by King, Thayer
If Harlow had seemed genuinely apologetic, Imani possibly would have considered her plea. But looking into her eyes, she didn’t sense remorse. If anything, Harlow appeared contemptuous of the situation in which she’d found herself. And there was also the fact that the woman had lied to her face and pretended to want to be her friend before. No way was she going to invite her back into her life.
“I can’t stop Keith from working with you. But as for a friendship between the two of us, it’s not happening.” She gripped her door handle and yanked it closed. As she drove off, Harlow stared after her. Imani suddenly recalled the dream she’d had of her and Keith being spied on by a female with long flowing hair. With a flash, she realized that the woman had been Harlow.
She wasn’t seeing Keith tonight. He’d gone out to dinner with his brother. Hopefully he would call her when he got home. Harlow’s behavior roused an unsettled feeling of foreboding in her belly. She hoped she could make Keith understand.
***
Keith was exhausted. After stripping down to his boxers, he fell into bed. Bear claimed the spot next to him. Keith gave his head a brisk rub. He’d met Sean and Mystique at Il Terrazzo Carmine in Seattle. He loved his brother, but the man had the biggest ego of anyone he’d ever met. He wanted to act as the screenwriter, producer and director. Not to mention that he would get the main part in what he hoped would be a successful trilogy. Sean insisted that his having such control was the only way to ensure that they were satisfied with the finished product.
Keith would argue with him, but as annoying as the cocky bastard could be, he was very talented. And Sean worked hard. He wouldn’t expect the film to be a success simply because his name was attached to the project. Sean would make it a hit.
Tired as he was, he couldn’t go to sleep without hearing Imani’s voice. He’d missed her today. He’d wished she could come with him to Seattle.
His cell phone was on the nightstand. He reached for it and scrolled through his contacts for Imani’s name. She answered on the second ring. “Keith, I’m so glad you called.”
Something in her voice had him sitting up in alarm. “Imani, what’s wrong?”
She inhaled. “Harlow came to the library today. Did you know she was still in town?”
He frowned. What the hell was Harlow up to? He hadn’t seen her since the evening she’d surprised him in his bathroom. It had only been a few days. He’d been putting off having a conversation with her. Not that he would know what to say. So far he had been unable to convince her that a relationship between them wasn’t going to happen.
“I didn’t know she was here,” he said. But then, popping in and out of town wouldn’t be an issue for her. “Did she say something to upset you?”
“Not exactly. She apologized and offered to be my friend.”
Like hell he believed Harlow meant that. “And you said?”
Imani snorted. “I turned her down. She looked like she was sucking on lemons. But listen, Keith, when I drove away, she stood there staring after me and it gave me the creeps. I know she’s your friend…”
“Imani, you don’t have to say any more. I’ll talk to Harlow first thing in the morning.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ve got nothing to thank me for. I love you and I don’t want anyone making you uncomfortable. If she can’t accept that we’re together, then she isn’t my friend.”
***
Harlow was avoiding him. He’d called her three times. Each time, his call went straight to voicemail. He was thinking of calling again when his cell began ringing.
“What’s got you so worried?” It was Sean. They had always been close. So close that they could sense each other’s stronger emotions. That was how he knew that Sean was happier than he’d ever been since he married Mystique. In fact, she made Sean so happy, Keith considered it a wonder that the woman could still walk.
“Harlow,” he replied succinctly.
“You’re still working with her?”
“She’s an excellent research partner.”
Sean scoffed. “She’s a whacko.”
“She is a trifle odd.”
“She’s a snobby whacko who has no respect for anyone who doesn’t spend their life focusing on magic.”
Keith couldn’t argue that. He’d put up with her eccentric behavior because of her extensive knowledge about witchcraft.
“So what’s up with her?”
He sighed and began pacing the confines of his den. “She’s got it into her head that we should be together. Imani came in and caught her kissing me the day before you arrived. And yesterday she visited Imani at the library and offered to be her friend.”
