Page 114 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
Winter and Rebel. Their last party.
“I remember this,” he said, voice quiet. “My father bought all the surveillance recordings to keep this out of the media. He told me as much, made me swear to leave Corra and never return or I’d face the consequences. He believed I murdered her, didn’t he?” Uncertainty sounded in his voice, because the gray phantom of Winter moving across the concrete wall certainly seemed capable of violence.
The echo of Rebel sighed, ears back and her head down, looking for all the stars like the much put-upon victim, reverberating through the years.
Mari turned her back to the images and faced Winter. His eyes fluttered shut as the back of her hand brushed along his jaw. “You didn’t. You had no reason.”
“Look at me. I was so angry.” He gestured to the moving images.
“So what? People get angry without flying into murderous rampages every day. In fact, it’s not unusual, I dare say even typical, to go your entire life without murdering anyone.” Then, in a quiet voice, “You’re not perfect, Winter Cayne, but you’re not a murderer.”
He huffed, the laugh tired and thin. “Such a ringing endorsement. Not perfect and not a murderer. What you do for my ego.”
“Let’s go. I see our vehicle,” she said.
As they turned, a spotlight shone directly in their faces. Mari raised an arm to shield herself, blinking. Winter turned, his eyes closed and in obvious pain.
A figure approached, silhouetted against the blinding light.
The figure lunged forward, shoving past her. She fell awkwardly onto her butt, her hands catching her weight. Palms scraped against concrete. Before she could rise to her feet, someone twisted her arm back to hold her in place.
“Leaving so soon? You’ll miss the special treat I have planned,” Tomas said.
Chapter 26
Rebel Cayne Found! The body of the vanished pop icon was discovered in a sinkhole, several miles from where her vehicle crashed. Questions remain unanswered as to how the female wandered so far in the dark in a fierce storm…
-Corra News Network
Winter
Pain flared behind his eyes. Even with his eyes screwed shut, the light came through. He held up a hand to shield himself.
Marigold screamed. It was the worst sound he could have imagined, striking fear at the core of his heart, until the screaming stopped. Her silence was so much worse.
Winter reached out blindly, searching for his mate. His foot bumped into a form. There. On the ground. He fell to his knees, ignoring the crack of bone against unforgiving concrete.
“Marigold.” He groped for her, finding her leg first. She did not respond to his touch but lay still. Panicked, he searched for a pulse at her wrist.
There. A flutter.
A blow to the side of his head knocked the glasses away. The protective contact lenses weren’t enough. Winter clapped a hand over his eyes. He turned to the sound of footsteps.
“Hold still or I shoot her,” a male voice said. Tomas.
“You won’t get away with this,” Winter warned as the male bound his hands behind his back. He flexed as Tomas tied the cord. “I’m very rich and I hold a grudge for a very long time. I’ll pour my fortune into tracking you down and making you suffer.”
The male chuckled and the cold, empty sound nearly turned Winter’s stomach. “I just want to get paid and then I’m gone. You won’t find me.”
“Stars, you are the worst,” Marigold said, voice thick. “Did you shove me? Who does that?”
“Stay back!”
“Tomas—”
Her voice was low and full of threat. His tail immediately twitched because that fucker knew what it liked. He had heard Marigold sound amused, happy, frightened, lost in delight, and so furious with anger, but never this.
This was new. Cold and menacing.
