Page 52 of The Marriage Bargain

Delle, again, tried to maintain her innocence. “I don’t recall always griping about that,” she said. “Maybe I said something every now and then…”

“Make that all the time,” her sister murmured, taking a sip from her steaming mug.

“You’re making this sound way worse than it really was!”

“I am not. And I’m only bugging you, anyway. Clearly, you two have found common ground. I’m just saying you don’t have to put it on display for the rest of us. Why don’t you go on home? I’m sure babysitting a houseful of kids isn’t the greatest way to begin a marriage. You deserve to have some peace and quiet. Zyn and I can hold down the fort. Right, babe?”

Zyn had finally sat for the first time since they arrived home. “Right,” he said, resting his head on the back of the couch and kicking off his shoes. He spoke without opening his eyes. “Right, we’ll be fine. You two should go on home. I’m sure you have to work tomorrow, sir,” he said to me.

I cast Delle a questioning glance. Her cheeks were pink, whether from the disagreement with her sister, embarrassment over Tarra outing Delle’s dislike of the Overlords in general, or even Tarra’s insinuations, I didn’t know. She flashed me a smile. It was a little strained, but she was smiling.

“If you’re sure. I think we’re pretty well packed up and ready. I’ll check in with you tomorrow and see if you need anything.”

While Delle and her sister said goodbye, I rose and carried the sleeping infant to her mother who took her, positioning her with the head in the crook of her arm.

“Get some rest,” Delle said as I went to fetch my coat and our bags.

“You too,” Tarra said. “Although I bet you won’t get much,” she added with a wink.

Delle’s cheeks pinked as her gaze flitted to me then away. “Shut up, Tarra.”

Her sister’s teasing laughter followed us out of the house.

We trooped in silence to my transport. I pressed a button to open a hatch, stowing our bags inside before trudging back through the snowflakes to Delle, where I opened the hatch for her to climb inside. Once she was in, I made my way into the cockpit, pulling the security strap across my shoulder, and pressed buttons to bring the transport to life.

“Are you ready to go home?” I asked, glancing across the small space at my beautiful human wife.

“Home,” she echoed softly, staring out the front glass of the transport at the snowflakes swirling in the headlights.

She turned to me with a smile. “You know what? Yes. Yes, I’m ready to go home with you.”

This time, it was she who reached out to clasp my hand on the console between us.

“Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 30

DELLE

We held hands all the ride home. I found myself either clenching his fingers when the nerves or the excitement—it was hard to tell which was which—got too much. Then I’d realize I was clenching his hand too hard and would force myself to relax. The nerves would quickly strike again, and I’d make myself relax…and we pretty much followed that pattern all the way back to Caide’s home.

We reached the gates of the Citadel. The guard saw the Asterion transport and waved us to a halt.

Caide pressed a button to open the window hatch, allowing the guard to peek inside.

“You’re good, Overlord,” the human guard said. “Enjoy the time with your family.”

Caide sort of did a doubletake, then said, “My thanks,” in a strange voice. He closed the window hatch as the gate opened and we whizzed through.

“My family?” he mused out loud, turning to me. “What did he mean by that?”

“I dunno,” I shrugged. “Maybe he was referring to all the time you spent with my family while we were waiting for Tarra to be released from the hospital. Or maybe he means me, since we’re married now and have started our own family.”

“Should he not have said enjoy the time with your wife, then?”

Again, I shrugged. “Who knows? Probably not a big deal.”

How wrong I was.

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