“Don’t you hate these things?” I asked, having to lift my voice to be heard over the music of the string orchestra at the front of the room and the din of conversation all around us.
The bartender chuckled and nodded. He had a good smile—white, flat teeth but not so many that his mouth looked crowded, like Fox’s. His lips were full and pink, and his blue eyes were dark with rings of gray around the pupils. He leaned on his forearms, putting him much closer to me, and I caught the delicate whiff of his cologne.
“Yeah, all the money in the world and half of them never tip, no matter how many drinks they order,” he said with a sideways nod at his tip jar. It was only a quarter of the way full despite the fact that the gala had been going for over an hour.
“Jerks,” I said, earning a nod and another smile. I set my flute on the bar and leaned closer, putting our faces inches apart. “How would you like to make up for some of your lost income?”
I lifted one eyebrow and watched as the gray in his eyes flashed, letting me know he was other, just like me. With a tiny nod, he agreed.
“All I need you to do is add an extra shot to a drink when it’s ordered,” I said, digging the vial out of my pocket. I laid it on the bar and slid it to him. He picked it up and examined it as I slid a hundred-dollar bill across the bar.
He eyed the bill. “Whose drink are we spiking?”
“Dixon Fox,” I spat.
“Fox?” He chuckled again. “That guy has stiffed me all damn night. I’d do it for free.”
“Oh, well, then…” I made to reach for the folded bill, but he snatched it up with inhuman speed.
“But I’ll keep my mouth shut for this.” He held up the bill before tucking it into his shirt pocket.
“Great. Just be careful he’s the only one who gets it, okay?”
He nodded and slipped the vial into his pocket. “He’s getting a refill pretty much every half hour on the half hour, so he’ll be around in about fifteen minutes. No worries.”
“Thanks,” I said, picking up my glass and spinning around in my chair, putting my back to the bar to survey the crowd. My eyes fell on Fox’s face almost immediately. I willed him to turn, to make eye contact with me so I could get the hell out of this place.
Standing just behind Fox and to the side was Edwin, looking as blank as a statue, the poor bastard. I wondered if the job was worth the connections he was making. Probably not. Edwin blinked and tilted his head from side to side, as if trying to work out a cramp in his neck. His glasses flashed as they caught the light, but when he shifted, I could see his eyes again. I realized he had spotted me at the bar.
I nodded at him and saw the corner of his mouth twitch as he fought a smile. Fox turned to say something to Edwin, but when he didn’t respond, Fox turned to see what his assistant was looking at. When Fox’s eyes met mine, I smiled. Not too big and not too cocky, just a small, closed-lip smile. I lifted my half-empty glass in salute. Fox’s brows drew together momentarily as he tried to figure out who I was. Clearly I was so beneath him, he’d already forgotten me. How many people did this jackass screw over on a daily basis? I was definitely not voting for him again.
I saw the realization dawn on him when Fox’s face transformed into a look of shocked surprise. The color drained from his face, and his eyebrows crawled up his forehead. I nodded again, as if to say, “Yes, you demon spawn, I’m the witch you screwed over, and no, I’m not letting it go.”
I drained the rest of my champagne in one large swallow and hopped off the stool. I strode through the room to the front doors, refusing to slink out the back. I felt Fox’s eyes on my back as I hit the doors to the lobby, so I made sure to keep my chin held high and my eyes forward.
I had to fight the desire to double-check with the bartender, to make sure he didn’t forget our deal, but I didn’t want to give anything away to Fox. I just had to trust that Fox had offended the guy enough that he wouldn’t forget.
Now I had to get across town to the human side and get into Fox’s apartment.
I had thought about slipping the note in my bag to Fox at the gala, but I was afraid he’d have me arrested right then and there for threatening him. Then I would risk the bartender’s freedom too, and I couldn’t do that.
So I pulled up in front of the skyscraper Fox lived in. I saw the doorman waiting in the drizzling rain and hated Fox all the more. I’d never even stayed at a hotel nice enough for a doorman, and this guy had one at his apartment building? But he couldn’t pay me for my work?
