An Unusual Desconian Marriage (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) by Rachel Clark Page B

realized she’d likely been crying when he’d come in. “We tried to explain that it wasn’t an option, that the authorities on Earth wouldn’t let them return, but they were adamant that they wouldn’t stay on a planet full of sinners.”
    Jaegan reached over, grabbed the shower gel, and smoothed it over her skin. He wasn’t trying to arouse her. He just felt the need to keep touching her reassuringly as she explained something that had obviously affected her deeply.
    “They were horrible, Jaeg. Some of the things they said, the judgments they made,”—she swallowed hard—“the opinions they voiced made me shake with anger. We’re trying to help them, yet they said they would rather die than let us. I can’t imagine how someone as sweet as Deanna even survived on such a hostile planet.”
    Jaegan couldn’t imagine it, either.
    Katarnia turned in his arms, laid her face against his chest, and whispered, “Promise me that no matter what happens you will always love Deanna. I don’t want her having to deal with people like that ever again.”
    He nodded, wanting to protect all of them from such unwarranted vitriol, but he was experienced enough to realize that he couldn’t hide adults away as if they were children.
    “Of course I will love Deanna, and you, and Luddeke, no matter what, but Deanna would be very upset to think you didn’t trust her to be able to handle herself against them. She loves helping the women at the compound. A vicious few aren’t going to change the good work that she does for the rest of them.”
    Tears flowed down Katarnia’s face as she nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry, Jaeg,” she said, trying to wipe away the evidence of her distress. “I know Deanna wouldn’t let them upset her, but if I can protect her from them, I will.”
    “Me, too, baby,” he said as he stroked his hand up and down her back. “Luddeke also. Deanna is very much loved by all of us. Even if she comes across horrible women like that, she’ll know that she has our unconditional love and support.”
    Katarnia smiled and lifted up to press a soft kiss to his mouth.
    “Thank you,” she whispered and then leaned over to switch the shower to the drying cycle. Her legs wobbled with exhaustion as he let her go so they could dry off. Even before the cycle was finished he lifted her into his arms and carried her into bed.
    By the time he placed her on the mattress next to Luddeke and Deanna, she was fast asleep. Jaegan lay down beside her, needing to hold her close, his concern that Katarnia was slowly withdrawing from their marriage no closer to being resolved.

Chapter Eight
     
    “Hey, stranger.”
    Luddeke watched his mubella closely and quite frankly didn’t like what he saw. Instead of the soft smile and warm welcome he’d been looking for, Katarnia flinched slightly and gave him a guilty look.
    “Hi, Lud,” she said stiffly. “Where’s Deanna?”
    “Gone to visit a couple of friends.”
    “What? You left her alone?” She was half out of her chair in her panic before he could reassure her. He frowned at his wife’s out-of-character and overly dramatic reaction.
    “Kat, we’re inside the compound. She’s safe here. You of all people should know that.”
    She mumbled something as she sat back down and then tried to plaster a smile onto her face.
    “So what brings you here?” she asked as she reached for a cup filled with what seemed to be coffee, and then began reading whatever was on her computer again. Her every movement seemed designed to highlight that she was busy and he should leave her alone.
    But he wasn’t buying it.
    Katarnia had managed to avoid spending any quality time with him, Jaegan, and Deanna for the past several weeks. Instead of working less now that she had more staff, Katarnia was working harder than ever before.
    “I came to visit my wife,” he said, very deliberately using the human word for mubella.
    Again she flinched like he’d said something she didn’t