Page 32 of Hidden By the Gargoyle

His brow furrowed. “Have you told Minerva? And why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t tell you because I thought he was probably lying. I’m going to talk to Minerva about it tonight because I thought it was a conversation best had in person.” I held out my hand. “My phone please.”

Dax stared down at my palm. For once, I could read his expression. He was torn between what he thought best and not interfering with my free will.

After a few tense moments, he sighed and put the phone in my hand. I noticed he was careful not to touch me when he did.

Still, the fact that he didn’t outright deny me access to my phone surprised me. I thought I’d have much more of a fight on my hands.

“You’ll let me know when he gets in touch with you,” he rumbled, his voice once again gravelly.

I was hearing that timbre more often over the past few days and I was beginning to understand that it was how he sounded when he was frustrated. Something he rarely seemed to feel around me in the past.

“I will,” I agreed. In fact, I would probably complain about Sommerton’s attempts to get under my skin if they continued.

Now that I was over my surprise at the sight of the warlock, I was annoyed. Sending me that picture reeked of frat bro behavior, which had been a huge reason why I hadn’t dated in college. Half the guys I’d talked to, whether they were in a fraternity or not, acted like I should be ecstatic they were deigning to speak to me. That arrogance was obnoxious and off-putting to me.

I took a moment to block the number that Sommerton had used to text me and tucked my phone back into my pocket. “See? I blocked him. If he texts me again, you’ll be the second person to know.” I paused. “Well, the third since Sommerton is one and I’m two?—”

I had to bite back a grin when Dax grunted and turned on his heel, stomping back over to his desk. As soon as he leaned down to type on the keyboard with an index finger, Poppy winked at me over his head.

A small snort escaped my mouth, but I made sure to look busy when Dax looked in my direction.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I informed Dax over lunch that my aunt was coming over after work and he insisted she stay for dinner.

I half wondered if he was trying to limit our time alone and that suspicion grew when he stayed much later at the office than he had the day before. It was only when Poppy declared that she’d been here long enough and took off that he started to shut down his computer and tidy his desk.

Since I offered to make dinner, Dax disappeared outside almost as soon as we arrived at the cabin.

I tried to ignore the ache in my chest as I scrounged through the fridge, looking for ingredients for the meal. I wasn’t quite as good a cook as Dax, but I wasn’t horrible either.

In the end, I decided to make chicken enchilada casserole. It was one of Minerva’s recipes that I’d tweaked and made my own. Every time I made it over the years and Dax was over for dinner, he would eat nearly half the pan by himself.

Since he’d been making all my favorite foods over the past couple of days, I decided to return the favor.

I had the chicken simmering in a pan with onions and peppers when the thought of going outside hit me. I tried to shake it off. Dax was out there, and it was clear he was avoiding me. I didn’t want another awkward encounter with him.

I was also enjoying the first time I’d been alone in over forty-eight hours. At least that’s what I told myself.

Once the chicken was done, I assembled the casserole and slid it into the oven, ignoring the thought circling in the back of my mind that I should walk out the front door.

Just as I was about to set the timer, the thought became more insistent, almost painful in its intensity. Ineededto go outside. I went to the window and peeked outside. There was nothing there but trees. I didn’t even see Dax.

I tried to shake off the thought and went back to the counter where my phone sat. I needed to set the timer, but my feet kept going, carrying me around the bar and through the living room.

I tried to stop, to turn around, but it was as if my body no longer belonged to me. By the time I reached the door, I was no longer trying to stop myself. The urge to walk out of the cabin and into the trees nearby was unrelenting and irresistible.

My steps were slow and measured as I crossed the porch and went down the steps. I skirted the SUV in the driveway and walked into the forest, going away from the lodge and the cabin. The farther I went from Dax’s house, the less I was concerned about staying inside. Or Dax. Or anything.

All I could think about was getting to the edge of the property. There was something special waiting for me there.

I heard a whooshing sound above me, but I didn’t lift my head to look up. No, I needed to keep going. The edge of the resort was beckoning me.

Something heavy landed to my right but my vision narrowed until all I could see were the trees in front of me.

Almost there. Another hundred feet and I’d reach my prize.

I felt something around my wrist, and I tried to shake it off. It tightened until I hurt, but still I fought to get free. I cried out in pain and the manacle around my wrist released.

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