“Bullshit,” I muttered, earning a look from the doorman as he held open the door for me.
The lobby of the apartment building looked nothing like mine. Mine was tarnished and fading, but this one was bright and shining and full of fresh flowers. Discreet signs directed people to the gym, the lounge, and the business center. It was ridiculous. I fought the rising anger inside me and tried to walk normally to the elevator. I wasn’t surprised to see an attendant inside the gilded box.
“Floor, ma’am?” the elevator attendant asked as I walked on.
I cringed. “You know, you’d get better tips if you just called every woman ‘Miss.’”
The attendant blinked at me, a little frightened.
“Ugh, the penthouse, please,” I added grudgingly.
“I’m sorry, you have to have a pass for the penthouse,” he replied meekly.
“Oh, right, here you go.” I pulled out a handful of memory dust and blew it in his face.
His features went slack, all recognition gone from his eyes. I reached past him and pushed the button for myself. I tipped him when I stepped off, slipping the dollar into his jacket pocket.
I strode up to Fox’s French doors and knocked loudly, another handful of dust in my hand. When the butler opened the door, I was ready for him. Stepping past the stunned man, I went straight for the bedroom.
It was obvious which nightstand was Fox’s and which was his wife’s. On one was expensive hand cream, tissues, and a romance novel, and the other held nothing but an abandoned cell phone charger. I went to the empty nightstand and set down the small lavender envelope. Fox’s name shimmered faintly in the half light of the quiet bedroom. I turned to leave, fighting the urge to break something valuable on my way out.
I patted the butler’s shoulder as I passed him. He was slouched against the wall, blinking slowly. I hadn’t given him a big enough dose to knock him out, just enough to daze him.
“I got the door, hon,” I said, grabbing the silver doorknob and pulling the door closed behind me. I thought I heard him mutter something, but it was lost behind the heavy wood. I didn’t care if he remembered what I looked like—as a matter of fact, I hoped he would. I wanted him to tell Fox that a woman with short black hair and a leather jacket had been there. I wanted Fox to know he wasn’t untouchable, especially when he screwed with someone like me.
***
The next morning, I was curled up on the couch under my grandmother’s afghan, with Artemis purring away on my lap and a steaming cup of coffee in my hand. I watched the local news channel talking about the success of the gala the night before and all the money that had been raised for the families of the injured.
“Wonder how much more they would’ve raised if they had taken the money it cost to put on that damn party and just given it to the families,” I said.
“Mrrrow,” Artemis agreed.
My phone vibrated on the coffee table for the twentieth time. So far I had ten voice mail messages, but I was ignoring every single one of them. When I’d gotten home from my little field trip, I only had to wait three hours for the first call. I recognized Edwin’s number but chose to ignore it and finish my dinner. By the time I was dressed for bed and the sun was rising, I knew my phone wouldn’t stop ringing, so I made a pot of coffee and decided to stay up. With every passing hour, Fox was becoming more and more uncomfortable.
Because I’d stayed awake, I got to see the first clip of Fox rushing out of the gala before anyone else. His fa
ce was covered in large, red, pulsating pustules. He was trying to hide his face with his arm as he barreled through the doors, running through the hotel and out to the cars. Edwin and Mrs. Fox were rushing after him, but Edwin was fighting a smile as he went. Now the local news was playing that clip every fifteen minutes. As soon as the clip hit the airwaves, the phone calls had increased from every half hour to every five minutes.
“Can’t give me what you owe me over the phone, dummy,” I said to my phone, shaking my head and refusing to pick it up. I tucked the blanket around my legs and pulled Artie against me, enjoying the warmth. It was still raining, and the clouds had turned white and gray with the sun. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been awake in the middle of a morning storm. It was kind of nice.
My phone chirped, telling me I had a text message. The voice mail was probably full.
Second half of payment is secured.
And?
And the late fee as well.
Great. My business hours haven’t started for the day, but I suppose I could make an exception. Just this once.
