Page 3

“Brenna, my homie-” my sister begins and I stare at her like she’s sprouted another head. My homie? “-You know we’re just gonna take whatever you feel we need. I’ll probably need something perky to get me through the day. Gabe probably needs something to make him less lame,” Kristie snorts and I roll my eyes, throwing Brenna a wink.

I know I shouldn't flirt with her, but I love the way her blush blooms from her chest all the way up to the apples of her cheeks. She’s beautiful, and I know that she can never be mine. Doesn’t stop me from wanting her though.

Brenna’s tinkling laugh fills the air and my whole body relaxes. She’s like a balm to my soul. I stare as she walks away from the table my sister and I are at, her purple dress covered in lady bugs swishing with every step, her plump ass bouncing under the thin material.

Fingers snap in front of my face and I’m brought crashing back down to earth. “There you are. Quit zoning out on me.” She holds up the house keys again, this time swinging them in my face. She clears her throat. “I’m sorry, and here are the keys to your new apartment!” She adds jazz hands to be safe.

“My apartment? What new apartment?” She points to the ceiling. “Wait, the apartment upstairs? The one I’ve had my eye on?”

“The very one. And before you get all whiny and butt hurt that I own what you wanted, I actually own the whole building.”

I blink once. Twice. “What do you mean you own the whole building?”

“Exactly what I said. The owner was a kooky old soul. Pretty much forced it on me before she passed.”

I want to understand her words. I really do. But I don’t. I’ve been working my ass off to afford a deposit on the place upstairs, and now Kristie owns the kit and caboodle?

“Wait,” I hiss, leaning over the table, “did this place belong to one of the motherfuckers we put down?”

“Why are we whispering?” she asks, also leaning into the table.

“Because of what we do!” I whisper shout. “You-” I jab a finger in her direction, “are La Madrina to the Mancini Mafia. You eloped with a goddamned bratva!”

“Hey, he’s retired,” she sniffs.

“And-” I continue, “You both have fucking visions! Dima hears the secrets of the freshly dead!”

Kristie flops back in her chair. “I still don’t understand why we’re whispering. Brenna knows all of that. I mean, this is basically my second office.”

My head jerks back when all Kristie’s words finally make their way through my thick skull. “Brenna knows what you do?”

“Yup. Both the Godmothering thing and the sight.” I stare at her. “It’s not really a secret, dude. I get cataracts and freeze up and look weird as hell. Brenna has seen it.”

I blink, taking in her words. “Really? How did she respond?”

“How do you think she responded?” Kristie asks in a bored voice. “She sat holding my hand until I came around. Then she made me a fucking phenomenal brew and I went on my way. Oh speaking of.” She claps her hands as Brenna places something green and frothy in front of her.

“This is for you. It’ll calm any irritation you may have today.” She tries to hide her cheeky little smile as her eyes dart to my sister then back to me. She throws me a wink before spinning on her ballet flats and heading back to the counter.

“So, these are for you. I own the building.” Kristie takes a sip of her green shit, letting out an obnoxiously loud “ahhh” before smacking her lips. “And I think Brenna is in some type of danger so if you could keep an eye on her that would be great.”

“Exactly what she said,” a voice next to my ear whispers, causing me to jump a little.

I slowly turn my head until I’m face to face with an older woman, dressed head to toe in pink velour, complete with cotton candy pink hair curled atop her head.

“Are you seeing a soul?” Kristie asks.

The little old lady smiles and it’s not some sweet old lady smile. No, this smile looks pure mischief. I nod up and down and Kristie claps.

“Yay! New house and new ghost for you,” she claps her hands while smirking. I really hate my sister sometimes.

“You and me?” the old woman murmurs in my ear, my attention back on her, “We’re going to get on like wild horses.” Her grin somehow growing wider.

“Take your keys, and have fun with your new soul,” Kristie says, sliding the keys over to me and standing to leave. “Oh, and keep an eye on Brenna.”

The old lady slides into the seat Kristie left behind, her ever present smile on her face. “I’m Grammy. We’re gonna keep an eye on my grandbaby.”

Shit.