I laugh, enjoying everything about her.
“Fair enough. Let me take you out to dinner tomorrow night.”
“Like, on a date?”
“Hell, yes. On a date.”
She seems to mull it over and then shrugs. “Okay. But I want to wear a fancy dress and heels and drink champagne.”
“Expensive date, it is.” I laugh when she waggles her eyebrows. “You always did like to dress up.”
“I still do. If there was a market for antique clothing, I’d sell it.”
“There isn’t?”
“Not really. It’s a very niche market, so I leave it to others and just focus on furniture.”
“I’ll pick you up at six. Should I get you here or at the shop?”
“Here,” she says with a small smile. “Thanks.”
“No, thank you.” I kiss her forehead again and then make myself back away. “I’d better go. If you need anything, or if anything happens, call me.”
“Okay.”
She walks me to the door and is still watching me drive away when I take off down the street.
Instead of driving back to Oliver’s for the night, I detour to Lucien and Millie’s place in the Garden District.
Their house is big and old, and if what they told me the other night is true, they lived in it in a previous life.
Who am I to say it isn’t true? I’ve seen some crazy things in this life.
I climb the stairs and knock on the door, but as soon as my knuckles hit the wood, it opens, and Millie grins at me.
“Did you know I was coming?”
“I’m psychic, remember?” She laughs at my blank look. “Kidding. No, I didn’t know you were coming, but I saw your lights when you pulled in. Is Daph with you?”
“No, I just left her. And I don’t know what made me come over here, other than I’m restless and want to talk.”
“Then come on in.” She steps back, and just as I walk inside, Lucien descends their grand staircase. He’s in a T-shirt and shorts, his hair a mess, and he pushes his black-rimmed glasses up his nose.
“Hey, Jack.”
“Hi.”
“Jack’s lovesick and wanted to come over to talk about Daphne.”
“I, uh…” I scowl and push my hand through my hair. “That’s not why I’m here.”
Millie laughs and takes my hand, tugging me into a library off the foyer and offering me a seat.
“Holy shit, that’s a lot of books.”
“A lot,” Millie agrees as Lucien pours a snifter of brandy and passes it to me.
“What do you want to talk about?” Lucien asks as he sits with a glass of his own. “You didn’t come here just to say hello.”
“No, I didn’t.” I lean my elbows on my knees and stare down into the brandy. “I love her.”
Millie smiles serenely, and Lucien waits as if there’s more to be said.
“That’s it.”
“Is there a problem?” Lucien asks. “Of course, you love her. She’s meant for you.”
“Is she? Or is this part of the game?” I look up at both of them, then stand and pace the room. “Am I being manipulated by this piece of shit?”
“Do you honestly think that what you feel for her isn’t real?” Millie demands with a scowl. “Good grief, Jack, you’ve been in love with her for years. Why would what’s happening now change that?”
“Maybe I’m crazy,” I mutter, shaking my head. “And I know I sound like an asshole. I don’t mean to. I had a great day with Daphne today, and we cleared the air about a lot of things. I’m even taking her out tomorrow for dinner.”
“That’s so awesome,” Millie says and claps her hands.
“But I want to know that everything I’m feeling, everything that’s happening between Daphne and me, is because we’re genuinely feeling this way and not because Horace is fucking with us.”
“I get it,” Lucien says with a nod. “And I can put your mind at ease. If anything, he’d want you apart, not together. You’re stronger together. If the six of us are in the same place, it hurts him. So, he’s not going to try to make you fall in love with her. He’ll do his best to break you apart.”
I sigh in relief and sit back down.
“Wow, you were really worried,” Millie says.
“Yeah. Because Daphne and I have been through enough crap, you know? If we’re going to be together, I don’t want anything interfering in that.”
“He’s going to mess with your head,” Lucien warns me. “He loves smoke and mirrors. He’ll play with you, and he’ll take delight in it. But you know what’s true. You know how you feel about each other.”
“Yeah. Shit’s about to get really crazy, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Millie’s face sobers with her answer.
Lucien’s phone rings.
“It’s Cash.” He answers, and his green eyes go cold. “Damn. Let’s get everyone here. Jack’s here already. Yeah, I’ll call Daphne.”
He hangs up and taps his phone screen.
“Hey, Daph. I need you to come to our house, please. They found her.”
“They found her?” I repeat when Lucien hangs up the phone.
“I’ll put some tea on,” Millie announces and hurries out of the library toward what I assume is the kitchen.
“Before the others get here, I’m going to give you something.” Lucien shifts some books around and then selects one and passes it to me.
“This is a spellbook,” I say as I flip through the pages.
“It is, yes.”
“Working spells isn’t my gift.”
“I know that, but I want you to take it. You have magic, Jack.”
I start to shake my head, but Lucien continues.
“You have magic. You know how to work it. I want you to cast some protection spells around Oliver and Annabelle’s house. To keep you all safe. If they’ll join you, all the better.”
“I’ll take it,” I reply just as a knock sounds on the door.
Cash and Brielle hurry into the library, followed by Daphne, who stops short when she sees me.
“How’d you get here so fast from Oliver’s?”
“I was here when Cash called,” I reply. “I came over to chat a bit.”
“I want everyone to drink some of this tea,” Millie announces, carrying a tray.
“Of course, you do,” Daphne says with a sigh. “Can’t we have coffee?”
“No, tea is better.” Millie passes the cups around.
“Where was she found?” I ask Cash, cutting to the chase.
“In her home.” He sips the tea and then scowls at it. “Christ, Mill, does it have to taste like shit?”
“Where did she live?” Daphne asks.
“Baton Rouge,” Cash replies. “And as of right now, it’s been ruled a suicide. She got in the bathtub and dropped her blow-dryer in with her.”
“Oh, Goddess,” Millie whispers, shaking her head. “That’s awful.”
“And it wasn’t a suicide,” I add.