Page 21 of Trust

“But we’ll be together, and I promise to protect you from all the people dying to get to know the man who’s taming the Hawker ghosts.”

“Pretty sure they’re still running wild,” Asher commented. “If the sound of the creaking floorboards last night was any indication.”

“They’ve had free rein of the house for several years,” Lucy said. “So, why would they give up their freedom without a fight?”

“Oooh,” Olivia said, clapping her hands. “I should have Bea come out and smudge the house.”

Grams nodded, twirling her strand of pearls. “Why not have a séance and see if she can get the spirits to stop by and reveal their plans? Maybe there’s some agreement that you boys can come to with your dead relatives, so you can coexist peacefully.”

“What the what?” Asher exclaimed. “Smudging, séances, agreements with dead people. No way.”

“Way,” she replied firmly. “My best friend Bea is a traiteur in training and comes from a long line of women who have the sight. I bet if you two play your cards right, she’ll take the house on and get the energy realigned.”

Zane crossed his arms. “I think we’ll leave the energy where it is for now.”

Olivia shrugged. “Okay, just let me know when you’re ready.”

“Is this the part where we pretend that’s a real possibility?” Asher asked.

“Yes,” she replied, watching her grandmother move in and begin what she knew would be nothing less than an entire interrogation. She glanced up at Zane and saw him frown. “What is it?”

“Liv, I don’t think the fair is such a good idea. The kids may be freaked out by my scars.”

Uncertainty swam in his deep green eyes, and she pressed her hand to his chest. “The kids are not going to care, and I bet they’ll assume you’re just some kind of superhero. Which, you kind of are since you’ve done the thing, so few have managed and put yourself in peril so that we at home don’t have to.”

“I’m no hero, Liv.”

“Agree to disagree,” she replied. “And for the record, I find you very attractive and don’t think the scars detract from your appeal in any way.”

“You are some kind of crazy woman.”

“In a good way, right?”

“Yeah, Liv. In a totally good way.”

“Excellent.” Tuning back into Asher's conversation with her family, she felt Zane’s energy change and hoped he’d eventually consider opening himself up just a little bit.

Everyone deserved a bit of happiness.

Including the beautiful, tortured man standing at her side.

SEVEN

So much for living a solitary life, Zane thought, catching his reflection in the rearview mirror as he pulled into the parking lot of Haven’s biggest park. “Don’t know if I’m up for this.”

“Can’t be any harder than being a door knocker on the mean streets of Mosul,” Asher replied.

“And that’s where you’d be wrong,” he said quietly. “People have never been my thing, and the older I get, the truer it becomes.”

Asher turned and raised an eyebrow. “Hawker men do not shy away from shit. And that includes a small woman who bears a striking resemblance to Tinkerbell’s dark cousin. Olivia looks at you like you hung the moon and stars, so dig deep, brother, and pull out that bad-ass Green Beret grit and throw a little her way.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” he replied with a snort. “This is more of a SITFU situation, and I need to suck it the fuck up.”

“Whatever, I speak Navy, not Army.”

“I’m not even interested in Olivia, so…”

Asher tilted his head out the truck window and grimaced. “Don’t be lying when we’re in a parked car. I’d like at least half a chance of escaping before lightning strikes and God sends down his wrath.”

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