Marrying Mari (24 page)

Peter looked uneasy. “Are you sure, because, well, it’s kind of messy.” The younger man glanced around.

“Talk.”

“Okay. If you’re sure.”

As Mari and Irene laughed, Gabe walked up to them. “What’s going on?”

Irene said, “Ladies’ room.”

Mari added, “Bananarama drama.”

“Ha!” Ethan’s sister snorted with laughter. “Oh, my God! Bananarama!” She looked at Gabriel. “You better treat this one right. She’s ten times better than any girl you’ve dated, including those three. Didn’t they look like fake Disney princesses?”

Mari nodded, “My thought exactly. Weird.”

Gabe grinned down at them both. Finding them together relieved the anxiety he’d felt after his conversation with Allison. “Are you two done? Because I would like to dance.” He slipped one hand through each girl’s arm and led the way back to the crowded ballroom.

Ethan stared at Peter. “You’re lying.”

His cousin shifted, raised his hands. “I’m sorry, man. That’s what he heard. I didn’t believe it, so I called myself, talked to two of the managers. Same guys who hired her. They verified it all. I can give you their numbers if you want. You call, hear the facts from them.” He stared at Ethan, looking nervous. “You said you wanted it straight.”

“Yes.”

Ethan knew he was being curt with Peter when all his cousin had done was the research he’d requested. His jaw ached. No surprise, it was clenched tight. His headache had returned, throbbing up and down the back of his head, his neck and down into his shoulders. Like someone had strung wires under his skin and pulled everything into knots. He stared at his cousin.

“Look, man,” Peter swallowed, backing up a step and he realized his hands were fisted and he’d released a snarl at his cousin.

Ethan forced himself to relax. Even smile. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.” Somewhere under the mix of anger and embarrassment, there was pain. He repeated, “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it, and if you wouldn’t mind keeping this just between us, until I let you know what’s going on.”

Peter nodded, relieved. “Completely confidential. Again, sorry, cuz.” He sidled away, looking happy to escape.

Ethan ignored him. Where the hell was Gabriel?

Chapter Sixteen

Mari waltzed with Nate. “I don’t really know how to do this,” she confessed.

“You’re doing fine,” he said and smiled at her. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Yes, thank you. It’s a little overwhelming.”

He nodded. “I’m not surprised. But you and the boys seem to be taking things in order.”

“In order?”

“There is a kind of traditional process here in the Colony. I realize it probably seems slow and old-fashioned, but in the long run, that will make it easier when you have children.” He guided her around another couple. “Better to be careful,” he said after a few moments. “I know Ethan and Gabriel are eager to get you settled.”

“I haven’t agreed.” Her voice was hesitant, but he nodded reassuringly.

“Neither has the Board, and without that, of course, nothing can happen.” Nate paused thoughtfully. “It’s wise of you to take time, Mari. I want you to know I appreciate your caution. Once the Board reviews the documents, we’ll know more.”

“Documents?” This was all news to her.

“Your records and background, the precedent Ethan is citing in proposing his unique request of allowing you to join the Colony now. Because of their contract with us, your mating has to be approved.”

The music stopped and Nate guided her to a graceful stop. She stepped back. “Thank you,” she said.

Nathaniel shook his head. “Thank you.” He put his arm out to escort her back to the table, but Mari suddenly realized her left wrist was bare.

“Damn. I’m sorry, I’ve lost my bracelet somewhere.” She looked on the floor at their feet, but saw nothing.

Nathaniel looked down, too, then out over the heads of the crowd. “I’ll go see if anyone turned anything in.”

She considered. “I’m going back to the ladies’ room. Maybe the bracelet fell off in there. It matched my necklace,” she added. “Gabriel and Ethan just gave it to me.”

Nathaniel patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll find it. I’ll meet you back at the table.” He left and Mari headed back toward the bathrooms, carefully looking on the floor, under and around the chairs and furniture on the way. In the bathroom, she checked the stalls, the mirror room, and under each chair and sofa. Nothing.

