Blood and Blade (Goddess with a Blade #6) - Lauren Dane Page 0,6

and to have dinner. Two birds one stone. It’s meant to be if you really think about it.”

“It seems you’ve been thinking about this.” The accusation in his tone had her back up but she knew he was doing it on purpose so she let it pass.

“Of course I have. It’s like we just met. Look, you know, just have her take a glance. What could it hurt?”

“It’s a waste of time,” he said in a tone so haughty she had to snicker and wave a hand his way.

“Don’t use the Scion-disciplining-the-underling voice on me,” she warned.

“It’s unnecessary to have a witch poking around in my head. I am more than fine, thank you.”

Rowan managed not to roll her eyes at the ice he tried to build a wall around himself with. “If it were me, you’d be saying the same thing. She’s not going to hurt you. You know that. You said yourself Lyr was a very unique Vampire. He had all that magic and stuff. So maybe the process of accessing his memories is different in a way Genevieve can see. Carl says. He’s a sage and everything.”

One of his perfectly shaped eyebrows rose as he stared her down.

“One might feel as if one’s spouse went around them to do whatever she wanted. Apologize instead of ask for permission? Isn’t that one of your quaint sayings?”

“I can see how it looks that way.” Probably because it was that way. But it was for a good reason and she had to be the bad guy as the wife sometimes. Right? And hello, sage. Carl was a for real kookoopants but when he told her Clive had dark magic in him, Rowan believed it utterly. “But this seems pretty close to emergency, klaxons sounding type stuff, and it’s not even just me thinking so.”

And still, Clive clenched his jaw so tight she heard a click.

“Are your results for this investigation so important to you, you’d rush me? Toss me and my efforts to the side if I can’t get you answers on your schedule?”

Though she knew he was being pissy, it still hurt that he’d even suggest such a thing. Which was why he’d done it.

* * *

Clive regretted the words the moment they flew from his lips. Regretted it more when he saw them land on the woman he loved like a series of slaps.

He growled, hating that he was going to have to apologize and let the witch poke around in his head because he’d been a prick. And there was a bloody dog in his kitchen. Another thing he’d have to tolerate, especially in light of his outburst.

Rowan spoke, wringing her hands a moment before she realized she was doing it and stopped, which only made him more sorry. “It’s not that and you know it. Look. You hate it when you’re not perfect. You haven’t been resting as much as you should. Even your daytime rest has been fitful. I’m worried that whatever it is inside you can’t get out and it’s going to hurt you.”

Though her tone was careful and wary, digging itself into his already guilty conscience, she squared her shoulders and looked him straight on. “I’m the wife and I have to make you do things you’re too stubborn to admit you need to do. Sometimes. Anyway. It’s part of the married thing so be mad all you want and say things you can’t take back. But Genevieve needs to look you over. A sage told me so and I agree and that is fucking that.”

His agitation flitted away as he leaned over to pull her close, burying his face in her hair. Her stiffness melted away as he said, “I apologize. I don’t think that. I struck out at you because you were right and it made me cranky.”

She snorted and he hugged her tighter, letting her unique magic and the beat of her heart soothe his annoyance and some of his guilt.

Just some, because he took his promise to care for her seriously and he’d just bollocksed it up. He’d need to think over something fitting as a better apology.

When she sat back from him after breaking their embrace, he stayed her with a hand at her cheek. “You’re everything to me. I truly am sorry.”

He was so much smoother than he was acting at that moment. Normally, he knew exactly how to manage his prickly wife but she was right. He’d been frustrated that Lyr’s memories hadn’t surfaced immediately. Even