Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Luka gave a resentful shake of the head. “I have left not one fucking stone unturned. Not one. The people I’d originally suspected of assaulting her all have solid alibis. Everyone I’ve questioned swore that they have no idea who he is.”
Melodie let out a sound of distress. “What do we do?”
“We lay some magickal traps,” said Ella. “He’ll probably expect that, so I doubt he’ll touch my car again or go near my apartment. But if he does, I’ll know.”
Luka fixed her with a hard stare. “You’re going to have bodyguards from now on,” he declared, his tone empty of negotiation. “Don’t argue. This last note says he means business. I’m not taking any chances with your life.”
Ella had figured he’d say that. “Okay.”
His eyes narrowed at her easy acquiescence. “Okay?”
“I’m not going to turn down an offer of protection if it means he’ll be caught.” It was why she hadn’t fought Viper’s insistence on putting guards on her.
“I’m not offering it, I’m telling you it’s happening,” Luka stated. “I will not allow any further harm to come to you.”
Mia sighed at him, almost longingly. “Luka, will you be my anchor, too?”
His brows dipped. “No. You’re Joe’s problem.”
“Problem?” Mia echoed.
“Yes.”
Mia folded her arms. “And you see my sister as a problem?”
“’Course not. She’s mine.” Luka resettled his attention on Ella. “And she should have told me about the recent note immediately, not waited until now.”
Ella heaved a sigh. “I’m just tired of letting this, him, take up my time.”
Luka crossed to her and rested a supportive hand on her shoulder. “Come to Infernal tonight. We’ll eat. Talk. Get your mind off things.”
Ella couldn’t, since she had plans to see Viper. “Sorry, I have some stuff I need to do. I’ll come to Infernal another night, though.”
His lips flattened. “I don’t like seeing you so weary. It makes me want to kill someone—I don’t even particularly care who it is.”
“Seriously, Luka, be my anchor,” Mia pled.
Melodie turned to her with a frown. “What’s wrong with Joe all of a sudden?”
Luka’s eyes narrowed on Mia. “Did he harm you?”
“No, nothing like that,” Mia assured him. “He’s just being an idiot. It’ll pass.”
Luka grunted and looked back at Ella. “I’m leaving now.” He squeezed her shoulder. “We will catch him, Ella. It’s just a matter of time.”
As she’d earlier temporarily closed the store so they’d have privacy while they talked, Ella led the way to the front door and unlocked it for Luka and his guards. He gave her a quick hug, warned her to be vigilant, and then swanned out of the store with the twins.
Flipping the Open/Closed sign, Ella looked out of the shop window to see two of the Black Saints loitering outside the dive bar. Her new guards, maybe? She wasn’t sure.
They made eye contact and offered the most subtle of nods before looking away, saving her from having to either rudely not return the gesture or politely nod back … and have her watchful sister pounce on it.
“Much as I know you’d love to get your hands on the mugger,” began Mia, “I hope it’s Luka who finds him. He’ll make him pay pay. You’ll be more merciful.”
Given the way her note writer was behaving … “You shouldn’t be so sure of that,” muttered Ella, crossing to the counter with her sister at her side.
“I am beyond pissed that the bold little prick went to your front door. He might have only left a compulsion-ridden note, but it was still a scare tactic—a kind of ‘I know where you live and can get close to you’ message.”
Ella slowly nodded. Her demon, showing no signs of calming, was still as infuriated by it as it had been when first discovering the note early this morning. “I worry he’ll target you, Mom, or Jocelyn. Please be super careful.”
“I will. But you’re the one in his sights. He’s focused on you.”
Hearing the bell above the door chime, Ella glanced over. Her body went still. Because Maxine and Dionne were filing inside the store. Wonderful.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ella’s demon sneered, in no mood to tolerate either female right now. It was clear by their tight expressions that they weren’t here to browse the shelves or buy something. And while there was nothing particularly confrontational about their posture, it was very all business.
Moving a little stiffly, they purposefully made a beeline for the counter. Reaching it first, Maxine gave a strained smile. “Ladies,” she greeted simply. “Dionne and I would like to apologize.”
“You would?” asked Ella, because it didn’t seem as though either of them truly wanted to.
“Yes. My behavior last week was uncalled for. I was simply defensive on hearing you accuse my daughter of theft. But she has since admitted to me that the accusation was not actually false.”
Ella exchanged a quick look with her sister.