Page 38 of The Most Wanted Witch

“Who’s the witch you’re looking for?”

I handed her a slip of paper with the name Jossi Tudor written on it. “I’m not sure if that’s accurate, so if you could look up different last or first names…”

“You don’t make anything easy, do you?” She took the slip and pocketed it, then looked down her nose at me. “Was there something else, or did you want to eat up my entire break?”

I turned and left. She could not move into the broker building or I’d be the most hated witch in my home.

I was halfway home when I stopped short.

Xazier popped up in front of me. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, it’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting you—or I guess anyone, really—to pop up like that.” I made my way around him, hoping it was an unfortunate coincidence.

“Mind if I walk with you for a spell?”

“Knock yourself out.” Not the most diplomatic invite, but then again, I wasn’t exactly feeling polite at the moment. First Mertie and now him. It was as if my night were cursed.

Xazier narrowed his eyes slightly, giving me the impression he wasn’t pleased with my flippant reply, but he quickly regrouped and fell into step with me.

“I wanted to tell you I had a nice time getting to know you better the other day. It’s clear you’ve had some hardships in your life and that they’ve molded you a certain way.” He had a pleasantly condescending smile as he spoke.

This was starting off as wonderful as I’d imagined.

“It’s remarkable how you’ve overcome everything you have,” he said. “And then when you got here, to have everyone try to push you out but to still stick to your guns in the face of all those who didn’t want you, even allies. I did hear that right, didn’t I? That Hawk had a hand in trying to force you out?”

He kept staring, waiting for me to acknowledge his question.

I could be naive, stubborn, and a long list of other faults, but Xazier’s game was painfully obvious. He was trying to weaken me, poking around for my soft spot. It wouldn’t work.

“We’ve come a long way since then. I don’t hold that against him.” A couple more minutes and I’d be at the broker building. Once a week was already too much time to spend with Xazier.

“Good for you. I’m not so sure I’d get over it as well, you know, having an ally publicly turn their back on you.”

“You heard wrong. We weren’t allies at the time it happened.” He was laying out bait, but I was long past the days of being easy prey.

“Really? Because word is you were extremely close allies.”

“We just had a parting of ways. Nothing that dramatic.”

“Well, it’s good to be so easygoing. I have colleagues that would rake me over the coals if I were so easy, and I mean thatliterally.”

He said the word “easy” the way I used the word “schmuck.” There wasn’t a damned thing I was going to say to stop him, because you didn’t pick a fight with a top demon for the underworld. Certain things I might need explained, or written out in a book of rules and regulations. This one was pure instinct, the way you knew by age five that you didn’t stick your hand in a fire.

“I guess that’s just me. Easygoing.” I kept my tone light, ignoring the insults.

“Word is he gave your job away in a matter of days, stopped you from getting employment anywhere. He should realize that it’s a miracle you speak to him at all. It stumps me why he thinks he could treat you that way, as if you’re worthless and so easily replaced.”

“Sounds like you’ve really gotten an earful lately. I guess people do like to gossip when they don’t have anything else to do.” My pulse was ratcheting up in spite of my effort to stay calm. It didn’t help matters that he was using the truth against me. All of those thingsdidhappen.

“Oh, most definitely, and especially about situations like yours. They all get high and mighty about how they never would’ve tolerated what you did. Then again, they don’t know your situation, right? Only you know the truth of the matter and why you decided to stay.”

He pulled his jacket tighter and shuddered, as if the cold were getting to him. I believed it about as well as I believed that he didn’t know how badly he was insulting me.

“Well, I’ll be off. I look forward to our next chat.”

I smiled as he left. I kept the smile partially in place as I continued on, not sure if he was watching, waiting for me to kick a stray cat or something.

He’d had one purpose tonight, to worm his way under my skin. He’d accomplished it. To the rest of Xest, I probably looked like the schmuck he’d called me, but they didn’t know all the ins and outs, like the way working with Hawk had been the best thing at that moment. And I was workingwithhim. I was not an employee, no matter how it appeared. I hadn’t just rolled over. I’d put up a fight and demanded certain things.

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