Page 3 of Hexes and Exes

I flounder and then dart behind Bram, using his big body as a shield.

“What are you doing?” He looks over his shoulder at me.

“Hiding from my ex,” I hiss.

Bram frowns at me and steps to the side, revealing me.

“Seriously?” I snap at him through gritted teeth. Bram has the audacity to grin at me. This time there’s no question that he has a dimple in his cheek. No, that can’t be right. Bram can’t have a dimple. It’s too sweet and he’s too much of an asshole.

Jamie comes to a stop in front of me, his eyebrows raised in irritation. My heart sinks into my stomach, which is full of acid from this encounter and too many shots last night. He’s looking at me like he has no idea who I am. Probably because he doesn’t.

“Do you mind getting out of the way?” Jamie huffs, speaking in an impatient tone that I’ve heard many times in the last few years.

“Hey, Jamie.” I steal a glimpse at the intern who looks perfectly put together despite the early hour. In contrast, I’m in sweats. There are smudges of mascara under my eyes, and my coat is long enough to double as a cape. If I’m as pale as I was when I glanced in the mirror this morning, then ghosts are tanner than me.

Jamie frowns, cocking his head. His eyes drift down my body and back up again, looking completely unimpressed. “You’re…” He snaps his fingers in a rapid tempo, and then points at me. “You work at the copy place, right?”

“Real memorable relationship, Vandenberg.” Bram leans down to murmur in my ear. His breath is a warm caress over my skin. Shivers cascade down my spine, but they’re quickly dampened by the sick feeling in my stomach.

Piper threads her arm through mine and squeezes. Stellan steps up behind her. “Get the fuck away from my sister.”

Recognition lights Jamie’s face seconds before it leaches all color. He scrambles away, dragging his intern behind him. I don’t even get a second look.

“Forget about him, Ava,” Piper murmurs.

Just like he forgot about me. Because that’s my curse. If I don’t see someone or talk to them for a few weeks, then they forget I ever existed.

Bram watches Jamie run away before his eyes fall on my face. I focus on a lone leaf hanging desperately onto a bare branch. I feel you, leaf. Barely keeping hold of your shit, left all by yourself to live a sad and lonely life.

“I thought he was your ex.” Bram crosses his arms, his narrowed gaze on my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Odie violently signing. I’ve been learning sign language, but her hands are moving way too quickly for me to make out what she’s saying. Although it looks like Bram is getting his ass chewed out.

At least one thing made it worth getting out of bed this morning.

2

BRAM

The Grand Mystic Resort and Spa attracts visitors from all over the country. Although we’re a town full of witches, most of our guests are run-of-the-mill humans who wouldn’t believe in magic if it slapped them in the face.

Technically, the resort is a family business but my brother Roman and I are the ones who run it. The sprawling development boasts fifteen cabins, a main lodge with fifty rooms, and twelve villas. Actually, there are only eleven now. The one I used to live in was burned down by a fucked-up witch who used it as a distraction so she could kidnap Roman.

Along with lodgings, the resort also has multiple pools, a golf course, and a lake within sight of the main hotel.

Monday mornings are always quiet at the resort. After the holidays, it will be calm for the next few weeks. People are recovering from travel and too much fucking family time. I walk into the lobby and swing by the cafe just to the right of the main entrance to grab a cup of coffee. An employee straightens the pillows on the couch in front of a crackling fire that snaps inthe massive stone fireplace. Another arranges fresh flowers on a credenza.

The barista Bettina has my mocha ready for me. It’s basically as close as I can come to having hot chocolate every morning, but with the added benefit of caffeine. She hands the cup over before I even have to ask. “Good morning, Mr. Blackthorn.”

I nod in greeting and head to the second floor, where Roman and I have our offices. The door to mine is open a crack. As I push inside, I’m expecting to find my brother. We often catch up in the mornings over coffee before getting to work.

“I’m surprised you’re here already. Figured you’d still be in bed with your…” My words trail off when it’s not Roman in my office, but my father.

Vincent Blackthorn is at the upper end of his fifties. He’s an arrogant son of a bitch who hasn’t lost his handsome features. Hair that used to be the same dark shade as mine has turned more salt and pepper these days. One thing both Roman and I share with this asshole are his steely gray eyes. When my father looks at you, there’s nothing but coldness staring back. As my curse progresses, I fear the same is happening to me.

The Blackthorns are one of the founding families of Mystic Hollows. That means that the firstborn in the family is born with a curse. In a twist of fucking sadistic fate, my mother’s family was also one of the original powerful families of Mystic Hollows. Because Roman and I have different mothers, both of us were born cursed.

“I assume you’re talking about that piece of trash from the Lumen coven your brother is fucking.” Vincent leans back, crossing his arms as he relaxes in my chair, behind my desk.

“Haven’t you heard, we’re all one big happy family now. No more Lumen versus Tenebris. We’re the Luminara coven. I hope you’re ready to hold hands and sing Kumbaya.” I don’t even touch on the comment about Josephine. If Roman heardour father talking about her like that, blood would be spilled. I haven’t even had a sip of coffee yet. I’m not about to stir up shit when I’m not the one getting laid.

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