Fallon squeezed her shoulder. “Brody is keeping him busy.” She walked back toward their table.
Liz looked down just in time for Jess to slide a plate of fries and a greasy bacon cheese burger in front of her. One corner of her mouth lifted. “Whose burger did you steal?”
Jess grinned. “Yours. I put the order in ten minutes ago.”
Her eyes burned. She knew she had friends, but it was times like these she realized how much they put up with when she was like this. “I love you guys. You know that, right?” She took a huge bite of burger and washed it down with a big gulp of alcohol. Yeah, she was going to be sick tomorrow, but that beat dealing with the shit tonight.
“Aww. We love you too.” Jess winked. “Just remember, you have friends who will help any way we can.” She glanced over Liz’s shoulder and one corner of her mouth twisted up. “Looks like a couple are coming this way. You ought to give them a chance. I think you’ll like the results.”
She knew it was Tremaine and Robert. Hell, she could feel Robert closing in on her. They still shared a connection she had tried to shatter. Robert still held her heart, but so did Tremaine. Choosing wasn’t an option, it would rip her to pieces.
Tremaine leaned against the counter next to her. Robert was beside him. The two of them couldn’t be more different if they tried, and yet, she wasn’t whole without either one of them. Not anymore.
Dark, unruly curls framed Tremaine’s rugged face. His dark eyes were intense and captivating. He was rarely clean-shaven and she longed to brush her hand over the scruff.
He was her first taste of a man who would always do the right thing. Tremaine had taken her in, never once touching her, but making sure she was safe. He taught her to rein in her magic during their travels.
It took a few months away from Robert for her to realize that a part of her heart would always belong to the man who swept in and saved her, the man who taught her to rise above. She had always loved her avenging angel, but it took losing Robert to finally realize it.
Then there was her sensitive gentleman. Robert always dressed immaculately, there was never a blond hair out of place, and his dusky blue eyes were always thoughtful and never missed anything.
She never understood why such a perfect man wanted the woman who rarely made an effort to fit in, and couldn’t keep her mouth shut to save face.
Robert tipped his head as he took her in. “I’m sorry I’m making this all worse, Liz. I just want to be sure you’re safe.”
She let out a heavy sigh. “Ditto. Let me finish eating. I’ll go over there and spend a little time with Christian before we go.”
He smiled sadly. “We don’t have to rush.” He turned and walked toward the table where everyone sat.
Liz shoved the rest of her burger in her mouth and looked up at Tremaine.
“He wants to fix things,” Tremaine told her. “You don’t have to drink yourself into a coma. He wants to make things right.”
After swallowing hard, she glared up at Tremaine. “Trem, he can’t fix anything. It’s too late.” How was she going to get through the night? Easy, lots of fucking rum to forget the men in her life. “Please. Let me have tonight to be a mess. I’ll be on my best behavior tomorrow.” She crammed a few fries into her mouth.
He swept her hair behind her ear with a sad smile. “Okay, Liz. Just let me take care of you tonight. Don’t fight me on it.”
She snorted. “You will anyway, so don’t worry. I just wish….” She blinked back the sudden onslaught of tears and guzzled the rest of her rum.
“Wish what, doll?”
“Doesn’t matter. Just forget it. Okay? And thanks for taking care of my messed up ass.” She threw some money down on the counter and managed to walk over to the group with a smile.
What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Robert hugged Christian, both animatedly chatting. And then she saw Christian’s resemblance to James.
He was twenty-one today. Twenty-one years after Robert left to take care of Emily. Robert was Uncle Bobby? Holy fuck.
How many years had she wondered why the mysterious Uncle Bobby never showed up when she was around? How many times did she wonder why he was always gone before she showed up?
Tremaine walked right into her, putting his hands around her waist as he leaned in to whisper against her ear. “He didn’t tell you why he left that night?” She heard the heat in his words, but fuck, she hadn’t given Robert a chance.
She shook her head. “He’s Emily’s?” she whispered.
“And James’. He raped her, resulting in Christian. It’s why she disappeared for months.”
“Shit. And that’s why Robert never made it that night.” She couldn’t breathe as Christian and Robert’s eyes locked on her. “I really, really don’t want to be here,” she muttered.
“Chris doesn’t know about his parents. Robert never told him,” Trem whispered urgently.
The way his breath danced across her face, and how his hands curled around her, made her body respond to his. And then Robert’s eyes locked on hers, and she saw desire twisted with concern.
Too much rum. I’m imagining shit now.
Tremaine’s lips brushed against her ear and her breath caught. “Don’t tell Chris. Let Robert handle that.”
“Right,” she said on an exhale. Tremaine took a step back. Man, what she wouldn’t give for a pair of pants with pockets to hide her trembling hands. Instead she clenched them into fists and hoped like hell she could escape to the bar soon. She needed more rum.
Christian hugged her tight. “I hear you know Uncle Bobby?”
“Yeah, funny thing about that, I’ve known him forever, but I haven’t seen him in years. I didn’t realize he was your uncle.” Shit, she didn’t feel so good.
