Possessive Alien Mate(Savage Martians #2) - Sue Mercury Page 0,29

assumed it was a lover she’d left behind on Earth.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Rem had apologized for grabbing her roughly and also for his reaction over the necklace, and she had accepted his apologies, however, now she was starting to worry he was prone to angering easily. If she couldn’t even figure out what she’d done to upset him, she imagined his reasons for being angry with her this time weren’t justified either.

She was pretty sure she hadn’t smiled at any of the guards she’d met at the palace. She also hadn’t spoken to any of them alone. Rem had been by her side the entire time, with his arm wound tightly around her shoulders.

Furthermore, she had also done her best to take up some of the cooking and cleaning duties around the house. She’d learned how to use the gadgets in the kitchen, as well as the clothing refresher. She had made a serious effort to keep house, emulating her aunt, who had always kept an impeccably tidy house, as much as she could. But was she still not doing enough around the house to please him? She gulped hard and turned to face the door.

Footsteps sounded on the stairway.

Her stomach flipped.

Oh God. He was finally on his way up to talk to her. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly and she struggled to remain standing. She hated that she was all at once afraid of him. She didn’t think he would physically hurt her, but she still hated conflict and wasn’t looking forward to this confrontation.

The door zipped open and he strode inside, his huge presence filling the room. His gaze remained dark and furious. His nostrils were flared and his muscles tensed. He looked murderous and she repressed a shudder. She was still racking her brain and still coming up empty—she had absolutely no clue what might’ve set him off.

But she didn’t want to cower. She’d come to Mars seeking a fresh start, a new life, and she didn’t want to be the scared little girl she once was. She lifted her chin and tried to summon her bravery. Whatever accusations he threw her way, she was prepared to meet them.

She drew in a deep breath, bracing herself for his anger.

But his next words made her blood run cold.

“You lied to me, Tyra. You lied.”

Chapter 15

Confusion washed through Tyra, as well as a deepening sense of fear. What in the world was Rem talking about? She hadn’t lied to him. Not that she could recall.

He stalked closer and thrust a tablet into her hand. She recognized the Martian Affairs emblem and began reading the short missive it contained, which was written in Galactic Common. She gasped at the contents of the message and backed away from Rem, almost dropping the tablet as her hands commenced shaking.

Oh God. She had lied to him, but she’d forgotten all about it. She’d told him her aunt and uncle didn’t own a video comm, but this memo from Martian Affairs was informing him that not only did they possess a video comm, but they’d had it installed in their home many years ago. The clerk in communication with Rem had even included their comm number.

Panic raced through her and for a moment, she felt as if she were back in her nightmare, on the bus headed for Fargo, only for her uncle to board the bus and drag her away.

“Rem, I can explain…”

“I’m waiting.” He loomed over her and the ridges on his forehead drew together, making him appear fiercer than ever. He looked as though he was ready to charge into battle and slay his enemies.

What could she say? She didn’t want to admit the full truth. The horrible truth. But she had to tell him something. She met his furious stare and inhaled a shaky breath, clutching the tablet harder so as not to drop it.

“I-I will admit I lied to you, and I am so sorry.” Tears burned in her eyes and she blinked hard, trying desperately to hold herself together. She despaired over the fact that she’d lied to her new mate, but at the time it had been necessary to protect herself. The full truth was a dark mark upon her soul.

Rem approached her, yanked the tablet from her hand, and tossed it onto a table near the window. It landed with a loud clatter and caused her to jump in place. He faced her and grasped her shoulders, though to