“Un-fucking-believable. No way, she wants to be friends with a human. I hope you told Imani that she couldn’t be trusted?”
“I didn’t have to. Imani didn’t buy it for a moment. I’ve been trying to reach Harlow, but she’s not answering.”
Sean grunted. “Now that it’s a matter of her safety, you need to tell Imani that you’re a witch.”
He froze mid-stride and glared at the blank screen of his television. “No.”
“Keith, come on.”
“No.” The idea of telling her and having her look at him in disgust or horror, terrified him. He couldn’t begin to predict how she would react. He couldn’t take the chance that he might lose her. And it wasn’t necessary. He would protect her. “Sean, I will handle this. Harlow isn’t dangerous. She’s misguided and stubborn, but she’s not a threat.”
“Are you even listening to yourself? She’s a witch. She’s dangerous in so many ways to a human.”
“We have rules against harming humans.”
“And as disdainful as she is of humans, you think she’ll follow them?”
Keith shook his head. “I’ll handle this, Sean.” He grabbed his keys off his coffee table. He checked his watch. Imani should still be at the library. They closed early on Saturdays but if he hurried, he should be able to meet her there.
“She’s not here? Where is she?”
Stephanie shrugged negligently and her shirt slipped off one shoulder, revealing a red bra strap. “I don’t know. Home, maybe?” She leaned over the counter, displaying a nauseating amount of cleavage.
Keith backed away from the counter so that she would know that he wasn’t interested. He was in no mood for Stephanie’s flirting. “Didn’t she come into work this morning?” he asked briskly.
She stared up at him through long and completely false lashes. “If I were your woman, you wouldn’t catch me working on a Saturday morning.” She twirled a long red lock of hair around her finger. Keith acknowledged that she was an attractive woman. When she was his age, she must have been stunning. But she was bold and brash. She’d never be the type of woman who would appreciate the quiet evenings he enjoyed. Within a very short period of time, she’d grow to hate him. He knew from experience, as he’d dated her type before. They wanted the glamour and glitz of being with someone famous. But that wasn’t the life he lived. He enjoyed his privacy too much.
“Yes, well, I admire Imani’s dedication. Have you seen her?”
Finally taking the hint that he wasn’t going to just let the subject of Imani drop, Stephanie straightened up and righted her shirt. “She came in. I had no choice but to let her go,” Stephanie said with a sniff.
Keith frowned. “Let her go? Was she sick?” He was already digging his cell out of his pocket. He could stop by the grocery store and buy her soup. Or he could heal her when he got to her house. Could he do that without her becoming suspicious?
“No, she wasn’t sick.” Stephanie occupied herself with shuffling books around. “I fired her. She’s lucky I could afford her position this long. With government cutbacks and the drop in donations…”
“Why didn’t you say that at first?” Keith snapped. But he knew why. If she’d said that when he first asked, he would have walked right back out the door, cutting off her chance to flirt with him.
; Stephanie pursed her lips and glared at him. “What does this little job matter to her anyway? She’s got her sugar daddy now, doesn’t she?”
He made a sound of disgust and headed out to his car. The bond between himself and Imani was still too faint for him to feel her emotions when she wasn’t with him. He got in his Lexus and sped off to her house.
Imani must have been so upset about the loss of her job. Despite having to work with Stephanie, he knew she loved her job. Why hadn’t she called him? By the time he pulled into her driveway, he was beginning to worry.
But when Imani answered the door, she appeared perfectly fine. Hot as hell, but otherwise unharmed. She wore a short-sleeved back top that clung to her bosom and a pair of yoga pants that were clearly as fond of her ass as he was. She greeted him with a quick kiss and invited him inside. “What are you doing here?”
“I went by the library and Stephanie said she’d let you go.” He studied her and she didn’t seem even remotely upset, which made him worry all over again.
