she always wanted to know about stupid things … like emotions. “Um,” I said, stalling, “I felt … shitty.”
It was her turn to roll her eyes. “Jesus, Katie. Way to use your big-girl words.”
I sighed and surrendered. The sooner I got this part over with, the sooner we could start gossiping about fun stuff like getting a pelvic exam or a root canal. “At first I was just scared—worried he’d kill me before I could stop him. But then, once it was over, I felt kind of relieved and … numb. I guess.” At the last second, I added in a small voice, “Maybe a little proud.”
She perked up. “Proud?”
I sighed and leaned forward with my elbows on my knees. “You didn’t see the woman he killed, Pen.
Savaged
is more like it. Killing him doesn’t bring her back, but it means he can’t ever do that to anyone else. I did what needed to be done and I’d do it again.”
She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as if she was trying to see lies embedded in my pores. I met her stare with a neutral expression. Finally, she blew out a breath. “Well, damn. You actually sound kind of healthy about it.”
I shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t exactly a party, you know?”
She nodded.
“But in a way, I guess it has a silver lining because if it hadn’t happened I never would have gotten a chance to be on this task force.”
“Tell me about it.”
I eased back in the seat to give myself time to gather my thoughts. “Don’t know much yet. They’re looking for the wizard who’s behind this new potion. Guess I’ll find out more tomorrow.”
“Wonder if there will be any fine-ass MEA agents on your team.” Now a different kind of instinct drove Pen. Not the need of a therapist to analyze behavior, but that of a best friend hot on the trail of juicy drama.
I frowned at her. “Trust me, even if there are I’m not interested. This is my big chance to prove myself and no ass is fine enough to wreck this opportunity.”
“Hmm.”
I rose to get another beer from the six-pack sitting on the table. The yard was already covered in a light blanket of fall leaves. Soon it would be too chilly to sit out here for our weekly Bitch ’n’ Beer sessions. I sighed and handed another cold one to Pen. “But I’m never opposed to a little eye candy.”
She tapped her can to mine. “Here’s to fine asses and eye candy.” She barely made it through the toast before the laughter began.
Pen had one of those laughs that came straight from her soul. She never tittered politely. She always opened up her whole being and shouted her amusement at the world. It got embarrassing in small restaurants, but on that night, with the first of autumn’s smoky chill surrounding us and the moon overhead sharing the joke, I grabbed onto the sound of my best friend’s laughter like a buoy.
No doubt about it, this case wasn’t going to be an easy one. It’s one thing to collar street-level potion cookers. You take a batch away and there are always a dozen more waiting in the wings. It’s something else entirely to go after the head of the beast. Coven leaders didn’t just play to win—they played to punish.
A heavy weight settled into my stomach. Just guessing, but I think it was the realization that I’d jumped into the deep end of shark-infested waters. “Shit, Pen. What have I gotten myself into?”
She pressed her lips together and watched me for a few seconds, as if she was trying to decide how much honesty I could handle. Finally, she gave a little nod as she made her decision. “You could walk away.”
My mouth dropped open. “What do you mean?”
“Back off the team and take the suspension.” She shrugged too innocently for this to be a spontaneous suggestion. “I can lend you some cash and maybe you can pick up some part-time work to keep things afloat.”
I sat back heavily in my seat. “That’s crazy.”
“Is it?” She raised a brow. “You’ve been going zero-to-sixty for the last few
It was her turn to roll her eyes. “Jesus, Katie. Way to use your big-girl words.”
I sighed and surrendered. The sooner I got this part over with, the sooner we could start gossiping about fun stuff like getting a pelvic exam or a root canal. “At first I was just scared—worried he’d kill me before I could stop him. But then, once it was over, I felt kind of relieved and … numb. I guess.” At the last second, I added in a small voice, “Maybe a little proud.”
She perked up. “Proud?”
I sighed and leaned forward with my elbows on my knees. “You didn’t see the woman he killed, Pen.
Savaged
is more like it. Killing him doesn’t bring her back, but it means he can’t ever do that to anyone else. I did what needed to be done and I’d do it again.”
She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as if she was trying to see lies embedded in my pores. I met her stare with a neutral expression. Finally, she blew out a breath. “Well, damn. You actually sound kind of healthy about it.”
I shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t exactly a party, you know?”
She nodded.
“But in a way, I guess it has a silver lining because if it hadn’t happened I never would have gotten a chance to be on this task force.”
“Tell me about it.”
I eased back in the seat to give myself time to gather my thoughts. “Don’t know much yet. They’re looking for the wizard who’s behind this new potion. Guess I’ll find out more tomorrow.”
“Wonder if there will be any fine-ass MEA agents on your team.” Now a different kind of instinct drove Pen. Not the need of a therapist to analyze behavior, but that of a best friend hot on the trail of juicy drama.
I frowned at her. “Trust me, even if there are I’m not interested. This is my big chance to prove myself and no ass is fine enough to wreck this opportunity.”
“Hmm.”
I rose to get another beer from the six-pack sitting on the table. The yard was already covered in a light blanket of fall leaves. Soon it would be too chilly to sit out here for our weekly Bitch ’n’ Beer sessions. I sighed and handed another cold one to Pen. “But I’m never opposed to a little eye candy.”
She tapped her can to mine. “Here’s to fine asses and eye candy.” She barely made it through the toast before the laughter began.
Pen had one of those laughs that came straight from her soul. She never tittered politely. She always opened up her whole being and shouted her amusement at the world. It got embarrassing in small restaurants, but on that night, with the first of autumn’s smoky chill surrounding us and the moon overhead sharing the joke, I grabbed onto the sound of my best friend’s laughter like a buoy.
No doubt about it, this case wasn’t going to be an easy one. It’s one thing to collar street-level potion cookers. You take a batch away and there are always a dozen more waiting in the wings. It’s something else entirely to go after the head of the beast. Coven leaders didn’t just play to win—they played to punish.
A heavy weight settled into my stomach. Just guessing, but I think it was the realization that I’d jumped into the deep end of shark-infested waters. “Shit, Pen. What have I gotten myself into?”
She pressed her lips together and watched me for a few seconds, as if she was trying to decide how much honesty I could handle. Finally, she gave a little nod as she made her decision. “You could walk away.”
My mouth dropped open. “What do you mean?”
“Back off the team and take the suspension.” She shrugged too innocently for this to be a spontaneous suggestion. “I can lend you some cash and maybe you can pick up some part-time work to keep things afloat.”
I sat back heavily in my seat. “That’s crazy.”
“Is it?” She raised a brow. “You’ve been going zero-to-sixty for the last few
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