Page 76 of Hexes and Exes

“You’re here because you need my cake.” Giana nods at herself as if that’s the truth and there will be no convincing her otherwise. She’s not a witch, but she’s aware of the goings on in our community. There’s no way you can work for one of the coven council for as long as she has and not know. Non-witches tend to chalk magic up to cloak and dagger bullshit or convince themselves that they’ve imagined things. Giana is too practical for that. She figured out we have magic and moved on with her life.

Sometimes, I suspect she has a touch of magic, because her food can be healing. With the first bite of cake, a warmth spreads through my stomach, and I feel the smallest bit better.

“Woman troubles.” Giana is back to her list, writing things down, crossing out others.

“Why would you say that?” I scoff.

“Because I’m not an idiot.”

“A woman is the least of my worries.”

“Ah, but there is a woman.” She points her pen at me. I shovel a huge bite of cake in my mouth to avoid answering. I don’t want to talk about Ava. Not because she isn’t wonderful. I’m the shithead in this situation. I’ve treated her like crap, made her feel bad, dismissed her like I was ashamed. And I am, just not of her. I’m ashamed of myself.

“It never could have worked out.”

Giana jiggles her pen between her fingers. “When you first moved into the manor, I could tell how broken you were.”

I open my mouth to protest, but she stops me with one steely glance.

“That woman was a monster for not loving you. You didn’t control the circumstance of your birth, but she controlled the circumstances of her love. I know you have darkness in you.”

I set my fork down, my appetite disappearing. Giana knows that Roman and I are both cursed, but she doesn’t know the specifics.

She hums and gives my half-eaten cake an unhappy glare. “I met your mother once. Did you know that?”

“What? No. Why didn’t you tell me?” After all these years, why am I just now finding out.

“Because I had nothing of worth to share. But I think now it is important to tell you about her. Your father is a very accomplished liar. Your mother didn’t know about Diana. I imagine whatever falsehoods your father fed your mother, she believed him. She was a victim just as much as you were. This town has a way of eating people up and spitting them out.” She nudges the plate toward me. “Eat. You’re too thin.”

I snort. I’m no scrawny boy like I was when Giana first met me, but I obey just the same.

Giana pours herself a cup of coffee, even though it’s evening. She has a pot brewing all day. I’m not sure she actually drinkswater. Roman and I have been after her for years to give up the habit. I raise a brow, and she flaps her hand. “Settle down. It’s decaf.”

With her back against the counter, she lifts her cup and takes a sip. It’s hot enough that a wisp of steam curls off the top, but that doesn’t stop her. “I’ve overheard something.”

I clean the last bit of cake off my plate and set down my fork. “What now?” I finish my milk and take my dishes to the sink. I already feel better.

“No, leave them,” Giana commands when I move to wash up my plate and glass. Fighting her is not worth the energy and she’ll win in the end, so I go back to my seat.

“Vincent and Diana have been plotting.”

“About what?”

“Right now, they are in the den with that foul snake, Anastasia Lexington.”

I look over my shoulder as if I can see through walls. “Why would they bring her into this house?” Anastasia Lexington is a rapist and all around horrible human being. On the outside, she looks like a typical party girl in her mid-twenties, with long blonde hair and tan skin. She and her family are social climbers from a middling magical family. They’re determined to find their way into the founding families’ circle. I guess they’ve had some success because her father now sits on the Luminara coven council.

She kidnapped my brother and tried to force herself on him. At the very least Diana has some care for her son, so why would they meet with her? Unless there’s something her family can offer that’s worth dumping their morals down the drain. I’ll admit, I doubt it would take much.

Giana wraps her fingers around her cup. There’s a touch of arthritis that bends her knuckles. “I heard them talking.” Hergaze narrows. “I wasn’t listening in. They were loud, and I was there to deliver food.”

I wave her on. I don't care if she was eavesdropping. “What did you hear?”

Giana’s hands wobble as she sets down her mug, stepping closer to me. As her gaze darts around the room, there’s a glimmer of fear in her eyes. “They were talking about what happened with Roman a few months back.”

Alarm bells start ringing. My parents know my house burned down. They know that Anastasia tried to attack Roman, but that’s the extent. That still doesn’t explain why she would be meeting with my parents.

“They set it up.”

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