“Damn,” she cursed softly. Not the best way to repay the men’s generosity.

Walking back, she saw a door slightly ajar. The room was dimly lit. Not remembering if it had been open or closed when she first passed, she pushed it open and looked on the floor just inside the door.

“Looking for this?” a woman’s voice asked, and Mari glanced up, eager. Her expression faltered a little bit when she saw Angelica, Gabriel’s mother, holding her bracelet.

Mari stepped forward. “Yes, thank you.” She held out her hand, but Angelica continued to play with the bracelet, rather than give it to her.

“I’m pleased we can talk, Mari. You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?”

“I’d prefer that you call me Mariella.”

The other woman smiled. “All right. Mariella. How long have you known my son?”

Mari glanced at the door, still ajar. “If you want to know anything about our relationship, I think you should ask Gabriel.”

“You’re wearing his ring. Well, his and Ethan’s ring because they’re a package deal. Always have been.”

She stayed silent.

“You’re going to mate with them. Make a triad. Have they told you what that means for a woman in the Colony?”

“They’ve told me what it means for them. I can’t say whether that’s the same for everyone here.” Mari kept her voice and gaze even.

“Those boys. They’re always making new rules for themselves. Of course it was Ethan who started it. When he was young, Gabriel had no ambition. Well, other than to have sex with as many women as possible here in the Colony. I see you’re not shocked. Interesting.”

Mari took a breath, even though she could feel the anger rising inside her. “Gabriel has told me about his past.”

“The girls? Like those three fools in the ladies’ room? Yes, I saw. And the older women who seduced him so young. Many of them are here tonight. With their husbands. And some with daughters my son has also fucked.”

The ugliness stung. “Can I have my bracelet, Mrs. Pryor? I’d like to get back.” Mari held out her hand again.

“You’re very calm, Mariella. Maybe it doesn’t matter to you. But I got off-track. Ethan and my son left here, you know, to go to college at Harvard. Not too far, and certainly other Colony students had gone there. Then Ethan wanted to go to business school, but not at Harvard, as Colony tradition dictated. Oh, no, to France. Some fancy school there, best in the world. Impossible! But Ethan Stone made it happen and he took Gabriel with him. When they came home, they made an arrangement with the Colony Trust. It’s an arrangement you should know about because it concerns you. It’s why you’re here.”

“I’m here because they invited me.” Mari refused to take the bait.

Angelica laughed, a hard, ringing laugh. “Oh, no. You’re here to ensure their freedom. Gabriel and Ethan wanted to live and work in the city, not in the Colony. Ethan would run the bank, while Gabriel would run the other businesses, that club and restaurant. Escaping the Colony! There were strings, of course. They’d have to return a certain percentage of their incomes to the Colony’s treasury. They’d have to marry a Colony-born woman. And they’d have to raise their children here. Have they explained all that to you? That while they’ll continue to work in the city, you’ll be here, nursing babies. They haven’t, have they?” Angelica looked pleased. “You’ll be stuck here, just like the rest of us, while they’re playing in the city day and night. How long, I wonder, before they don’t even come home at night? Before they go back to playing and leave you holding the babies? So,
Mariella
, you’d better make friends with me because, well, it will make your life a lot more pleasant in future.”

“Because you’re influential here?”

“Yes.” Angelica dropped the bracelet into Mari’s hand. “I am.” The woman smiled and posed on one of the chaises. “
Very
influential.”

She stared down at the bracelet, suddenly cold. An ugly thought had surfaced.

“I saw. You tell everyone what to do. All the women, anyway. And they do it, because they’re afraid of you.”

Angelica shrugged. “That’s an unpleasant way of putting it, but yes.”

“You don’t care much for your son, though.”

