Page 96 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
Mari rolled her eyes. “No, I do not want to feed the ducks.”
“I’m serious here. Are you safe?”
Was she? The house felt uneasy, but she hadn’t felt unsafe. Unexplained noises and locked doors just played on her imagination, especially when the heat had been at its worst. The cooler weather brought cooler heads and temperaments.
Yes, she was safe, she decided. Winter thundered and growled, but he never lifted a hand to harm her. Others? Yes, unfortunately, but she never felt that fury turn on her. The energy of their argument felt different.
“I’m safe and I just wanted some time. That’s not a crime,” she said. Time to make sure that what she and Winter had was real and not a mistake.
“No, but waiting more than two months to tell your family is rude.”
“Are you done with the guilt trip? This got real old, real fast.”
“Wait until Mom gets a hold of you,” Joseph snarked, just like they were still kids.
Oh no.Please, no. Valerian would launch into a lecture about the adverse consequences of dishonesty on an aura.
“But seriously, is everything okay? No dungeons or wives locked in the attic?”
Marigold wanted to make a joke that the only dungeon was the sex dungeon. Instead, she said, “The attic is locked. I don’t know what’s in there.”
“For real? The attic?” He gasped dramatically, and Mari could picture Joseph clutching his heart. “That’s like where the broody mysterious asshole always keeps the body of the first wife. I can’t even with you right now, Sunshower Marigold.”
Somehow, Joseph’s teasing pierced the worry that kept spiraling in her mind. Keeping herself distracted from wondering about the locked door and Rebel was easy enough if she was busy, and adjusting to life on a new planet had more than enough details to keep her mind occupied. But in the quiet moments, like when she drove, her curiosity reared its head.
“Rebel was a musician. It’s probably a home recording studio or where she practiced. There’s nothing in there but sheet music and guitars or whatever.” The moment she said the words, she knew them to be true. Rebel’s presence had been scrubbed from every room in the house, excluding the joined master bedrooms. There was no sign of her or her instruments. Then, because she just couldn’t keep anything from her brother, she said, “We had an argument today. Sometimes I think he’s always going to love her more, but I knew that. Maybe I made a mistake, but I really don’t think so.”
“Marigold—”
“No, let me finish. I know you’re going to tell me to get my behind on the first ship off the planet, but I can’t do that.”
“Can’t because he’s locked you in the dungeon?”
She breathed out, frustrated. “There is no dungeon. Stop it. It’s not funny.”
The line went quiet. “I’m worried about you.”
“Couples have arguments all the time, right? Today’s rough, but it’s not always like this,” she said, more for herself than for Joseph.
“Depends on how you argue. Some fights are productive. Some are just an excuse to hurl names and hurt each other.”
“How did you argue with your girlfriends?” Mari hadn’t known her brother to date anyone more than a few months.
“I didn’t. I don’t think I’ve cared enough to argue.”
“I never argued with Tomas,” she said, realizing that she, too, never cared enough to fight with him or for him. A laugh, inappropriate and verging on hysterical, tore out of her. “We agreed on everything and it was so fucking boring.”
Joseph gasped. “You cursed!”
“I swear. Get over it.”
“No, you don’t, Miss Sunshower. Oh, uh, Mrs. Sunshower-to-be.” He paused. “That’s not nearly as much fun to say. No fair. You got engaged on purpose just so I can’t say that anymore!”
“Yes, I secretly got engaged to my wealthy boss just to mess with you.” She welcomed his jovial tone, knowing the conversation had shifted away from him being upset with her and stressed about her tumultuous relationship.
“I’m still worried.”
“Me too, but I’m not a quitter. I really like him.”
