“Speak for yourself,” Adira says. “The ladies and I have to get ready for tonight’s festivities.”
“I should help search for the goat too,” I say.
“You could do that.” Adira taps his chin with one long acrylic nail. “Or you can let me make you over. You’re such a smoke show, but you’ve forgotten while you’ve been chewing saltines and popping ginger tabs. Let’s play dress up instead. Like we planned.”
I’d thought it would help with Rebel, but after the shower we’re good. “That’s not necces—”
“Actually, it is.” Ivy lifts her hand and flashes her ring and a giant grin at me. “Bridesmaid duties.”
“We’ll find the goat,” Rebel reassures me with a kiss on my forehead. “And Owen and I will come to some kind of understanding. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Tonight,” Adira says sternly as he shoos Rebel out. “You won’t see her until tonight.”
“Have I ever followed the rules?” He winks at me before he leaves.
“Summer, sweetie, grab your robe. Kelsey, there’s champagne in the barn that won’t open itself. Love, where has that divinely dizzying sister of yours disappeared to?”
24
Rebel
We break up into pairs to search for the goat. Except for Owen who stalks off with a thunderous look on his face. He’s probably planning my murder. Hell, he’s already tried once today and is convinced I am entirely responsible for the goat’s disappearance.
“I want to go check on something,” Rogue says as we pass the barn on our way out to the paddocks. “I’ll catch up in a minute.”
“Don’t take too long.” The sooner we find this goat the sooner Owen can eat his accusations. I head toward the gate that leads out to the paddocks on this side, scanning the long grass for tan fur or bone-colored horns.
Unlatching the gate, I enter the paddock and use my hand to guard my gaze against the blazing sun in the deep blue and cloudless sky. I can’t believe that giant tool is trying to blame that wayward animal’s disappearance on me.
A bright patch of pink catches my attention.
“Oh no. Fuck no.” I start to run. Dizzy is kneeling in the grass, holding onto the goat I’m looking for. West is there too, crouched in front of her. “Please tell me that’s not what it looks like.”
“It’s a goat,” Dizzy turns shiny eyes my way.
“Actually, it’s a carcass,” West corrects gently as he straightens.
“Fucking fuck,” This can’t be happening. Owen’s going to assume I’m responsible for this. He’s going to want to kill me. Again. “It’s Stains.”
“Stains?” Dizzy climbs to her feet and wipes her hands on her dress.
“The goat that got out this morning?” West asks.
“Yes.” There’s blood in its fur and all over the ground around the goat. So much for a truce between me and Summer’s brothers. “What happened?”
“Someone slit his throat.” West points out the wound.
“I can see that.” Anyone with eyes wouldn’t be able to miss that. “You stumbled onto the body, right? It wasn’t you.”
“Seriously?” West stares at me like he thinks I might be losing the plot. “It wasn’t Dizzy either.”
Dizzy, who slit Jackson’s throat while protecting Ivy. I drop my gaze to the goat.
“It’s her sister’s wedding,” West reminds me, steel in his tone.
Right. She adores Ivy. She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her special day. “Who then?”
“No idea,” West says. “Not yet.”
