~Fucking hell, I’m never getting to eat or get laid tonight. Jesus tap dancing Christ!~the cat growls.
Taurus laughs in our minds, and I send him a mighty slap of irritation. I hear my husband snorting along with him. Ignoring them and Deli’s pregnancy based cravings, I strain to listen to the idiot brigade in front of me.
Damn. That’s not entirely fair; they’re not all stupid, but their complaints are and it’s making them look petty, dumb, and small.
I’m so tired of feeling like none of this bullshit warranted breaking up the community and destroying the cat’s faith in her people. They’re so weak they let Sari lead them astray with promises of attention. None of them will gain anything from it—they’ve forced Deli into a corner where she has to comply to keep them happy even though she doesn’t want to be responsible for that.
How do they not realize that forcing people to be friends with you is a form of emotional non-consent?
Sari still hasn’t started talking. She’s milking this little pause in the dialogue for all it’s worth.
“Wow,” she says, spinning the stick in her palm. “What do I have to say? What were the questions?”
Lily gives her a pointed glare. “We’ve repeated them six times. I’m pretty sure you were paying attention. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I have to pee!” Sari gets up and runs for the house.
My eyes fly open, worried that she’ll go in and start shit with our family. However, before I can say anything, Sari bounces off the barrier at the back door, flying to the ground in a heap.
“In the pool house, not inside!” Deli calls, her voice sweet but smug.
Damn, my mate is a sneaky witch; I didn’t even know she’d done that.
“Got that,” Sari grumbles, rubbing her behind as she stands. “Not a friendly wall you have there. Company tech, I guess. Must be nice.”
I arch my brow, not bothering to correct her about Deli’s magick. “It’s for keeping the guys inside. It’s hard to keep our family from butting in and distracting us.”
That’s a flat out lie, but obviously Deli doesn’t want any of them in her house if possible. She blocked entry to keep the stumpy moron from pulling something like this, and now everyone knows where her boundaries are.
“Good call, Deli. The boys would have definitely peeked out,” Michaela says with a grin.
I look at the rest of them and then over at the woman who showed in the middle. “Amanda, do you have something to say or do you need a link to the feed to go over before your turn?”
“No, it will take too long to watch. I have something when it’s my turn.”
That does not bode well, and I am not having a good time.
Sari strolls over to grab the stick, but Amanda talks without it. “I am concerned with the atmosphere of ‘this is my property, don’t dare try to touch it or suffer the consequences’. No one feels welcome when threats get issued—veiled or otherwise.”
“Can you be more specific, Amanda?” Lily asks carefully.
“I mean the possessive bullshit of the folks in the ‘Pride’, as it’s being called.”
“We are exclusive. What’s wrong with that?” I ask mildly, trying not to snarl.
“You are now,” Tamara snarks. “That certainly wasn’t the case before you arrived and changed everything, Talia. Deli was damn near free use back then.”
Deli stands up, looking at Tamara as if she's going to murder her on the spot. “Excuse me, what did you just say?”
“She didn’t say anything was wrong with it,” Amanda shrugs. “I don’t see why you’re mad, Deli, nor do I see why Talia is angry. I didn’t say her preference was bad, either. You can do what you want, obviously.”
I snort. “Good thing you realize that because you don’t get a say in how anyone in my family decides to share or not share their bodies, Amanda.”
“I’m not saying that, either,” Tamara sighs. “You’re taking it wrong.”
My mate stomps her foot, losing the cool she’s maintained all night for a moment. “How in the actual fuck was I supposed to take you suggesting that I was open for anyone, anytime—which is fine if someone chooses that—and now I’m a prude? There just wasn’t any room for misunderstanding in your statement, Tamara. However, there was a great deal of judgment for my choices, Talia’s, and those of people who live the lifestyle you accused me of.”
Get her on the slut-shaming, too—nice move, my love.
