“If you’re wanting to cast a spell on a person, you might want to rethink it. Lina was right. If you can’t convince someone to see things your way, or cooperate with you, by using more mundane means, there’s a pretty good chance it’s not meant to be.”

I nod and look away, knowing that may be true for some situations, but not mine.

Mine is different.

Chapter Thirty-Five

“I stopped by your work.” Haven studies me closely, gaze moving from my hair, to the black silk cord holding my amulet, just barely visible at the base of my tee, before settling back on my face.

I nod briefly before returning my attention to Honor, watching as she laughs with Stacia and Craig and the rest of the A-list crew as though everything were normal—but it’s not. Not for her. She’s dipping into magick now—a serious student of the craft, according to Jude. All without her ringleader’s consent.

“Thought maybe we could grab lunch or something, but the hot guy behind the counter said you were busy.” Fingers picking at the frosting on her chai-latte cupcake, gaze never once straying from me.

Miles looks up from his phone, brows merged, eyes darting between us. “Excuse me? There’s a hot guy and nobody informed me?”

I turn toward them, Haven’s words just now making an impact. She went to my work! She knows where I work! What else might she know?

“Oh, he’s hot all right.” Haven nods, still looking at me. “Muy caliente, for sure. But apparently Ever’s determined to keep it a secret. Didn’t even know he existed ’til I saw for myself.”

“How’d you know where I work?” I ask, trying to keep it casual, nonchalant, not let on just how alarmed I really am.

“The twins told me.”

This just went from bad to even worse.

“I ran into them at the beach. Damen’s teaching them to surf.”

I smile, but it’s a feeble one that feels false on my face.

“Guess that explains why you didn’t tell us about your new job—you didn’t want your best friends moving in on your hottie coworker.”

Miles stares at me, abandoning his texting for something far juicier.

“He’s my boss.” I shake my head. “And it’s not like it’s a secret or anything, I just haven’t had a chance to mention it, that’s all.”

“Yes, because our lunchtime chats are so scintillating you just couldn’t squeeze it in. Please.” Haven rolls her eyes. “So not buying it.”

“Um, hello? Descriptors would be nice about now!” Miles leans forward, face eager, eyes darting between us.

But I just shrug, watching as Haven smiles and sets down her cupcake, brushing the crumbs from her black denim lap as she says, “Picture the tannest, most aqua-eyed, hot-bodied, rockin’ the golden dreadlocks, laid-back surfer boy, hottie of the entire McHottie clan that you can even possibly imagine—then times it by ten and that’s him.”

“Seriously?” Miles gapes, staring at me. “Like, for reals?”

I sigh, tearing my sandwich to shreds as Haven says, “Trust me, words cannot describe the extreme measure of hotness. The only ones who can even come close are Damen and Roman, but then, they’re pretty much in a class by themselves, so they don’t really count. How old is he anyway?” She looks at me. “Seems too young to be a boss.”

“Nineteen.” I shrug, not wanting to talk about work, Jude, or pretty much anything else on that list. This is exactly the kind of thing Damen warned me about. The kind of thing I need to avoid. “Speaking of hotties, how’s Josh?” I smile, making for a pretty awkward segue but hoping it’ll work.

Watching her aura waver and flare as she focuses on her cupcake and says, “It ended the second he tried to give me the kitten. You should’ve seen him, smiling as though it was some miraculous gift.” She rolls her eyes and rips her cupcake in half. “I mean, seriously. How clueless can you get?”

“He was just trying to be nice—” Miles starts, but Haven isn’t having it.

“Please.” She scowls. “If he truly understood what I was going through, he never would’ve pushed some Charm replacement on me. Some adorable kitty that’s only real destiny is to die once I’ve grown extremely attached to her so I can experience the maximum amount of pain and suffering.”

Miles rolls his eyes as I say, “It doesn’t always have to be like that—”

But she cuts right in. “Oh really? Name one thing—one living thing—that doesn’t either die or leave you or both? Last time I asked you that question, you choked. So, Miles, you with the rolling eyes and smirking lips, go ahead, knock yourself out, name one thing that—”

Miles shakes his head, hands raised in surrender, hating all confrontation and gladly forfeiting the game before it can start.

Haven smirks, satisfied with our combined failure when she says, “Trust me, all I did was beat him to the chase. It would’ve ended eventually anyway.”

“Well.” Miles shrugs, returning to his text. “For what it’s worth, I liked him. I thought you were good together.”

“Then you date him.” Haven smirks, tossing a cupcake sprinkle his way.

“No thanks. Too skinny and cute.” He smiles. “Now Ever’s boss on the other hand—”

I glance at Miles, checking his aura and seeing he’s mostly joking—mostly.