Page 100 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

“Fine, I’ll do it,” he grumps, pretending that he won’t enjoy every second of every person in that godforsaken hole watching him in jealousy.

I smile and hug him, sighing.He spoils me.

The Cat Gets Blamed

DELILAH

I’m sitting on the back porch of my house, watching the sun sink into the west and wishing like hell that I was anywhere else in the universe.

Almost anywhere else, at least.

After the Elvis promise, Taurus got beeped for an emergency—I forgot to mention he’s taken on more responsibility since the whole multi-state rampage incident. So I popped home to see my guys for a while. We were all sitting on the porch—talking about songs, and karaoke, and party plans—when it started raining guests like magick.

Not my magick, I assure you. However, the boys regretted uninstalling the locks Rafe put on the doors after he kicked Rhea and Alistair out. That’ll teach them, won’t it?”

First, Tamara showed up to see if Shea was at my house. He’d gotten upset about something and run off without a word. At one point, my house would have been the best guess for a runaway family member. However, with my absence and their family entwining with Rita’s, it isn’t where he’d go. She wanted to see if the gossip was true because she’s nosy. That bint.

We got rid of her, but Wilde and Sari appeared almost immediately. They strolled in with wine and food as if we’d allmade plans and I was behind the times. A quick check with my guys revealed no one invited them, so perhaps Tamara spilled the beans.

I wonder if they’re all stalking me.

Wilde has done nothing but cozy up to me from the moment he arrived. Honestly, he’s making me uncomfortable. He’s far too touchy and keeps babbling about ‘little Evie’. When I tried to pawn him off, he got more insistent, which made me mad and paranoid. I faked indigestion brought on by the chips and salsa, so I could send him to fetch drinks, Tums, and anything I could think of to get him to bugger off.

Sari spent her time trying to climb into Rafe’s pants. He looked thrilled, let me tell you. He didn’t want to come outside when I got home, and I convinced him. For his efforts, he got stuck with Miss-We’re-Magickally-Mated-Now trying to hump his leg in public.

In the past, it wouldn’t have mattered if she did because none of us are wilting flowers, but tonight it seemed contrived and annoying. He took one for the team, trying to keep her busy so I wouldn’t have to answer a bunch of questions. That helped me focus on directing Wilde away from me. He could see how uncomfortable I was, and he tried to help without being obvious.

Several hours later than I would have liked, my phone rang. I struggled not to look ecstatic while I made up nonsense about test results. I purposefully and loudly agreed to be there as soon as possible to talk them over with my doctor.

Making my apologies insincerely to the interlopers, I waved and disappeared.

Thank Christ for shared talents. I needed to get out of there.

“What the bloody hell took you so long?” he gripes. “I’ve been home for a half hour!”

I chuckle and head for the closet, wanting to peel off my sundress and get comfortable for the first time since he left. “We had unexpected guests.”

He arches a brow. “Tell.”

“Tamara for a bit; I think she was fishing since she heard the baby gossip. Then Wilde and Sari appeared.”

His eyes narrow and he growls. “Continue.”

Not understanding what the problem is—except that it’s Sari and Wilde—I shrug. “They came over with wine and food and wanted to hang out with us. No one invited them, so I have no idea how they knew I’d be home. Wilde was being too cozy, and it weirded me out, so I told him I had indigestion and sent him to fetch things all night.”

His glass goes flying against the wall, and I blanch. He shakes his head and rubs his hand over his face. “Bloody fucking hell. The sodding minute…”

Okay. He threw a glass. It’s okay. Get it together, Deli.

No frozen fear, no letting a tornado of magick loose, just breathe. You can do this. You’re triggered, but you are in control of the anger and the terror. You are stronger than this, I keep repeating to myself. Once I convince myself, I look at him. “I’m sorry, but could you clue me in to why we’re destroying the Baccarat?”

“Just this bloody morning, he and Talia had an intimate encounter. It was not long after we talked—that’s why I broughtit up—because she thought it was possible he would do this. No sooner than she’s gone for the evening to an event, he’s cuddled up against you in ways I don’t even want to imagine. That son of a bitch!”

I blink. “Hey! I didn’t invite them and I tried to fend him off.”

“It doesn’tmatter. If I find out he’s using Talia out of some twisted sense of retribution for you, I’ll kill him. I might kill him anyway for putting his sodding hands on you while you’re carrying my bloody baby!”

Stepping closer, I whisper. “He likes her. He’s always talked about her like she’s amazing. Remember that date that he had with her went nowhere in the fall? He was so caught up with her that he ruined our mating yakking about it.”

---