Page 23 of Hexes and Exes

“No need. Ava will nurse me back to health.” Bram stares down his nose at my ex. The gray of his eyes grows darker, as if the black in his aura has infected their color.

Jamie swallows and clears his throat, slowly taking a step back. “How about I’ll come find you later and we can talk then.”

“She’ll still be on deathwatch. I wouldn’t bother,” Bram answers for me. How hard did he hit his head? Watching Jamie flounder is amusing as hell, but what has gotten into Bram?

“Sure, whatever,” I reply, hoping Jamie will leave. He gives me his most devastating smile. I used to think it was so pretty, but now it makes me uncomfortable.

“Good. Great, I'll talk to you later then.” Jamie scampers off, throwing a worried look over his shoulder at Bram as he goes.

“What was that about?” I jump off the bale of hay and look up at Bram. His eyes are still darker than normal. What is that? I know Roman has shadow magic and can physically manipulatethe light. Bram has similar magic. Is this a manifestation of that? If so, why don’t Roman’s eyes do this?

“I don’t like him.” Bram watches my ex wiggle through the crowd.

“Join the club,” I mumble, still fascinated by the darkness twisting in his aura. I’ve never seen anything like it. The temptation to touch him, to see if it changes color again, hits me like a truck. I snatch my hand back when I realize it’s risen on its own and is almost on Bram’s bicep.

“Why are you even giving him the time of day? Didn’t he cheat on you?” Bram snarls at me, as if I’m the asshole in this situation. I glare right back at him and then slap my forehead.

“Thanks for the reminder. I knew there was something I was forgetting about him. Here I thought I hated him because he left wrappers on the counter instead of putting them in the garbage two inches away. But you’re right. It’s because he cheated on me. How silly of me to forget.”

“Then why were you being nice to him? He doesn’t deserve even a morsel of your kindness.” Bram steps forward, invading my space. Our coats are flush, and damn if I don’t wish it was summer and we had a lot fewer layers on.

“I’m a big girl, Bram. I can take care of myself.” Why do I sound so breathless?

“Can you?” If possible, Bram gets even closer. His head is tipped down and he’s glaring at me. The black is gone from his eyes, though and there’s only stormy gray remaining.

“I think you hit your head so hard you knocked all the sense out of yourself.” My phone buzzes in my pocket. I’m tempted to ignore it until Bram gives me an order.

“Don’t get that.”

It’s still daylight. It only just occurs to me that people are watching us. I see my parents across the way, my father’s eyes narrowed on me. Taking out my phone, I swipe open a message.

“For fuck’s sake,” I grumble. It’s another nipple pic.

A bark of laughter erupts from Bram when he looks down. No questions about why on Earth I have a very hairy nipple staring up at me from my phone. That’s when I know for sure this is his doing.

“What did you do?” I shove the phone in his face. If I have to keep seeing all these nip shots, then he’s going to have to look at them too.

Bram plucks the phone from my hand and starts looking through my messages. “Are you keeping all of them?”

“Give me my phone.” I jump like a sad kid playing a game of keep away with someone twice their size.

“Seriously, are you into this? Why are there so many?”

“That’s just from this morning, asshole. They come in faster than I can delete them. This is your fault, isn’t it?”

Bram’s laughing so hard, he’s holding his side with his free hand. His aura is a yellow so golden that I’m momentarily stunned speechless by it. Then I remember all the hairy nipples.

“Alright then. You want to play this game. It’s on.”

“What are you going to do? Put a walkie-talkie in my plant?”

I elbow him in the stomach, and he drops my phone. In a feat of dexterity, I didn’t think myself capable of, I catch the phone and stomp off.

“Dick,” I call over my shoulder, a hint of a smile on my face. Why does it feel so good to be around this asshole?

13

AVA

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