Gunn(Bayou Springs Alien Mail Order Brides #2)(5)

 

"That's not true," a familiar, rough voice said from behind me.

 

I spun, meeting Gunn's expressionless gaze. "You sure about that? That was hardly a warm welcome."

 

His jaw tensed, and his hand clutching the door knob tightened. "What did you expect me to say? Thanks for deigning to return? Or perhaps I should've just kneeled down and kissed your feet, grateful for your presence."

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

Every muscle in his body had tightened, and the hostility swimming in his eyes made me want to take a step back. But my pride wouldn't let me. Yes, I'd hurt him. If he'd left me, I'd have been devastated and angry, too. Why couldn't he understand I'd done it because I'd had to, not because I hadn't loved him? "A simple hello minus all the vitriol would've been a good start."

 

Gunn opened his mouth, then suddenly shut it and visibly worked to control his temper. His expression turned blank again and in a detached voice, he said, "Hello, Kennedy. Welcome home."

 

A sharp stab of pain shot through my heart. The relationship Gunn and I shared had always been passionate, both physically and emotionally. All that seemed to be left now was cold anger. The realization left me feeling empty. Alone. Scared. An ache formed in my gut. I'd left after he'd asked me to stay, and there was no doubt that I'd permanently fractured the bond I once believed was unbreakable. "Thanks," I forced out.

 

"Cut it out," Audrey said, moving to stand in front of him. "Get your shit together. The way you behaved back there in the bar could've really blown everything we're trying to do here."

 

"What are you talking about?" he asked, suddenly sounding tired.

 

She waved an impatient hand at me. "Kennedy's here as your bride. A client of Intergalactic Dating Agency. Announcing to everyone in Lunar Eclipse Brewery that she is definitely not your fiancée, implying that you have no feelings for her, is the fastest way to get people to question why she left Gravity Bay."

 

"And why is that exactly?" he ground out, this time staring at me over her shoulder. "The IDA brings people to us who are looking for an under-the-radar way to break free from the Azurites' control. The last time I checked, Kennedy here was all about studying the other alien race on this planet …  or was she just seeing what it was like to date one of them?"

 

The disdain in his tone had me seeing red. Was he serious? Is that what he thought I'd been doing these past years as I worked tirelessly to understand what the Azurites wanted from our planet? That I was dating one of them? "You're joking right?"

 

His eyes narrowed as he continued on. "Are you seriously trying to deny you weren't cozying up to Bolt Saxton?"

 

"You've lost your mind," I said, balling my hands into fists. "He was a subject in our study, not that it's any of your business."

 

"Like hell it isn't. If you-"

 

"Gunn." Audrey cut him off with an impatient sigh. "Would you can it for five minutes so that I can explain why I asked Kennedy to come home and why it was so important?"  

 

That flash of anger was back in his dark green eyes. "I can't tell you how comforting it is to learn that she's only here because you ordered her presence."

 

"That's not the only reason I'm here," I blurted out, and then immediately wished I could stuff the words back down my throat. Now was not the time to bare my soul.

 

"Right. I bet that politician you worked for found out you weren't exactly the loyal employee you pretended to be. Let me guess, suddenly things got way too heated in Gravity Bay for a woman who has ties to an ancient family of Quartzine. Am I close?"

 

"Wait. You knew about Bolt Saxton and my appointment under Congresswoman Green?" Pieces of the puzzle started to come together, and instead of being annoyed with his accusations, a tiny thrill of elation shot through me. "You've been following my career."

 

"No. I … " He glanced away, gritting his teeth.

 

I bit back a smile. "Yes, you were."

 

"Echo does. He can't seem to stop himself from filling me in on every little detail he finds on the internet."

 

Ouch. Okay, that was entirely plausible, but his hesitation in denying my claim the first time around gave me pause. Besides, as far as I knew, my work for Congresswoman Green had been completely off the radar. Someone would've had to do some serious digging to know that. I hadn't even told Audrey. Once I'd taken that job, Audrey and I had severed contact, only communicating again when she'd called last week, warning me it was time to come home.