Will arrive within the half hour.
“Of course you will,” I said with a smirk as I set the phone on the coffee table and picked up my coffee cup again. Before I knew what kind of man Dixon Fox really was, I would have run into my bathroom and fixed my hair, touched up my makeup, and put on some respectable clothes. But now I knew what kind of toadstool he was, and I didn’t care if I met with him without a stitch of makeup and in my pajamas.
So that was exactly what I looked like when I answered the door less than twenty minutes later. My hair was pushed back behind my ears, my face washed clean, and I wore an oversized Black Witch White Magic T-shirt and a pair of baggy flannel pajama bottoms.
Edwin was as crisp as ever in his lean-cut charcoal suit, high-polished black wingtip shoes, white shirt, and pin-straight royal-blue tie. He pushed his glasses up his nose after nodding hello to me. He hadn’t even skipped a beat when he took in my appearance—you’d think I was wearing some high-fashion dress.
But Fox was a different story altogether.
He was covered head to toe. He had on a black trench cloak in deference to the drizzle outside, but he’d turned up the collar and had a scarf wrapped around his neck and pulled up over his mouth and nose. His wide-brimmed hat was pulled low over his forehead. I could barely see his eyes through the tiny slit between fabrics. He didn’t extend a hand in greeting this time, but I saw his black leather gloves. He’d taken way too long to come around, so I was sure the pustules had spread from just his face to the rest of his body. Shouldn’t be so damn stubborn. At least he was lucky it was fall. Just imagine how uncomfortable he would’ve been if it had been summer.
When he looked at me, I greeted him with my brightest, happiest smile. “Gentlemen.”
I stood back, holding the door open. Edwin came in, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, but Fox stormed in, stomping like the child he was.
I barely had the door shut before Fox spun around, ripping off the hat and scarf. “How dare you do this to me!”
I glanced over my shoulder long enough to get a good look at his face. His once perfectly chiseled, tan face was stretched and swollen and covered in green and red pustules. The potion was meant to reverse the healing potion I’d given him and make whatever uncomfortable ailment he’d had appear on his face. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. He really needed to be more discerning when picking out his mistresses.
“Take it easy, Fox,” I warned as I set the freezing spell on the doorknob. “I got to you once. Obviously I can do it again. And don’t forget: you’re in my home now.”
“Don’t you dare threaten me,” he seethed.
“Not a threat, Fox,” I said with a shake of my head. “So just shove it, okay? We had a business deal, and I came through with my end. You brought this on yourself.” I pointed at his face just as one of the swollen red globs burst. I gagged.
Fox hissed in pain, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth. “Fine.” His hands balled into fists at his side. “Edwin!” he snapped.
Edwin came forward, pulling a thick envelope out of his jacket pocket. “You’ll find every dollar you are owed.”
“Awesome,” I said, taking it from him, “but you’ll forgive me if I go ahead and count it anyway.”
Fox groaned, rolling his eyes, but Edwin nodded his approval. I took my time, laying each bill on the kitchen table and counting slowly and methodically. Fox huffed and puffed as his patience unraveled. Another pustule burst on the side of his jaw.
I’d admit I was enjoying his pain, but I gave in when I realized he was starting to drip on my floor and it would be up to me to clean it after they were gone.
I’d known Fox would come crawling back, so I already had his potion ready and sitting in my cupboard. He eyed me when I pulled it out. He probably expected me to brew it in front of him or do something magical.
I held out the vial, waiting for him to take it. “I knew you’d show up eventually, so I had it ready.”
Fox lifted his hand but hesitated.
“Oh, for the love of toads, Fox, just take it before you ruin my floors.”
Fox glared at me before snatching the vial. He downed the whole thing in one swallow. I felt the tension radiating off Edwin as he watched his boss’s face. The potion only took a moment to begin its work. The pustules shrank and faded as we watched, and soon his skin was no longer swollen. Within minutes, Fox’s newspaper-perfect face was back to normal.
