Easy Magic (Boudreaux #5)

“But I don’t have a choice,” I reply.

“She loved you,” Lena adds and pats my shoulder. “She was also being a parent. She wanted the best for you. Maybe if you embrace some of your abilities, it will enhance your life.”

I smirk. “Right.”

“Something to think about,” Lena says with a shrug.

“In the meantime, what do I do about the asshole trying to get inside my head?”

Miss Sophia’s eyes narrow. “I have to do some research, make some calls, and think. You keep your door shut and your walls up, at all times. I’m sending home some fennel, agrimony, and osha root.”

“I hate the taste of that stuff.”

“You’re not going to drink it, you’re going to bathe in it,” she replies as she fills bags. “This should protect and repel. Stay guarded.”

“Okay, I get it. I’ll protect myself.”

“You’ve gotten better at that lately,” Lena says thoughtfully.

“I think part of it is Beau,” I reply, hesitant to say too much. “He makes me stronger.”

“Yes, he does,” Miss Sophia agrees. “Keep him close.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

***

It’s later than I expected when I get home. I had to text Beau to tell him I’d be late, and now I’m just exhausted.

And frankly, I want to be alone.

Rather than text him again, I dial his number and smile when he answers on the second ring.

“Hello, beautiful.”

“Hi. I think I’m going to have to cancel on you tonight.”

“Is everything okay?”

Fuck no, it’s not okay.

“I just don’t feel great, and I’m super tired. I might be coming down with something. I thought I’d just go straight to bed.”

“I can come over and take care of you,” he offers. “My nursemaid skills are stellar.”

“I remember,” I murmur with a smile. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m okay. It’s nothing like before. I’m just going to go snuggle down in bed and sleep this off. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. Don’t worry about me. Have a good evening.”

“You too, sweetheart.”

We end the call and I do collapse on the bed, staring at the ceiling. What is going to happen? With Beau, the shop, these gifts that won’t go away, no matter how much energy I put into ignoring them.

I’m in love with him. I’m sure of it. He’s...everything. And I’m afraid that when he learns everything that I, myself, have just learned, when he has a firm understanding of what I am, that he won’t want to stick around.

Those aren’t his words. No, his words and actions have been the opposite. But for how long does a person want to have to deal with someone else’s oddities? It’s taken me years, and I’m still struggling.

But, for tonight, I’m just exhausted, right down to the bone. I don’t want to think about dead people, or emotions that aren’t mine, or psychotic crazy people worming their way into my head.

I don’t even want to think about Beau.

I want to sleep a dreamless sleep, and wake up tomorrow refreshed and ready to face this all head on. Because I have a feeling I’m in for the fight of my life.





Chapter Fifteen


Beau

“Why aren’t you with Mallory tonight?” Callie asks me from behind the bar at the Odyssey. Ben and I ended up here a couple of hours ago.

“She’s not feeling great,” I reply and sip my beer. “I offered to go over, but she sounded exhausted, so here we are.”

“I’m glad. We don’t see as much of you these days.”

I frown at my sister-in-law just as Ben nods.

“You see just as much of me now as you did before Mallory.”

“Negative,” Ben replies but shrugs good-naturedly. “But it’s okay. That’s normal.”

“Do you guys need something?” I ask, concerned that I’ve been slacking off on my family since Mal came into my life.

“No, big brother,” Declan says as he takes the stool on the other side of me. “We’re fine, and you’re happy. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“I like her,” Callie says with a grin. “And I can see that you like her. A lot.”

“Are we in the ninth grade?” I ask the room at large and then take another sip of my beer as they all dissolve into laughter. “She’s great. We’re great. Everyone is great. Change of subject, how are you, Dec?”

“I’m great too.” He smiles and gazes over at his bride. “I have to go up to Nashville for a couple of days next week for some studio work.”

“Nice,” Ben says. “Working with anyone I would know?”

“Of course,” Declan replies. “But I can’t tell you who. I had to sign an NDA on this one.”

“Fancy,” Callie says with a wink. “He won’t even tell me, and I even offered lots of sexual favors.”

“I’m hoping I still get those,” Declan replies. “You’ll all know soon enough.

Artists are all different, and this one wants absolute confidentiality.”

“Huh,” I reply and shrug. “Well, have a good time.”

“I will; it’s only for a couple of days.”

“If you need anything while he’s gone,” Ben offers, “just give one of us a call.”

“You know, there are perks to being married into this family,” Callie replies with a wink. “I have access to a whole gaggle of handsome men to save me.”

Declan smirks. “You don’t need saving, sugar.”

“Of course not,” she agrees. “But it’s nice to have lots of handsome men at the ready, just in case.”

“How are things with you, Ben?” Declan asks.

“Good. Business is good at the dojo.” He passes his empty bottle to Callie, and just asks for water for the next round. Ben is a healthy guy, but as a Krav Maga master, he has to be. “I hired two more masters to help with classes. I prefer to do them all myself, but apparently people want to beat the crap out of each other in New Orleans, so I added more help.”

“You’re as much of a workaholic as the rest of us,” I reply.

“That’s why he fits into our family so well,” Dec says. “He gets us.”

I nod, watching Ben thoughtfully.

“So when are you going to ask Savannah out on a real date?” Callie asks, in pure Callie fashion. No beating around the bush with this woman.

Ben’s eyes widen and he takes a sip of his water and frowns.

“We’re friends,” he says.

“Friends who look at each other like they want to tear each other’s clothes off and go at it against any available surface.”

“That’s how she looks at me,” Declan says with a smug smile.

“I’ve actually been wanting to talk to you about this,” I say to Ben, whose shoulders hunch just a bit in defense. “Stop brooding.”

“I’m not fucking brooding,” he replies. “And I’ll take that second beer now.”

“Sure,” Callie says with a happy, innocent smile.

She’s not innocent in the least.