Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2) - Juliette Cross Page 0,28
far braver than I was, I cleared my throat and sashayed toward him.
“Hey, Isadora,” said Evie, her ponytail swinging as she stopped in front of me. “You need me for something?”
“I just need to talk to”—I pointed over her shoulder—“him.”
“You just missed the funniest stories I’ve ever heard.” She laughed as she strode toward a lone customer at one of the booths along the wall.
Violet was walking away, too, but she turned back to Devraj. “You’re coming for dinner Sunday, right?”
Violet! I was going to skin her alive, then bury her in the backyard in an ant bed, then resuscitate her with my magic so I could do it all over again. Why? Why were my sisters torturing me?
He was standing now. “Nothing would give me more pleasure.” His eyes were still on me as I approached.
“Mr. Kumar,” I said a little shakily, “might I have a word with you outside?”
“Absolutely.” He dipped his head in a slight nod, his long hair sliding forward over one shoulder before he said formally, “After you, Miss Savoie.”
I marched for the exit, not trusting my sisters who liked to eavesdrop. Pushing open the door with a little too much force, I exhaled a calming breath before I spun to face him. The amusement twinkling in his eyes and lifting the corner of his mouth made me want to punch something. Preferably his perfect face. He was lucky I wasn’t a violent person.
I crossed my arms, feeling defensive and angsty. He mirrored me.
“I believe you have something of mine,” I stated, low and with some bite.
“What might that be?” All innocence. Yeah, right.
“A certain package.”
He lifted a hand and smoothed the short beard of his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Hmm. I’m not sure. Describe what’s in this package.”
Really? He was going to play it this way? Unbelievable!
“I am not going to describe it to you, pervert.”
He chuckled and then grinned openly.
“You are well aware of what I’m talking about.” I glanced back toward the door of the Cauldron, afraid one of my sisters might suddenly appear and overhear us. Then I whispered, “Big John.”
Those warm brown eyes trailed from my eyes down to my lips. “Big John, is it?” But his thoughts seemed miles away.
“You have it?” I demanded, clearing the breathiness out of my voice.
He nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he swallowed. “Have dinner with me.”
I blew out a sigh. “No. Give me back my package.”
“You seem kind of desperate for it.” The wickedness was back in his eyes. Ten-fold.
“You can’t keep it hostage.”
“Can’t I?”
Hands on both my hips, I argued, “I paid for it. Are you seriously going to steal my vibrator? I’d say you’re the desperate one if that’s the case.”
He let out a bark of laughter, his white teeth gleaming. Still no canines. That was a relief at least.
“Why won’t you share a meal with me?” he asked, his voice softening. The velvety-dark timbre was unfair for any man to possess. But then, he wasn’t just a man, now was he?
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Why not?”
Exasperating! I didn’t like to hurt people’s feelings, but if he was going to push me, then it was his fault. “If you must know, I don’t particularly like you.”
“Everybody likes me.”
“Well, I don’t.”
He arched a brow, smiling wider. “You don’t even know me.”
“And I don’t care to. Why is it so important that I eat dinner or lunch or whatever with you? Because I keep refusing you?”
“Maybe.”
It was my turn to tilt my head back and laugh. “You are something else.”
“So I’m told.”
“I don’t mean that in a good way.”
“But maybe you really do?” He inched closer, the size and breadth of him suddenly filling up my personal space.
“You can’t sweet-talk me, Devraj. I’m immune.”
“You’re sure?”
“Ughhh. I just want my package back. That’s it.”
He recognized the obvious frustration in my voice and posture. He measured me for several more seconds before his teasing expression morphed into sincerity. “Fine then. Swing by and pick it up this afternoon.”
I frowned, not exactly keen on the idea of going to his house. Like walking into the dragon’s lair.
“Or,” he said slowly, “I could drop it by later, though I’m sure your sisters might get a good kick out of the fact that I accidentally opened it and found quite a surprise inside.”
Flames licked up my cheeks. My sisters and I didn’t hide things from each other. Or, at least, not those kinds of things. I was sure Violet and Jules were hiding a shit-ton