Since I was too distracted to scrub the floor after Darryl’s departure, I set aside my scrubbing brush and called Trish. No answer. Texted Marjorie. Got a short reply: Working. My own fault for cancelling our original shopping trip. My friends made other plans.
Wendy… I hesitated. Did I really want to enlist my daughter’s aid in getting laid? Our relationship hadn’t achieved that level yet.
I had no one to help me.
The bell over the door chimed. I’d forgotten to lock it after Darryl left.
Someone came inside, as I said, “Sorry, we’re closed.”
“That’s a good look for you. On your knees.”
A tingle went through me, a sense of awareness that bloody well only ever happened with one person.
“Kane.”
13
“Hello, sweetheart.”
As I popped to my feet, cheeks hot at his innuendo, I wanted to be angry at him. To rail and rant and rave. But I saw that cocky smile, remembered him with his sword.
My guardian. I also wanted to kiss him.
He glanced around. “It’s not as bad as it could have been.”
“I would have preferred it happen to someone else.” I’d had more than my fair share of bad luck.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” The soft words gave me an urge to get close for a hug, to hear that gravelly voice let me know everything would be all right. Kane, my protector, was here. He’d fix this for me.
I was immediately pissed at myself. A woman didn’t need a man to fix things for her. But I could use a friend. Someone who wouldn’t think I was crazy when I talked about magic.
“Do you think this is happening because I’m cursed?”
“You do seem to have an unnatural string of luck.” Kane stated, glancing around at the sooty walls and shelves of my store.
“Especially with fire. First my house. Marjorie’s place. My car. Now this.”
“You make it sound targeted.”
I rolled my shoulders. “Technically my house and car were.” Martin had burned down the first with me in it and then apparently tried to Molotov cocktail my car. This after he chopped down a tree to land on it. “Marjorie’s place was classed as an accident caused by candles.”
“You think this is an accident?” His tone implied a skepticism I shared.
“So far, it appears that way. Murphy says they think it started in the box.” He’d told me when he called earlier that day. “It looks as if something sparked inside of it. Which is annoying, given I had someone come in to make sure everything was up to code before I bought the place.” I’d gotten the shop for a song. Betsy liked me. Even named a goat after me. Said maybe the bad spirits would be fooled and take it instead of me when the moon bled and the orcs rose to rule.
Again with the orcs. Trish believed in orcs, too, and yet I couldn’t find anything about them online other than they were popular villains in video games.
Kane frowned. “No, there was nothing wrong with this box. I had Brigda check this place over when she came to fix the windows.”
I glared at him. “You had your lackey snooping?”
“I asked her to make sure the place was safe, especially given the vandalism.”
Even then, protecting me. Why? And why not take credit for it earlier? Unless he lied. Except…I didn’t think he was.
“Accident or vandalism, my insurance company is freaking.” Meaning my premiums would probably hike.
“If you need help, you just have to ask.”
“I doubt I’d like your price.”
“What if I said it would cost you nothing at all?”
I couldn’t help but snort. “I’m sure you’d shove it in my face that I owed you.”
“There is only one thing I want to shove in your face.”
I gaped at him.
His grin was slow. Mischievous.
Sexy.
“You would make a crude remark. Isn’t that just like a man who can’t win an argument?”
“And you keep deflecting. It’s going to happen.”
“Not even if you were the last man on earth, so stop with the desperate attempts to get in my pants.” I tossed my hair.
Me.
Tossed my hair.
Holy crap, I was living my own soap opera.
“Sweetheart, you are too much.”
“If you don’t like it, leave.”
Kane laughed. “Never said I didn’t enjoy it.”
“Why are you here?” I asked. He appeared better today, the pallor gone from his features.
“Just wanted to check on you.”
“Kind of late to come to my rescue.”
“Are you upset I didn’t come sooner? I wanted to,” he purred, stepping closer.