Moving to the human’s world. Seeing Kardok settle into his new team, the Teal Terrors. Losing Sharra. Watching Korrad take on the responsibility for an infant, rebuilding our world. Working together at the mine. That nightmare of an explosion which had trapped us, both of us thinking we were going to die down there in the darkness, leaving Jay. The decision to pack up and move to Eastshore.
Together.
Always together.
Fuck.
I swallowed, glancing at my twin brother, then nodded tightly to Jay. “Pretty damn cool, buddy,” I managed. “I guess I understand why your dad is doing this.”
Korrad would do anything for his son, including tying himself to a female for the rest of his life.
Stupid noble idiot.
It wasn’t until later, when I was in my truck heading home, that I realized the twist of heat in my stomach wasjealousy.
What the fuck was that about? I didn’t believe in shit likehappily ever after. Yeah, Garrak had found Stevie, and Sylvik had hooked up with Brooke, but that was their choice, wasn’t it? They’d fallen in love, found their female, and settled down. They could call itMatingif they wanted, but that was bullshit: There wasn’t some unseen force that was going to controlme.
I didn’t need a Mate or whatever, didn’t need awife. I didn’t need afemaleto be complete. Just needed the chance to fuck one, every once in a while, and that was good enough for me.
Jocelyn is probably still on MonsterSmash. You could look her up.
Nope, I couldn’t.
The whole point of our agreement was that our hookup at that hotel was a one-time deal. One night only. I didn’t need anything more.
Why did myKteerhowl at that thought?
Scowling, I gunned the truck back to the apartment.
Jocelyn
“You’re gettingmarried?”I yanked my phone away from my ear to stare down at it, as if that would make my bestie’s announcement more believable. “When? Where? To who?”
“Towhom,” came Kesha’s amused correction. “Anytime you can replace ‘him’ for ‘who’, the word should bewhom.”
She wasn’t making any sense. “What?” I blurted as I slammed the door to the dryer closed and straightened. “You’re getting married tohim?Who’shim?”
“There’s no him—well, okay,obviouslythere’s a him. Well, I guess that’s notobvious.I could be marrying a woman, but I’m not.” She sounded flustered. “I’m just trying to explain when you use who versus when you usewhom. See?You’re marrying hedoesn’t work, the same wayYou’re marrying whodoesn’t work. It has to be eitherhimorwhom?—”
“Kesha, shut up about the grammar for a minute.” With a grunt, I lifted the full hamper to the metal counter and pulled my phone from between my shoulder and my chin. One of the benefits of doing my laundry at two in the morning was that no one was at the laundromat to hear me cut her off. “Go back to the part where you’re getting married.Whomare you marrying?”
“See? That was great! You used it properly?—”
“Kesha!Stop messing with me.”
I could hear her smile. “Just a guy.”
Oh no. I propped my hip against the counter and cupped my phone to my cheek, lowering my voice even though there was no one here to hear me. “Are you in trouble? Do you need help? Cough once for yes.”
There was silence from the other end of the phone, and I could feel my heartrate increasing. “Kesha?” I whispered.
“I was trying to figure out how to answer without using grammar, but now I’m concentrating on not coughing. Hold on, I gotta get some water.”
My breathwhooshedout of me in relief, and I slumped against the warm laundry. I could hear her puttering on the other end of the line, and I shook my head. SheknewI was dying for an answer and was dragging this out on purpose.
I used the opportunity to slip my EarPods in and switch the call over to them, so my hands were free. When I heard her clear her throat—I rolled my eyes at her attempt not to cough—I asked, “Can you hear me okay?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I? Are you trying not to cough too? Areyouin trouble?”