Keith followed her to the kitchen and watched as she sat down at her table and cozied up to a bowl of ice cream. He peered over the rim and noticed she had added strawberries and vanilla sandwich cookies. He could have sighed in relief. “Decided to drown your sorrows in dairy?”
She loaded a spoon. “Nope. This is just delicious.”
“For lunch?”
“Makes an excellent lunch.”
He drew out a chair next to her and sat down. Much as he tried, he couldn’t tell what she was feeling. “You’re not upset? Angry?”
She licked the back of her spoon. “I was. Believe me, I totally lost my cool for about a minute.”
He had to give himself a mental admonishment to concentrate. He’d been distracted by the flash of her tongue. Clearing his throat, he said, “I’m sorry. I know how much you loved your job.”
“I definitely won’t miss Steph. I loved being surrounded by books. Helping people…. Organizing books. I know that sounds crazy, but I like it. I like the visible accomplishment.”
She offered him a spoonful of melting ice cream. He accepted it. “You’re right. It’s delicious.” The bits of cookie behaved as a crust for the sweet strawberries. “You know, you could get a job in another library.”
Imani scoffed. “Here? Not likely.”
“You could open a bookstore.”
“Mm,” she hummed around her spoon. “Oh, yes, I’ll do that with the millions I saved up while working at the library.” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry about me, baby. I’ll find another job.”
“And any employer would be lucky to have you. I can give you the money to open a store. Maybe in Seattle? I still have a house there.”
Imani inhaled deeply. “I-I don’t know.” She bit her lip. “That’s a really generous offer, but I….” Her eyes flashed around the room. “This house. I inherited it from my parents. I’ve lived here all my life. And Thea’s right next door.”
He nodded. She had ties here. He had none but his house in Seattle. “We could open your store here.”
She shook her head. “No.”
Keith released a pent up breath. “It’s just an idea. Think it over, please.”
“No, I mean…I want to move to Seattle with you.”
A smile threatened to break free but he held it in check. “Yeah?”
She laughed. “Yeah. Sounds good to me. You can be my partner--silent partner. And I will run the business.”
As he listened to her go on about the details, such as finding a location and a good manager, he realized that he’d somehow tapped into a dream of hers. He was glad that he could make her so happy. She got out a pad of paper and began making plans.
“Oh! I forgot to ask. Why were you looking for me at the library?”
He groaned at the reminder. “I’ve been trying to reach Harlow and she’s ignoring me. I wanted to make sure she didn’t bother you again.”
She tapped her paper with the capped end of her pen. “We never did discuss exactly what you plan to say to her. I don’t want to be presumptuous.”
“When it comes down to it, Harlow is a work acquaintance. You’re going to be my wife. I have no place in my life for her if she can’t accept that.”
Imani smiled. “You don’t know how much better that makes me feel.” She put her pen down and took one of his hands. “I love you. What I’m about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but…I just got a bad vibe from her. And I had a dream once. It was of the two of us. We were in your garden. It was one of those idyllic visions and I was totally at peace there. And then someone stepped out of the shadows. They’d been watching us.” She frowned. “I think that person was Harlow.”
Keith held his breath. What she was describing sounded like a premonition. Was it possible that Imani had psychic abilities? Or was that just wishful thinking on his part? “When did you have this dream?”
“I don’t recall exactly. Before meeting Harlow.” She bit her lip. “I know it’s unbelievable, but I’ve had dreams like this before. Whenever I didn’t take them seriously, I’ve lived to regret it.”
He squeezed her hand. “No, baby, I believe you.”
She eyed him, but finally she seemed to relax. Then she smiled. “You’re the perfect man for me. I thought for sure you were going to call off the wedding when I told you.”
“Never,” he assured her. In lieu of her difficult confession, he wondered if he should tell her that he was a witch. Would she think he was making fun of her? He could easily convince her it was true. But his secret was far bigger than hers. Maybe if he revealed one of his talents? Maybe she could handle the truth a little piece at a time?
