by Luna Joya
He drove downhill, switched the clothing bags from Lottie’s car to his, and helped the women into his office before stepping into the kitchen.
Fifteen minutes later, he returned in a temper. His restaurant was understaffed due to a stomach flu, filled with high-maintenance customers, and running short on inventory that’d been fully stocked when he’d checked yesterday. Pops had taken over the bar, falling into the role with practiced ease.
Normally, the sight of his girl and their sisters chatting easily in his cramped office or Bogart snoring at Cami’s feet would’ve made him smile, but not with the disaster brewing out front.
“What’s wrong?” Cami asked.
“Problems in the restaurant.”
“Let your assistant manager take care of it today,” Lottie said. “That’s what you pay her for.”
“I can’t.” He shook his head, already done with this conversation and ready to get back to the kitchen. “We’re short on staff.”
“I can help,” Cami told him. “I know the layout as well as any hostess, and I can fetch orders and drinks.”
“You’re a risk out there with your psycho ex. I can’t watch over you and run the restaurant too.” The hurt in her eyes made him suspect he’d vented too much, but it was gone so quickly maybe he’d been wrong.
“We can go then.” She nodded toward the other two women and knelt next to Bogart. Sam figured she’d done that telepathy thing because his dog was instantly awake and ready to go.
“You’re an asshole,” his sister hissed in his ear. He ignored her.
“I’ll only be a couple of hours tops,” he said to Cami who hadn’t met his eyes. “Stay locked inside my place. I’ll bring home food.”
She pushed shaking fingers through her hair and lifted her chin. “We’ll be fine.” She and Bogart rushed down the stairs. Lottie shook her head at him and followed with Mina in tow.
He didn’t even wait for them to hit the door before he was in the kitchen fixing all his staff’s screwups. Almost eight hours of hard work later, he’d closed out another successful night at Corraza’s.
Pops had taken off hours ago, calling him a stupid kid. But this kid had turned the business into a thriving success. Sam tossed extra food in the bag and headed out the back door.
“Samuel.”
The deep voice from the parking lot played like a censuring soundtrack from his childhood. He managed to bite back his father’s name, which would piss the man off. Not a good move on the eternal chess board between them if he wanted to ask for the favor he’d called in earlier. He almost wished it’d been Cami’s ex. At least then he could’ve vented the day’s disasters with a fight.
He glanced toward the dark Ferrari with its headlights still on. “Did my mother come with you?”
“Of course not.” His father stepped into the light. The older man’s eyes cut through him. “Seems you’ve gotten yourself in some trouble. Again.”
He swallowed. He could ask this man for a favor if it meant Cami’s safety. “Someone threatened my girlfriend. I need to borrow the villa for a week or so until the danger passes.” The family’s guarded, gated vacation home further up the coast would be the perfect place to keep her out of sight until he could deal with her ex.
His father’s lip curled. “What kind of street trash did you pick up? Some thug’s ex-wife? Does she know anything about you except dollar signs and real estate?” The man cut his gaze to the restaurant. “I’m betting she’s not from people like us.”
Sam’s fists clenched around the bag of food he’d packed for her. “She’s a good person, so no she’s not like us. And her family is far more functional than ours. Is that a yes or a no on the villa?”
“Absolutely not.” His father opened the door to the Portofino. The quarter-million-dollar car got more care than his own son.
Sam chided himself for even asking. No matter. He’d take care of Cami himself. He wouldn’t let the man who’d tried to kill him and Bogart, burn down the premier collection of cinematic history in the world, and knife his tire, according to the repair shop, have a shot at her. Maybe even the villa wouldn’t be safe enough.
He spun to walk away, but he stopped. He wasn’t a little boy anymore. He could ask the hard questions. He lifted his chin. “Why’d you do it? Why could you two never accept me? I was just a kid. Was it something I did?”
His father shrugged. “More it’s who you’re not. I knew from your birth you’d never inherit the greatness we needed in our family. Your mother tolerated you longer.”
“Who’s Mitch Abrams?”
The anger in his father’s eyes flashed for a fleeting second. “What makes you ask?”
Secrets and lies were all his father knew. “Because my siblings and I deserve to know our own uncle.”
“I’m not saying any Mitch Abrams exists.” His father leaned against the expensive car. “But if he did, he was a smart-ass upstart who couldn’t respect family heritage and stay out of trouble. Sound familiar? We couldn’t have you reminding everyone of our line’s damaged goods. Authority mandated we remove the bad in our family to allow for the good.”
“What authority? I’m not some rot in Mother’s garden. I was your kid.” He hated this man. He’d been tossed aside, unwanted from the day his shrew of a mother and this horrible prick had conceived him. “What are you ranting about? Family heritage? Damaged goods?”
His father sniffed and straightened. “There’s a legacy running through both sides of your family tree.”
“The money.” He resisted the urge to spit. “Screw it. I don’t want it.”
His father shook his head and laughed a nasty, bitter sound. “Power. Lottie inherited. Joe fell in line. You didn’t. Mitch Abrams hadn’t, and it almost wrecked our family. You were just like him. We cut you out to protect ourselves.”
