Page 52 of Hexes and Exes

I remember how hurt I’d been, but also grateful in a conflicted way. But when I think of having kids, I couldn’t give two shits about the Vandenberg name. I think about them suffering a curse worse than mine. There’s no telling how a curse will morph and change from one generation to the next.

Except it didn’t work that way for Bram’s mother. Why? What was different about her curse that kept it from getting passed on.

“That can’t be right.” Bram rounds the counter and stomps out of the kitchen. I scoop up my coffee and scramble after him, trying not to trip over my pants and blanket.

“Where are you going?” I whisper-hiss, aware that most of the house is still asleep.

“Get up.” I wince when Bram shouts. Roman jumps off the couch, throwing his hands up in the air like he’s going to karate chop someone.

“Easy, Cobra Kai.” I snort and take a sip of my coffee, realizing it has chocolate in it. When did he sneak that in? I groan. Fuck, that’s good. Bram glares at me over his shoulder.

“Mmm, it’s good.” I hold up the cup. He rolls his eyes and turns back to his brother.

“Wake your girlfriend up.”

Stellan groans from the pool table and Ambrose nearly trips down the steps wearing a silk floral robe. It’s not belted and floats behind him, giving us a show of a bare chest and a pair of matching silk pants. Odie slides off the pool table, her platinumblonde hair still looking perfect somehow. She’s wearing a pair of her own pajamas that she keeps at Ambrose’s house.

“She’s sleeping.” Roman drags a hand over his face. He’s still in his clothes from last night and looks rumpled and sleepy.

“I’m awake.” Josephine drops a hand on the side of Roman’s leg. “What is it?” She directs that question at Bram.

“Did someone die? Was there an explosion? Oh, you made coffee.” Ambrose walks right past us and heads toward the kitchen, unbothered by whatever caused Bram to lose his shit.

Bram points at Josephine. “Were both your parents cursed?”

Roman swats his brother’s finger away and the shadows around Bram flare out like a sea beast.

“Whoa. Okay.” I hold up a hand, but it’s the one holding my blanket so it’s not really helping.

Stellan rounds the couch, and I shake my head at him. We don’t need to corner Bram like a dangerous animal. Plus, I really don’t want to watch them beat each other up.

Piper wanders in from the hallway, still in her clothes from last night. I wonder where she was sleeping? Not important.

I turn my attention back to Josephine and ignore the group of growling men.

“Jo, Bram and I were just having a nice chat about curses.” That gets everyone’s attention back on me. Okay, not great, but at least we’re not about to tackle Bram. “I mentioned that when a cursed person has a child, their curse transfers to the next generation.” I look around the room. “Right?”

There’s a chorus of “Right,” and then two people, Roman and Bram, who snap out a “No.”

Ambrose is back from his trip to the kitchen and is holding a tiny cup of coffee. His eyes are darting around the room with interest as he flops down in a wingback chair. “This is fascinating.” He throws one leg over the arm of the chair, his robe still open, making him look like a rich, lazy king.

Josephine clears her throat. “Yes. Both my parents had a curse, and when I was born, it transferred to me.”

Roman cocks his head and looks down at her. “That can’t be right.”

“What do you mean?”

Roman glances over at Bram. “His mother still had her curse after he was born.”

Piper sucks in a breath, and even Ambrose looks confused.

“I knew that,” Ambrose says, “but she’s right. Both my parents were cursed, and after I was born, no more curses for them. Yay.” Ambrose holds up his tiny cup and takes a dainty sip.

“That doesn’t make sense.” Stellan flops down on the couch.

“It really doesn’t.” I frown, looking between Bram and Roman. “Your dad was cursed, right?” I direct the question toward Roman, who nods in agreement. “But you were born first, so you should have been the only one with the Blackthorn family curse.”

“I wasn’t a Blackthorn until my mom died.” Bram speaks, the look in his eyes faraway and the dark shadows swarming his aura.

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