Page 24 of Once Upon a Curse for True Love
“Andy, I’m serious.If he catches you messing with him, it’s your second strike.Judge Templeton isn’t fond of serial offenders.”
“No proof, no crime.”
Her roommate didn’t seem convinced.Sarah Michelle rolled her eyes but dropped the subject as they headed inside.The conversation shifted to dinner plans and the latest episodes of their favorite show, the topic of Malatesta and potential curses shelved for the moment.
Later, as Andromeda prepared for bed, she smiled.The detective thought he was so clever, maneuvering her into working on his case.He had no idea what was coming.
“Sleep tight, detective,” she whispered as she pulled back the covers.“Tomorrow’s going to be downright magical.”
***
The pounding on their door started before seven.He was twenty minutes early.But Andromeda had expected it.She was already halfway through her second cup of coffee and fully clothed.
She took another unhurried sip as the hammering continued.Andromeda was about to get up to answer the door when Quill sniffed, his quills bristling with disapproval.“One does not require the gift of foresight to predict this will not end well.Cursing an officer of the law was reckless.”
“Allegedly cursing,” Andromeda corrected.“And keep your muzzle shut.Plausible deniability, remember?”
Before Andromeda could stand, Sarah Michelle burst out of her bedroom, tying the sash of her robe.Her dark bob was flattened on one side, and her eyes were still puffy with sleep.
“What troll spit is this—” Shelly started, then stopped when another series of poundings rattled the hinges.She shot Andromeda a suspicious frown before heading for the door.
Through the archway that connected the kitchen to the living room, Andromeda had a perfect view of her best friend yanking the door open, revealing Detective Not-So-Cocky-Anymore in all his pissed-off glory.He stood on their porch wearing dark jeans, the same leather jacket from yesterday, and a black beanie pulled low over his forehead.His expression was thunderous, hands flexing like he was about to break something—or someone.
“Where is she?”he demanded, brushing past her roommate without so much as a good morning.
“Well, hello to you too, Malatesta,” Sarah Michelle replied dryly.“Please, come in.Make yourself at home.Again.”
But the detective wasn’t listening.His dark gaze had already locked onto Andromeda through the kitchen archway, and he stormed toward her with the determined stride of a furious man on a mission.
Andromeda leaned her elbows on the table, the picture of casual innocence in her amateur sleuth attire—non-ripped jeans and a cozy sweater.
Malatesta stopped inside the kitchen.“Get it back to normal,” he hissed.
Andromeda hid her smirk behind her coffee mug, taking another sip before responding.“Good morning, Detective Malatesta.You’re early.”She kept her voice light, friendly even.Not the tone of a woman who had, hypothetically speaking, cast a curse on a member of the magical law force.And while she was never going to admit that—she didn’t care for jail time—she also wanted to make sure he knew he’d messed with the wrong witch.So she riled him up.“Nice hat.Feeling the cold?”
Sarah Michelle entered the kitchen.Her best friend was now wide awake and staring between them.“Malatesta, care to explain why you’re behaving like a total caveman in my kitchen at”—she checked the time on her phone—“six forty-five in the morning?”
“Ask her,” Malatesta growled, jerking his chin toward Andromeda without taking his eyes off her face.“Go ahead, Swan.Tell your roommate what you did.”
Andromeda clutched her imaginary pearls.“Sorry, detective, I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
“Don’t play innocent.I know you did this.”
With a theatrical yank, he tore off the beanie, static electricity sparking through a full head of lilac locks.The shade reminded Andromeda of her favorite lavender body lotion.
It took heroic levels of restraint not to collapse in laughter.Yesterday, she had no idea what color the curse would turn his hair, and despite herself, she found the lilac charming.
“A bit early for costumes, detective, don’t you think?”Andromeda poked.“Halloween isn’t for another two weeks.”
The sound that emerged from Malatesta’s throat could only be described as a growl.An actual human growl.His lilac hair vibrated with the force of his anger, making the pastel shade even more absurdly out of place against his torqued expression.
“I know it was you.”His voice turned dangerously low.“My scalp froze when you touched me yesterday.”
Behind him, Sarah Michelle’s face was a masterpiece of conflicting emotions—lips pressed together not to laugh, and eyes narrowed with what might have been reproach.The result was a constipated expression that made Andromeda’s control of her own laughter wobble dangerously.
She arched a brow and set her mug down with a soft clink, lifting one shoulder in a lazy half-shrug.
“Wow, detective,” she said.“Jumping to conclusions without evidence?That’s sloppy police work.It’s not my fault if you’re having a bad hair day.”