“No, not really. I never wanted him. Gabriel was just another chain holding me down. And he doesn’t care much for me, either, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Mari nodded. “I did. But I’m interested in you now. You can’t always have been the Queen Bee. You must have gotten there somehow. And I think I know how. One way, at least.” She took a deep breath and continued, looking straight at Angelica. “You used Gabriel. When he was sixteen. You…offered him to your friends. Gave him like a party favor. He thought it was just chance that that first woman—what was her name? Carla?—seduced him. But you gave her the idea. And your permission. Or your orders. After, you could hold it over her, that knowledge. And the others that followed. Those women would never have taken the chance of seducing your son without your permission, in case you found out. Or why Gabriel? Why not seduce Ethan? Because Gabriel had no one looking out for him. Because Gabriel’s mom was in on it. And it was a double bonus for you, wasn’t it? Becoming Queen Bee and hurting your son.”

Angelica stood up and walked to her side. “Smart girl. You figured it all out. But you won’t tell Gabriel.”

Mari stood, staring up into the taller woman’s face. She could feel the anger and disgust choking her.

“You won’t tell him,” Angelica repeated. “You’ll keep our little secret.”

“
Your
secret. But no, I won’t tell Gabriel.”

“Won’t tell Gabriel what?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Mari whirled around.

Gabriel straightened and came into the room. She could feel the tension and anger radiating off him in waves. There was a smile on his face, but his eyes were blazing gold with fury. He stared at her. “Mari?”

Angelica casually took Mari’s upper arm in her left hand. The older woman’s long, manicured nails dug into her skin and muscles, stinging the flesh. She suppressed a wince.

“Nothing, what do you think?” Angelica’s falsely sweet tone grated.

Mari flicked a glance. “Oh, I have to tell him. I lost my bracelet,” she said quickly, ignoring the hard, deep bite of five pointed nails into her skin. She dangled the loose bracelet with her free hand. “I didn’t want you and Ethan to think I was so careless. Your mother found it and returned it. I asked her not to tell you.”

Some of the tension left him. “Nathaniel told me you’d lost it. I was going to help you look.” Gabe came close and took the bracelet from Mari’s hand. She held out her arm and he fastened it, cupping his hand around the bracelet and her wrist. “I’m glad it turned up.”

“Me too.”

“Are you ready to go?”

Angelica’s fingers bit into her arm again. “Your mother and I are having a talk. About you, so go away.” She smiled up at him, aware her smile was too bright and fake.

“Are you sure?” Gabe asked, hard. He tried to look in her eyes, but she evaded him.

“Go away,” Mari replied, pushing him playfully. Aware of the woman slightly behind her.

Gabe stared at her, then slanted a glance at his mother. “Five minutes,” He commanded. “On the dance floor in five minutes.”

She lifted her chin and met his eyes. “Five minutes.” She gave him another bright, fake smile, and saw the suspicion and tension return. He flicked a glance at Angelica, then at her.

“Darling, get out. How can Mariella and I become really
good
friends if you’re hovering over us?” Angelica’s voice was hard and amused.

He turned and left without another word. Once he had left the room and closed the door with a snap, Mari reached up and pried Angelica’s nails out of her flesh. She’d be bruised, if she wasn’t actually bleeding. Mari said, fast and hard, “Don’t ever touch me again or I will tell everything. But not to Gabriel. To Ethan and his father. I’ll let them deal with you.” She saw uncertainty in Angelica’s eyes, finally, and shoved the other woman’s arm away from her.

Angelica fell back two steps and sneered. “Fine. But you’ll find yourself stuck in this prison just like I am, very soon. Those boys will marry you, knock you up, and dump you here while they play their games any way they like. My husband is an animal, always rutting on some woman. Can’t stop, always new bitches, always the thrill of new pussy. You’ll see. You’ll be just like me.” The woman came closer and shoved her face near Mari’s, keeping some distance and dropping her voice to a whisper. “But no one here will have anything to do with you, because you’re an outie and a half-breed, no matter what
Ethan
Stone tells you.”

Mari shot back, “They’re men, not boys. And I’ll never be like you.”