Page 26 of Cursed
“Sticking with what works.” Seth placed the same order they had before. “I imagine everyone tries to talk you into coming up with a way to ship your sauces from a website.”
“Oh, if I had a dollar for every time that came up, I could buy a mansion,” Pax agreed, ringing up their order as the workers behind him assembled the food. “There would definitely be an audience—but this right here is what I love about it, talking to people, meeting folks, and putting a good meal in your hands. Can’t do that from a website.”
They paid and thanked Pax, taking their orders to a table. Seth spotted Tony, but today the musician stayed with a pack of friends at a table close to the stage. Tony kept sneaking glances at them, and Seth wondered what lay behind Tony’s sudden reticence after his earlier friendliness.
“Seem colder to you today than before?” Seth noticed that Evan’s gaze had drifted to Tony as well.
“Yeah. Wonder what we did to look suspicious.”
“We need to win over Tony to protect Pax.” Seth dropped his voice so only Evan could hear him. “I’m hoping we get a chance to explain.”
The food was just as good as before, impressing Seth with its consistency as well as the taste and quality. If they could keep Pax safe from Vernon, he had a bright future in Savannah’s foodie community.
Someone else was on stage when they finished eating. Seth didn’t see Tony when he and Evan got up to leave and wondered if the other man had left the area.
Instead, they found him waiting by their truck. “What’s going on, and why are you hanging around Pax?” Tony challenged.
Seth had to give him credit for guts and loyalty. “Can’t we just like the food?”
Tony glared. “I’d be more likely to believe that if the cameras at the house hadn’t picked up this truck making several passes. It’s definitely you—got a picture of the plate.”
“Streets are public places. It’s not a crime to drive on them.” Seth wanted to figure out what Tony thought he knew before he tried explaining.
“We don’t live on a through street,” Tony said. “There’s no reason for out-of-towners to be there, certainly not more than once.”
Seth and Evan exchanged a look. “We’re security consultants and we’re here to protect Pax and you from the people who have been killing other men in his family.”
Seth wondered how much Pax had told Tony about the deaths. Since their intel confirmed that the two men were a couple, Seth had assumed Tony knew that Pax had lost people close to him, even though Pax himself didn’t know the true details.
Then again, not all relationships included sharing confidences, and Seth wasn’t sure how long the two had been together or how serious they were.
Tony’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It didn’t require a psychic to tell that the musician’s hackles had risen. He looked spooked.
“We’re in Savannah to stop the cycle and keep Pax safe,” Evan replied, meeting Tony’s gaze.
Tony shook his head. “Cycle? What cycle? Pax said those deaths were accidents.”
“They were made tolooklike accidents,” Seth said in a level voice. “We’re dealing with a serial killer who has latched onto Pax’s family, and he believes that taking a sacrifice every dozen years will make him immortal.”
Tony looked from Seth to Evan and back again. “Do you know how crazy that sounds?”
Less crazy than it will when we tell him Vernon is a dark witch with a coven and there’s magic involved.
“Things can sound crazy and still be true,” Evan replied.
“Are you guys FBI? Special Forces? CIA?”
“The same thing happened to my brother and father.” Seth sidestepped the qualifications for now. “And it almost happened to Evan. He lost family, too. We intend to shut the problem down—permanently.”
Tony’s eyes widened. “Does that make you bounty hunters? Vigilantes? You sound like those guys on TV who hunt monsters.”
Seth shrugged. “You’re not far off the mark.”
Tony took a step back. “That sounds illegal as fuck. Why not turn the killer over to the police if you’ve got the details?”
“It’s complicated.” Seth could see the skepticism in Tony’s eyes and couldn’t blame him. “We just want to protect you and Pax. Once it’s over, you go back to your normal life like nothing happened and no worries, because the pattern of deaths is finished.”
“You’re crazy and dangerous,” Tony said. “Leave us alone. Don’t come around here again and stay the hell away from our house.”
