Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Elaina wholeheartedly agreed with, “I was just about to fucking say that. What. A. Cow. As if we’re stupid. And all those cracks! How we killed her mother. She said that, what, three times? That little dig about your ass and my thighs when Orvand was measuring us? I wanted to slam her head off the table. I think Orvand hates her, too. He kept rolling his eyes at me behind her back.”
Zane told us that the allergy probe was sensitive enough to pick up anything in the immediate vicinity of the substance. I was certain it was those pink sugary crystals that contained the allergen.
Zane dialed a number as his car rose from the roof of his office building. We drove in one direction and Quid and Elaina drove in another.
“Spar,” Zane said, “Your woman is out of her fucking mind. I’m reporting her to the police for trying to kill Tanya.”
I gasped.
“She tried to poison her today. She brought her and Elaina over there to humiliate them both repeatedly in front of her friends and then tried to poison Tanya’s drink, knowing about her razzleberry allergy.” Zane listened on the phone for a minute and then said, “Really? I don’t think so, no. She could’ve killed my wife. No, but fine. Twenty minutes.” He ended the call and looked at me. “He’s coming over to talk about it.”
“She has babies. I don’t think it’s right to have her arrested, Zane.”
“She could’ve killed you, Tanya. Taken you from me. From Ollie.”
“Maybe she didn’t realize it was that dangerous.”
“Ollie told the group as much at the wedding.”
He had.
“Okay.”
“Don’t make excuses for someone who is pure evil.”
I nodded. “You’re right. I hate to think that of anybody, but… evidence suggest she wants to hurt me. I don’t know what I did.”
“You’re just the closest Earth woman in striking distance.”
“That’s really sad. And unfortunate. I would’ve been friends. I wanted to be.”
We were home.
“I know, baby,” he touched my face. “Her loss.”
Fifteen minutes later, Ollie was home from next door.
Twenty minutes after that, Spar and Treya knocked on the front door. I saw a very fancy vehicle parked on the street. It was the sky-car equivalent of a limousine.
She came in behind him and immediately pulled me into a hug. “Oh Tanya. I’m so very sorry. I honestly had no idea that what I’d served you would hurt you. Honestly.”
I was taken aback by her affection. She didn’t seem to be that type. In fact, she made weird faces at us when Jetta and I had hugged at the wedding.
“I am so very sorry,” she repeated.
“Get your hands off her,” Zane snapped.
She looked at him with an expression of horror.
“I want to believe you, Treya. I do. But Zane isn’t so sure you didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I would never!” she gasped.
Ollie ran into the room at that moment, about to say something, Chili on his shoulder when Chili took one look at Treya and let out a blood curdling, ear-piercing scream.
We all plugged our ears as it went on. And on.
“Kill it! Get it, Spar!” Treya cried out, shrinking behind her husband.
“Don’t kill it. He’s our pet,” Ollie hollered at her, “You horrible sour sow!”
“Take him out. Out!” Zane shouted and Ollie dashed out of the way, Chili still screeching from his shoulder at Treya with his mouth wide open, looking terrified.
When all the craziness died down, Treya calmed herself and pleaded with us. “Please believe that I didn’t mean it. I had these imported candies and I don’t know the contents but if they contained something you’re allergic to, I promise it wasn’t my intention.”
“Okay,” I said.
Zane glared at her. “Get out.”
Spar put his hand on Zane’s shoulder. Zane jerked back. “She’s nowhere near my family. She tries anything again, it’s on you. And I’ll have her not only arrested but sent to the outer limits for a life of hard labor.”
“Zane,” she said with pleading eyes.
“I have a finely honed beast shit detector, Treya, and it’s flashing right now.”
“Let’s go,” Spar snapped to his wife, not arguing with Zane.
CHAPTER 34
ZANE
Almost Two Months Later
He was taking Tanya and Ollie to the Rosa Waterfalls. This was a holiday region in the Cavernous Mainlands Region B of Phallyx, an area bordered with caves and waterfalls, next to the islands region. The Rosa Waterfalls were pink and had long been a popular place for weddings and family holidays before the plague took the women and the marriage laws changed.
Zane told her that it was a mini break and that they’d look at real estate at Fjord’s Edge, but Ollie knew the truth and helped him plan their official wedding. The Rosa Waterfalls region would be seeing an increase in tourism business as more women arrived. Despite the Phallyx laws of sex equaling marriage with no further ceremony being required, ceremonies were happening often. Earth women seemed to liked the confirmation of their husband’s love through a ceremony with vows, pretty dresses, and parties.