Witch Is The New Black (Paris, Texas Romance #3)

“And then there’s Eddie…” She still couldn’t believe Eddie was a warlock. But what else could explain how easily he’d accepted her propensity for so many accidents?

Fee grunted. “The swine of all time swine? The warlock in wolf’s clothing? The traitorous dink of bottom feeders? If I ever run into that slimy bastard, I’ll give him hemorrhoids the size of asteroids with a side order of the clap. It’ll be like a damn standing ovation in his ball sac.”

The dread in the pit of her stomach grew. She’d thought about Eddie all week long, and the longer she thought, the more dots she connected.

“I think he knew about me, Fee,” she said quietly. “I don’t know how he knew I was a witch, but I’d bet he did. I think I was so desperate to find just one person who wouldn’t write me off as bad luck that I fell right into his trap. This makes me Miss Pathetic 2015.”

“Noooo, B-Bop, this makes you just a girl who was adrift, far out at sea. A nice, sweet, lonely girl who grabbed onto a life raft that sank like the Titanic. But you’re not that girl anymore. You’re stronger and smarter, and you’ve found us. No clap-riddled motherfucker is gonna take you away from us now.”

More tears stung her eyes at Fee’s words. But she couldn’t dwell on how stupid she felt or she’d never move past it. She’d had enough hiding for three lifetimes.

Being here in Paris, having these people trust her enough to help her, was something she’d always be grateful for.

“Do you think he knew before we began dating?”

“I’d bet my tutu on it.”

“But why? Why would he date me and not tell me I was a witch?”

“I think you have a power so rare, so unique, he thought maybe he could extort you somehow. Use your powers for whatever his end game was—like hitting Fort Knox or something. I don’t know, Bernie. And we don’t even know the full extent of your powers yet. But he was up to no damn good, the asshole. Doesn’t matter anymore. You’re here, safe with us.”

Was she safe? What about Doris—whom she hadn’t seen since that night at bingo?

“Yeah, about the extent-of-my-power thing. As if I didn’t have enough on my plate just being a witch, now I can shift into other people. I’m having a hard time digesting all this.”

“You scared the hell outta me out there at the farm that day. You’re not just a shifter, but a damn good one. You looked exactly like Ridge—sounded like ’em, too.”

“Don’t all shifters look exactly like their marks? Isn’t that the point?”

“I’ve only met a couple in my considerable lifetime, and none of ’em were as good at it as you are. Your cologne was even the same as Mr. Ass-Like-Granite. Some shifters don’t get all the facets right, you know? They screw up an eye color or some defining feature in their haste to assume an identity. So it’s easy to catch ’em in the act.”

This had explained so much. Why she’d woken up in the pantry when she’d fallen asleep in the garden. Why Eddie had been able to attempt a bank robbery and she was left the last man standing, holding the loot. She’d shifted into Eddie.

“So my next question is, if it’s like Winnie says, and your shifts are tied to extreme emotions, exactly what were you and the delicious Ridge doing in the barn? Hmmm?”

She was still putting together the loose ends. It made sense that Violet had upset her enough that she’d shift into her. It even made sense that because she and Eddie had a fight before he went into the bank that she’d shift into his form.

But Ridge? That made no sense.

“Stop giving me that look, Fee.”

“I’m a cat. I have two looks. Bored and haughty disdain.”

“No, I know you. You’re looking at me like I was doing something nefarious in the barn, and that’s absolutely not true.”

“Then what were you doing? Because this is the second time you’ve walked out of that barn and your magic’s kicked in.”

Why had a kiss set her off? “We were making plans to study. That’s it.”

“Oh the hell, Bernie. There’s more, and if you don’t wanna tell me, that’s just fine by me. But be warned, every detail counts now. We need to know the big picture.”

Running her hands over her new shirt, a cute sleeveless top in teal, she sighed. “Okay, fine. We kissed. I don’t know why that matters, but obviously it set me off. I have to learn how to control this so I stop impersonating innocent people. Though, I won’t lie, I wouldn’t mind shifting into Blake Lively for a day or so.”

“Because?”

“Two words. Ryan Reynolds. Duh.”

Fee snickered. “Duh.”

“Either way, it’s kind of just one more thing I have to learn, you know? I’m so overwhelmed with spells and types of spells and the witch lingo that I’m all witched out.”

He flopped on his back and stretched. “You’ll be okay, Bernie. I know it. Ridge will get you through this. It’s just one more thing to add to your already awesome roster. But you’re gonna be a superstar in no time flat.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Angelina Jolie.”

“What?”