Page 27 of Infernal Hearts

Jason

I steel myself as we pass Michael’s car and climb the porch to my father’s office and my childhood home. I haven’t been back here in months—not since the night I quit. Even after all this time, I’m still not ready to see Michael after what he did to me.

But my dad is missing, and I don’t have a choice.

I take a deep breath and knock on the door. I stop myself from wringing my hands, but I just end up rocking back and forth on my feet instead. I’m sweating and running all the scenarios of what I’m going to say through my head, but nothing’s working.

A figure moves in the window nearby and comes to a dead halt. There he is. Let’s get this over with.

He disappears from view, and the door opens. Michael stands with his eyebrows twisted in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

My body temperature jumps ten degrees as I see him, and my vision goes red, but there’s also a pang in my heart that stops me from throttling him. I loved him so much, and I can’t suppress all those feelings after only a few months. We’ve been in so many tricky situations with our clients, so many high-pressure environments. He knows me better than anyone, yet he still did what he did.

He still broke my heart.

“My dad is missing. Why wouldn’t I come?”

He scoffs. “You haven’t spoken to him in months. Why would you care?”

I’m disgusted that he could be so cold as to accuse me of being so callous. “He’s my dad. Why wouldn’t I care?”

His gaze jumps over to Levi. “Who’s this supposed to be?”

Levi extends his hand with a polite smile on his face. “My name is Levi. My brother went missing, too. Jason and I are working together.”

Michael ignores him. “Why is he talking? He really shouldn’t be talking.”

Levi’s mouth pulls into a tight line as he gingerly pulls his arm back. “Well, I’ll just go fuck myself, then.”

“Good idea.” Michael goes silent, the tension thick in the air. Finally, he speaks again. “What exactly are you here for?”

My blood begins to boil. I try not to not lose my temper, but the truth comes out anyway. “For one, don’t be a dick. You don’t get to do that after what you did to me. For two, I want to look around the house I grew up in to see if I find anything. So how about you stay out of my family affairs and let me inside?”

He chews his lip for a moment but softens. “Fine. But he stays outside.”

Levi stands his ground, taking a step forward. “I can help—”

“Out. Side.” Michael stares him down.

Levi mashes his mouth closed and huffs a breath. “Fine. Outside. Got it.”

Michael opens the door for me, and I walk through the threshold. I take it all in—the same living room with the same homey furniture, the door to the quaint lab, the hallway to the operating room. Everything is exactly how I left it.

Memories of my childhood come rushing back. Saturday morning cartoons by the television, Christmas morning by the window, pillow forts on the floor. The bad ones, too—the time I got suspended and was grounded for a week. The fight with my dad in the hallway right outside. Crying on the couch the night I found out what happened with my mom.

My dad and I have been through so much. Object impermanence works for a while, but it just makes everything hit that much harder when you remember it again. My chest is tight, and there’s a thickness in my throat—I hate it.

Michael walks up next to me. “You have five minutes. Make them count.”

My nostrils flare, and I shoot him the nastiest glare I’ve ever given anyone in my life. “I have however long I goddamn want. I think you forget that I used to live here.”

“‘Used to’ being the operative words. Besides, I have a client coming. I don’t need you poking around while I work.”

I can tell he won’t budge. “You’re still treating creatures without him?”

“They’re sick and need help. Of course I am.”

“Magic is dangerous if you don’t completely know what you’re doing.”

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