Page 38 of Jinx

“Is it because of my magic?” she went on, then froze. “I’m operating under the assumption that Bellamy already told you everything.”

“Yes,” I answered with a cautious tone. “He told us.”

She relaxed at that. “Good. So, am I crazy? Because I’ve been feeling crazy and I have no idea what’s going on. My magic suddenly wakes up with a personality, and now I have a supernatural bond with at least two guys. I’m seeing people with evil eyes and can’t help but feel like I’m being targeted. It’s just–” She cut herself off and quickly went back to staring out the window.

“Eyes on me, foxglove,” I told her before I could even consider the command. The way my beast growled with smug satisfaction when she immediately returned her gaze to me made my chest vibrate. “It’s just what?”

She shrank into herself, arms wrapping more tightly around her middle. She chewed her lip a moment before letting out a soft exhale. “It’s just overwhelming. I went from having nothing to having so much, and I still want…” Her voice turned small and ashamed. “My magic wants more. It wants everything, but that doesn’t mean…” She huffed in frustration. “It doesn’t mean that everything wants me.”

I shifted in my seat, feeling agitated that she would entertain so much doubt. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“Sure,” she said with a sullen pout. “Would you give in to my magic?”

“No.” The word was hard and unyielding, delivered like a blade, and I didn’t miss her flinch.

“I rest my case.”

I clenched my teeth and worked to soften my tone. “That has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me.” Gods, I sounded like a scripted asshole now.

Before I could dig myself a deeper hole, I turned down a private drive and stopped at the gate. It was made of thick black metal and framed by reinforced flagstone pillars. I glanced at her before reaching up to press a remote clipped to the visor. The barricade slowly rolled open to the side to let us pass. As we did, the security cameras perched on top of the columns followed our movements.

“It’s just up here,” I muttered, clicking the remote again to close the way behind us. She made a noncommittal sound that morphed into awe when the house came into view.

“This is where you live?”

“Yes.” I peeked over at her to take in her reaction. She had her lip between her teeth again, and I heard her mutter something about billionaires under her breath.

I pulled into the enormous attached garage, slotting the sedan effortlessly between Bel’s Range Rover and Luce’s Challenger. I slid the gear into park but left the engine running while I stared out the windshield with tangled thoughts.

“Quinn?” She sounded nervous.

“You said your magic wants everything.” I paused. “All of us.”

I could feel her eyes trace the side of my face, and a muscle twitched in my jaw beneath my beard. Her answer slid out on a tremulous exhale. “Yes.”

My hands clenched around the steering wheel, leather creaking under my fists. “What do you want?”

“I–” The word caught in her throat. She paused, considering her answer. She had no idea that I’d know if she was telling the truth or not. Would she be honest with me? Honest with herself? Her hand moved absently to her chest, rubbing under her delicate collarbone. My own heart throbbed painfully, every beat feeling like another nail in my coffin as I waited for her reply. When she did, I almost wished she’d have lied.

“I want that too.”

26

CORDELIA

Quinn exhaled, some of the tension leaving him, but he didn’t look happy. He looked…resigned. His head bobbed, and he turned off the car and got out. I felt like a bumbling idiot all over again. He made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me, and I just admitted to a desire to burrow even deeper into his bubble.

I half expected him to leave me sitting out here in his fancy car in this huge garage attached to the freaking mansion that he apparently lived in, but then the car door opened, and he stood there waiting. His amber eyes had lost any semblance of warmth, a mask of indifference firmly in place. I climbed out and stepped past him while he closed the door. The sound echoed in the large space.

“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say or how to fix this. Maybe I should have just lied.

Quinn nodded, leading me to the house. “I know. But you don’t need to be. You do need to understand, though, that I want no part of what you have with my brothers.”

I stumbled to a halt, magic writhing in my chest. “You know, I’m just going to go home. I’ll call an Uber. I don’t want to⁠—”

“Cordelia.” He stopped at the door that led inside, twisting the knob and pushing it open. “Get in the house.”

His tone brooked no argument, so I scurried ahead of him and through the door. I was met with the mouthwatering smell of food cooking as soon as I stepped into the mudroom. I toed off my flats and waited while Quinn unlaced his boots.