Page 38 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

Something is amiss here, and I do not know what it is. He’s looking both smug and angry. While I believe that Talia may tug on his strings in the manner he suggested, that is not why he is foregoing our arranged meeting. There’s something more pressing than a missive from the bladed ex-leader and he definitely does not want to discuss it with us.

“You should not keep her waiting, Mr. Taurus. We will speak again if my beloved and I intend to pursue the course of action we addressed.” I stand, holding my hand out to shake his, and he chuckles.

“Wilde, you are the strangest clone I’ve met in my short time on this planet, but I appreciate your hospitality. Both of you.” He nods at my beloved and stands. “Let me know if you have more questions.”

With that, he disappears, and I feel that to be both rude and troublesome. He left quickly and with little fanfare, which is not Taurus’ style.

There is something afoot that I cannot put my finger on.

“What should we do now?” my mate asks, raising a brow. “Because that was weird.”

“It was, my beloved. I think a meeting with our family from the South is in order. I feel there are things going on that we are not aware of, and I find myself in need of some relief.”

She gives me an evil grin, enhanced only by the fangs she likes to refer to as ‘twitching’ when she senses things. “I’ll make the call.”

The Cat Forgets A Detail

DELILAH

“Son of a bitch.You didn’t tell me!”

I blink, looking up from my notebook. I was sketching my plans for the erstwhile birthday gift while I waited for him to come home.

Before I went home and he went to work, we had a lovely morning. Sometime this week, he had a pool—complete with waterfall, hot tub in a rock formation, and a lovely patio—installed in a backyard area. I sleep less now than I have in my entire life, but we played, loved, and drank until we were sated.

Afterward, I headed to my house to hang out with Rafe. I’m worried about him, and he needs someone who understands what he’s going through. I stayed with him until Taurus texted me that he was stopping by Sari’s for a brief discussion and then coming home for the evening.

I wanted to tell him about this wretched party, but I doubt that’s a good plan now. He’s here and instead of a leisurely evening, he’s infuriated. I have no idea why. I haven’t evenseenanyone but my family today, so what in the hell did I do?

“I’m lost. What didn’t I tell you?” I sit everything aside, attempting to be the one who keeps their cool for once.

“You’rematedto that stubbly little gnome, and you didn’t tell me! I had to hear her and that fancy pants git makesureI knew. It hit me like a bloody truck because youlied again.” He stalks to the bathroom, slamming the panel shut behind him. It makes a weird beeping noise that I can only assume means he’s locked it somehow.

Fuck. I don’t think I forgot to tell him about Sari.

I could have, but I wasn’t hiding it if I did. We don’t talk about our being mated—at all. She and Wilde pushed the family claim with us after they did it with Rhea and Alistair. I was so pissed at Rhea that I rushed into that part with Sari.

It was once, it wasn’t remarkable, and it’s never happened again since. I honestly think she did it so that Rhea couldn’t get to me first. She’s never mentioned it once in the eight months since we did it. It’s hella suspicious that she brought it up now.

I walk over and touch the door to reach out to him, but he’s blocking me. Sighing, I trudge over to the bed and sit down, feeling like an ass. He thinks I lied about it and he isn’t letting me in. I grab the paper and start scribbling a note because I need some space if this is how he’s going to be tonight. I don’t know that I can handle feeling like I’m going to lose him two nights in a row and I definitely can’t handle a temper tantrum like that on so little sleep.

Love,

I’m sorry if I didn’t mention Sari. I didn’t intend to leave her out purposefully nor have you think I lied. We rarely speak of our mating—I’ve always believed it was a gambit in her game with Rhea.

To avoid future conflicts, here is my list, as complete as I can remember it. If you want to read it you can, but you don’t have to.

I love you and I’ll be in the garden if you want to see me. I’m trying to give you space because I don’t know what else to do.

Mates: Sari, Wilde, Rafe, Victor (sort of), Alistair, you

People I’ve been intimate with: all the above, Mayhem, Preston, Aiden, Mercury, Shea, Constantine, Caesar, Cruise, CJ, Gregor, Hex, Leo, Chance, Rupert. A few people that it’s been intimated that I’ve been with, but I really have not: Percy, Manuel, Antonio, Rhea

I think that’s it. I’ve covered everything and everyone—there’s no one left out that I know of.

I know you didn’t ask, but I told you because I don’t want to have you upset again. I love you and I hope you’ll want to find me.

If not—well, I don’t want to imagine that so I’m not going to.

---