“Didn’t you hear me? You arenot to hang around with that girl anymore. I thought I made myself clear?”

I’m just about to yank free, just about to agree that yes, she has made herself clear, but that it’s not really her choice to make, when Haven smiles, lifts the box right out of my arms and says, “No worries, Ever. You stay with your auntie. She’s obviously very upset. I can get it from here.”

And I watch as she heads for her car—Roman’s car—dumping the box on the passenger seat before settling in, revving the engine, and laughing hysterically as she waves good-bye and backs down the drive.

Sabine’s fingers still on me, still clutching me, still keeping me from doing the one thing I need to do most—the one thing that could end this horrible curse and put my life on a whole new course of complete and total happiness—shouting, “Go to your room!” Her cheeks red, eyes blazing, face so full of outrage it makes me feel terrible for causing it.

But that’s nothing compared to how I feel when I yank myself free. Pulling so hard and fast that the bag of groceries slips from her grip and sends a barrage of cans and fruits and vegetables and egg cartons and cottage cheese containers scrambling all across the floor, leaving a trail of curds, pulpy bits, and runny yellow yolk all over the polished travertine stone.

Nothing compared to how I feel when I catch her expression—a horrible mix of hurt, outrage, surprise, and even worse—fear.

Nothing compared to the regret I feel when I glance between the mess and her, wishing I could just make it disappear with my mind, erase it entirely, make it seem as though it never did happen—but knowing that’ll only serve to make things worse, I turn my back on it all, and head out the door.

Desperate to catch up with Haven who’s just used the opportunity to renege on our deal. Having no idea where to start but knowing I need to start somewhere, and I need to start now.

Calling over my shoulder to say, “Sabine, I’m sorry. Really I am. But there are things you just don’t understand—don’twant to understand—and, as it just so happens, this is one of them.”

Chapter 36

As soon as my foot hits the stoop, I start running. Not wanting to waste the time it’ll take to go into the garage and get my car and start it up and back out of the drive and all the other steps in the whole “normal” routine I work so hard to keep up if for no other reason than to appease Sabine (even though pretty much all of my actions so far have done just about anythingbut appease her), but also not wanting to manifest anything while she’s still watching from the window. Knowing that’ll only result in a whole new slew of questions—questions I have no intention of answering.

Her gaze follows me. I can feel the weight of it wrapping all around me in a horrible mix of anger, worry, and fear.

Thoughts are things. Made of a very tangible form of energy. And hers are shooting straight to the heart of me.

But despite feeling terrible about everything that just happened, it’s not like I can take the time to stop and worry about it now, there’ll be plenty of time for that later. I’ll no doubt have my work cut out for me trying to find a way to make it up to her, but for now, my only concern is finding Haven.

I turn off my driveway and onto my street, thinking I’m finally home free, only to be confronted with the sight of Munoz slowing his Prius as he heads right toward me.

Great,I mumble, watching as he lowers his window and calls out my name, his face clouded with a look of genuine concern when he asks, “Everything okay?”

I stop, stealing a second to look at him and say, “Actually, no. Pretty much nothing’s okay. In fact, not even close.”

He scrunches his brow and glances between the house and me. “Can I help?”

I shake my head, starting to take off again, but then I think better, so I turn to him and say, “Yeah, please tell Sabine that I’m sorry. That I’m really and truly sorry for everything…for all the trouble I’ve caused, for hurting her in the way that I have. She probably won’t believe it, probably won’t accept it, and I can’t say I blame her, but, well, anyway…” I shrug, feeling more than a little foolish for having shared all of that, but it’s not like that stops me. “Oh, and failing that, you can always greet her with these…” I close my eyes and manifest a large bouquet of bright yellow daffodils, knowing I shouldn’t have done it, knowing it’ll only spawn a whole new slew of questions I have no time to answer, but still thrusting them upon him when I add, “They’re her favorite—just don’t tell her how you got ’em, okay?”

And before he can reply, before I can take in the full impact of the shock on his face, I’m off.

Having wasted more time than I can afford, I take one more second to manifest a black BMW for myself, just like the one Damen drives. Aware of Munoz’s bewilderment, his outright astonishment, as he continues to watch me from his rearview mirror.Seeing his jaw dropped down to his knees in a bug-eyed,did I really just see what I think I did kind of stare when I speed out of sight.

Making my way toward Coast Highway, figuring I’ll find a way to deal with him later, as I accelerate along the series of curves and try to determine where Haven might’ve gone.

My gut sinking the second the answer appears in my mind.

The shirt.

Now that she got what she wanted—thanks to Sabine’s interfering—she has no plans to make good on her end of the deal. She hates me so much, she’d much rather destroy the one thing I want, the one thing I didn’t just ask for but insisted upon in return for the juice, even though it clearly holds great sentimental value for her.