Christian gave her a curious look before turning his gaze back to Robert, and then Tremaine. His eyes went round as he faced her and a smile spread on his lips, but there was concern in his expression.
“You okay, Liz?” Christian asked and then let her go. She shook her head, and his brow arched. “What’s going on?”
Hell, Chris likely had a better idea than she did. He was worse than Jess and Jamie put together.
A nervous laugh broke free. “I’ll be okay. Just a bad week, hon. I don’t want to worry you on your birthday.”
“Good times are coming, so don’t stress. I know you’ll get through it.”
Okay, maybe he turned twenty-one and his gifts for seeing the future and reading emotions were failing him. That or he was already drunk. Either way, there was nothing she could say without giving away too much info.
“Thanks, kid.” She nodded to the pool table. “I believe you were playing against Brody.”
Brody gave her a slight nod and half smile. “He is. Fallon’s giving him pointers.” He slid a glance toward his fiancé and winked. They were so damned perfect together. She had shared that with Robert once, but it was torn from her.
Fallon slid up next to her and placed another glass of Voodoo in her hand. She whispered, “You’re going to be sick as a dog tomorrow, but I know you need this.”
“You are a lifesaver.’ She took a long swig and smiled back at Fallon.
“If you need an escape, I’ll give you the key to the apartment.” Fallon meant the apartment above their garage. Between Robert and Tremaine, they would find her. It wasn’t worth avoiding them.
“Nah, I’d have an easier time warding my house against them both if need be.”
Fallon’s brow rose. “If you say so.” She let it drop and walked back to Brody.
Liz found herself a chair because the world had started to spin. She still chugged the rum, but figured she would stay put for a while.
* * * *
Robert had taken a seat next to Amethyst as he watched Liz, who was already on another glass of rum.
“Hey,” Amethyst said softly. “I take it you’re the reason Preston was trying to find out about Liz?”
“I told him to leave her be. She h
as a good reason to stay under the Council’s radar.”
“But yours? I see what you feel for her.”
His eyes dropped shut. “How are you and Hayden?”
“Good, great. I’ll let you get away with the subject change.” Her gaze found Hayden over at the bar before she turned back to Robert. “How is Preston? Is he okay?”
“He’s working hard. He’ll be okay.”
She put her head on her hand and looked back over at Hayden and then down at her drink. Swirling her straw, she glanced back to Robert. “I’m worried about him. He looked so devastated when he walked out of here. I… I miss him. It’s been two months since then. And I know he needs time, so don’t tell him that.” She sighed. “Just tell him I said hi.”
Robert nodded. “I will. He’ll get there, though.”
“I hope so.”
“You and me both.”
Christian came over and placed a hand on Robert’s shoulder. “So you never told her you’re my uncle?”
Amethyst slid off the stool with wide eyes and walked away.
“It’s a long story, Chris. We have a complicated past.”
“You love her.” It wasn’t a question, but the kid could read emotions. Probably better than Jamie. He could also see the future, and a lot more clearly than Jess.
“I do, but tonight is about you, and you having a great twenty-first birthday. So go enjoy it.”
Delilah stepped up behind Christian and wound her arms around his waist. “Are you going to come play a game of pool with me?”
A smile broke across his face, and he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be right there.”
She placed a light kiss on his ear and walked back to the table.
Tremaine leaned against the table. “It won’t be long before Liz needs a ride home. You can stay with Christian. I can get her tucked in. Tonight you can come back there.” Tremaine pushed his fingers through his hair but his gaze never wavered. “And so you’re aware, I’ve made the basement my home.” He turned to go.
“Hey,” Robert caught Tremaine’s arm before he could walk away. “I’m not pushing you out of her life. I doubt she’ll even have me, but there’s room for both of us.”
“For the record, Robert, I wouldn’t let you push me out. I’ve always been on the edges to make sure she’s all right. I can’t help it, and even after she’s back with you, I’ll watch over her. I can’t not.”
“Don’t do that, Trem. She’ll never push you out. You’re not the one who has made one mistake after another with her. You’ve always been there.”
“I’m not the one she needs.” Tremaine walked away at that point.
* * * *
The bell rang, and Jarvis knew James was back. He had already heard the reports of the drained mages on Robert’s property.
Both Emily and Robert had disappeared, and then the bastard had sent the Silver Council to investigate. Robert never showed back up, and because Robert and Preston were investigating him, he couldn’t pick up James.
He still wasn’t sure exactly why he was helping James. It was a dangerous position to be in. He was known for turning on those closest to him. For some damned reason, he wasn’t able to convince himself to walk away and forget about James. In fact, Jarvis suspected magic was involved.
He opened the door and came face to face with James.
“You still look like hell,” Jarvis pointed out as he stepped aside to grant James access.
Hell was an understatement. James’ face was mottled with pinks and browns from the burns he suffered two decades ago. His hair only grew in patches on his head, but it was buzzed close to his scalp. Probably thanks to Emily who had kept the bastard alive all this time.
“You’re not looking much better, old friend.”
