For one mad second I imagined undoing it all. Calling Hunter, telling the truth, walking straight into Graham’s arms and never looking back. But fantasies didn’t rewrite consequences. I exhaled and let the small, sharp fact sit—happily ever after wasn’t a thing on my table.
“Fine,” he growled. “But only if I take you to the E.R. first.”
I nodded, too tired to argue.
He rose. “I’ll tell Katie I’m taking you back to Port Grey. She’ll have to take over your job with Hunter. What all does that entail anyway?”
“Basically, stand there, smile, and make him look good. Trophy girlfriend. Cute, right?”
Graham didn’t even crack a smile. Just reached into his pocket and pressed something cool and silver into my palm, his hand covering mine like he was sealing a deal.
“Don’t open this ‘til we’re in the car. Should’ve given it to you yesterday, but—well…” His jaw ticked.
My gaze snagged on the little pocket mirror. My throat closed. “Wait. He’s… in here?” I gripped it so tight my knuckles burned.
“Yep. Don’t.” He was already back in the ballroom before I could breathe.
Uncle Silas was with Graham the whole time? I thought I’d lost him forever, and Graham couldn’t be bothered with a simple:Hey, your uncle’s hitchhiking a ride to Colorado.
And just like that, I was back in my room, clutching Chester, staring at the wall, trying to stitch together whatever the hell had just happened in that bathroom.
September was the month I wanted scrubbed from existence. Except part of me clung to it like a bruise I kept pressing just to see if it still hurt. I couldn’t stay mad at him for leaving. If it had been me—if I’d lost what he lost? I’d probably have burned the world down.
But I could be mad at the way he left me—no real choice in how to move forward. And look at me now—sitting here with a dead ankle and a spell I should’ve never cast. Bravo, Maggie. Real healthy coping.
God, he infuriated me. And I hated that I still wanted him.
chapter 6
YELLOW-EYED BISHOP
Graham
The casino doorsclicked shut behind me, muting the roar of laughter and clinking glasses. Boston hit me in the face—wet pavement, exhaust from a passing cab, the sharp bite of the almost-winter air cutting through the whiskey still on my breath.
You know how they say that when you see something you can’t have it makes you want it more? Those sons of bitches were right. I wanted her more now than ever. I wanted her laugh, her stubbornness, the way she still held up her chin even though I’d gutted her. I hated myself knowing I hurt her, knowing I was the reason she hurt herself and picked up a spell she’d sworn off.
But there was still that voice in me—the same one that told me to get out before she ended up destroyed.You’ll only ruin her, Locke. My mantra for the past decade. What if staying hurt more than leaving… for both of us?
I shoved my hands into my coat pockets, the key fob biting into my palm, and stared at the Shelby under a flickering light in the parkinggarage. Maggie was waiting inside for me. The bullshit I put her through was in the past. It didn’t matter now. What mattered was that I was here—now.
Tonight, at least, I wasn’t running.
I didn’t feel great about leaving the Shelby in a back alley—even for a few minutes—in Downtown Boston, but I was pretty sure Maggie didn’t want to be paraded through the ballroom after that fucking comment Hunter made about weak ankles.Prick.
She didn’t see me walk in. Just sat there, gorgeous as ever with that damn gold hair draped over one shoulder, thumbs flying over her phone like I wasn’t two feet away from losing my goddamn mind over her.
“You ready?”
“Yeah… just texting with Katie. Did you know she set Derek up with some e-girl she met tonight?” She stood, took a step, and nearly folded. “Ow—ow—ow, ow, ow!”
My gut clenched. That wasn’t the kind of “ow” you walked off.
“I’ve got you.” I scooped her up, her scent—strawberries and vanilla—slipping under my skin like it was muscle memory.
But when she looked at me, there was something off. Pain behind her eyes, maybe regret. Whatever it was, it hit me like a deep bruise that didn’t have the guts to show up yet. I knew I’d damn well have to fix it.
“Theyarehis weakness,” I said.
