Page 80 of Cocktails & Cauldrons

“Give the reversal spell a moment to wear off, honey,” Narissa advised. She shoved Odessa between the shoulder blades, none too gently. “Oh, and our auntie has a little something special for you.” With an arched brow and a hard stare, she met Odessa’s sullen glare. “Don’t make me kick your butt from here to Savannah and back, you sow. Give it to her along with that apology you owe her. And mean it this time.”

With trembling, obtrusively bright bejeweled fingers, Odessa held out a check and a wide array of keys. “For you, Brenna.”

She accepted both with a slight frown. “I don’t get what’s happening here.”

“It’s your portion of the proceeds from Sullivan Corp along with the keys for our European companies and estates.” Odessa sent a resentful look in Narissa’s direction. “I’ve been curtailed. Sentenced to reside in America.”

“You’re lucky you aren’t sentenced to join my mother in the afterlife.” Narissa sashayed forward in a wave of subtle perfume, and the gazes of every man present, with the exception of Eoin and Ronan, dropped to her high, firm ass encased in a hip-hugging dress. She leaned in and gently patted Brenna’s cheek. “That check is the remainder of Mama’s estate. Odessa has found it in her black-as-tar soul to share with you, bless her heart.”

“But…”

“Stupid girl! Take the feckin’ money,” Loman shouted. “I’ll be acceptin’ it fromyousoon enough. After I escape this bleedin’ cage—”

Faster than any of them could form a coherent thought, Reggie produced a loaded crossbow and pulled the trigger. The thwack and thud of the impact as the arrow hit its target was sickening.

Loman dropped to his knees, clutching the shaft, shock stamped on his paling visage. “You were always the one to watch, Reginald.” A ghost of a smile touched his mouth, and it was one of pride. “The person most like me. Ya should’ve been my son, to be sure.”

“Thank the Goddess for small mercies,” Reggie muttered as he flung the crossbow away. “Now die for good this time, you git.” He waited only a heartbeat or two, then nudged Eoin. “Did you not hear the part about the reversal spell, young scamp? Go get the girl.” With a sigh and a dramatic eye roll, he added, “I have to do all the heavy lifting around here.”

Choosing to mentally reject Loman’s brutal execution—too much death in so little time was mind numbing—Brenna concentrated on Reggie’s comments. She cried out as what he’d said sank in, and she rushed to meet Eoin, where he swung her up and crushed her to him.

“This is my favorite part of a film,” Reggie murmured in an aside to someone behind them. “The romantic climax.”

“Sure, and I’m guessin’ that comes later when the rest of you aren’t watching us,” Eoin retorted. Heat surged into Brenna’s cheeks, and he chuckled as he kissed her lips. “There it is, love. Sure, and I adore the grand sight of your blushes.”

She never wanted to stop touching him, but if she didn’t, she was likely to go up in flames of embarrassment as well as desire.

“Now, little Siren, come give Uncle Reggie a resounding thank-you hug and walk off into the sunset with your hero.” He opened his arms to her, and she dove into his embrace.

“I’m still salty about your trickery, Reggie.” She kissed him on the cheek. “But thank you for taking Eoin away from Loman’s reach and for all you’ve done for us.”

His expression lost its haughtiness as he smiled down at her. “I knew you had a fire in you.You, however, needed to discover it for yourself. My machinations merely helped you along a little faster than you might have taken on your own. Love our boy enough for the both of us.”

Brenna made a sound of protest. “Don’t think you can escape us that easily. You’re part of our lives forever.”

“Sorry, darling. I don’t burp babies or change nappies. I’ve standards to uphold.” He sniffed, and his normal arrogance was back. With an unfeeling glance at Loman’s lifeless body, he said, “One of you clean up the mess and take the rubbish out. I’ve a bubble bath in a high-rise suite calling my name.”

“Not so fast, Reg.” Ronan stepped toward him. “You have to answer for your part in blowing up the O’Malleys’ pub.”

For one with so much flash, Reggie left abruptly with minimal fuss.

Eoin laughed. “Sure, and he wouldn’t know how to be repentant, our Reggie.”

“Well, before we were so rudely interrupted, your Fairy Godmother—that’s me in case anyone wasn’t paying attention”—Narissa tapped her fingers to her chest with a cat-like grin—“was going to show you how to spend all that glorious money you inherited from my mama.” She snatched the check from Brenna’s fingers and waved it under her nose. “Come, honey. Vera has a classy little number I’ve had my eye on, but I’ve decided it would be perfect for you with your coloring.”

“We have the same coloring,” Brenna said dryly. “And who’s Vera?”

“Wang,” Narissa and Castor said in stereo as they shared a commiserating nod, as if the rest of them were provincial.

If they ever compared notes with Reggie, the three of them would find they had a lot in common.

Compressing her lips against a laugh, Brenna shook her head. “Shopping’s going to have to wait. I’m going to use a page from Reggie’s book and take a hot bath.” She returned to Eoin’s side and hugged his arm, resting her head against his shoulder as she smiled. “And a nap.”

He turned slightly to hide his face from the others. “Sure, and if we’re talking a bath and bed, it won’t be sleepin’ we’re doing until much later.”

Giving into the urge, she laughed and pressed a soft kiss to his smiling mouth. “Take me home, Eoin O’Malley.”

“You weren’t paying attention, Brenna Marie. You alreadyare.” Odessa waved a hand, and the forest of trees on the backside of the property shimmied and swayed, then repositioned themselves to stand guard on either side of a long, graveled lane. The driveway led to a four-story home.

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