“Nice doing business with you, gentlemen,” I said in an overly chipper voice.
I turned to open the door to show them out. Fox didn’t say a word; he just brushed past me, his long stride carrying him into the hall in the blink of an eye. I shook my head and glanced at Edwin, who was hesitating just inside the door.
“I do apologize for the...” He glanced out the door and sighed when he looked back at me. “I’m sorry he’s such an ass.”
“So you do see it,” I teased, feeling a normal smile pulling at my lips. “Well, thanks. I’m sorry he’s such an ass too.”
“Have a good night, Ms. Kavanagh.”
“Mattie,” I said, making him stop mid-turn.
“Mattie,” he said with a nod.
“Listen, if you ever run for office, I’d totally vote for you.” I glanced past him at Fox, who was waiting for the elevator. “You’d definitely win over that jackass.”
“I’ll remember you said that.” He smiled at me, the first smile I thought I’d ever seen on his stoic face.
“Night, Edwin,” I said, stepping back to close the door.
“Good morning, Mattie.” He turned to join Fox just as the elevator binged and the doors slid open.
Chapter 22
I slept for hours after the two men left. When I finally woke, it was well after midnight. I owed myself a little down time, especially since I finally had enough money to enjoy a little time off work. But there was something I wanted to do first. Or rather, someone I wanted to see.
I took extra care straightening my hair, running the flat iron over my short black locks until they shone like spilled ink. I used my most expensive mascara, the one I saved for holidays and first dates (though lately it had only been used for holidays), swiping my lashes until they stood out like a magazine ad. My hand hovered over my perfume for a moment before I decided against using it.
I think I changed my clothes about a dozen times before I settled on my favorite pair of dark jeans, boots, and a simple black sweater since the storm still hadn’t let up. I finished with my short black leather jacket and a smaller, more feminine purse. I poured some cream for Artie and scratched him between the ears before I went out the door and headed down the block, hiding under my umbrella. I didn’t know how I knew, but something in my gut told me that I would find Fletcher at The Brownie’s Bite.
When I opened the Plexiglas door and the smell of warm chocolate and bacon wafted o
ver me, I spotted him sitting alone in a corner booth. A small part of me had been worried that he would be with his vampire cronies, the ones I hadn’t made the best first impression on. So when I saw him alone, a small smile flitted over my face and I breathed a little easier.
A dwarf man gave me a dirty look, and I realized I had been holding the door open for too long, letting in the cold night air. I whispered my apology and stepped forward, allowing the door to swing closed.
My feet felt like two blocks of cement, rooting me to the spot, and I didn’t know what to do with my hands. I stared across the crowded restaurant at the back of Fletcher’s head. I think a small part of me wanted him to just know I was standing there and to instinctively turn to look at me. Somehow my imagination had turned this into a cliché rom-com movie.
I closed my eyes, grounding myself and trying to let go of the nerves charging through me. Fletcher had already confessed his feelings for me, so there was no point in freaking out. But when he had left my apartment, I knew it was with the feeling of rejection. Maybe I had waited too long. Maybe I would walk up to him and he would sneer at me and dismiss me with a wave. Maybe Owen would get what he wanted and I would be alone again.
Heat flashed through me at the thought of Owen, chasing away my doubts and fueling me to take that first step into the restaurant. The bells on the door announced the arrival of a new customer, but I didn’t bother to look over my shoulder. I knew I needed to keep moving forward or I might lose my nerve again.
“Excuse me,” a feminine voice said in my ear just as I was about to step between two tables.
Her hand on my arm stopped me, and I turned to look at her. She was so pretty, it actually stopped me for a moment. She was a couple inches taller than me, like most people, and she was thin without being skinny. Through her designer jeans and off-the-shoulder sweater, I saw an enviable figure. Her skin was the color of creamy caramel, and it complemented her cinnamon hair that tumbled past her shoulders in thick, bouncy curls. But it was her face that really took my breath away.
Samhain (Matilda Kavanagh Book 2) Page 25
