Seeing her now made that old skeleton from his past come out into the stark light of day and he could suddenly hear the screams echoing in his head.
Maybe the skeleton was not Rose’s doing. Maybe she was even a victim to it, but the memories were still intertwined with her and Thorin was having a hard time separating them even now.
Besides, he’d made it clear they could never be together again.
Bad things happened when they came together.
But worse than all that was the fact that Rose had insinuated herself into Lola’s life under false pretenses.
What game was she playing? Had she told Lola about the incident? About his uncontrollable rage?
His stomach knotted at the thought. But reason told him that if Lola knew, she wouldn’t be friendly toward him. She’d likely have told him to jump off a cliff and never come back.
“If you have any care for your head,” Dae said, “I suggest you leave right now.”
Rose kept that honeyed smile on her face as she replied, “Are you threatening to behead me? Right here in the middle of this gallery?” She laughed. “You know what, go for it. There’s nothing I love more than seeing a man of power lose his. If the Conclave didn’t tear you a new asshole after a stunt like that, the US media would.”
Thorin inhaled. “What do you want, Rose?”
She finally looked at him and the smile disappeared from her lips. “I want to make amends.”
“With me?”
“Yes.”
“By manipulating your way into Lola’s life? As Meg? Who the fuck is Meg?”
She shrugged, hands on her hips. “It’s just basic enough to be anyone, really.”
“I can’t believe you.”
“Come on now,” she said and moved closer to him, her chest pushed out so it strained against the tight material of her t-shirt. “Everyone loves a good reconciliation. Isn’t it time we had ours?”
“Please leave, Rose.” His voice wavered as he toed that line he’d drawn long ago.
He knew the stages his rage took and he knew when things were about to go south.
The rage was starting to blind him. There was only one goal ringing in his head now: get rid of Rose.
He just wanted her gone. He did not want those ghosts stretching along the walls.
He had worked too hard to get to this place, this safer version of himself, and within a handful of minutes of seeing Rose, all of that work was about to crumble.
“Okay, fine,” she said.
Thorin nearly sighed with relief.
“I’ll go if it suits you tonight.”
“It suits us every night,” Dae said.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Dae Blackwell, words like knives, but when it comes right down to it, just how sharp do you think you are?”
“Stay away from Lola,” Thorin said as he stepped between his brother and Rose. He was definitely on Dae’s side on this, but the gallery was not a place for a showdown.
“Lola doesn’t deserve to be manipulated,” he added, though even he recognized how pointless that argument was. Djinn didn’t typically concern themselves with the emotional well being of mortals and that was especially true of Northman djinn. He was desperate though and it had him grasping at loose threads.
And Rose knew it.
“Oh, Thor.” She set her hands on her tiny hips. “Did you ever stop to think maybe Lola and I are better friends than you are? You’ve iced out your heart. That makes it especially hard to connect. And you know how humans love to connect.” She pushed out a hip and tilted her head. “In fact, care to wager who’s the better friend? Me or you.”
“There will be no wager,” he bit out. “Fucking leave, Rose.”
She regarded him for several long seconds and then swiveled away. “You’re no fun at all. It’s like your balls have been chopped off.” She stopped at the gallery’s exit and shot him a look over her shoulder. “Whatever happened to the monster I grew to love?”
Thorin could feel the vein in his forehead puff up. If she didn’t leave in the next five seconds, he might just show her how monstrous he could be.
“Scurry along,” Dae said. “We’ve no time for your games.”
Rose’s smile turned downright devious as she said, “Oh boys, the games have just begun.”
Chapter 9
LOLA
Lola didn’t get a chance to talk to Thorin again during the exhibit. Attendees kept her busy. The night had not been a smashing success, but Lola had sold five original works, which was enough to cover the cost of printing and framing for the exhibit, so at least she was breaking even.
But what the hell was she going to do about next month? And the month after that?
Sales were waning. Her savings were drying up.
A stress headache started to beat between her eyes. She rubbed the bridge of her nose with a thumb and forefinger.
“Lo?” Ashley said.
“Sorry. What?”
“I said we should go out for a celebratory drink.”
They were standing outside the closed gallery. The show was over, the gallery locked up and dark.
Thorin and Dae stood off down the sidewalk discussing…well, Lola wasn’t really sure what they were discussing but it seemed heated.
“I don’t know,” Lola said. “I’m tired and I still have tons of work to do.”
And by work she meant brainstorm a way not to fail so she wouldn’t have to go begging Dae for pity buys.
“Come on,” Ashley said. “Just one?” She clasped her hands in front of her like she was praying for Lola to say yes.
Lola looked past Ashley to Thorin. His eyes were tight as Dae spoke to him.
They’d been that way ever since meeting Meg and long after she’d left.
What was the story there? And did Lola even want to know?
It wasn’t like Thorin was a common name. Meg must have known who Lola was talking about when she brought him up!
What Lola wanted to do was go home and turn her mind to her work. She needed to start plotting what came next. She was convinced that creating artwork that people would fork out money for could be disassembled into a formula. If only she could figure out what that formula was.
