Page 31 of The Most Wanted Witch

“I have to go. Nothing else to do. I need to buy us time.”

“Wow, you’re really going to go,” Bibbi said, sinking back into her chair.

“She’ll be fine. She’s tough. She can handle this,” Musso added.

Dusty jumped onto my lap, making little whimpering noises.

Zab got out of his chair and reached for newsflash papers. “We should probably call—”

“We should call no one. This was my agreement, and there’s nothing Hawk can do about it. I know. You don’t like it. She doesn’t like it,” I said, pointing in Bibbi’s direction. I looked at Musso. “I’m sure you didn’t like it either.”

He grunted.

“But it’s done, and I’m going to uphold my end and buy us time. Now I’m going to go get ready before dinner, since I have no clients anyway.”

* * *

All leather, the better for fighting? Or something a little softer so I didn’t appear to be picking a fight? Maybe something in between? I settled on leather pants, along with boots that had a good grip and a hard sole, and a fuzzy sweater that clung to all the right spots.

Everyone was eating dinner when I went downstairs, but no one was talking. The room grew quiet as I took a seat. There wasn’t any blame. It was hard to start a conversation that didn’t involve the only thing we were all thinking: I had an evening engagement with a demon.

No matter how many times I said that in my head, it never lost its bite.

Hawk wasn’t back, which wasn’t altogether unusual. No one really knew what he did most of the day. Considering some of the secrets I did know, that might’ve been for the best. Plus, I didn’t need anyone adding to my own chorus of doubts.

I took a scoop of stew and filled my bowl. I wasn’t particularly hungry but ate like it was my last meal, just for the sake of it. If the leather pants and boots ended up being more appropriate for tonight, I’d need the sustenance.

“Cute outfit,” Bibbi said in between bites of stew. “I don’t remember seeing that sweater before.”

She hadn’t. It had been an impulse buy, a little too fuzzy and a little too deep a neckline for what I typically wore.

“If he’s a warm-blooded—something or other—it should keep his attention,” she said, as she dipped a roll into the broth.

“Can’t hurt, I figure.”

“You’re not trying to date him, are you?” Gillian asked from across the table, looking like she’d been fed poison. “I mean, I heard you didn’t get many dates, but don’t you think this is a little bit much?”

“Of course she isn’t,” Bibbi snapped.

They continued to bicker as Oscar walked to the door and nodded for me to follow him. He was leaning on my desk when I joined him.

“You sure you know what you’re doing?” He scanned my outfit with a look that was more like fatherly concern than the roguish looks he gave me when Hawk was about.

I walked over and leaned on the desk beside him. “Of course I don’t. I barely know what I’m doing on a good day, but I’m going to figure this out the way I muddled my way through everything else.”

“Stakes are pretty high.”

“They weren’t when I was hanging on to a giant bat’s back?”

He half laughed, but he was still too somber for my liking. Or maybe it was the dimly lit room that was making things seem so bleak. I’d pretty much lay the blame on anything but what I’d gotten myself into at this point.

“As frightening as this sounds, yes, I think they were. We were there when you were on that bat, and whether or not you knew it, we would’ve stepped in if things turned. This? Going off with him alone? I’m not comfortable with this. I don’t know what this demon wants from you, but this isn’t just about Xest.”

“This is the first meeting. He’s not going to cross the line that fast.”

“I’m not sure why you’re so confident, but I hope you’re right.”

“So do I.” I straightened and grabbed my coat off the hook.

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