Demetri barks out a demonic laugh. “Yes, Thaddaeus Thorne Landon, my good dear fellow. We are all of that and more. And my, what a lovely bride you have. You must be quite smitten. How did you ever agree to let her out of your bedroom thisevening?”
Gage rubs my back, his lips trying their hardest to hold back a smile. I can tell he enjoys Tad getting his comeuppance even if it is at the hands of his cruelfather.
“A man’s gotta open the barn door sometime and let the old mare out into pasture.” He claps his hand over Mom’s shoulder in the event there was any confusion as to who the old mare in questionwas.
Tad flicks his thumbs under his jacket, revealing a pair of rainbow-striped suspenders. Figures. Tad’s superpower is dumbing down just about any outfit. I’m surprised my mother letshimout of thehouse.
Mom plasters a forced grin to her face and shakes her head at the offense while Nathan does his best to pick her nose. “He’s teasing. Tad worships the ground I walk on, let alone the things he does to me in the bedroom. We’ve quite the action-packedboudoir!”
Oh my living God. Is Lizbeth Landon trying to inciteDemeetthe dapper demon into an unholy jealous rage? And why the hell am I standing here listening to this salaciousnonsense?
Tad balks at my mother’s claims before downing the rest of the electric blue concoction in his hand. “Toomuchaction if you askme!”
Holyhell!
Demetri’s mouth contours, and you can see his eyes turning twelve shades of boiling rage. Tad is going to miss that fire he walked into that brought him a year’s worth of misery once Demetri is through with him. I have a feeling this masquerade is about to turnmurderous.
I glance to the mouth of the entry and note a dark shadow lingering, jettisoning out of my line of vision before I can adjust my eyes to light, and a mean shiver runs throughme.
Tad makes an effort to extract the very last drop of his drink. “It’s all those rugrats she’s amassed, running around underfoot, slamming those caskets around the floor like they were castanets. A man can’t sleep in an environment like that. It’s not natural. Sometimes I wish I could unplug the old noggin just to get a solideight.”
I’m sure Demetri can arrange for Tad’s noggin to remain unplugged for far longer than a solid eight. If I didn’t know better, I think I smell a coma on thehorizon.
Gage gives my hand a squeeze.You think Tad is stepping in line for a dirtnap?
I glance up, and we share a quiet laugh. Normally, I love it that Gage and I are so in tune, but given the circumstances, I think we should be frightened for Thaddaeus ThorneLandon.
Demetri gleams under the blue pox he’s cast upon this place. “Lizbeth and the children are always welcome to stay here. Anything to provide respite for my dearest, most treasuredfriend.”
Mom gloms on quickly to the slumber party invite just as the Olivers head this way, Emma in her orange veil of a mask and Dr. O looking every bit the distinguished gentleman with his simple black mask. “Oh, I would love a staycation at Casa Edinger! I bet the beds are extra comfy.” She gives Demetri a slight poke in the ribs, and they share a private laugh because everyone but Tad knows they’ve tested out the mattress springs on more than oneoccasion.
“Good evening!” Demetri bows to both Emma and Barron, and false niceties are shared allaround.
Barron gifts both Gage and me a hug while Emma offers only her son a heartyembrace.
“Skyla,” she says my name as if it wereperfunctory.
“Emma.” I try not to sound sarcastic, but I can’t help it. Emma has mastered the art of turning even something as splendid as my boys’ very first birthday party into a crap-fest. Kate had it right. Sheistrouble with a capitalT.
I give the crowd a quick sweep for my quiet blonde friend. She promised me she’d let me in on why Emma scares the resurrected daylights out of her just before she was whisked away to the great beyond once again. And I have a feeling that good time is ready to come to anend.
Demetri nods to Emma. “Tad and Lizbeth were just apprising us of their robust lovelife.”
Emma’s mouth falls open, and as much as I like the idea that something other than me has gotten under craw, I can’t bear another moment of the Lizbeth-Tad-Demetri porno playingout.
“I can’t watch anymore.” I pull Gage to the side just as the music picks up to fantastic orchestralheights.
Gage cranes his neck past my shoulder, his mouth set in stone as if something were pulling him out of themoment.
The crowd swirls around us, and soon enough I’m lost and separated from my gorgeous mask-bearinghusband.
I turn to look for him in a panic, but it’s wall-to-wall bodies, and soon I’m pressed against an all too familiar rock-hard chest. He’s tall and achingly gorgeous even with that sleek silver mask covering the norther half of his comelyfeatures.
“Ms. Messenger.” He wraps an arm around my waist, the other leading me by the hand into a slowwaltz.
“Marshall Dudley, you slay in a tuxedo. I think every ovary in the room just exploded in yourhonor.”
“Ah, if only it were reserved to this simple evening.” He pulls back a notch to inspect me. “My, my—you have a way with blue. It brings out the amorous affection you hold for me in youreyes.”