Before he could say more the doorbell rang. Imani went to answer it. He heard her talking to a man briefly before she returned to the kitchen with a cardboard box. She got a kitchen knife out of a drawer and gave him a knowing smile. “How did you know I’d need a pick me up today?”
“What do you mean?”
With three efficient swipes of the knife through the packing tape, she had the box open. “I didn’t order anything. So I assumed this was a gift from you.” She reached inside and pulled out a small bouquet of unusual yellow flowers.
He immediately recognized them as aconite and achillea. The flowers represented hatred and war. He stood with such haste that his chair tipped over and hit the floor. “What the-? Imani, I did not send you those.”
She put the flowers aside and removed a box of chocolates. “I know you didn’t. You wouldn’t have sent me these.”
Keith took the box from her. He could sense the dark aura of evil radiating from it before it even made contact with his skin. “Harlow,” he said. It could be no one but her. The flowers and the cursed chocolates gave her away. He couldn’t discern the exact curse she’d placed on the chocolates, but it definitely wasn’t good.
Imani frowned. “Is this supposed to be some sort of apology?” She turned the box over and shook it. “There’s no note.” She moved to pick up the flowers and Keith grabbed her hand.
“Don’t!”
Her eyes widened and she clutched her chest. “What? What is it?”
What could he tell her? Not about the magic. “The flowers.” He pointed at the aconite’s distinctive shape, which gave it one of its many names, monkshood. “They’re poisonous. We should throw them out.”
“Oh my God.” She got a plastic bag and shoved the flowers inside and cinched it tight. She pushed it to the bottom of her trash can before washing her hands. “Do you think she knew they were poisonous?”
“Yes.”
“And the chocolate? Does she know I’m allergic?”
Keith shook his head. “I don’t see any way that she could.” No, that was simply a mistake on her part. One that might have saved Imani’s life. Harlow expected her to eat the cursed chocolates. Many women would have. Damn it! He’d underestimated the strength of Harlow’s delusion.
“So this is a threat?”
It was, but
he didn’t want to frighten her.
His expression must have been all the answer Imani needed. She crossed to the phone. “I’m calling the police.”
“What? No. You’ve got to let me handle this.” The spell on the chocolate would be undetectable by the police. Having Harlow hauled in for questioning would only rile her. Witches tended to be touchy about interrogations. Until he knew what curse she’d placed on the candy, he didn’t see the point of potentially unleashing a witch’s wrath.
“Keith, I am not going to let that bitch get away with this.”
“And neither am I. Look, the flowers are harmless unless consumed. The police aren’t going to do anything about a subtle threat. She can deny she knew about their toxicity and their meaning.”
Imani’s eyes narrowed. She pressed her lips together and placed her hands on her hips. “Well, what are you going to do? Talk to her again? So far, she’s proven immune to reason.”
She was angry and he was glad. He’d rather have her mad than scared. But he didn’t want her so angry that she thought of confronting Harlow. The result would be disastrous. “Don’t worry.” He pulled her into an embrace. She was stiff at first but eventually she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her temple. “I love you.” Her body was soft and warm. She smelled delicious. There was no stopping his physical reaction.
Imani leaned back. She quirked a brow. “Really?”
He grinned at her. “You have that effect on me.” He pressed her head down on his shoulder. “If I can ignore it, so can you.”
She sighed and ran a hand down his spine. “I trust that you will try your best, and I understand part of you wants to remain loyal to a friend, but if she comes near me again, I can’t promise I won’t call the police.”
“That’s fine, but call me first.”
Chapter Thirteen
Imani breathed in Keith’s warm masculine scent and tried to push aside her worry. Maybe Steph was right and they were moving too fast. Much as she wanted to believe that Keith loved her and was ready for commitment, she couldn’t help but question his loyalty to Harlow. Did he feel more for her than friendship? If it wasn’t more than that, and Keith had done nothing to encourage her obsession, why was he so adamant about not calling the police?