Page 65 of Incubus with Benefits
“Lilibeth!” It was Simone. “I’ve got some great news for you. We did a little digging and found out that someone had put a block on your profile. At first we thought it was an accident, but at my insistent probing, they dug a little further and found out that one of our web guys used to work with you.”
“Steven!” That must be one of his side gigs.
“That’s right. How did you know?”
“Did he do it after he got me fired or before?”
Julian was listening in now, his brows raised.
“He did it a few months ago.”
“Ah, so after I turned him down.”
“Ugh! Men! Anyway,” Simone continued, “we got that block removed for you. And we’ve terminated his services. I alsoblacklisted him, and when I did, it triggered a thorough investigation of his account, which in turn prompted a bunch of calls from people who’ve worked with him. You’re not the only one he’s harassed.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“That’s not all.” Simone sounded like she was about to spill the juiciest secret. “Looks like a few years ago, he’d set up some payment methods for a few witchy businesses thorough our Witches Helping Witches Program, and now, some of them want to press embezzlement charges. Turns out he’s been stealing from them.”
“No way!”
“Way! He made the charges look like banking fees. So even if the harassment charges won’t stick because of lack of evidence, these will. Anyway, don’t you worry about him anymore; his gig is up. And you should be getting that approval email anytime now.”
And right on cue, the phone in my hand buzzed, and a notification popped up.
“Congratulations! The Basic Witches are officially in business.”
“Thank you, Simone.”
“No problem. Just doing my job.”
“So Steven again, huh?” Julian said ominously from across the table when I hung up.
“Yeah, but he’s getting his just desserts. Let’s not give him any more of our time.”
Julian looked like he wasn’t ready to let it go but thought better of it. He leaned back in his chair. “You know what we should do now that the dreaded thing is finally off my ankle?” he asked. “We should take a drive. The leaves are changing, and the roads out by the lake are probably glowing with color right now.”
“Are you saying our visit to the forest cave wasn’t scenic enough for you?”
“It’s not the same. Just imagine the pretty colors and the lake breeze coming into the window, maybe with your feet on the dash and your pretty pink hair catching the sunlight.”
I laughed. “You’re awfully romantic for an incubus.”
“Only with you.” He stood, coming around the table and offering his elbow.
I slipped my arm into his. “Let’s go. But first, coffee! Let’s stop by the Witch’s Brew for a latte and say hi to Gigi. I think today is her first pumpkin spice day of the year.”
“Anything you say, Vixen.” He tucked me under his arms. “Anything you say.”
Chapter 29
Julian
Isatonthebench across from the Breach Containment Building, watching nervously for movement. EA headquarters still hadn’t signed off on the destruction of the portal, but that hadn’t stopped the rest of us from moving forward. Everyone here quietly agreed. It needed to end.
Alfonzo paced in front of me, a ball of restless energy. Every few steps, he wiped his brow with a folded handkerchief, muttering under his breath in Italian.
The plan was for him to show up tomorrow morning and find the portal gone, fizzling out overnight. In preparation for today, he’d been reporting for weeks that the portal had been weakening. His professional opinion, and the one that would be in the final report? There wasn’t enough magic to sustain the portal any longer.
