Page 77 of Legion
Naomi leaned into her and whispered, “See that guy Tobe is talking to?That’s Stefan Brandt, the demon who hired a PI to ID me.”
Tia’s eyes widened a little.“Do you think he followed Tobe here?”
“Maybe.Either that or he spotted him when passing by and decided to take the opportunity to come talk to him.”She and Tia headed down the hall toward the desk.
“I passed on my apologies through you,” Stefan was saying.
“Only after threatening me didn’t work,” Tobe reminded him.“Then you had a damn PI bug my anchor.Do you really think I’m inclined to do anything for you at this point?”
“I called Phillips off,” Stefan claimed.
“Bullshit.He quit after Luka Belinsky threatened him.”
Stefan’s eyes flickered.Yeah, the PI had quit all right.
The pair stopped arguing as Tia and Naomi neared them.Stefan’s exasperation-filled gaze shifted to them but just as quickly returned to Tobe.He opened his mouth to speak ...but didn’t get the chance.
Tia got right up into his space.“Well, hello there, I’m Madam Tia.You’re here for a reading, I’m guessing.”
Stefan’s brow furrowed.“Uh ...”
“Unfortunately, the shop is about to close.But I suppose I can give you a free mini reading.”She took his hand and turned it over.Running her finger along a line on his palm, she hummed.“You’ve had many relationships.Nothing lasting or serious.That will change, though.I can’t seewhenshe comes into your life, I just know that she will.”
He tried stifling a smile that revealed he was a pure skeptic—something that Tia wouldn’t fail to notice.
She tapped his palm.“See the way this line is curved and sloped?That tells me you are creative.”Her eyes fogged over.“I see brushes in your hand.Paintbrushes.A studio with a window that has beautiful stained glass.”
He double-blinked, his lips parting.
Naomi almost grinned.Tia was good at making people mentally reveal things.All she’d do was throw out a comment that would make them conjure up memories or scenes or images in their mind.Like now, when she’d told Stefan she saw him holding paintbrushes.He had unconsciously pictured his studio.According to Tobe, the guydidpaint, he just wasn’t all that great at it.
Tia hummed again thoughtfully.“You can be stubborn.Perhaps a little materialistic, though you can certainly afford to indulge that side of yourself.”Her brow creased in concern.“I see a change there, though.You’ve lost ...something.I don’t know what, but it’s impacting your career.The money well may dry up if you’re not careful.”
His jaw tightened, and Naomi fought the urge to laugh.A quick look at Tobe confirmed he was experiencing that same urge.
“And here we have your life line.I—” Tia gasped abruptly, her expression turning horrified.
He glanced down at where she held his hand.“Uh, ow.”
She loosened her grip.“I’m sorry, it’s ...You need to get off the path you’re on.”
He went rigid.“Excuse me?”
“You’re seeking something.An answer.A person, maybe?”She grabbed his upper arm, a sense of urgency plastered over her face.“You must stop.If you do not,death will find you.”
Honest to God, she sounded so convincing that even Naomi got the chills.Her inner demon thought the whole thing was hilarious.
Stefan pulled his arm free, eyeing her uncertainly.“I have to go.”He spared Tobe one lastveryunhappy look and then scampered.
Naomi looked at her mother, who was dusting her palms together.“You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”
“Loved it,” said Tia.
“Iloved it.”Tobe bowed to the woman.“That was quite a performance.Brav-the-fuck-o.”
“Whose name does he want?”Yuliya asked.“He was so careful with his word choices that I couldn’t understand exactly who or what he was talking about.”
Well of course Stefan had been careful.He wouldn’t want the world to know that he used a ghost artist.
