Always Practice Safe Hex (Stay a Spell, #4)

by Juliette Cross

“You know that she’s kind, funny, smart, and beautiful. But more than that, your heart is talking when you speak of her. Your soul too. I can feel it down to my bones.” My pulse raced like mad, jackhammering in my chest till I thought that quick-beating organ would burst right through my ribcage to shout a resounding yes! to Aunt Lucille’s accusations. “I know you’re scared,” she said gently. “And maybe you should be. It may not be love yet, but you’re falling fast, Gareth Michael.”

An old panic started to seize me. It wasn’t the darkness that lived inside me, but the unwanted, rejected, and abused child trying to break free and run from this emotion sending me into a frightened panic.

“How do I stop it?” I whispered. She chuckled and sighed. “I think it’s too late for that. When a grim finds that special companion, their own lifeblood in another, the darkness won’t ever let them go.”

How could she say something like that when I hadn’t even thought of Lavinia that deeply? Liar, the monster whispered. “Is that what this is?” My voice was rough and raw with emotion, something that was terribly rare for me. “You think she’s my…one? Without ever having met her. When I don’t even know what I feel for her?” “I know my psychic abilities are limited, son. I also know what I know.” She glanced at the urn again before taking a sip of her tea. “But there’s only one thing I really need you to hear.” “What’s that?” “Mark me well, Gareth Michael,” she said, aiming one of her hard expressions at me. The one that told me she meant business. “You are worthy of love, dear boy. And you have so much of your own to give.”

“So do this old lady a favor, will you? Open the door to your girl. Let her in.”

“She wants to know more about grims. About what we are.” “Then tell her.” “But grims keep the code so—” “Oh, fuck the code.” Aunt Lucille’s harsh language made me laugh.

“All that is bullshit. Especially when it comes to soul mates.” Again her gaze strayed to the urn. “You share everything.”

a silver tabby and a calico came trotting out of the woods, the calico carrying a small creature in its mouth. “Look at that, Apollo. Looks like Persephone won the hunt today.

Persephone Is like my goobie<3

“I’ll go see him tonight,” I assured Aunt Lucille. “You do that. Now, tell me what your Lavinia looks like,” she said a cheeky grin. I couldn’t help but smile. Then I proceeded to talk about my favorite subject all the way through dinner, wearing a stupid smile I couldn’t seem to, and didn’t care to, wipe off my face.

But also, you want to talk about your man.” A fluttering filled my stomach. My man. He wasn’t mine. Not yet. The very thought had me biting my bottom lip to keep from grinning too hard.

“I can’t even express how happy this makes me.” “What?” I snapped, frowning and smiling at the same time. “This sappy, googly-eyed look over a man like Gareth.” I didn’t protest the look, because I was well aware. “What kind of man is he?” “Super dark and broody. And delicious.” She had no idea. “He’s also fun,” I added on a laugh. “And funny.”

I was always aware of his fit physique in his tailored pants and dress shirts, but this offered a more defined outline of his body. I wasn’t a huge soccer fan, but I ended up getting sucked into the World Cup when Devraj parked on our sofa last November and watched every game. I was completely hooked on the excitement of the international competitions but also drooled over the lean-muscled, hard bodies of the players. As I stood there staring, Gareth reminded me of them.

Sean moved behind the counter and leaned on both forearms. “You guys want to, uh, use the supply closet?” I snapped a wide-eyed gaze at the deviant to find him snickering at his own joke. Gareth merely frowned since he thankfully had no idea what went on in that supply closet. Apparently, those four walls had seen quite a bit of action between both Evie and Mateo as well as Violet and Nico. Then Gareth asked, “What happened in the supply closet?” I almost passed out when Sean opened his mouth. “Shut it,” I warned. He laughed, and I was sure I’d have to knock him unconscious to keep from further embarrassment

THE ICONIC WORLD RENOWNED SLUTTY SUPPLY CLOSET!!!!

“Next time, you guys call me if you need an extra.” “The fuck they will,” said Gareth in his glacial tone. “Like you need another reason to get into trouble.”

“You don’t like it?” I asked. “No.” He heaved a sigh, which seemed like the most emotion I’d ever seen on him. Besides the lust-blazing fire in his eyes when we’d done sixty-nine in his office and the metal-twisting fury at the photo shoot. “It’s a brilliant idea actually.” He held my gaze, voice softer when he added, “Not surprising coming from you.”

“What do you think, Vi?” She smiled wide with a lascivious look. “You had me at werewolf wet t-shirt contest.”

Gurl same

Under the night sky and now that we were alone, I finally felt how strange—and wonderful—it was for Gareth to be holding onto me as he was.

“What’s this?” I raised our laced hands. His onyx eyes flickered to me and held. “You can let go if you want.” After a few seconds, I whispered, “I don’t want to.”

