I side-eye Sodie, who readies to grab her if needed.
“What the fuck,” she breathes.
The woman sits back and studies Elaine. “I was going to tell you that you have an opportunity to change, that jealousy will only eat you alive and ruin your life. It won’t ruin just your life. Your jealousy will ruin others.” She searches Elaine’s face. “I’m afraid you already made up your mind, and as a result, someone will die because of you. In fact, many will die because of your jealousy and your greed.” The woman frowns. “But maybe, just maybe, you can change.”
“I’ve never been jealous of anyone in my entire life! I think you have it wrong. People are jealous of me!”
The woman sadly shakes her head. “Then you made your choice. I see.” She lifts her palm to peek at the fallen card. She hesitates before continuing, “You will meet a great adversary.” The woman quickly places the card in the deck.
“Give me back the card!” Elaine screams.
The woman looks down, slides the card back out of the deck, and flips it over. The Fool. “You won’t win,” she whispers.
Elaine screeches and throws the cards at the woman. “You changed it on purpose. You’re trying to make me look like a fool. Well, I have news for you! I don’t believe in any of this crap. I make my own destiny! I. Always. Get. What. I. Want!” Elaine turns, hesitates, then turns back, taking the money from the old woman’s tip jar and stomps off.
I roll my eyes. The girls follow Elaine. Stan snorts. “She’s a piece of work.”
Darwin whistles. “That’s the definition of crazy. I think we need to tighten security on you,” he teases.
My blood runs cold. “I won’t lie. She fucking scares the shit out of me,” I admit, halfheartedly lightening the mood. I retrieve my wallet and place a fifty in the woman’s jar. “Sorry about that. I hope this makes up for what she took.”
The other guys follow suit, placing bills in her jar.
The old woman smiles. Crooking her finger, she stops us in our tracks. “I need to show you something.” She sets a card on the table. The High Priestess. “This is the card I didn’t want to show her, her greatest adversary. You need to protect her. If that girl gets what she wants…”
She bends down and picks up the cards Elaine threw at her. Without looking at them, she covers the High Priestess with the Death card and then the Devil.
“Let her win, and it will destroy the entire LS territory.” The woman’s expression is overcome with sadness. Tapping theHigh Priestess, she cautions, “Protect her. Protect yourselves. Take care of one another.”
Chapter 43
Is That Supposed To Be Cool?
LIAM
EIGHT YEARS AGO:
November 14, 2016: 4:45 p.m.
Emerald Pack Town
We walk through town for hours, watching over Jessica. I swear if this Cassie girl touches me one more time, I just might hit her.
We sit outside at the restaurant Shakti, Emily, Sixes, and Jessica ate at earlier. It’s the perfect spot, center of the town. I can keep an eye on both ends of town. The women need to make their way back this way to get to the car. How long does it take to get your hair done?A car passes by, slowly. As it approaches, it halts, then reverses. A young guy sticks his head out of the back window. “Hey, baby. You need a ride?” The girlhe calls out to doesn’t look back. “Come on, baby. Don’t do this to me. I just want to take you for a ride.”
The girl scans the sidewalk. “Yeah, baby, you. I’m talking to you, beautiful.” She turns around to face the guy. “Holy fuck! Are you mated? No? Good because I’m never letting you out of my sight.” He exits the car by climbing through the window.
Does he think that makes him look cool? Or does the passenger door not open?
Sodie stands from his chair and whistles. The girl turns toward us. “Jessica!” he calls.
No fucking way. Jessica? She looks… wow. I blink a few times to make sure it’s really her. Her long white-blonde hair is a darker shade of blonde with streaks of purple. She switched her outfit to ripped jeans that barely cover her muscular thighs and a navy-blue long-sleeved crop top that fits snugly over ample breasts. She raises her hand to move a strand of hair off her face, exposing her smooth abdomen that tapers to a narrow waist.
I already knew that her physical features changed after she disappeared. But this … I can’t breathe, and my limbs feel heavy and weak. Regaining my composure, I begin to rise and follow the other recruits crossing the street. Cassie grabs my arm and pulls me back down.
I pry her grip off me. “Sorry, girl. I’m already taken.”
She snarls, a mixture of anger and disappointment in her expression. Ignoring her I push off my seat and cross the street.
