Page 42 of Hexes and Exes

“I get that. My dad and I aren’t exactly close either. You and Stellan have a good relationship, though, right?”

“Yeah. He’s honestly the best. He doesn’t treat me like I’m incapable of doing things, like my parents. But he’s not afraid to protect me if I need it.”

“You need protection from your parents?” A spike of emotion from Bram hits me. My magic allows me to read auras, but in some extreme situations, I feel the actual emotions from others. Normally, I have to concentrate really hard for that to happen. With no effort at all, I sense Bram’s emotions. They’re practically slapping me in the face. He’s that angry.

“No. Well, maybe when I was younger, but I moved out as soon as I graduated high school. Parents are really good at still holding on to control over you even when you’re out of their house, but I’m pretty stubborn too. I see them because I don’t want to be forgotten by the people who I share genetic material with, but that’s usually the extent of our interactions. Stellan sees them more than me, because he’s a sucker and feels bad for my mom. She’s been manipulated and molded by my father over the years, until she’s become his perfectly compliant little minion.”

“You don’t feel bad for her?”

I stare into Bram’s gray eyes, wondering if he thinks I’m a horrible person because I’ve written my mom off. A spike of pain hits me, and I frown at the emotion. I don’t know if it’s his hurt or mine.

“I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve tried to convince my mom to leave him over the years. I know she’s sick. She’s been mentally abused for a long time, but I can’t kidnap her. She has to want to leave. My brother and her don’t speak of my father; it’s an understanding between them, but I just…can’t. I can’t spend time with her while she parrots my father’s thoughts and shames me for not listening to him. It’s off limits for me to speak to her about how fucked up my dad is, but she can try to manipulate me into seeing his perspective. For my own sanity, I’ve had to stay away from her.” I gnaw on my lip, getting emotional about it. No one wants to just cut off a relationship, but if she doesn’t want help, what am I supposed to do?

Bram twists the tab on the top of his can. “Everything I remember about my mom is that she was kind and loving.” Another spike of that pain hits me. I search Bram’s face, but it’s an emotionless mask. “The fact that she got messed up with my father has always been mind-boggling.”

“I’m sorry. It really makes you question things, doesn’t it.”

Bram’s eyes grow distant. “She had a curse too. It ate away at her like a cancer. That’s ultimately how she died. She was only five years older than I am now. I think about that a lot.”

My heart aches, and I close my eyes for a long moment.

“Fuck the curses.” I reach out and squeeze Bram’s hand and then panic. What am I thinking? He doesn’t want me to touch him. Except his fingers close around mine and hold tight.

Well, shit. How long should I hold on? Should I let go first or wait for him? My hand is starting to sweat. Why can’t I just be normal?

Bram pulls his hand free before my brain explodes.

“Wait, so that guy’s totally into the redhead, right?”

I look back at the TV, feeling a little lightheaded. “Yeah. Totally into her.”

20

BRAM

“Sir, there’s been a special delivery for you.” Jes, the front desk clerk, holds out an envelope, stopping me before I hit the stairs up to my office. It’s before nine, but I’m later than usual coming into work. I stayed at Ava’s place late last night, until Stellan came home and glared at me while grilling me about what we were doing.

“What did you eat? And what did you do after that? Why didn’t you leave any food for me?”

I finally left just to get him to shut up. Before his arrival, it was one of the best nights I’ve had in as long as I can remember. Which is sad. All Ava and I did was eat takeout, talk, and watch her TV show. She makes me laugh and somehow feel lighter. That good mood is still lingering as I grab the envelope from Jes. Magic zips through my fingers and the buoyancy from moments before disappears.

“Thank you.” I don’t bother going up to my office because Roman is making his way down the steps toward me.

“I see you got a letter too.”

I hold it up. “What is it?”

Roman gives me a tight nod. “Open it.”

I slide my finger under the envelope to unseal it. Inside is a thick piece of cream parchment folded in half.

“The Luminara coven council requests your presence at the Tenebris coven house immediately.” I read out loud and then look up at my brother. “What’s this about?”

“I got a letter as well, but mine said the time was TBD. The paper started vibrating and had an updated time a minute ago.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve been called into the coven for some reason or another, but it’s been a long time.

Roman pulls his phone out of his suit pocket and frowns as he looks at the screen. “Josephine got a summons too.” His fingers are whipping across the screen as I lead us through the lobby.

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