Jarvis growled at James. At least when his power started to wane, he didn’t start to rip power from other mages, severing his own tie to his personal magic further. There were certain things he wouldn’t do. James, on the other hand, stole power, which only made him a monster. He probably only survived by gleaning magic off Emily over the years, and anyone she had brought into the house. When done with small draws, the victim could live a very long time.
Dark mages were worse than vampires because instead of living off blood which replenished easily enough, a dark mage sucked down mana which was basically life force. Take enough, and you couldn’t save the victim.
He may be cursed thanks to his miscalculation of Opal Lakes. She had placed a curse on him decades ago. One that left his own mana depleted. Now he relied on charms and enchantments to boost his power enough to fortify his own spells.
Gabriel Sharpclaw had ensured that Jarvis could never come after Opal when he rescued her nearly twenty-six years ago.
“What is it?” James taunted. “Thinking about that lovely little curse a nymph placed on you. They always were your favorite prey.”
“You always had your own perversions. I wouldn’t talk if I were you,” Jarvis snapped. At least he chose women outside of his family.
“You dare to speak? The man who can’t get off unless he’s forcing his victim?” James glared back.
“Isn’t that what you do to your own sister? Attempted to do to Elizandra until she ruined you? Can you even get it up now?” Not that Jarvis suspected he’d had much time to find out. He had woken the sick fuck up only twelve hours before.
“I am not ruined,” he screamed. “That bitch will be the reason I am restored. Her magic isn’t simple mage magic. She’s the key to walking both sides. Her magic will give me back my own magic and allow me to still gain power from other mages.”
Jarvis wasn’t so sure of that. He was starting to have suspicions about what made Elizandra’s magic so different. Something to do with mixed blood, but if he was right, they needed to tread very carefully. Hybrids usually favored one side or another, rarely both. When they did, they had the tendency to lose control.
“I thought you knew where to find Liz?” James snapped.
“Of course,” Jarvis answered. “It’s perfect really, and the one place no one would think to look.”
* * * *
An hour passed and Tremaine sat at a table next to Clint. They both watched Liz, who was perched at the bar drinking her pain away.
Clint looked over at Tremaine and asked, “Is she all right? She didn’t want my kind of distraction.”
It took Tremaine a moment to gather his words. “This is a hard time of year for her. I don’t expect she’ll be with anyone for a long while.”
“She’ll be okay though?” Clint honestly cared, and for that, Tremaine couldn’t fault the guy.
“Yeah. She always pulls through.”
Liz started to slump to the side. Tremaine hopped to his feet and walked across the bar to scoop her up before she fell. He gave Jamie a nod before heading out.
Robert caught up to him and opened the door. “I’ll follow you back.”
Tremaine nodded. “Good. Sorry, she’s a wreck right now. She has the nightmares for a few weeks every year. At least it’s not every night.”
“I’m a fool. She said let me leave, don’t follow, and I did. I really hurt her. I never imagined she would send me away if she still wanted me.”
“You’re both too damned stubborn. How many times did I tell you to get your ass over here and fix it? I told her the same shit, and she didn’t listen either. Let’s take her home and take care of her.”
“She looks like she may need it,” Robert said softly before climbing into his car.
Tremaine had no doubt she would.
Chapter 18
Someone pulled at her shirt, her muscles flinched and the pain startled her awake. “No,” she screamed at Robert, no James, had to be James. “No, don’t.” Liz shoved at him.
Concern and confusion filled his dusky blue eyes. Her heart stopped as she realized it really was Robert.
It was too late, her magic had sprung to life, the wild energy flooding into Robert where her hand hit his c
hest and side. He crumpled, the lightning burning the hell out of him.
Barely breathing, she scrambled out of the bed.
His chest was still, no heartbeat, no breath.
Oh no, no, no, no, she couldn’t have killed him. She rolled him on his back and tore his shirt out of the way. Two black handprints in a sea of blisters, her hand prints were charred into his body, and it was all her fault.
She sat straight up in the bed with a scream blasting from her mouth. Both men bolted up to come to her.
Shit, Robert’s here.
Liz shot past both of them and slammed the bathroom door shut. Wrapping her hand around the knob, she fused all the metal together to keep anyone from opening it. She collapsed at the toilet, just in time to eject her organs, and probably her brain too.
Her world was still spinning, and she heard someone pounding on the bathroom door, but she wasn’t ready to deal with anyone, let alone Robert, or even Tremaine.
There was no denying the breakdown. Robert was there. She had nearly killed him twenty-one years ago today. A sob tore through her.
Liz knew that Tremaine would be there. He was worried about her nightmares, but he always took care of her.
Robert, oh fuck. Her heart twisted into knots. He still loved her, but she knew Tremaine must too.
She loved them both, but couldn’t have either. It wasn’t fair, wasn’t fucking fair. Choosing wasn’t an option. It would only shred the remnants of her heart.
She heard her own heart-wrenching sobs but couldn’t do a damned thing to stop as she broke down and cried harder than she’d ever cried before.
There was a pop, and Robert was there, kneeling down to pull her hair out of her face as he rubbed her back. He reached behind himself to fix the doorknob.
Tremaine stepped in and she heard the shower come on.
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