed the steps to the stage. Our Dominants were acting as witnesses for us and their three submissives were going to be companions for Leona.

I placed the collar boxes on a small table to one side.

Kyle had an earpiece Pavel had organised for him so he would know when Leona was on her way and so at his signal we took our positions on the stage. We faced the audience, legs akimbo, arms crossed over our chests.

The door that led to Leona's apartment opened and David stepped into view. He was a tall willowy man and so Leona was hidden behind him. Jessica and Linda stood either side of him but behind and I knew Leona would be in the middle of them.

I strained to see her but then Ryan touched my arm and I settled back into position. This was how she'd wanted it to be and so I wouldn't spoil it for her.

Kyle circled their group as they approached and then backed off, allowing the static cameras to catch their progress towards us. I watched the members of the audience for their reactions and their smiles told me that Leona likely looked stunning, as of course I knew she would.

They climbed the steps on to the stage and the three submissives waited for the signal from their Dominants to leave Leona and join them. As they moved away my heart began to pound in my chest and I only had eyes for her.

She stood before us in our preferred presentation position. Standing with feet apart and arms bent at the elbows behind her resting on the small of her back. Her head was bowed, her gaze probably on our feet.

I desperately wanted to touch her and my tight trousers meant that no-one was in any doubt about how attractive I found her.

She wore a long white dress that was completely see-through but we'd agreed to underwear because she wasn't an exhibitionist. So while her tattoos were in clear view her breasts were covered in a beautiful lace push up bra and her pussy was covered with a thong. Her feet were bare and her hair hung in waves around her shoulders.

Ryan stepped forward and placed his hand on the top of her head and they both sighed.

"Thank you all for joining with us today as we make our commitments to one another. Not only as Dominants and submissive but as partners in all the mundanity of day to day life."

"Little lioness," Dónal stepped forward and Leona raised her head and looked at him. She wore no makeup and her eyes already glistened with unshed tears.

"Do you commit yourself to the three of us as your Dominants for the rest of your natural life? Do you commit yourself to the three of us as your partners for the rest of your natural life? Do you commit yourself to the three of us as your lovers for the rest of your natural life? Do you freely declare your love for the three of us in front of all of these witnesses?"

"Yes, Sir, I do."

"Bella," I crossed to the table and picked up the collar box and Leona followed me with her gaze.

"Do you accept this collar as a sign of your commitment to the three of us your Dominants, husbands, partners, lovers and any other support or protection you may need now or in the future?"

"Yes, Sir, I do."

I opened the box and tilted it so she could see the collar. Her eyes lit up and she looked back at me and then Ryan and Dónal.

The collar was made from smoothed silver and inside lined with deep blue velvet. Engraved into the silver were our names. At the side there was a small padlock that secured the collar and it was in the shape of a camera. In the front were three rings. I held the box out to Ryan and he picked up the collar and opened it.

"Leona," he tipped her head up to him with a finger under her chin and she smiled widely at him.

"Do you accept this collar and agree to wear it as a symbol of your commitment to the three of us and our relationship to which you will belong for the rest of your life?"

"Yes, Sirs, I do."

We each placed a hand on the collar as it slid around her neck and Ryan secured the tiny padlock into the catch. He held up three chains which had the key and we each took one and placed the chains around our own necks.

"Is there anything you would like to say or give to us?" Dónal asked and she nodded. Linda approached with a long box and handed it to Leona.

"Sirs, my Dominants, my husbands, my friends and lovers, Ryan, Dónal, Fionn, will you accept these rings and agree to wear them as a symbol of our commitment to one another and the relationships that exist between all four of us?"

She opened the box and there were three signet rings inside. Gold and black with letters engraved across the black. She picked one out and held it up to me.

"Yes, Bella, our beautiful submissive, I will." She slid it onto my middle finger where it sat snugly.

"'B'," I read the letter and smiled, "for Bella."

She took out the next one and held it out to Dónal.

"Yes, little lioness our brave, strong, independent, lover, I will." She slid the ring onto his first finger and he read the letters.

"'LL'...our little lioness."

She took out the last ring and put the box down. Ryan stepped forward.

"Yes, Leona the only woman we will ever love, I will."

She slid his ring onto his wedding ring finger and from his pocket he produced the ring she'd worn to get married in the outside world. He slipped it back onto her finger.

"'LV'," he read the engraving and after a slight frown he smiled broadly.

"Leona Vincenzi," they both said together and then laughed.

"That's sounds just perfect, Mrs Vincenzi," Ryan declared.

"Thank you, Sir, Mr Vincenzi."

We crowded in around her and each kissed her senseless while the audience clapped and cheered and music filled the building.

Another family had wanted to be with us today and so when we turned her to face the gathered guests she gasped.

