I’m not wearing a shirt for him to grip. One solid hand curves around the base of my jaw, his fingers curling into my neck. Okay, he’s got my fucking attention. My breathing short circuits and blinking dizzily is about all I can manage.
“I’m already miserable with you, Treyu. I’d be more so if you were dead.”
Stunned into staying where I am even once he releases me, I don’t say a word when he climbs onto the front of the bike.
“Hold onto me.”
He starts the engine, neither of us wearing helmets, and so I wrap my arms around his thick torso to prevent myself from flying off the bike and having my head smashed in. I need a few minutes to process everything.
Then I’m going to prove him wrong—he’d be far less miserable if I were dead.
CHAPTERFOUR
Treyu
I’m not allowed to walk into the motel. He still doesn’t trust that I’m not a flight risk and that’s wise from his point of view. From mine, I’ll be looking for the opportunity to get the fuck out of here. I’m definitely taking his bike. And his fancy sword. He owes me for the emotional stress this morning has caused me.
He drops me on what I can’t bring myself to call a bed. It’s a disgusting old mattress. Gemini is at the table looking as rough as my brother did but in his own way. Gem is always dressed to impress, but his glow has fled to the darkness. He should be careful with that. Stars that stop glowing fall to Earth. I would know.
“Stay there,” Zhang—bossy Zhang—orders.
Moving around the room, he shuts all the blinds.
“No.” I get off the bed and move to the table, if just to prove he’s not the boss of me.
Zhang growls. “My first act as your husband will be to take a much-needed paddle to your backside.”
“That’swhy you’re doing this. Revenge.”
Gem laughs. “Angels don’t seek revenge.”
That’s bullshit. I know of such an angel. “Maybe not goody-good Centauruses who are trying to become angels, but I know plenty of petty angels who would jump at the chance.” Gods, I hate them both. They’re so fucking righteous.
“Gem, please keep him here while I get some air. I might strangle him and then this will be all for nothing.”
I clench my fists and smash the table. Gem puts a hand over mine. “He hasn’t slept. We got the call last night and he demanded that the Guild pull him home. He spent the morning negotiating with Father, and the Guild, and then he returned to fetch you.”
With nothing to say to that, I get up—Gem frowns his disapproval but fuck him—and dig through my duffle bag to see if Zhang grabbed anything useful. There’s a white T-shirt, a pair of black jeans and boots. Thank fuck.
Zhang returns sometime later, and from his ever-deepening scowl, it doesn’t look like the air did him any good.
“Can’t we appeal this? It’s waaaaay not how these things work,” I say to him anyway, even if I get my head bitten off.
“Normally, yes. But something’s not right. They were trying to push this through immediately.”
“Then it’s easy. Haven’t you ever watched a human movie? The person pushing for it the most is the evildoer.”
“That person was my father,” Zhang says.
“This makes less sense all the time. He wanted me dead, but he’ll allow for our marriage—for all of eternity, don’t forget that part—so you can save me from the fate he wants?”
“He hates dead humans, especially human children. He thinks you were irresponsible and is overreacting because … well because you’re an Orion. When I explained to him that I was there too and that it was my fault you were irresponsible, it tied his hands.”
“He’s a hypocrite, you mean. Suddenly not so willing to give his son the same consequence, eh?”
He winces and tilts his head. “Father realized he was being irrational, yes, and I sense he’s glad I stopped him from allowing his temper to get the better of him. But what was done was done and the only way to stop it was a better solution. Our family has good standing with the Guild. Yours does not.”
“Bet you like rubbing that in.”
