Chapter 36
Gemma
“Fine,” he says in an icy voice. “Then get out.”
I swallow at the quiet, seething anger I’ve evoked.
In my years with him, I’ve definitely made him angry enough to
shout.
I don’t think I’ve ever made him angry enough to whisper.
Shaken, I get out, favoring my injured ankle.
Cassian slams the door behind me, gets in the passenger seat, and peels away from the curb.
I’m left alone in the night with nothing but my shoes dangling from my hand and the scent of burning rubber he left in his hurry to get away from me.
*****
Cassian
I have to hand it to my wife, she does have talent in at least one area: pissing me off.
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Chapter 36
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I thought kicking her out of the car and peeling away would be a relief. Instead, I’m just annoyed that I left her there, unprotected.
If anything happens to her, I will not forgive you, Zephyr threatens,
I make a call. In seconds, some of my security detail peels off and returns to Zina’s place. They can make sure she got in safely, at
least.
Then I return home.
I walk in the door, and the first thing I see are the stupid white fuzzy slippers she used to always wear around the house.
They sit next to the door, where she would leave them when she took them off to put her shoes on.
“Get rid of those!” I snarl at one of the servants.
I don’t care that he looks terrified as he rushes to pick them up and takes them out of my sight.
I wait for my wolf to comment. Instead, I just feel him lurking in the back of my mind, sullen and disapproving.
She wants out of my life, I snap at him. So she can be out of y life.
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Zephyr is silent for another few heartbeats. Then he says, This is not behavior befitting a mate or an Alpha.
Then he’s gone, and it’s like I can feel that he’s turned his back on me. I hate the unfamiliar coldness of his absence.
The urge to break something is overwhelming. I fight it down.
Breaking things won’t help. Unless maybe it’s breaking that man Jace’s face.
Maybe she did fall into him, but I saw his expression as he was holding her.
Gemma might not have feelings beyond friendship for Jace, but he definitely has feelings for her.
If he touches her again, I’ll kill him. Simple as that.
Unsatisfied with this entire night, I stalk into my home office and sit down at the desk. Liam sent over more information about the sabotage on the plane. We’re starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel, but I don’t know where else to look.
It’s like whoever did it was made of smoke. They ghosted in, ghosted out, and disappeared on the wind.
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I lose myself making calls and chasing down leads on that for a while, but it’s still not enough.
When I look up from my computer screen, all I notice is Gemma’s absence.
I think about calling Reyna. She’s been my friend for so long, and she understands the ins and outs of leadership in this underworld
we both inhabit more than most.
At least her voice would fill the silence.
But when I take out my phone, my hand hovers over her number. Then I lock the phone and put it back in my pocket without calling.
Gemma thinks Reyna and I are having an affair. The idea is so ridiculous, I didn’t even bother to address it directly at first.
The way things are going, that was a mistake.
I consider the things Gemma’s tiny fey friend whisper–shouted at me at the banquet and feel like a hypocrite.
It would upset Gemma to hear that I called Reyna for something outside of business.
I look around the empty office again.
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Gemma used to annoy me. But now that she’s not here to peek in, to ask how my day was, to sneak in with a glass of water or a tray of food…
I’ve never felt like my home lacked anything before.
Even when I was single, I was happy in this place by myself. I never needed anyone. Zephyr had never even seemed to care
about finding a mate.
Then she seduced her way into my life, into my bed, and into my wolf’s every waking thought.
For the first time ever, I realize what this feeling is that I have when she’s not around.
Loneliness.
I close my eyes. The muscles of my jaw tighten.
If this whole thing is a ploy to get my attention, it’s working better than anything she’s done before.
I laugh without humor.
Do I really care that Gemma might be getting with some
e else?
I was forced into this marriage. Aside from duty to my grandfather,
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Chapter 36
I shouldn’t care if it fails.
And if she’s caught cheating…maybe I can end this joke of a relationship without my grandfather getting angry with me.
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