Page 32 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

“Not an option, obviously. I guess the team lead got injured on a job the previous day. They didn’t have a replacement, so the call went out to freelancers. The message said that it was a stash house hit in the Louisiana bayous. He figured it was no big deal because he does that shit all the time. What they didn’t tell him was that he was paired with a rookie for a training exercise—which he hates—and a shitty rookie to boot.”

Victor snorts and mutters. “Typical.”

“The intel wasn’t good. He had to get there by borrowed car because it was listed as a no apparating job. When he got to the drop spot, he found acanoe.”

The entire room blinks silently for a moment and then the laughter starts, building to a raucous hooting. Victor looks happier than I’ve seen him in forever as he pictures Taurus scooting around in a canoe. Even Rafe is smiling now.

“So, he rows himself to the place where they’re supposed to knock out a little family owned cocaine ring to find thiscocky rookie completely ignoring rules of engagement. Taurus is already having trouble with the stupid canoe, so he’s covered in muck, and pissy as hell. The idiot rookie goes flying into the building hollering like he’s in the fifth infantry charging General Custer.”

Philomena looks at me in horror. “His hand tailored, Italian lambskin duster got covered in swamp slime? For the love of Armani, he probably popped a vein in his head.”

“I know. I couldn’t even breathe at this point in the story because I was laughing so hard. He tells it even better than me. So, it turns out that the intel is even more fucked. It’s not a small family drug ring, but Colombian connected. They have an arsenal and a mini-army at their disposal. The rookie—a dimwit named Cob, of all things—about got his ass shot off going in. Taurus had to break the rules to pop in to grab him. His duster got shot twice while he was doing it.”

Taking a sip of his bourbon, Rafe gives me an amused look. “Yet none of this explains why you had to heal his hand.”

“Well, once he killed the cartel guys, Cob got mad. He dove at Taurus and knocked him on his ass in the swamp. Taurus beat the hell out of him, dropped him off at the Company for re-training, and then got caught to be debriefed. Any of this alone would have been enough to send him over the deep end, but the debriefings are one of his least favorite things. It went on forever and made him late to get back with Talia’s car. She bitched him out and he was so pissed about the entire affair, that he slammed his hand in her door.”

Now everyone is practically hooting with laughter and I grin. I guess it didn’t hurt anything to tell his little embarrassing tale. It’s not like he’ll know I cheered everyone up, right?

~Think again, minx. I’ll have your cute little bum warmed for this. ~

I blink. How in thehell?~Hey! Where the hell are you? I worry about you, you know. ~

His grin filters through our connection.~Have you been sitting at home pining like a war widow while I’m working, love? I think that’d be a good look on you. ~

Sniffing, I frown.~No. Maybe. Yes. I don’t know. I don’t even know how to knit! ~

He frowns.~I do. Punishment. I’ll tell you later. ~

“Hey, kitty! Hello? Are you there?”

Leo is waving at me and I blink back into focus, kicking him out of my head. “Yes?”

“Peacock wounds not-with-standing, what are we doing about Shea’s party?”

“I’m going to find a suitable present, deliver it, and blow the joint. You guys can hang and mingle. Luckily, this one isn’t crossing the portal like the February party. It worries me when so many of you guys are running around the real place together.”

Caesar snorts. “Oi, ducks, it’s not like we all look exactly alike anymore. We blend.”

“Oh, yeah. Sixty hot guys and gals that look vaguely related running around getting in trouble. You blend like a bad contour job.”

Sighing loudly, Philomena sits down her glass. “Okay, we have glad handing duty throughout the month. It sounds awful, but we can split it up. You’ll drop in with a present and head back to Birdland as usual. Does that sound about right?”

I nod. “Yep. I’m going to head there to see if I can figure out what’s going on with Taurus. Sari requested he drop by to discuss Rhea today, according to her texts this afternoon. I haven’t seen him since and that makes me worry.”

They look at me as if he’s lost his mind going to see her. “It’s dangerous as hell, I know, but I can’t stop him. He’s on a‘mending bridges’ kick. I don’t know how to tell him that once she gets her claws in, we’ll all be miserable.”

“Figure out a way,” Rafe murmurs, pushing off the bar with the bourbon bottle in hand. “They ruin everything, love. Don’t let them take this.”

Without another word, he heads for the studio, leaving us all to watch him go.

Dammit.

Taurus grins down at me. “So youwouldweep for me if I made you a widow?”

“I’d be inconsolable.” I comb my fingers through his hair, pondering. “I think something in me would die with you.”

Tugging me closer on his lap, he murmurs, “I was wondering how long it would take before you started poking around in my mind once we mated. The fact that you can do this so soon and you can block me is… surprising.”

---