Page 62 of Witch Please

“Your current dalliance,” Gram said sharply.

Wow, what a word.

“It’s not cool to spy on me.” Danica came out strong, knowing this was a lost cause.

“People tell me things when I’m visiting. I can’t help that.” Surprisingly, her grandmother’s voice softened. “I know how it is to be young and impetuous, my dear, but I can’t permit you to ruin your life as your mother did. Please understand…if I seem harsh, it’s because I don’t want to see you throw away your power and our family’s heritage over a momentary infatuation. I want you to experience how beautiful it is to live a full life, partnered with a witch who can bolster your magic and touch your very soul. I only interfere for your own good.”

She sighed. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve lived longer than you, Danica, seen so much that you can’t even imagine. Maybe mundanes seem harmless. But remember, they murdered over fifty thousand of us openly during the trials, and it’s been twice that since the hunters went underground. The executions are private now, only after they torture us and try to get us to admit we’re in league with the dark one and give up our sisters and brothers. We can’t forget. We can’teverforget that they loathe and fear us, and if your Titus knew the truth, he’d turn from you in an instant. With him, you can never live as your true self. Is that what you want?”

The words hammered like nails into Danica’s flesh, and she hated how conflicted she felt, even now. She let out a shuddering breath. “I know. And I’ll take care of it.”

Her grandmother’s tone firmed to a quiet promise. “See that you do, dear. OrIwill.”

***

After work, Titus called Trevor, mostly because he was his best friend, but also because he wouldn’t have other plans. Dante had shared custody of his little girl, Miguel was married, and Calvin worked a lot. “Feel like drinking tonight?”

“You buying?”

“Yes, you asshole. I’ll pick up the tab.”

“Then absolutely! Can you drive too? The lawn maintenance industry is in a downturn, and I’m a little short on gas money.”

Titus tried not to laugh. He would bet that Trevor had spent his cash on weed instead and had smoked away the last of his customers, mostly elderly neighbors who could easily find someone else to cut their grass. There was no reason to point out the flaws in his entrepreneurial strategy, however.

“No problem. I’ll be there in an hour or so.”

That gave him time to shower, change clothes, and spend some time with Doris. Maya wasn’t home; she usually went somewhere after making the bank deposit, and now he guessed she was with her girlfriend. Titus chose his dog as the first order of business and threw the tennis ball in the backyard for a good half an hour; then he roughhoused with her and rubbed her belly.

“Be good, okay? I’ll set your dinner on a timer.”

It probably made him ridiculous that he worried about his dog feeling lonely as she ate, but he went out so rarely that he shouldn’t feel guilty tonight. He’d spent more than half his allotted time on Doris, so he rushed his shower and got dressed in a hurry. Nothing special since he was just getting a beer with Trevor and that weird guy.

Trev was waiting out front in ratty jeans, a Bob Marley shirt, and a beanie.Who even still wears those?Obviously, the answer was Trevor. At least Trev had gotten rid of the dreadlocks. White guys should never, ever wear them; a fact he’d spent like six months trying to explain. Now his old friend had a ’do that reminded him of Brad Pitt in that old movie where he played an absolute stoner. Damn if he could remember the name.

True Romance,that was it. That was the only Tarantino film he could stomach.Watched that one because Mom liked it.

He waved as Trevor ambled down the walk and got in the Leaf. “Bro, this car—”

“Don’t start. I’m not the one trapped at home for lack of gas money.”

“Okay, fair. So where are we headed?”

“O’Reilly’s. There’s a guy who wants to buy me a beer.” Quickly he laid out what went down the other day, and by the end, Trev was shaking his head.

“Sounds like he was tripping balls, man. Maybe he got ahold of some bad shit.”

“Maybe.”

“That why you invited me out, in case he flips again? Maybe I should remind you that I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

Titus laughed. “Okay, asshole, but surely you can film me getting my ass kicked and maybe dial 911?”

His friend aimed an easy smile at him. “That I can do.”

Since it was early when they arrived, the bar was half empty, and they ordered burgers and onions rings for dinner. Most of the food was crap here—even the pizzas came frozen—but their fried meat tasted decent. Part of him was relieved when he thought Rhys might have flaked, but then the other man strode in, larger than life. He waved and headed straight for their booth.

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