“Please,” Ashley said again.
The guys walked up then. Dae asked, “What has you begging?”
“I’m trying to get Lola to come out for a drink.”
Lola stole a glance at Thorin. She caught him scanning the street beyond.
Was he looking for Meg?
Clearly he had other things on his mind.
“Thanks for the invite,” Lola said, “but I think I’m just gonna—”
“You should come out,” Thorin said, his eyes still on the street.
She frowned up at him. “Really?”
“Yes.” He finally looked at her, but there was a wrinkle of irritation between his eyes.
She had never seen him like this, so hot and cold. Whatever the story with Meg was, it must be a good one. Lola was sorta curious. Like in an outlier way, like peeking into someone’s house at night when they left the curtains open and the lights blazing.
Secrets were only fun when they were someone else’s.
But she didn’t like seeing him riled up, either. If anything, she wanted to stick by his side to help calm him down.
“All right,” she said. “Maybe a drink or two.”
“Yay!” Ashley said. “Dae, where should we go?”
A sports car with tinted windows rolled by. Thorin stepped closer to Lola and stared at the car with a disconcerting frown.
“Thor,” Dae prompted. “Where would you like to go?”
“What? Oh. I don’t know. Wherever.”
Dae pulled out his cell phone from his inner jacket pocket. “One Rome is closest.” He hit a name in his phone and brought it to his ear. When someone picked up on the other end, he said, “I’ll be arriving in ten minutes. Clear the corner.” He hung up without saying goodbye.
; “Shall we?” he said and held out his arm for Ashley.
They headed south toward the business district.
Thorin held out his hand as if to say ladies first.
Lola surged ahead. He easily matched her pace.
Trying to act nonchalant about it, Lola said, “So how long have you known Meg?”
Thorin snorted.
Lola tread carefully. “I figured you knew her. Did you sleep together or something?” she joked.
He was noticeably silent.
“Is that why you’re all bent out of shape about it? About Meg and me being friends? Because it’s okay if you’ve slept with her. I mean, it doesn’t have to make things weird—”
He whipped his head her way. “What? No! That’s not—no.”
“Then what?”
Ashley and Dae disappeared around the next street corner.
Thorin grabbed Lola and pulled her to a stop. Half his face was hidden in shadow, the other half lit golden by a lamppost. The light made him look like an angelic version of the Phantom of the Opera.
“Meg isn’t her name,” he said. “Her name is Rose Northman and she is djinn and she is using you to get to me.”
“She…what? That seems a little crazy.”
“Yes, well, Meg is not exactly sane. None of the Northman djinn are.”
“Why would she want to get to you, though? Revenge or something? Did you break her heart?”
He sighed. Hands on his hips, he looked down at the sidewalk. Lola could sense that he was thinking through his response. Either how much to tell her or exactly how to tell it.
We’re friends, she wanted to say. You can tell me anything. But they had such a short past and only weeks’ worth of a relationship. She had no right to push him. No right to coax the truth from him.
“Rose and I…” he finally said, “…our past is complicated. The Northman are complicated. All I’m asking is that you steer clear of Rose for now. Maybe for good.”
“I can’t just excommunicate her.” At the very least, she wanted to give Meg—Rose—the opportunity to explain herself.
“Lo,” Thorin said, an edge to his voice. “You need to stay away from her.”
“I’m a big girl, Thorin. I can take care of myself.”
“You’re just a human!” he said.
She reeled, shocked at his choice of words. That cut more than she would have expected. She was human, after all. But the way Thorin said it, it almost sounded like he was equating human with weak.
Lola started walking again. Thorin followed.
The lights and music of One Rome filled the street as they turned the next corner. Ashley and Dae were waiting outside chatting with the bouncer.
“Lo,” Thorin said again.
She whirled on him. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”
“Your friend,” he said.
“My friend wouldn’t make me out to be an idiot.”
His nostrils flared. “I’m not.”
“You are.”
“Just…please heed my warning,” he said, suddenly sounding like his age. Somewhere in his several hundred years, Thorin had lost whatever accent he’d had and now passed as pretty much American. But Lola had been hanging out with him enough that she had learned that proper, formal language sometimes crept up when he wasn’t careful.
It served as a reminder of who and what she was dealing with.
He was warning her about a djinn, the very thing he was.
They had come up on One Rome’s entrance and Dae, sensing the shift of the mood, swooped in to save his brother.
“Shall we go in?” he said. “Thorin, I have a 25-year scotch you should try. I had it imported from Scotland last week.”
Thorin didn’t even bother to shake him off. He just nodded and said, “I could use a drink.”
As the brothers went inside, Ashley sidled up to Lola. “Is everything okay?”
Lola pressed at the headache again that had now doubled and spread to her temples. The pulsing rock music wasn’t helping matters. “You know what? I think I’m just gonna go.”
“No! Stay. We can get margaritas. We can get drunk and dance to the music. We can pretend we’re irresponsible college girls with our whole lives ahead of us.”
