more of your time, Ms. Henderson. Perhaps we could make another appointment and return to talk more about spells and magic, or you’re more than welcome to join us for dinner one night. I’m sure Deirdre would be equally interested in hearing about these theories.”
He just hoped he didn’t accidentally insult their magical beliefs by calling things theories or spells. Henry figured he had an equal chance of leaving the office in one piece or being turned into a reptile of some kind.
Aria’s eyes narrowed just slightly as she tilted her head and considered him, and for a split second, he thought her pupils went vertical like a cat’s. “You would invite me to your home?”
“Of course,” Henry said. He eased to his feet and gestured at the door. “Perhaps next week, if you’re available? We live on the other side of the city, but we can make the trip worth your while.”
Ophelia joined him but kept gazing around the room, searching for hints of things he couldn’t see, and her attention snapped back to the banker as Aria said, “Be careful not to make promises to my kind, wolf. Obligations carry too much weight.”
He nodded, though he didn’t entirely understand. “Thank you for the information. We’ll leave the paperwork and Todd will return next week for the next step.”
Aria remained in the middle of the office, watching them silently, as Henry caught Ophelia’s hand and drew her through the door and into the lobby once more. He didn’t quite breathe until they were outside and in the car, and it felt like a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders and he could finally inhale. “So. What was that about?”
Ophelia frowned as she fussed with her seat belt. “It didn’t feel right in there. It wasn’t a threat, maybe, but... I didn’t want you to sign any papers unless she was clearer about who and what she is.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” he said. “I thought you two might fight for a second.”
Ophelia snorted and slid him a sideways look. “Not in public like that.”
“Is that not how witches fight?” He started the car and pulled away from where they’d parked by the bank. There weren’t any good restaurants in the business district, not yet, and he wanted to take her to one of his favorite places—a dingy barbecue pit in one of the “up and coming” neighborhoods.
“Typically, no.” She half-turned in her seat to face him, studying his profile, and Henry’s chest got warm and tight to know that she was so close he could touch her arm if he wanted to. Ophelia looked more thoughtful than worried. “Witches usually wait until they outnumber the threat, then attack in the middle of the night or when everyone else is distracted and busy elsewhere. There are seldom any daylight or straightforward confrontations with witches. That I asked her outright what she was may be the only reason she actually answered. I’m just…not the kind of witch who waits to strike from the shadows.”
Henry made a thoughtful noise and reached out to brush his fingers across the inside of her wrist. “I’m glad you’re not that kind of witch.”
She flushed and a hint of a smile touched her face, though she looked away. “Me too.”
He squeezed her hand, relieved that she didn’t pull away, and the wolf started to relax again. His girl was safe, despite the unexpected threat from the banker, and he would feed her before taking her home to their den.
They were making their way to a table in the crowded restaurant before Henry realized that he’d started to truly think of Ophelia as his mate—in every sense of the word.
Chapter 21
Ophelia
My heart still thumped after the encounter with the fae in the bank; I didn’t have a good name for what to call them other than fae, although Rocko had made deals with some who looked far less human than Aria. It gave me the shivers to think there were fae in the city, though Aria didn’t have the same manipulative, greasy aura as the ones that Rocko dealt with. It was entirely possible she wasn’t like them. Or maybe she just hid it better.
I glanced back just once as he drove and thought I saw a lone coyote standing on the sidewalk, looking in our direction as we pulled away. Tension crackled in the air and I held my breath, about to warn Henry about it, but when I looked back the second time, there was