Page 114 of Not Your Ex's Hexes
Jasper huffed, blowing out a heavy breath that moved Rose’shair off her face. It almost looked as if he rolled his eyes, and Rose giggled.
“He’s fine.” She held out a sugar cube—his favorite. He nervously pranced closer, and after lapping it up, sniffed and continued to lick her fingers before pushing his nose into her palm for rubs. “You’re trying to tell us something. Aren’t you, boy?”
“Yeah. That he’d like to kick us in the head,” Damian muttered.
Jasper huffed again.
“Stay back. All of you.” Rose shot everyone a warning look as she reached for the latch. “He’ll stay calm as long as he doesn’t feel cornered by a crowd.”
All eyes were on her as she carefully stepped into the stall. Damian shifted so he stood right on the other side, free to leap over at a moment’s notice. She shot him a warning look as he took the tranq gun from Miguel’s hand.
“You won’t be needing that,” she told him.
“And I’m keeping it handy in case we do.” He stared her down, silently daring her to disagree.
It was Rose’s turn to roll her eyes.
Jasper fidgeted, flinching when she laid a gentle hand on his neck. “It’s okay, boy… we’re going to help you.”
He shifted on his feet as she coasted her palms over his rust-colored coat, slowly relaxing as she called on her Magic a small portion at a time so she didn’t startle him. Jasper’s anxiety—and pain—landed on her chest like an anvil.
“He’s hurt…” Rose mumbled quietly.
Damian stepped closer to the gate. “Can you pin down where?”
Up his torso and around his flank, she performed her own magical MRI… and then she ran her fingers down his back left leg…
He whinnied loudly, pawing at the hay-covered floor.
“It’s in his back hoof,” she announced.
Damian cursed. “An infection. That makes sense. If something had been wrong with the muscles or tendons, he’d show swellingand other signs of discomfort. With a hoof, there’s not much to see. Do you think you can keep him calm long enough for me to check it out and treat it?”
“Sure.” She rubbed the horse’s nose before dropping a kiss onto his white diamond. “You’ll be a good boy, won’t you? You want someone to help you. You just don’t know how to ask.”
She snuck Damian a pointed look.
Those exact words could be used on someone other than Jasper, and Damian realized it, too, because with a grunt he said, “Let me grab some supplies,” and disappeared into the treatment room.
With Jasper’s standoffish personality, neither Damian nor Miguel would’ve found the damn foot abscess until it had spread into his leg, and maybe even his joints. Now with it drained and cleaned, and wrapped up as best as could be managed, Jasper acted like a whole new horse, even playfully swinging his head around to nip the back of Damian’s shirt as he secured the last inch of gauze.
He wished he could enjoy the happy mood shift, but the more he tried, the more his mood plummeted. He disappeared into his office to try and get his head on straight after seeing Callie for the first time in years, but instead, the second witch occupying his mind sat on the edge of his desk.
As if remembering the last time they’d been in this same position, Damian’s cock twitched in his pants. But neither his cock—nor his growing feelings for Rose—would distract him this time.
And his feelingsweregrowing. Exponentially. There was no doubt about it, especially after he saw the way she’d handled Jasper with such calm-headed tenderness.
Damian was falling in love with her, and as if karma had a mean streak and thought he needed reminding that it was a bad idea, it’d put Callie in his path, too.
Fueling what he already knew, his demon pushed uncomfortably close to the surface. His senses shifted, heightening as they did when the bastard was seconds away from making a resurgence. With a low, chesty growl, Damian pushed him back… and then stopped.
There was one last thing he needed to do, and although he hated the idea of it, the bastard was the best non-human for the job.
He needed to break things off with Rose.
End their FB arrangement.Now.Before they took their relationship an inch further, or he developed even an ounce more feelings and Callie’s hex went into full effect.
He knew firsthand what happened in relationships in which he let his beast take the lead. Rose deserved more than he could give her. Literally. Because of the Soul Hex, he’d never be able to give her his whole heart, and if he did, that demon bastard would snatch itallaway.
