Page 51 of Fool Me Twice

Roma doesn’t move. “Are we sure we can trust them?”

And there’s that “we” again. “Nope,” Ez says truthfully. “But don’t worry. I’ll protect you if things go sideways.”

The words slip out before Ez can think better of them, and frankly, she’s not quite sure where they came from. Maybe the little gap between allies and friends that they’ve found themselves reluctantly cornered into? Maybe the shared trauma of being grudging work buddies under a corrupt system?

Maybe something else entirely, something that Ez just doesn’t want to name yet.

Whatever it is, Roma’s expression goes perfectly blank before smoothing back into its usual resting bitch face. “That’s really not comforting,” she says, but she takes a deep breath, squares her shoulders, and follows Ez through the rift.

23

Roma’s sneakers land on the solid wood floor of an apartment, and her stomach lurches as her eyes adjust to the interior lighting. She knows this place‍—knows it very well, actually.

This is the studio apartment where Obie set her up during her fake defection from the Sanctum. Her heart aches a little at the memory of him giving her a small smile as he handed her the key and telling her to text him if she needed anything.

At the memory of JJ sitting cross-legged on the couch across from her, trusting her with all of his doubts about the Sanctum and his love for his adopted daughter and the stirrings of his feelings for Cass.

It’s more than Roma was mentally prepared to deal with right now, and she swallows down the clench of guilt in her chest, glancing around. Ez either doesn’t realize that this used to be Roma’s place or is just choosing not to acknowledge it, and there’s no way Micah and Gregorio could possibly know, but somehow, Roma feels the weight of silent condemnation settling onto her shoulders anyway. “Well?” she says, trying to force it away. “What’s this varsity-level spell you want us to cast?”

Gregorio shoots her a withering look. “Patience, Gutierrez. We still need the rest of the crew, and‍?—‍”

He’s interrupted by the purple-gold of a transport rift billowing open a few feet away. Obie walks through first, his eyes impassive; Roma has the nagging feeling that he chose this apartment in particular as a glaring reminder of her betrayal. Cass steps out after him, shooting her a scowl, and behind him walks‍?—

Roma’s heart leaps. “JJ,” she breathes, taking an instinctive step forward.

It’s been so long since she’s seen him. It’s been solongsince she’s been this close to her old teammate, her oldfriend,the one she trained with and laughed with and talked with long into the night‍?—

She didn’t realize just how much she really missed him until precisely this moment.

But just as quickly as Roma moves forward, JJ steps back, his eyes hard. “Hi,” he says curtly, and he turns to Micah and Gregorio. “Do you still need me here? Since I’m apparently not your first choice for a human spellcaster anymore?”

The happiness in Roma’s chest shatters. She swallows hard past the sudden lump in her throat, blinking back the burning behind her eyes.

Right. The last time they spoke, it was at Lakeside with the summoner and the three neophytes, when Roma threatened to fight him and JJ drew his weapon on her, and the time before that‍?—

Well. The time before that was when JJ found out that Roma betrayed him and compromised Cass’s location. The time when Roma almost succeeded in bringing him back to the Sanctum by force‍—and would’ve managed it if Ez and Obie hadn’t shown up.

Ez might be cautiously willing to trust Roma, but it’s abundantly clear that JJ still doesn’t. The thought makesher heart hurt. And sheshouldbe concerned because JJ’s suspicions could compromise her mission,shouldbe concerned because her entire reason for being here‍—her entire reason for accidentally starting the mega-rift epidemic and working with Ez and associating with these demons at all‍—is to get him back to the Sanctum by any means necessary, but‍?—

But, if she’s being honest with herself, she cares a lot less about that and a lot more about how badly she hurt her old friend.

Gregorio doesn’t react to the accusation behind JJ’s words. “You can blame Laguerre for that,” he says shortly.

JJ’s glare shifts to Ez. Ez scoffs back at him. “JJ, I love you and all, but you and Obie have barely been able to close these mega-rifts‍—and Obie has been doing most of the heavy lifting. You were the first to tell me that Gutierrez is the Redwater Sanctum’s best spellcaster, and judging by our results over the past few weeks, that hasn’t changed.”

The words set off the same warmth in Roma’s chest that they did when Ez said them to Micah and Gregorio, and she shoves down the roar of emotions that comes with it. What iswrongwith her? She shouldn’t be so inexplicably pleased that Ez thinks she’s powerful, that Ez thinks she’s useful, that Ez thinks she’s a talented spellcaster‍?—

Roma shouldn’t put any stock in a demon’s opinion at all, but somewhere along the line, Ez’s approval apparently started to mean a lot to her. She determinedly tries not to analyze the thought too closely.

JJ’s jaw works. “Fine,” he says, and he turns back to Micah and Gregorio. “My question still stands, though. Do you need me here? Cass and I don’t like to leave our daughter at home alone for too long.”

“Well, there’s more to this story than just the spell,” Micah says. “And our contacts wanted you here specifically. Gutierrezthe Younger was a later addition, but‍—‍” His eyes flicker towards her. “But they didn’t seem totally averse to her presence, either.”

“Contacts?” Roma repeats, unease creeping down her spine. “What contacts?”

As an answer, Gregorio snaps open a rift. “Gang’s all here,” he calls through it. “And we’ve warded and soundproofed the entire place. Let’s get a move on.”

“Don’trushus, Ricci,” a shockingly familiar voice calls back, and Roma jerks away on instinct, all the blood rushing from her head at once. A few feet away, JJ goes absolutely rigid, eyes wide and face pale.

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