First Magic by Raven Steele (ebook reader screen txt) 📖

“Hello, sir,” I said, avoiding direct eye contact.

He stared at me for a moment before he said, “Christian’s probably downstairs.”

“Um, thank you.” I hurried past him, but he stopped me. “Tell your uncle hello."

I turned around. “My uncle, Sir?”

"Didn’t you know he works for me? At Bodian Dynamics.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“He’s a good worker. It’s hard to find men like him. Mark taught him well.”

I visibly jerked at the mention of my father’s name. “You knew my father?

Christian’s dad stepped into the hallway. I noticed he was limping on his left leg. “I did, a long time ago.”

“How did you know him?”

“We went to school together.”

“In Vegas?”

“No. It was a private school in Washington.”

Now I was really surprised. “I didn’t know my dad lived there.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking suddenly tired. “We had our differences, your father and I, but I always respected him. I was real sorry to hear about his death. I always told him he was too careless.”

“Careless? He was killed by a drunk driver.”

He stared at me for what seemed like a very long time. “You have a nice night, Llona.” He turned around and walked back into his office closing the door behind him.

That’s it? Who says something like that and then walks away? I had half a notion to storm in there and give him a piece of my mind.

“Llona?”

Christian stood at the top of the stairs. Sadness bled from his eyes.

“You okay?” I asked.

He nodded. “It’s getting late. I should probably take you home.”

I followed him down the stairs. “Actually, could I ask for one more favor since it’s on the way?”

“Name it.”

“My car is back in the high school parking lot but it’s got a flat tire. Would you mind helping me change it?”

“So that’s why Matt took you home.” He stopped and turned around on the stairs. “How did it go flat?”

I shrugged. “I probably drove over a nail or something.”

He pursed his lips, thinking, then continued to descend the stairs. Over his shoulder, he said, “Sorry about my dad. Sometimes he talks too much.”

I stopped him at the bottom of the stairs and spun him around. “I don’t care how your dad is. It’s you I want to hang out with, not your father.”

“Are you saying you trust me now?”

I took his hand and smiled. “With my life.”

He stared down at our joined hands, the knot in his throat bobbing up and down. His mouth parted open, releasing the gentle hiss of a breath. “Llona…”

My name on his lips was a plea for something more. I moved closer to him, close enough to feel the heat of his body, close enough that when I inhaled, my breasts brushed his chest.

He reached up and slid his palm along my jaw line and to the back of my neck, his eyes roaming over every inch of my face. “You are so beautiful.”

The sincerity in his voice, the longing tone, made my skin buzz with want. I wanted to feel his touch, his lips, every part of him against my flesh. This desire flooded through me and overwhelmed my senses, awakening even my Light. It raced through my veins and spread to my muscles.

I was just about to lift up on my toes to satisfy my cravings with a kiss, when he stepped to the side of me and avoided my eyes. “We should go.”

Imaginary water doused my fire.

It took me a few seconds to follow after him. On our way to the school, tension and silence polluted the air. In an attempt to break it, I said, “You never told me Jake works for your dad.”

His brows drew together. “Really? I didn’t know.”

“Truly?”

“Why would I? He owns so many different companies, he probably employs half of Wildemoor’s population.” He pulled into the school’s parking lot and parked next to my car. It was the only one left in the lot.

“Thanks again. For everything,” I said. “And for helping me with my tire.”

He nodded but avoided looking at me again. “Anytime. I’ll get my jack, you grab your spare. It’s probably in the trunk.”

He jumped out of the car before I could respond. I sighed and opened my door. I rounded the back of my car but stopped abruptly.

A cool autumn breeze blew through the loose cotton of my shirt; its breath gave me pause. Not because it chilled me, but because it was laced with an odd smell. The odor reminded me of a leaky, rusty pipe in an old basement.

Instinctively, I glanced down. My tail pipe looked normal, but what was sprayed beneath it wasn’t. Someone must have broken a bottle of Merlot. My foot partially rested on the crimson splatter. As I moved forward, my foot sticking slightly, I came in view of the carnage scattered along side my car.

I didn’t immediately process what I saw, or didn’t want to, and instead found myself staring into the night sky. The dull stars seemed to be swimming in a sea of black. Lost. Disoriented. I stepped back and inhaled a deep breath.

Christian said something to me from the back of his car, but I couldn’t decipher