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“For you to finally stop fighting what’s already been agreed. You should’ve come to New York last year.”
Even if I’d wanted to, which I didn’t, Luciana never would’ve let me go last year. “How was I supposed to know that you wanted me there? I haven’t heard from you in months.”
“I told Luciana,” he said it like it should mean something to me.
I nearly smiled. He was giving me a piece of information that could carve a wedge between Luciana and the New York coven. “You’ll have to take your complaints to her, because she didn’t say a thing to me.”
His mouth dropped open. “Really?”
I studied him for a minute. All this time truly I’d thought Matt was working with Luciana, but maybe he wasn’t. If Luciana had lied to him about one thing, it stood to reason that she’d lied to him about other things as well. “Honestly. Do I look like I’m lying?”
He narrowed his gaze at me. “I don’t know.”
I shrugged. “Here’s the thing. Luciana wants to keep me around. I know you know what I specialize in—”
“Enhancing others’ energies.”
I nodded. “Right. Well, I do that for Luciana. And—as far as I know—the only thing Luciana wants is more power. By losing me, she loses power. So, why would she ever follow through with whatever bargain you two concocted?”
He leaned back in his chair, not saying a word.
“Why do you want me? Really?”
He looked at the ceiling, before apparently coming to some decision. “The same reason Luciana wants you.”
My jaw clenched as I took in his words. This was infuriating. Did everyone just want me for what I could do for them? “Well, I’m not marrying you. Even if you decide to help me today, I can’t promise that. Luciana has been controlling me for long enough. I really don’t think I can go back to coven life. Anywhere.” While I had him opening it up, I figured now was a great time to find out what Luciana was getting out of pretending to marry me off. Knowing that could mean the difference between defeating her or dying.
I leaned in, trying to make it seem like I was conspiring with him. “So, what did she get out of the deal? Did she just want your coven as allies?” That was my best guess so far, but my instincts said there was more to it than that.
He scoffed. “No. She could care less about being allies. We had an item she wanted. I didn’t think too much about it. My coven… Things aren’t easy over there. I needed your help, so I traded. You for it. And, one way or another, I need you there.”
One way or another? My nails dug into my palms as I fisted my hands. I wasn’t an object to be traded. I was a human being. “At least tell me what you traded me for.”
“Doesn’t matter. She can’t use it.”
He was so unbelievably wrong. When she wanted something that badly, she’d find a way to make it work. “If you really believe that, then you’re more naive than I thought.”
“You’re really not going back with me?”
Should I lie? Maybe. But I couldn’t. “No. I’m not.”
Matt stood and started for the door.
Where was he going? Panic tightened my chest.
No. I needed his help.
Damn it. Why had I pushed him so much?
I sat there watching him leave, wondering what I could say to get him back. What was I willing to agree to?
He paused in the exit. “You coming?”
That had been so much easier than I’d expected. And I hadn’t actually agreed to do anything for him. Why would he take me there?
I knew he’d ask for something later. He wasn’t the type to let me forget a favor, but I’d deal with that when the time came. I scrambled to put a tip on the table, and caught up with him. “We’re going now?”
“The sooner we get this taken care of, the sooner I can get home. I have to get back to New York. My coven is falling apart.”
