Page 39 of Hexes and Exes

“Just make sure you don’t fuck everything up.” Vincent’s harsh words make me as uncomfortable as my father’s disdain. He looks at me like I’m something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. And my father is just as bad. Why are they like this?

“Of course. The staff are also aware of how important this event is.” Bram glares at his father. The father who threatened his employees. His shadows are stretching from his body. They pull away from him and it reminds me of someone trying to escape from quicksand. The room darkens slightly, and both of our fathers visibly shift. Wariness replaces the superiority in their eyes.

“Well…” Vincent clears his throat.

From what Josephine has told me, Roman and Bram have very similar magic. They can control shadows, completely dimming all light in a room if they desire. Roman has the ability to suck the soul right out of a person. He can rip it out like snatching a sheet off a clothesline. I don’t know if Bram’s magic works the same way. Maybe his father’s magic is the same. Bram sure looks like he’s about to pluck the souls out of the two men standing in front of us.

“We will be sending someone to the hotel before the party to make sure everything is in order,” my dad interjects, cutting through some of the tension.

“We’ll have everything ready to go.” It’s difficult to keep the irritation out of my voice. Why ask us to plan this party, if they have no faith we can pull it off?

“I’ll be the judge of that,” my father snaps.

“We just need to finalize the setup.” Vincent smooths the front of his suit.

“Everything will be ready to go.” Bram doesn’t hide the hostility in his voice as well as me.

“We have some protective runes we’ll be adding for the party.”

I frown. “What kind of runes?”

“That is none of your business,” my father’s voice is angry, but he’s not even looking at me.

“Well, it’s my business since this is my hotel. What kind of runes are you planning on setting up?” Bram’s shadows are still leaching out of him.

“They’re charms to enhance coven unity. All very simple and straightforward.” Vincent Blackthorn nods and pulls on my father’s arm. They shuffle back towards the door. “We’ll let you get back to your planning.”

They leave without another word. I sink down to the couch, my shoulders slumping with defeat. Being around my father is always exhausting. Bram flops down on the couch next to me, his aura already clearer than it was just moments before.

“Our fathers are really something special.”

“Yes, they are.” I laugh, but there’s no humor in it.

“What’s the deal between you two?”

What is the issue between me and my father? “How much time do you have?”

Bram looks at his watch. “Three minutes. Maybe a little more for you.”

I try not to let his words warm me, but damn if a swoony little fire is crackling away in my belly.

“There’s always been a barrier between us. He never really wanted me around. He would take Stellan to baseball games, the movies, and when I asked why I couldn’t come, he’d tell me I wasn’t worth his time. Stellan stopped going places withhim as soon as he was old enough to dig his heels in. When I started dating the dickhead, my father told me I had a choice. I could keep dating someone with pathetic, low-level magic, or I could remain part of the family.” I rub at my temple, a headache blooming behind my eyes. “I want to say the idiot ex wasn’t worth it, but honestly, fuck my dad. I didn’t see why it mattered back then, and I still don’t. What it did teach me is that I wasn’t worth the effort.”

Bram makes a low displeased sound. His arm is pressed against mine and I reach out and squeeze it.

“I mean, I wasn’t worth it to him. Yes, Jamie was a waste of time and ultimately a horrible boyfriend, but in a way, I’m glad it happened how it did.” I lean my head back on the couch and stare up at the ceiling. “My mom is a puppet. She parrots whatever my dad says. She stands behind him and hides.” I turn to look at Bram, unable to keep the burning emotion out of my eyes. “I would never do that to my kids, you know? There are all kinds of monsters in this world. Some use weapons to cut people down, and some use words. That was my father. But I would never allow someone to demean my children like that. To make them feel less than worthless. Kids deserve to be loved unconditionally. Unreservedly.” Bram’s eyes are intense as he stares back at me. I turn away and shrug, not so discreetly wiping at my eyes. “My dad does not love like that.”

There’s silence for a moment until I blurt out, “My hypothetical kids. I don’t have secret kids stashed away somewhere.” As if that required clarification.

“I figured,” Bram says softly.

“Whew, that was some word vomit. What about you? You and ol’ Vincent sure seem tight.” I roll my head against the back of the couch to look at Bram.

“If by tight, you mean I want to squeeze the bullshit out of him, then sure.”

“He wasn’t the best growing up?”

Bram sinks back into the couch, laying his head on the back and angling it to look at me. “How much do you know about the illustrious Blackthorn family’s secrets?”

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