Page 15 of The Magic of Discovery
The morning sunwas shining through my bedroom window as I changed clothes, getting ready to head downstairs to talk to Saige and see if I could get a read on her this morning. I’d already heard her laughter drifting up, bringing a smile to my face. She seemed like such a sweet and pure soul. I just couldn’t see her as having any nefarious plans swirling around in that head of hers.
Sloane had already left for the morning, something about ‘Operation Oldies.’ When he got a plan in his head, that was the end of the discussion. Sloane did what Sloane wanted, and that was why Cam was our team lead. Cam had a protective streak that could rival a fucking pit bull, but he also had a calm, cool way of processing decisions and scenarios. He never jumped before thinking, and it had saved all of our asses so many times. Thinking ahead, he planned for every possible outcome, and the guy was rock solid. While he certainly had his reasons, he struggled to let go of that level of control and live in the moment. Like Sloane, he had his faults, but I loved them both, well, loved them all, just as much as my blood-related family.
The love I had for my brothers powered my overwhelmed and desensitized heart, keeping me going when everything was dark. Hell, it was what saved me from the dark.
Women, now, they were problematic. Beautiful, no doubt, but also vindictive and fake, and I didn’t want anything to do with relationships. How the fuck could I ever connect with somebody if I could sense every damn feeling that crossed their psyche in a day? I couldn’t, and with me in the picture it made it hard for the others to find that connection, too. Cam once had a girlfriend for about a year, but she wasn’t good for him. I think he just liked the idea of having that kind of intimate connection, and in any case, that was during our training at Radical. Nikki had been another recruit, and they’d hit it off right away. Until she started getting increasingly more frustrated with Cam for not expressing himself enough, not giving enough to her on a spiritual level. That’s when she started fucking around on him.
My best friend had beat himself up trying to be something he wasn’t for that girl, and she hadn’t deserved his efforts. I’d picked up on the cheating pretty quickly; every time she hung out with us, she had guilt swirling around her entire body like a tornado. Then Kai shut the whole thing down when she’d shown up one night without having showered, and he smelled Jack all over her. Cam was devastated, to say the least. Since Nikki, he had thrown up his mental walls so high you’d need full mountain climbing gear to crest them. Not that any woman had had the chance to even try since then. Cam fucked, and that was it. One and done.
I was similar to Cam in that sense, except I tended to find sexual release with men. It wasn’t that I preferred men over women. I liked both pretty equally, but men were generally more straightforward. You wanted your dick sucked? Then you got your fucking dick sucked. No games, no bullshit. Just a mouth, and your cock slamming in and out until your demons were banished for too short of a time.
Fuck. Now I want my dick sucked.
* * *
I had just walkedinto the store when I heard a man’s voice; something about his tone immediately had my hackles up. Keeping my steps quiet, I walked further into the little space, discreetly eavesdropping on his conversation with Saige.
“Listen to me. I just want to talk to you, baby. You haven’t been returning my calls or texts.”
Who the fuck is this guy?
Saige was standing behind her bar with her arms crossed while a blond dude leaned over the counter, talking to her. Hidden behind a display that held different spell books and tarot cards, I started analyzing this guy’s aura. Anger, lust, manipulation, more anger.
Yeah, this isn’t going to work.
“I told you, Bryce. You need to get the fuck out of my store. I haven’t returned your calls or texts because we are done. The end, it’s over, and that is not going to change. Get. OUT!” Saige yelled at him.
Nothing. She was clearly feeling a multitude of things, but she wasn’t projecting a single one of them. Her eyes were spitting daggers, but her expression also betrayed another emotion: fear.What the fuck is going on?
Growling started, and I realized Maven must have been back there with her, and he sounded pissed off. Animals were great readers of people, and this piece of shit wasnota good person. Still, I didn’t think I should interfere.Yet, anyway.I’d be here if anything escalated, but I wanted her to be able to do whatever she needed for her own sake. She was a grown ass woman, not a damsel in distress, and I was no brown knight in shining armor.
“Do not raise your voice at me, or have you forgotten how the fuck to behave?” the bastard hissed at her, standing up to his full height. Shrinking away from him, it was as if a switch had been flipped, turning off Saige’s nerve.
“Ah, so you do remember. You were always such a quick learner. That’s what I love about you, baby.”
Mother of the moon.
“Come here. Do not make me repeat myself, Saige.”
His aura was nothing but darkness, rage simmering under the false cover of calm. When she flinched as he reached his hand out, lust shot out of his body so strong it almost made me gag.
Oh, hell no, fuck face.
“Saige,” I called in a low voice, “could you come over here and help me pick out a few things?”
Her beautiful green eyes filled with relief when she saw me there, giving her an out. I smiled at her, hopefully letting her know she was safe so long as I was here with her.
“Fischer, hi. Yes, of course I can help you out.” Walking out through the open end of the bar, she made her way over to where I was standing.
“I’ll be here when you’re done, Saige,” the idiot piped up, and I saw her back stiffen.
Douchebag Blondie was staring at me so hard his eyes were in jeopardy of popping out of his skull.I’ll happily remove them from his face if he wants to push his fucking luck.Saige came up to me, angled slightly away from the threat, but she kept him in her periphery, clearly not wanting to have her back to the enemy.Smart.Her face was red, showing her embarrassment, but she had no need to be. That pissed me off.
“Thank you,” she silently mouthed.
“I’m looking for some stuff to make a potion that might convince someone to be inclined to go out on a date with me.” I smirked, breathing in that potent smell of brimstone that told me Douchebag was about to erupt.
Try it, motherfucker. I’m banking on it at this point.
