Read Online Cursed Hearts (A Crossroads Novel) by Light and Lowell - Free Book Online Page B

Dallas grumbled.
    “I
think it has something to do with Lisa Baker.”
    “Don’t
mention that name to me.”
    “Okay,
I have to know… what’s the story there?”
    Aria leaned out the window, calling back to answer Rome’s question. “Lisa Baker is the
girl I caught Dallas with in his mother’s swimming pool.”
    “Don’t,”
Dallas pleaded.
    His
discomfort only encouraged her to continue.
    “They
were naked, and in… let’s say a compromising position. Dallas’s mom was away
for the weekend and he decided to invite this girl he barely knew over to stay
at their house. It was during those two days that Lisa determined that she was going
to move in with him, and that they were going to get married. I had to help him
get rid of her before his mom came back.”
    She
paused, smiling at the fearful, nostalgic look swimming across Dallas’s face.
“Honestly, I’m not sure what has you more scared,” she said. “The thought that
I’ll tell your mom, or the possibility that I might tell Lisa you didn’t really
run off and join the military.”
    “We
agreed to never talk about that again.”
    Rome’s
arms were going weak as he shook with quiet laughter. “The military?” he choked
out. “So tell me, did you pop the question, or did she?” Dallas was glaring at
him with enough fire to melt a glacier.
    That
only made Rome start laughing harder.
    “Lisa Baker is proof that the devil exists. If she wasn’t
off her meds, it was because no one had realized yet that she
needed them in the first place,” he
said stonily. “To call her unbalanced would be an insult to crazy people.”
    “I
wonder what that says about you, since you were stupid enough to date her,”
Aria said.
    “It
says that I have eyes. Lisa’s smokin’ hot.”
    “Should
I tell her you said that?”
    “Shut
up and pretend to drive.”
    Ariahna
sat back in Rome’s seat, looking around his car as they continued to push it up the hill. She was checking periodically that
they weren’t veering off the road as
she snooped around. She glanced back through the big open window of the
hatchback before peeking timidly into his glove box. It was filled with random
papers, a pair of sunglasses, and some cologne that smelt like him. She pulled
out a napkin with a phone number written on it, gazing down at the cherry pink
lip stain in the corner.
    Give
me a call on your day off. –Autumn
    Her
hand curled into a fist, crumpling up the phone number and dropping it on the
floor. She nudged it underneath his seat with her heel.
    “…Do
you guys need me to do anything?” she asked guiltily.
    “No,”
Rome shouted. “Not yet. Just sit there and look pretty.”
    She
smiled at his playful banter.
    “I
want you to stay away from her,” Dallas said.
    “I
don’t think I can do that,” Rome whispered back.
    “I
didn’t say I was giving you a choice.”
    “Alright,
either you’re into her, or you’re trying to protect her. So which is it?” he
asked.
    “Did
you not hear me call her my sister?”
    “You
didn’t answer my question.”
    “It’s not me you should be worried about. Her dad is an elitist jackass
with a gun and a badge, and the scary part is, he doesn’t need either of those
to get to you. Did she tell you he works with SI?”
    “SI?”
Rome muttered, squinting over at him.
    “Special Investigations,” he clarified. “It’s a criminal
division put together by The Witches Collective. He works as a detective here
in town , but that’s really just a front. His real job,”
he whispered, “is investigating magical crimes and keeping them out of the media.”
    “Sounds
like a busy guy,” Rome replied carelessly.
    “Not
too busy to put you in the ground if he found out you were chasing after his
daughter. Richard doesn’t mess around. He’ll put you through hell if you get
close to her. He’s got her whole future mapped out, and trust me when I say you
are not a part of his master plan.”
    “If
I was in your shoes, and the