Because You're Mine(20)

His grin widened. “A banshee is the least of your worries. Wait until Barry’s mom gets back and finds out he’s married. Whooee, the fireworks will go off then.”

She swallowed the suddenly tasteless soup. “She doesn’t know about it at all?”

“Nope.” His eyes danced, and his smile widened. “She had other plans for Barry.”

Alanna realized he’d called Mrs. Kavanagh Barry’s mother, not his. “She’s not your mum?”

Grady shrugged. “She barely tolerates me here. Her perfect husband had to admit his infidelity when I was fifteen and my mother died. Pop was left with a son he had tried to hide for all those years. It was quite something to watch him dance around the three of us.”

She’d had enough of his stares. “Is that what you’ll be doing with your life . . . watching?”

“Bugs you, does it?”

She tipped up her chin. “No.”

He laughed. “Liar.” His eyes studied her again. “You’re going to shake things up in this house, and I’ve got a front-row seat. But I like you, Red. You’ve got spunk.”

She’d didn’t want to hear any more. Pushing back from the table, she rose. “Thanks for the soup.”

“You barely touched it.” He grinned.

She backed out of the kitchen and fled down the hall. Nothing was as it seemed in this house. Not the manor, not Barry’s family. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard a rumble like a lion’s roar. The sound vibrated through her bones, up her spine and into her hair, which felt like it was standing up on end.

Her throat closed in a spasm, and she turned toward the door, though she wanted to rush up the stairs to her room and hide under the covers. The roar came again when she reached the front door. She peered out through the sidelight windows, but it was too dark to see the source of the horrifying noise.

Before it could come again, she raced for the steps and the safety of her room. Alanna flung herself against Barry’s door. “Barry, what is that noise?” The rumble came again, and panic battered against her chest. She pounded on the door, and when he didn’t answer, she pushed into the bedroom. It was empty.

She took a deep, calming breath. Whatever was making that sound was likely something indigenous to the area. No need to fear. It was just the strangeness of everything.

Before backing out of Barry’s room, she glanced around. A plain gray sheet covered the bed, every edge tucked in. She could bounce a coin on the taut surface. No pictures on the somber gray walls. The room was a sterile cell, almost monk-like. Even the painted floorboards were gray. She picked up two medication bottles and stared at them. The medicine names on them were meaningless to her, but perhaps he had trouble sleeping.

The rumble jolted her bones again, and she left, pulling the door behind her. Were there big cats in this area? If so, one could be after the kittens under the porch. Maybe she could coax them inside from the porch. Gathering her courage up with both hands, she went back down the stairs to the front door.

The blackness outside the windows was complete other than a glimmer of moonlight on the water. Her glance took in a switch by the door, and she flipped it up. Pale golden light flooded the porch and the first few feet of the dark yard. The door creaked when she opened it and stepped out onto the warped floorboards.

A splash sounded to her left, and she glanced that way. The moonlight caught a thick black tail disappearing into the murky water. An alligator? She shuddered. Did it make that kind of sound? “Here kitty, kitty.” Only the frogs answered her.

Hugging herself, she backed toward the door. And bumped into someone. A scream erupted from her throat until familiar hands gripped her shoulders.

“It’s okay, sugar. It’s only me,” Barry said. “What are you doing out here?”

“There you are.” She burrowed against his chest, taking strength from the steady beat of his heart. She felt safe and protected in the circle of his arms. “That sound, it scared me.”

He lifted his chin from the top of her head. “What sound?”

“Some kind of rumble.”

“The alligators. They’re beginning to mate.”

“It sounded like a lion.” She shuddered. “I was afraid a big cat was after those kittens. Where were you? I called for you.”

“I was feeding Pete. He’s the alligator you just saw. He loves marshmallows.”

“That thing is a pet?”

A ghost of a smile lifted his lips. “Well, not really a pet. He’d take my arm if I let him.”

Alanna fell back a step. “Then why do you mess with him?”

Barry shrugged. “The thrill of it, I guess. It’s exciting to know I have to be on my toes. Gators are interesting too. You’ll see.”

She shook her head. “I’ll not be messing with an alligator.” She seized the doorknob and yanked open the door. “I met your brother. I’m beginning to think I don’t know you at all, Barry. First, you have parents I didn’t know you had, and now I’ve just met your brother.” She stepped into the cool dankness of the house. “It’s a good thing our marriage is a business arrangement.” She marched up the steps, eager to escape the questions raging in her head. Like why she had thought this rushed marriage was anything but insane.