“And the possible mafia connection to Pops? Was that an inconvenience like me?”
His father slid into the driver’s seat. “Stay out of trouble, don’t ask questions about things you wouldn’t understand, and don’t call again.” He slammed the door.
Sam stood frozen to the same spot of pavement while the throttle of the twin turbo rumbled into a low roar through his lot and shot out onto the PCH. He hated his parents, hated the power plays in his own family, and hated himself for giving a fuck. He slapped the side of his already battered Land Cruiser before climbing in.
He needed to ask someone about his failure of a father’s vague references to powers. Cami might know. She’d said magic was a secret. Apparently it wasn’t as unique as the sisters thought.
Heading home to his girl, he tried to shake off the tension in his muscles. He snatched the bag of leftovers from the passenger seat and tromped through the apartment complex. He pushed open the door to find the apartment dark except the streetlights through the open blinds.
“Sorry I’m late. I brought dinner.” He dropped his keys on the counter and the rattling thud shot through the empty room. “Cami?”
This hadn’t been the welcome he’d hoped for. He flicked on the overhead light and pushed into the bedroom, holding the pasta peace offering outstretched.
Bogart lifted his head from his paws with a whine. A sparkling gold and red tag dangled from his collar. Cami’s protection charm, but no Cami.
He checked his phone, the personal one not the work cell. It was almost midnight.
He’d missed calls and a couple of texts from her. She’d gone to her mother’s house.
Refusing to believe she would leave this late and alone, he punched the screen to return her call. He was tired and not ready to deal with more drama. One of the best things about their relationship had always been her not demanding more from him. He would simply explain things ran long at the restaurant and she’d understand.
“Sam?” She sounded tired and uncertain.
“Why’d you leave?” He rubbed his eyes and dropped to the couch.
“I’m heading home.”
Her mother
’s. Not theirs. He leaned his head back, the weight of the day catching up with him. “No, this is your home. I was going to ask you to move in.” He probably should’ve done it today, but there had been a lot going on.
“I can’t.” Her voice caught. Had she been crying? “My charm went off. Neil knows where you live. I’m not bringing you and yours into this.” Her words tumbled out faster. Bogart launched into a howl. Damn it, he couldn’t think with Bogie making all that racket.
“Bogie, hush.” He scratched the dog under the chin. “What are you talking about? I’m already so deep in this.” Apparently, he’d been born into the witch thing according to his father.
“Today was too much. I need some time. To think.”
The finality there worried him. “To think about what?”
She was quiet so long he checked the connection. “About us. About what’s best for us.”
No, this couldn’t be happening. He should’ve come home with her. The restaurant could’ve waited. Hell, hadn’t Pops tried to warn him? “How much time?”
“Until it’s safe.” Her voice sounded small, scared.
“Right. Safe. Your ex is dangerous, which is why you should be staying with me. I’m coming to get you.”
“I won’t risk you, Sam. I can’t do this anymore.”
“No, Cami.” He could hear a tremor in his own voice and hated it. He breathed to steady himself. How’d they gotten to this in only hours? Every fear roared to life in his head. “Don’t do this. Don’t push me away too.”
His hands clenched into fists with the unsettled rage of the horrible day and the nasty meeting with his father. He wouldn’t be left this time. He was done with being abandoned. “There’s no coming back if you leave me.”
Her voice caught on a sob, and he wanted to swallow his words, but it was too late. The call failed.
“Cami?” He dialed again, but it went straight to voicemail.
What the hell was he supposed to do now?
He rang to her automated message a few more times before dialing a different number. “I need your help.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cami shoved the phone in her pocket. Useless thing couldn’t hold a signal even in the city. Or maybe Ama’s wards interfered with the reception. Either way, the dropped call had stopped her from saying something stupid. Like telling Sam she loved him.
He’d worked late. Her charm had burned a steady thrum all afternoon, increasing in frequency after the sun set. She had called Sam to warn him, but he hadn’t answered his phone because the restaurant came first.
His need to take care of what he considered his was part of what had attracted her. Her heart had never stood a chance. She’d probably fallen for him the week they met. She loved him and that hadn’t made leaving tonight to protect him any easier.
She hadn’t thought this through, only wanted some sanctuary from the tide of emotions. Fear had been circling her all day, and she was starting to choke on it. What if Neil made good on his promises? What if he finished what they’d started that night on the beach?
The pulse of the charm had echoed the noises she heard from outside Sam’s apartment and the constant calls on her phone. She had broken down and answered, but no one talked. She wouldn’t turn the phone off because what if Sam called? She’d heard a knock on the door, but there had been no one in the peephole. The hallway had been empty. She put her back to the door only to hear a crying cat that sounded like a human child screaming. Yanking open the door again for a second, there was nothing there. She couldn’t think, couldn’t concentrate.
When she’d left the apartment after looping the protection spell around Bogart’s neck, she had been hoping for a short break, some time to sort things out. But then Sam had called. She hadn’t known how to explain, couldn’t push the words out through threatening tears that burned her throat. He had said there’d be no coming back. Not from this. He couldn’t stand to be left behind and she wouldn’t risk putting him in danger.
She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and knocked on the door to the home where she’d grown up, counting on Ama to open it. Ama would fix everything.
