Page 10 of Beneath My Skin

“What the hell… Some nice guy you are.” Instead of taking the hint, I walked closer. Prepared to bust out my secret weapon: the finger point. “You said you would take care of the damage to my car. The damage you caused by poofing out of God-knows-where and bending my bumper. Lo and behold, one week later and countless calls and messages left unanswered after your check bounced, I’m left with one choice. Tracking you down.”

“I thought the check would go through. I’m sorry,” he told me through clenched teeth. His hands made miniscule shooing gestures.

“Well, it didn’t, and you never answered your phone. If you didn’t want me to come find you then you shouldn’t have given me the info in the first place. Honestly, what kind of hustler are you?” My hands went to my hips. I was on a roll. “And don’t try to tell me you aren’t a hustler, because I know a hustler when I see one. What, you think you can pull one over on me because I look like a sweet person? You talk to me like I’m a silly little girl!” And there went the rehearsed scowl, loosed from its cage. “I’m not the innocent you think I am, mister, and if you insist on playing these games then you’ll see I’m willing to fight dirty.”

The shooing motions became frantic. “Mariella, please. Just get out of here. Forget you came and when you walk out those doors, don’t come back. I’m begging you.”

I laughed and tried to keep my eyes sharp as sabers. “If you think I’ll accept this, you’re mistaken. You are going to pay for the bumper and any other problems from your poofing. I’m not leaving here without cash.” I swallowed. “Period.”

“What’s this I hear about an accident?”

The voice was siren-sweet. A woman stepped out through an open paneled door to the left, her long sable-colored curls piled high on top of her head. Deep brown eyes met mine and rose-red lips curved down while shoulders covered by a conservative black suit jacket rose.

“Someone please explain what is going on here,” the woman continued.

Dax straightened, his eyes trained ahead and his face blank. Instantly sobered. “Mariella Revely, this is my employer, Jacqueline Rohn, the proprietor of Rohn Antiques.” He spoke with robotic perfection.

Jacqueline reached out a hand and I shook it, the softness of her skin at odds with the firmness of her grip. “You were in an accident, my dear?” she went on to ask.

Finally. Someone who understood. I nodded. “Yes. Dax…appeared…” I took a deep breath. “Dax stepped behind my car while I was backing up. I swerved to avoid him and ran over a shopping cart.” The lie slipped out with ease. “We came to an agreement at the scene afterward, but when I tried to cash the check he wrote me, it bounced.”

“Let’s go somewhere more private to discuss this. If you would allow me to escort you to my office.” Jacqueline swept her arm out toward the paneled door.

I inclined my head and marched past her, catching a whiff of unusual perfume.

From behind me, I caught her harried whisper to Dax. “What did you do now?”

A hint of a smile played on my lips. Good. He deserved to get in trouble with his boss. I walked down the hall, surprised and gladdened when it opened into a bright office with a view of the trees outside.

“I appreciate your taking the time to make this right,” I said, voice echoing in the large office. “I’m sure it seems odd, my bursting in here like this, but—”

Jacqueline settled herself behind the deck, crossing her legs. “No, not at all. I want to get to the bottom of the matter the same as you. I don’t appreciate my employees running wild. Especially when they jump out and scare someone into crashing her vehicle. What did you say you hit, again?”

I spared a glance at Dax as he moved into the room, standing just inside the doorway with his arms across his chest and his expression bitter. Like he’d rather be chewing his way through a light bulb than standing here listening to us talk. This wasn’t the same man from last week. Not by a long mile.

Forget him, I ordered myself. He’s the one in the wrong.

Not being familiar with how much Jacqueline knew about his djinn-ness, I said, “I swerved and hit a shopping cart. Don’t worry. It won’t cost a lot to fix the bumper. I have the estimate for repairs in my pocket.”

“May I?”

A blush crept along my cheeks and I reached over to hand her the crumpled quote.

Her eyes, an unusual shade of blue bordering on violet, scanned the paper.

“That’s a really pretty necklace you’re wearing, Ms. Rohn.” My gaze landed on the antique chain nestled against her ivory skin. It led down to an unusual medallion made of varnished gold, inlaid with an inscription I couldn’t read. Similar to my demon script, but instead of clearing into legible letters, the words blurred together.

Jacqueline touched her perfectly manicured fingertips to the metal and gave me a small smile. “Thank you. Now, about your estimate. This is acceptable. I can write you a check for the damage immediately. I’d rather do that than deal with your insurance agency, if you don’t mind.”

“Actually, I would prefer cash. I came because I wanted to talk to Dax about the bounced check and I’d feel better if…” I mustered up the last of my courage. “If I left knowing this was taken care of for good.”

Nonplussed by my statement, Jacqueline kept her voice calm. “Completely understandable, Miss Revely. I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation, honestly, because Mr. Parker knows to watch himself.” She flashed a glare in his direction and cleared her throat. There was genuine outrage in her expression.

For a moment, I wondered how close they were, employee and employer with a good twelve feet of distance between them. I pushed down a tiny kernel of jealousy. It wasn’t my business what Dax—a stranger and a liar—did on his own time. Especially not with a dark-haired beauty who seemed to have her life together. Unlike some people I knew.

“If you’ll give me one moment to get some cash from the safe? I’ll be right back.”

Jacqueline walked out of the room and I turned to look over my shoulder toward Dax. “See?” I said the moment she was out of earshot. “This is how you make things right.”

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