Page 99 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
“He can tell you all about Clarity. I like her. She’s a good egg.”
“That is a disturbing image. Is she from a species that hatches?” His voice trailed off, as if trying to picture such a thing.
No such aliens existed that Mari knew of, at least not sentient ones with spaceflight. “It’s just an idiom. Means she’s a good kit.” She paused. “So, about today.”
“Apologies.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I seem to be forever apologizing for my behavior. I fear your patience with me will end.”
“We’re learning how to be with each other. It takes time.”
“My behavior—”
“Was completely uncool. This is the second time you’ve attacked me.”
He sat up, ears perked and his tail thumping violently against the blanket. “I have never! I would not raise a hand to my mate, no matter my anger, and I have never done so. No matter what the media claims.”
“What? No, I know. Trust me, if you ever hit me, this is over. I mean with your words, with accusations. Twice now. There won’t be a third time.” She paused, waiting for him to confirm his understanding.
Winter nodded. “Yes. Understood.”
“You don’t ask me to explain. You don’t talk about the problem with me, and that’s not cool.”
His ears went back. “Yes, I do those things.”
“We’re going to talk about our issues like adults. We both have a mountain of emotional baggage. It’s silly to pretend it doesn’t exist.”
“Yes,” he ground out, sounding irritated.
“Your cousin is awful. I don’t want him in our home again.”
“He was not invited, but I agree. Did he hurt you?”
She swallowed, remembering how the necklace chain dug into her flesh before snapping. “No. I think he wanted to scare me.”
A sound emanated low in Winter’s throat, the growl filling the quiet. “I should have broken every bone in his hands. He dared to touch you. I do not know what game he plays but he’s not as clever as he thinks.”
Mari did not like the idea of playing Chase’s game, either, but she felt the game was unavoidable. “We need to talk about your first wife.”
“Absolutely not.”
“There. That’s a problem.” Mari jumped up from the blanket. Her jacket fell open, and the scarf around her neck unwound. She tugged to them back in place, frustration growing. “I need you to meet me halfway, Winter. I know you’ll always love Rebel more. Fine. I get it. You were childhood sweethearts. She was talented and gorgeous, and everyone loved her. I get it. I won’t compete with a dead woman, but I feel like I’m always being measured against her.” Worse still, Rebel would never go gray, gain weight in her middle, or get wrinkles. She’d always be young and beautiful.
“You are not her,” he said, driving home her point.
“But I thought if you loved me half as much as you love your son, we’d work out.” Her voice quivered at the end, making her feel so needy and vulnerable and she hated it. Hated how much she wanted scraps of his affection. On Fortune, he had kept her at arm’s length. Then when he decided that she was useful andtolerable, he pursued her and how quickly she fell. For him. His act.
Frustrated tears welled up at the corner of her eyes.
She should have listened to Valerian and Joseph. She’d still be under Nox’s thumb, but her heart wouldn’t be breaking.
“Do not use my kit against me,” he said.
What? Never. “You got the wrong end of the stick on that.”
His nose wrinkled in confusion. “The peace twig?”
“Oh,” she huffed, turning her face away to hide her smile because her emotions were high and she wanted to laugh, cry, kiss him, and yell at him all at once.
“Olive branch? No,” she said, when she got a handle on herself. “Different stick. It means we’re looking at the problem wrong. That you love Zero so fiercely is your best feature.”