As I was rattling off possible dates, Gareth huffed out a heavy sigh and combed his hands into his hair in an uncharacteristic sign of frustration. “I can’t fucking focus here today.” His eyes darted to the doorway. “Why?” asked Willard. “Did something happen?” “Yes,” snapped Gareth. Willard flinched at Gareth’s hostile response. “What?” “Nothing.” I aimed a hard warning look at Gareth. Gareth scoffed. “Nothing?” He twisted to face me, his expression morphing back into murder mode. “You call that nothing?” “I don’t want to talk about it right now.” “And I don’t want to think about it right now,” he added, a pulse of furious magic billowing into the air. Willard jumped again, glancing around. “Did you guys feel that?” I rolled my eyes. “It’s him.” I pointed to Gareth then whisper-yelled, even though Willard could hear me perfectly, “Get yourself under control. I know you’re pissed, but it didn’t even happen to you.” Oh, boy, that wasn’t the right thing to say. His jaw clenched so tight I heard his teeth grinding together. Gareth’s look of malice was now burning into me. “Stop it, Gareth. We have work to do.” “Fucking fine,” he growled. Yes, growled like a goddamn werewolf. Then he snapped to his feet and slammed the chair back in place. “But we’re not working at this hellhole today. We’re working off-site.”

GAHDAMN GET YOURSELF A MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had I not had the patient tutelage of my caring aunt, Richard would now be dead.

Lavinia’s surprised expression on me. For the first time, I felt a little uncomfortable with my wealth.

Though I’d accumulated all of it myself from working cyber security for Obsidian Corporation, the many apps I’d created and sold to the highest bidders, and the recent night club I’d opened, I’d not quite realized how this level of wealth was not the norm. I’d once been penniless, alone, and unwanted. Though I could do little about the second two, I’d made it my goal to make sure I would never be without money again. I suppose, as in all things, I went a little overboard.

Lavinia opened her mouth to reply, but then the click-clack of Queenie’s toenails on the wood floor announced her arrival. Lavinia’s expression softened from shock to sheer joy. “Look at you, pretty girl.” She lowered to her knees and held out a hand. My three-legged dog immediately pranced over to the other pretty girl in the room.

“What a sweetie you are.” Then she looked up at me, smiling so wide my heart clenched at the beauty of it. “Queenie?” A stiff nod. “Queenie.” Her head bent back toward my princess, lavishing attention on her. Lavinia had tied her long black hair back with a silky, red scarf. Hands in my pockets, I tried to hold myself together at the sight of a beaming Lavinia on my floor in her business attire with my dog in her lap, laughing and cooing softly. She was so fucking beautiful and perfect, I couldn’t breathe.

I think the fact that I was still riding emotions of fury all the way back to my house, that I hadn’t prepared myself for what it would feel like to have her in my home.

“Very nice home, Gareth.” Lavinia was still looking around. “I’m pleased you like it.” My pulse quickened which confused me until I realized how badly I wanted her to like my home. How much I wanted her to like being here. Hopefully permanently someday if I was lucky.

“It’s very neat and clean, which doesn’t surprise me.” She smirked playfully. “I like things in order.” She huffed a laugh. “I know, Mr. Control Freak.” She honestly had no idea.

Lavinia squealed with excitement. Willard jumped. Queenie simply lifted her head and licked Lavinia’s wrist. I frowned, jealous of my own damn dog.

I could hardly handle having her so close—the woman of my dreams—imagining all the ways I wanted her in my house. Sitting at the kitchen bar while I cooked us dinner, stretching out on the sofa together watching television, playing with Queenie out in the backyard, spending night after night in my bed while I pleasured her. Mark me well…you are worthy of love, dear boy. “Think of something else,” I muttered to myself, blinking away these overwhelming thoughts and emotions as I opened a kitchen drawer where I stored my to-go menus.

The design would be the Blood Moon pack logo which was a howling wolf’s head at the center and the event title Wolves Gone Wild Wet T-shirt Contest and the date.

I LOVE THE WOLF GONE WILD SHOUTOUT

“And their muscles,” I’d added. “Don’t forget they’re dedicating that too.” Gareth had frowned but made no further comment. I kept my grinning to a minimum, but I loved poking him. That’s why I’d decided to play my favorite Depeche Mode songs on loop through his Bluetooth speaker. He hadn’t said a word. No one had in over an hour. But I could see his jaw clenching when “Never Let Me Down Again” came on for the third time. He glared at me, but I simply smiled sweetly back, then returned to my tablet. He rose and stacked the empty pizza boxes then carried them into the kitchen, while Willard went to the bathroom. When Gareth returned, he had his phone in hand, and he looked like a man on a mission. He sat on the opposite part of the sectional sofa rather than next to me this time then reached over and tapped my phone with his index finger. The music immediately stopped. How’d he do that? Then he set his phone on the table and a new song came on. As soon as the opening lines with the craggy voice of Gordon James Gano, the lead singer of the Violent Femmes, came on, I knew what it was. It was an iconic, eighties song of the alternative punk era. Gareth’s demeanor and expression transformed from annoyed to hot, aroused male in a millisecond.

Im so in love with gareth its insane

He was in a relaxed position of observation, but his body was tense, coiled. And I was the object of his inspection as Gano asked why he couldn’t get just one kiss.

This wasn’t Gareth being defiant and irritated from listening to my music. This was a serenade. And the song “Add It Up” was a plea, a command, and a countdown. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. He hadn’t taken his dark, predatory gaze from mine, and now he was mouthing the lyrics to me without missing a word.