"Attention!"

There was the distinctive sound of twenty sets of army boots meeting the floorboards and coming to attention. The walkway was lined with the soldiers of the peace keeping corps she'd travelled with and most especially those that had served with Fidelma Cusack.

Their commander stepped out and faced Leona.

"Congratulations, Mrs Vincenzi. Please accept this gift from us and the family of Fidelma Cusack," he handed Leona a large box and we held it while she opened it. She reached in a took out one of the uniform caps that her friend would have worn.

"Thank you so much," she said, with tears streaming down her face, "but I don't deserve this."

The soldier stepped in close to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes you do, Lee. Your pictures, footage and words helped to memorialise a brave soldier doing her duty and she is now remembered the way she would have hoped to be. Don't forget that to capture those images you also put your life on the line. You didn't do that to gain fame or fortune but simply to inform those who didn't know about what we do and we're grateful."

Leona smiled up at him and he patted her arm and then shook hands with each of us.

"I'm hoping you three know just how lucky you are to have this woman in your lives."

"Why do you think we not only collared her but also married her?" Ryan asked and the older man grinned.

"Don't suppose you'd consider discounted membership for brave soldiers?" he asked and Leona turned to us.

"That's a great idea. We could do that for all the services. Fire fighters, doctors, nurses, Gardaí."

"Lee, honey, the club isn't big enough. They'd never get space to play."

"Then we'll expand here, open twenty-four/seven for play and set up other clubs right across the country. We'll means test our members so they'll only pay what they can afford but still get the benefit of playing in a safe and supportive environment."

Her eyes were dancing with excitement and I could see our future through her lens.

Leona

I watched my husbands from across the buzzing club being the gracious hosts to our guests and began counting the minutes until we were alone. I couldn't get over the soldiers turning up and making what had been a really special ceremony the best it could be.

Pavel stood close by and when I turned to him he leaned down to speak into my ear so I could hear him above the music.

"I never got a chance to apologise for my deception and persuading the brothers to use you as bait for their trap," he growled out.

"Don't apologize, Pavel. Firstly because you were doing your job and we managed to stop a killer. Secondly if you hadn't I'd never have met the brothers and wouldn't now be ecstatically happily collared and married."

"You really do love them, don't you?"

"With every bit of my being. I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming."

He straightened as someone tried to get by us and then I followed his gaze to Andrea.

"What about you, Pavel? Is there someone special in your life?"

"There would be if she'd let me get close enough to show her how special she is to me and how good we could be together."

"You have to just take the plunge, Pavel. Go and grab her now and take her to a private room. Show her what you know to be true, even if she is reluctant to admit it."

He smiled down at me and inched away. I made a shewing motion at him and he was gone.

Andrea's eyes widened and then dropped as he approached and when he whispered into her ear her body melted against him.

"What are you smiling at?" Ryan rumbled into my ear and I almost leapt out of my skin.

"Another wedding or collaring ceremony in the making," I gestured with my head over to Pavel and Ryan grinned.

"You're not going to start trying to match people off now that you're hitched, are you?"

I shook my head.

Fionn joined Ryan at my back and began to run his fingers through my hair, gathering it into a pony tail in his hands. He tugged on it and the slight pull sent signals directly to my pussy and I sighed.

Dónal stood in front of me and blocked anyone's view of my body as he cupped my breasts in his two hands. Behind the light bra material I felt my nipples harden and I leaned into his touch.

"How early can we leave our own ceremony celebration?" I said, my voice breathy and the three of them looked down at me.

"Whenever we damn well please," Ryan declared.

"Then please, Sirs, take me home and have your wicked way with me before I become a puddle on the floor right here."

They didn't need to be asked twice and within a few minutes they'd let everyone know they could stay and party for as long as they liked or until the booze ran out but that we were out of there.

We got to the door between the club and their house and suddenly Dónal scooped me up into his arms and carried me over the threshold, following the bridal tradition.

I laughed and kissed his neck as I hung on. He carried me to their bedroom and set me on my feet facing the massive bed. Some items were laid out on it.

Everything matched the collar I now wore. Ankle cuffs, body harness and belt, wrist cuffs and full elbow to wrist arm binders. There was also a leather hand-crafted double mouth guard gag and a leather blindfold.

"Did you want to use those tonight?" I asked and my tone must have given me away because immediately three sets of hands were touching me, soothing me.

"We'll only do what you want to do, sweetheart," Dónal assured me.

"I'd certainly like you to fuck me six ways to Sunday but I'd also like to be able to touch you too."

Fionn immediately began to undress and I laughed softly.

"You can touch us all you want, Bella Leona Vincenzi. Tonight and for the rest of our lives."

THE END