Lola laughed. Ashley always managed to make Lola feel lighter.
“While that does sound like tons of fun, I think I’m gonna head home.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely sure.”
“Well if I can’t talk you into staying, at least let me get Dae to take you home and—”
“No. A walk will be good. It might help this headache.”
Ashley tilted her head and frowned. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m good, lady. Stop worrying.” Lola wrapped her arms around Ashley’s neck and tugged her in. “Thanks for being the bestest friend.”
“You’re welcome. Same. Text me when you get home?”
“I will.”
The bouncer held the door for Ashley.
“Have fun,” Lola said and waved as she strode away.
Chapter 10
THORIN
Thorin spotted Ashley wending through the crowd at One Rome. He had come to the booth in the back of the club while Dae went to fetch the bottle of scotch in the back room.
The flashing lights of the club lit Ashley gold and red as she made her way to him. There was a frown etched across her face.
Lola was nowhere in sight.
Thorin lurched to his feet.
“Where is Lo?” he asked, an edge of fear already creeping into his voice.
“It’s okay. She’s fine.” Ashley grabbed his hand and squeezed. Unlike the rest of his family, Ashley cared through touch. And the fact that she was trying to reassure him by reaching out to him meant the world. She only knew the surface level of his problems, but she knew enough to recognize when he was about ready to crash over the edge and needed an anchor to keep his wits.
“She shouldn’t be alone right now, Ash,” he said.
“And telling Lo that is the quickest way to get her to bail.”
He grumbled.
“Lola doesn’t like to be told what to do,” Ashley added.
“I know that.”
“Maybe if you filled me in…” She trailed off and gave him a meaningful look.
Ashley wasn’t one to pry and she didn’t thrive on gossip like some of the women in his past, so he knew her asking was for the betterment of Lola. But he couldn’t tell her the horrible details. He couldn’t stand the thought of Ashley knowing the shape of his sins and thinking less of him because of it.
“All you need to know is that Rose/Meg is trouble and I think she’s using Lo to get to me. Which is exactly what I told Lo.”
“Also a mistake.”
Thorin growled his frustration.
“What’s going on?” Dae asked when he joined them at the private booth. “Where’s Lo?”
“She went home,” Thorin said. “Alone.”
“Bloody hell,” Dae said.
The DJ switched tracks and a quicker, more frenetic beat filled One Rome. The lights shifted from a swirling gold to a pulsing, disorienting green and the noise of the crowd swelled to match the energy.
Thorin’s head was pounding now.
If something happened to Lola because of him…
Fucking Northman djinn were always meddling, always causing chaos…
Heat built in his gut.
“Dae,” he said. “I…we…”
“I know.” Dae set his drink on the table. “Time to go, love.”
“What? Why?”
Dae put himself between Thorin and Ashley, a hand on each of their arms.
The club disappeared with a pop and in an instant they were in the conservatory of Blackwell House.
Red, their grandfather, who also happened to look like he was their younger brother and not their elder, sat in one of the leather side chairs in front of them, a glass of scotch in han
d.
He barely flinched when they popped up. Such was the way of djinn. Eventually you became desensitized to people just appearing out of thin air.
“What’s going on?” Ashley asked. “Why did we have to come home?”
Red stared at them. Somehow Thorin suspected he already knew what was going on without even asking. There had always been something otherworldly about Red. And sure, they were all immortal supernatural beings and therefore otherworldly, but Red was a cut above.
No one knew exactly how old he was—he had always been particularly vague about his age—but Thorin and his brothers suspected he was closing in on a millennium.
Now though, now he was human. Of a sort.
All djinn were born with 1000 deals to make and 3000 wishes to grant. Once those deals were up, a djinn died and turned to dust.
Red had been on his last deal when Dae made a deal with Ashley and Ashley in turn used her last wish to switch places with Red in order to save him.
It shouldn’t have been possible. Even Thorin, ever the optimist, hadn’t really believed they could save Red. Now he wondered if the deal had gone through because Death needed Red for some other purpose on some other future date. He hadn’t voiced this theory aloud, but he suspected his brothers would agree.
Everyone in the supernatural world knew that Red somehow had Death’s favor.
That was even more evident now that Red was no longer slowly decaying in his bed.
He looked better than he had in years.
But he was also crankier than usual.
It had something to do with his psychic, Cassie, the girl he’d made his second to last deal with. They couldn’t be together for reasons unknown to Thorin.
It made Red even more cold and detached than usual. Except when it came to Ashley.
If he had a soft spot for anyone, it was her.
“We have a problem,” Dae said.
“Don’t we always?” Red answered. He drained the rest of his scotch. “Go on then, tell me.”
“Northman djinn,” Dae said over Ashley’s head.
“One of them—Rose is it?” Ashley said. “She’s become friends with Lola.”
Slightly bored, Red asked, “Who is Lola?”
“My best friend? You’ve met her like a handful of times.”
One Mark: Steamy Friends to Lovers Paranormal Romance (Blackwell Djinn) Page 4