Page 71 of Hexes and Exes

“Are you really saying love conquers all or some bullshit?” I snort. I take a sip of the coffee I’ve ignored up until this point. I grimace at the bitter taste. This is why I only get coffee from the hotel’s cafe. It tastes like shit everywhere else.

Fitz slowly rises from her seat, both of her gnarled hands flat on the table. Her skin looks paper thin, but her glare is hard as fucking stone. “Love is the most powerful magic that exists. If you’re too much of a fool to see it, then you’re a bigger idiot than I thought.”

I shove away from the table, but before I storm off, Morty stops me with a hand on my arm. “You haven’t been in for your potion lately.” His head cocks to the side, his eyes scanning my face. “Curious.”

I shake him off and excuse myself from the table. The heat from the diner and my layers of clothing are smothering me.

“I’ll be back.” I bark before pushing the door open so hard it whips back and creaks on its hinges. I step to the side, so no one can see me through the windows and yank down the zipper on my coat. The cold slaps me in the face, but I’m still too warm.

Snow has started to fall and there’s a thin layer covering the sidewalks and the tops of cars.

I respond to the squeak of the abused door opening before I see who it is. “I’m not in the mood.”

“That’s good, because it’s really fucking cold, and I wasn’t coming out here for that.” Ava’s teeth chatter as she wraps her scarf around her face. She looks so small in her oversized coat and winter gear. Light from the diner spills out onto the sidewalk, but Ava’s facing me, her features masked in shadows. I can barely make out her eyes. If I had to guess, she’s looking at me with kindness and understanding. Nothing I deserve.

“Fitz is kind of a dick. And, like, what are they doing out at three in the morning?”

“Let’s not do this.” I sigh. “You’re going to say something funny to get my mind off things. I’m going to pretend like I’m not riddled with darkness, and it’s all so fucking fake.”

Ava takes a step back, the light now highlighting the surprise on her face.

“See. I can’t even have a conversation without offending you.”

“I’m not offended.” Her mouth is pinched.

“You should be. Why would you let me speak to you like this? Are you a doormat?” I know I’ve taken it too far, but my curse is still feasting on all the festering darkness from David Ashenvale’s emotions.

Ava’s shoulders go up, her whole body tensing. “Bullshit. Is the big strong man having an emotion? Don’t know how to cope? Too fucking bad. They teach those skills to kindergartners. You need to talk about what you’re feeling. Maybe it’s time to grow up a little bit.”

I should walk away. Now isn’t the time for any conversation, with the mood I’m in. But what will be different in the morning? Tomorrow? Nothing. I’ll still be cursed to lose my humanity. Todie just like my mother. I’ve never coveted someone else’s curse, but right now I wish I had Ava’s. Then she could forget me and her life would be better for it. Instead, I let the darkness take hold.

“Grow up? Like continuing to talk to your ex, who fucked some perky intern on your bed? Or maybe like pretending everything is puppies and rainbows when the world is going to literally forget you exist.”

“At least I’m dealing with my curse.”

“That’s questionable. You’re fucking around with me when we have no future. What does that say about you?”

Ava’s breath is ragged as she inhales. “Wow, Bram. Don’t hold back. Want to criticize my clothes next? My hair? Guess what? I’ve heard it all, for years. You’re just more negative buzzing in my ear. I’ve practically got my own choir of critics.” Her chin goes up and her features are tight. “To think, I came out to check if you were okay. Looks like you really aren’t.” She nods to herself. “But I’m going to take a page out of your book and say that’s not my fucking problem.”

Ava spins on her heel, nearly slipping on the fresh snow. I find myself reaching out to steady her, but she throws off my arm. “I’m perfectly capable of standing on my own two feet.” She slides back inside the diner without another word.

My throat aches as the frigid air slides into my lungs. Good, I want to hurt from the inside out.

The door creaks, signaling its opening once again. Roman steps outside, pulling a hat down low over his forehead.

“I don’t want to hear it,” I snarl, the twisted beast of my curse rearing its head. I may have pushed Ava away, but I didn’t want to physically hurt her. My brother is another thing altogether.

“I’m just checking on you.” He shoves his hands in his pockets, as if to appear harmless.

“I don’t need anyone to check on me. I don’t need anyone to take care of me. Go back inside with your curse breaker and leave me alone.”

Roman’s jaw clenches. “Stubborn asshole. You know, there are people who care about you, me included. It’s not a weakness to need people in your life.”

My shadows lash out and push Roman against the side of the diner. My curse rising up and washing out any common sense. Deep down, I don’t want to hurt my brother. He is one of the only people who has cared about me since the day we met. But everything is clouded in anger and darkness. Why does he get his curse broken? A mother who didn’t die from her curse? A fucking chance to live the life that has been stolen from me.

“You don’t know what this curse is like.” Shadows leak out of me, my voice a low growl that I don’t even recognize.

Roman’s jaw clenches, his nostrils flaring, but he doesn’t fight my shadows. “You’re full of shit. You think your curse is worse than mine? To never know physical contact for sixteen fucking years. You’ve convinced yourself that you’ve got the worst of it, but every one of us with a curse faces our own kind of torture.” He sighs and relaxes back into the wall, like I’m not nearly strangling him with my magic. “You can’t fight this alone, Bram.”

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