Page 9 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

My phone pings from the table and I pick it up, frowning at the email. Tossing it back with a growl, I settle in. He takes in my sour expression with the arch of a brow. I’ll have to explain or he’ll wig out.

“Town biz. Lily and I have to read everything for rule violations. Something’s in the water today because there are a lot of posts and I’ve been ignoring them. Lily pinged me because this is a person she refuses to manage. We both have folks like that and we trade off. She wants me to make sure I read it because it’s apparently fucking long, so it could be hiding all manner of bullshit.”

He nods, understanding. “Is that why you look like you fucked a cactus?”

Covering my mouth as a giggle escapes, I shoot him a dirty look. “No. It’s because if people don’t quit writing bad romance crap that I have to read, I’m going to firebomb their house.” Hesnickers and I glare harder. “Do you knowwhy? Because of their tripe, I almost saidridiculousphrases to you to prove that the lechery is your fault. They all come from that shit!”

“Like what?” he asks, trying to look innocent.

Growling, I smack his chest. “Pulsating. Nuances. Gates of my womanhood… Ugh.”

“Gates of your womanhood? Is that like some hotel card swipe thing? Where do you tuck that away then?”

I rub my face, irritated beyond belief as I throw my hands in the air to plead to the heavens. “I’m going to say this one more time to everyone in the universe. There is no key to my pants!”

His expression hardens and he lets go of my hips. “I’d really rather you not wax philosophic about what you’ve told others about getting into your knickers.”

My arms drop and I frown as I look down at him. “It’s some ‘ha-ha funny’ rumor people bring up every once in a while— like an urban legend. When you asked that, I thought you’d heard and decided to tease me about it.”

“Telling me isn’t quite the same as ‘telling everyone in the universe’ like you said on the first go round.”

“The very idea is a French farce in the making, so I’m denying it yet again.”

“Interesting.”

“I don’t think you imagining a chastity belt for Christmas is what I hoped you’d glean from that confession.”

“Probably not, as one of those would probably spontaneously rust right off of you.”

Ouch. Maybe I’m sensitive because Sari called me a tramp yesterday, but I think he just slammed my sex life. My lips curl into a sneer as the anger fills my veins. Everyone loves ‘good time’ Deli when she’s with them, but when they feel threatened they get ugly.

The hurt makes me vindictive and I tilt my head, purposefully musing aloud. “I wonder who’d havethatkey.”

He doesn’t look at me, only swallows and looks out the window.

“Planning on hiding it?” I push again, needing to get my power back.

“Suddenly not really liking this conversation.”

He started this when he slung a nasty at me. I swallow hard, my hands shaking as I push all my emotions into my feet so I can pretend it’s all okay. I have alotof experience doing this to make people feel better about hurting me, but I didn’t think I’d have to do it with him. “We can talk about something else.”

“It doesn’t matter.” He sits up quickly, shifting me off of him. I watch as he locates his pants, shirt and duster. After putting them on, he grabs his phone and pockets it. “I’ve got to get going.”

I’m still smarting from the blow and now I’m worried as fuck. I can’t let him see the weakness, though, because then he will have a weapon for later. So I nod. “I see.”

Taurus still doesn’t look at me, but he sits down next to me to put on his Ferragamos. I stand, feeling like more than my body is naked. I tug on my clothes quietly, finally dropping onto the other end of the couch. I’m raw and exposed and I’m not giving him access to wound me further.

“It’s not you; it’s me,” he starts, looking over at the gap between us with a frown.

I wave my hand dismissively. “It’s nothing.” I’ll be damned if I let another person that’s supposed to love me make me feel like garbage this week. I can do that all on my own.

“Why, because it doesn’t matter to you or because it shouldn’t matter to me?” He holds up his hand and shakes his head. “Stop—don’t answer that.”

Joke’s on you, asshole, because I wasn’t going to answer shit. I stay silent, building the walls up inside of me again. This fucking bullshit is why I don’t let anyone past them anymore. Everyone is a goddamned disappointment if you give them enough time.

He sighs. “I’m extra sensitive about some things because of yesterday—it’s the blood. It makes me more... Well, it does something to a clone. I’m close to saying something I’d regret. I’m not going to say it, but I want you to know that this is not your problem, nor is it your fault. You are who you are, and I am who I am.”

My eyes darken and I force myself to grind out an answer even though it makes my stomach roil in protest. “You are my mate. That’s all that matters.”

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