Only she didn’t answer. Ruby did. She ran an unyielding gaze over Cami’s tear-stained face.
“You left Sam.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
Ruby held the door open and stood there blocking it. “Because you’re scared of what Neil might do, and Sam has his head too deep in his restaurant to see it.”
She nodded again, raising a hand to cover her quivering mouth.
Ruby shook her head. “You’re both idiots. Come inside, little sister.” She led the way to the kitchen where Ama fed Rose in her high chair. With Ruby’s odd hours, Rose slept and ate on an adjusted schedule.
“My recipe is a hit,” Ama said before looking up to see Cami. “Oh my sweet girl, what have you done?”
Cami couldn’t fight the tears. Ruby handed her a wad of tissues and steered her toward the back door. “I’ve got her, Ama. You watch my baby, and I’ll take care of yours.”
Ama’s brows lowered, but she nodded to Ruby.
Outside, Cami looked for somewhere to sit that didn’t make her think of the last time she’d been here with Sam. Ruby pushed her down on one of the steps and filled a wineglass for her as she settled on the same stair.
“Why won’t you let yourself be happy?” Ruby asked.
Cami stammered. She’d been happy. Lots of times.
Ruby slowly shook her head. “Not until Sam. I’ve seen you happier in the last five weeks than your whole adult life. That man makes you happy.”
“I’m not. I didn’t. He’s…” She stopped.
“Sam is amazing. Hell, if you don’t want him, Delia or I might take him.”
Cami narrowed her gaze.
“That’s what I thought. Not that he’d be interested anyway. He’s crazy about you. And you’re in love with him.”
“I am,” Cami whispered. She stared at her shoes.
“Did you tell him that?”
“No.”
Ruby huffed and leaned back. “Then you’re a bigger idiot than I thought. You’re supposed to be the smart one of us.”
Cami choked as she sipped the wine. “No, I’m not. You’re all badasses. And I’m, well, Delia calls me the darling. I’m the weak one. I keep messing things up.”
“I’m going to stop that pity party right now. We are all badasses. That much is true. And you boss us around. So what does that make you?”
She shrugged. “Sam calls me Little Miss Bossy. Like the book.”
Ruby’s mouth quirked. “Haven’t read it, but sounds like he’s right.”
“I’ll buy it for Rose.”
Ruby set her almost empty glass on a step. “Great. Stop changing the subject. You’re the one who takes care of us. You’re not the weak one. You’re the sweet strong bossy one who holds us together. You’re everyone’s favorite, our anchor. You and Ama.”
Ruby glanced back toward the house, lowering her voice. “But we are sisters. Everyone else will fade. There will come a time when we will be the only ones to remember Ita, Gigi, Ama, and their magic. We are the next generation in the legacy. It’s part of life. I count myself lucky to have all of you. But you, Cami, you’re going to be the one who makes sure we can still stand each other in twenty years.”
Cami started crying again for an entirely different reason. “I was so scared.”
“Well, you’re safe here. Ama’s house is spell guarded better than a maximum security prison.” Ruby topped off her wineglass. “Now get your shit together so you can go relieve Delia.”
“What?”
“Mina showed up damn near hysterical hours ago. Lottie did her best to feed her and get her home safely without our girl jumping out of the car to go back to that house. Ama called us for reinforcements as you’ve had more than enough to deal with today.”
Cami drained her wineglass and stood to go inside. “I’ll ta
ke care of her.”
“I’m sure you will. Now hand me your phone. There’ll be no drunk dialing on my watch.”
She could argue, but it’d be a waste of time. No one talked down Ruby when she was adamant. She needed to get to Mina anyway. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she winced at the multiple missed calls and texts from Sam.
“Don’t touch those. Give it over,” Ruby ordered with an outstretched hand. “What the hell is this phone case? Is it kid proof? I need one of these.” She pocketed the phone and tipped her head toward the door as she sipped her wine.
Cami slipped inside and past Ama.
Delia came out of Mina’s room. “Oh good, you’re here. I can’t deal with all her emotions. No way I was this big of a drama diva even at her age.” She rubbed her forehead above the bridge of her nose. “Your problem now.”
Cami bit her tongue. Delia’s coworkers called her Ice Queen for a reason. Her sister’s back remained arrow straight as she stormed down the hall, likely in search of Ruby and wine. But both had dropped everything to come at Ama’s call when Mina needed them. Because they were sisters, and sisters took care of each other.
Mina called out from inside the room. “I know you’re there.”
Cami pushed through the door, put her back against the knob and slowly closed it when she saw Mina’s ravaged face. She was contemplating the gentlest way to comment when Mina said, “You look like shit, big sister. Rough day?”
She sighed. “Yeah. Yeah it has been. Some asshole destroyed my apartment. He’s stalking me. My little sister passed out because she has incredible powers she can’t control, and I think I might have broken up with the love of my life.”
“Sam?” Mina looked appalled. “I did not see a breakup coming, and I see everything. I saw you two together in the future. Like married together. I should’ve come up to his apartment when we dropped you off. Maybe I could’ve seen it hours before and talked you out of it. How’d it happen?”