unaided by a match. He inclined his head. “Like fire doesn’t scare you.” He offered me a cigarette.
“I don’t smoke.”
“Not yet maybe.”
Earl stomped over to the table. “Drinking tequila with Mexi cans now?” Earl spat at me.
Incendio said, “I’m Colombian.”
Like the emeralds. “But you lived in Mexico City, right?” I asked.
“There and a lot of other places. Wherever the money’s good, and the power’s easy.”
“Enough of this. If you’re finally through with Zach, it’s about time. Now it’s my turn,” Earl said, grabbing my arm and yanking me out of my seat.
Chapter 7
In a motion as liquid as the tequila in my belly, I brought my knee up hard. Earl’s breath went out of him in a whoosh and he stumbled back, clutching his groin. Incendio’s laughter roared through the bar.
“You only had my oce a week, and you’ve already picked up his wildcat ways. Better give him back to me before he makes you think you can handle all the badness that can rain down, when you can’t.”
I leaned forward, my palms flat on the table. “Merc picked me, and I picked him. Unless he changes his mind, you can’t have him back.”
“Where is he?”
“That’s none of your business.”
I squeaked in surprise as an arm yanked me off the floor. My bare foot kicked my chair over. The crash echoed through the place, and everyone turned to stare at us. I looked over my shoulder at Earl’s furious face.
“Earl, you’d better reconsider this!” I snapped.
He ignored the warning and dragged me toward the door. I thrashed and came free, falling on the floor. A couple guys stepped forward, I think to help me, but a wide section of the floor caught fire, blocking them.
I gaped at Incendio. “What are you doing?” I yelled, my breath coming short.
He smoked his cigarette casually. I felt fingers claw my arm and looked back at Earl, who was flushed and cursing. I planted my feet, trying to keep him from dragging me across the floor. My bare feet slid on the dirt and sawdust.
The bartender tossed water from a pitcher onto the flames. Steam sizzled up from it as Earl got me to the door. I caught sight of Jordan advancing on us, but Incendio called to him.
“No, English. Leave it,” Incendio said.
Jordan frowned, but stopped walking.
My heart raced and adrenaline spilled into my veins. If Earl got me outside, I’d be in for whatever he had planned. I pictured myself on the ground with him pinning me down and ripping my clothes off.
“Let go!”
He ignored me, flinging the door open.
“No!” I screamed as he threw me outside. I rolled over the sidewalk and landed with a thump on the roots of a big tree.
I’d skinned my back, but I felt better on the small square of earth.
He reached for me.
“Stop, Earl!”
We struggled, and a thick branch cracked off the tree and fell right onto his bastard head. He fell backward, unconscious and bleeding over the cobbles. My whole body shook with the force of my revving emotions.
I climbed to a standing position, my back still against the bark, my bare feet planted on the dirt. The door opened, and the guys from the bar came out. Earl stirred and sat up, then put a hand to his bloody scalp.
“You bitch.”
“Touch me again, and I’ll kill you!” I yelled it so loud I could hear it over the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears.
He staggered to his feet and came toward me, but one of the men grabbed him. “Time to sleep it off, Stanton.” The guy forcefully guided Earl away from me. The crowd dispersed and then Incendio walked over to examine the branch. Jordan had my slip-on shoes in his hand.
“Thanks for the help,” I snapped as I took my shoes from him.
“We wanted to see what you could do under pressure,” Jordan said. “Which magic did you cast to drop the branch?”
“I didn’t cast a spell,” I said.
They both looked at me sharply. “I think she believes that,” Jordan said quickly to Incendio.
“It’s still a
“I don’t smoke.”
“Not yet maybe.”
Earl stomped over to the table. “Drinking tequila with Mexi cans now?” Earl spat at me.
Incendio said, “I’m Colombian.”
Like the emeralds. “But you lived in Mexico City, right?” I asked.
“There and a lot of other places. Wherever the money’s good, and the power’s easy.”
“Enough of this. If you’re finally through with Zach, it’s about time. Now it’s my turn,” Earl said, grabbing my arm and yanking me out of my seat.
Chapter 7
In a motion as liquid as the tequila in my belly, I brought my knee up hard. Earl’s breath went out of him in a whoosh and he stumbled back, clutching his groin. Incendio’s laughter roared through the bar.
“You only had my oce a week, and you’ve already picked up his wildcat ways. Better give him back to me before he makes you think you can handle all the badness that can rain down, when you can’t.”
I leaned forward, my palms flat on the table. “Merc picked me, and I picked him. Unless he changes his mind, you can’t have him back.”
“Where is he?”
“That’s none of your business.”
I squeaked in surprise as an arm yanked me off the floor. My bare foot kicked my chair over. The crash echoed through the place, and everyone turned to stare at us. I looked over my shoulder at Earl’s furious face.
“Earl, you’d better reconsider this!” I snapped.
He ignored the warning and dragged me toward the door. I thrashed and came free, falling on the floor. A couple guys stepped forward, I think to help me, but a wide section of the floor caught fire, blocking them.
I gaped at Incendio. “What are you doing?” I yelled, my breath coming short.
He smoked his cigarette casually. I felt fingers claw my arm and looked back at Earl, who was flushed and cursing. I planted my feet, trying to keep him from dragging me across the floor. My bare feet slid on the dirt and sawdust.
The bartender tossed water from a pitcher onto the flames. Steam sizzled up from it as Earl got me to the door. I caught sight of Jordan advancing on us, but Incendio called to him.
“No, English. Leave it,” Incendio said.
Jordan frowned, but stopped walking.
My heart raced and adrenaline spilled into my veins. If Earl got me outside, I’d be in for whatever he had planned. I pictured myself on the ground with him pinning me down and ripping my clothes off.
“Let go!”
He ignored me, flinging the door open.
“No!” I screamed as he threw me outside. I rolled over the sidewalk and landed with a thump on the roots of a big tree.
I’d skinned my back, but I felt better on the small square of earth.
He reached for me.
“Stop, Earl!”
We struggled, and a thick branch cracked off the tree and fell right onto his bastard head. He fell backward, unconscious and bleeding over the cobbles. My whole body shook with the force of my revving emotions.
I climbed to a standing position, my back still against the bark, my bare feet planted on the dirt. The door opened, and the guys from the bar came out. Earl stirred and sat up, then put a hand to his bloody scalp.
“You bitch.”
“Touch me again, and I’ll kill you!” I yelled it so loud I could hear it over the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears.
He staggered to his feet and came toward me, but one of the men grabbed him. “Time to sleep it off, Stanton.” The guy forcefully guided Earl away from me. The crowd dispersed and then Incendio walked over to examine the branch. Jordan had my slip-on shoes in his hand.
“Thanks for the help,” I snapped as I took my shoes from him.
“We wanted to see what you could do under pressure,” Jordan said. “Which magic did you cast to drop the branch?”
“I didn’t cast a spell,” I said.
They both looked at me sharply. “I think she believes that,” Jordan said quickly to Incendio.
“It’s still a
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