Page 26 of Gardening and Gargoyles

“Oh, is that Mr. Fenclan, Junie? Telling tales, I see. Mr. Fenclan, I’ll thank you to keep out of this, it’s a private matter between June and myself. Now, look, darling. Listen. To reason. Let’s be sensible about all this.”

Daniel’s tone changes dramatically, and to me, that is a sure sign of his trickery, his faithlessness.

I only hope Lady June isn’t too stricken by grief to see it.

“I’m listening.”

“You’re living in a beautiful spot for the summer, rent-free, and don’t think I’ve forgotten about you using my car. Or my card. I could get you in a lot of trouble for that. Fraud. Theft.”

“You snake. I haven’t stolen a thing from you, ever. But you?Youstole my trust. My faith in nice guys. My fuckingheart.” June’s voice starts off so strong, but breaks by the end.

I move on my own, forgetting rules and manners.

I fold her into my arms, her back to my chest, my wings making a cloak over her. I barely notice the pain of extending my mending wing forward so far, in heaven because her bare, silky skin is in contact with mine.

Because she’s not pulling away.

Daniel’s tone turns pleading. “June, you've got all the goodies, all right? Where the fuck would you even put the statue, sweetheart? Nowhere in that pokey little hole you live in.”

“We-we were talking about a house. A big house with a pool and a garden,” June almost whimpers.

I can feel her tensing, trying to be strong. My hands don’t know what to do, so they do what they want. They gently stroke down her arms. My tail curls softly around her smooth, bare leg.

“We can still have that. You’re the one who ended things over a tiny indiscretion, a momentary lapse.”

“It’s not just the one night of cheating. It’s having a whole secret life you love and don’t want to give up, even if I don’t think it’s okay. Because... Because it’snotfor me.”

“Don’t act the prude, Junie.”

“I’m not! I don’t care what two people want to do in bed, but I do care aboutwhythey want to do it. I didn’t satisfy you. You had to have something more. Well... No. I’m not okay with that, and I don’t have to be. I want a man who is so in love with me, so devoted to me, that he doesn’t need to play with other girls to give himself a ‘special treat.’ That he’s happy with me, and if he wants something new, I’m a part of it.”

“Fine, fine. I... I’ll think about it. I won’t go to any clubs until we sit and talk. But I need the statue back. This girl, Gemma Gilchrist, or Gemma... I don’t know at the moment, but she’s a horrible little bitch, has a picture of the statue—off the property—and they have old photos that prove it was one of the original gargoyles in the first ever photo taken of this place. I bet you it was that stupid handyman I had deliver it, Nigel Salvin. Yes!Yes, I’ll sue him for every penny for violating confidentiality! He must have opened the crate. That’s illegal.”

June clucks her tongue. “No, it isn’t. I couldn’t get that crate open all by myself. You’d need a crowbar to do it. He opened it for me—and it’s notyourpackage, it was addressed to me. If I gave my permission to open it, then that’s okay. And I did, so it was, soyouare shit out of luck.” June’s voice is gaining momentum, and I want to cheer. The best part is that she’s staying in my arms, fighting with me at her back.

I’m her ally. Her watchmen.

I feel like I could fly again, soar in victory with her.

“You sent it to me, Daniel, and I’m not sending it back. Even if I did, you still violated whatever agreement you had because you took some old artifact and didn’t let someone check it out first like you promised. But you don’t exactly keep all your promises, do you?”

Daniel is quiet for a second, and then the voice that comes out is low and threatening, the voice of an intimidator who believes he holds all the cards. “I will call the police in Pine Ridge if you don’t go to the website I’m about to give you and print a shipping label within the next five minutes. I’ll take care of all the rest.”

“Call them and say what? I stole a Scottish statue and tucked it under my crop top before I hopped on a plane? Get real, Danny. Oops. You don’t like to do that when it counts.”

From low and slick to raging and booming, Daniel’s voice is so loud that the phone erupts in screeching, crackling noises. “I’m not kidding, June! You’ll be arrested for car theft and credit card fraud.”

I wouldnae let a man raise his hand to my woman—and this wee scunner’s raised voice is just as bad.

“No, she won’t.”

June gasps when I speak.

“Mr. Fenclan, I told you—”

“You told me to mind my business, but I’m a law-abiding man.” I don’t correct his assumption that I’m the landlord, but I know Ian would heartily enjoy the way I’m foiling this bastard. “I heard you threaten the girl, and I’ll tell the police exactly why you did it. You gave her permission to use the car and your card, I heard it m’self. You rented this place from me, as well, and ye’ll no’ be asking me to have her shove off just because you’re angry about your decisions, laddie. Ye’ll have to tell the planning committee or whoever that you made a mistake and ask them to forgive you,” I all but croon, certain that they will not.

“June, out of respect for our past—can you please tell that poser with the fake Scottish brogue to butt out?”