Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [61]
I felt no fear. My paranoia had decided to take the night off. Maybe it was the curse making me feel overconfident, but I was ready to kick some skinny-witch butt.
I’d go meet her. I’d apologize. She’d break the curse. Everybody would be happy and dance and sing. It made sense. After all, she wasn’t a serial killer, she was a witch with a grudge. She had something I wanted and I had something she wanted. Magic words on both sides—an apology and a few Latin phrases tossed out and all of this nastiness would be over. I might even stay up to watch the sun rise as part of my curse-free celebration along with all the dancing and singing.
I couldn’t go out the main doors because Thierry would be there and he’d have a ton of questions. I knew he wouldn’t want me to go and meet her, but this was my window of opportunity. Besides, anyone who messed with me tonight was in for a rude awakening. I’d just thrown a three-hundred-pound bodyguard across the room. A bleached-blond, big-boobed witch would be no problem.
I swung the door to Thierry’s office open.
I heard an “Ow” and I smelled smoke.
Behind the door was George, rubbing his nose with one hand and holding a cigarette in the other.
I eyed the burning tobacco. “I thought you quit.”
He shrugged. “It’s been a stressful day.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Keeping an eye on you, even though I haven’t seen the Red Devil since yesterday. I’m guarding the door.”
“Thierry will kick your ass if he sees you smoking in here.”
He dropped the cigarette and ground it into the hardwood floor. “Gone.”
“So am I.” I walked past him headed for the back door. My coat was out front, but since the weather didn’t bother me much anymore I didn’t really need it. This wasn’t going to take long.
He grabbed my shoulder. “Hold on there, you vicious little vixen. Where do you think you’re going?” His eyes widened when I told him. “And you’re just leaving? Just like that? Without even telling Thierry?” His gaze flicked to my neck and then down at my half-torn blouse and my black bra underneath. “Look at you, all Rocky Horror Picture Ho.”
“I’m getting this curse broken, and this is how I have to do it. You can come if you want. It won’t take long.”
I heard footsteps. Somebody was coming along the hallway, possibly to use the bathroom or possibly to check up on me. I grabbed George’s arm and pulled him along with me to the back door, opened it, and let it swing shut behind us.
“You didn’t even wait for my answer,” he said, rubbing his arm. “Damn, you’re getting a bit pushy, aren’t you?”
Everything that had happened began to rush over me in a flood of emotion and my bottom lip wobbled. “I’m sorry. Really, George, I’m sorry for everything.”
“Hey, don’t cry. It’s going to be okay.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me. But… but it’s not. Not if I don’t meet with Stacy and apologize to her. And even then…” I swallowed hard. “I don’t know. Just as things are going really great with Thierry this had to happen and now if he touches me we want to bite each other and stupid Veronique won’t agree to the annulment. Nothing ever seems to go right for me.”
He put his arm around me and gave me a side hug. “Nothing ever goes right for you? Well, you met me, didn’t you? Obviously after that windfall, fate had to give you a few hard knocks.”
That made me smile a little. “Of course. What was I thinking? That must be it.”
“And how bad can life be? You’re gorgeous. You know amazing people, me at the top of the list, of course. Your fangs are definitely the cutest I’ve ever seen, and since I now know them practically in the biblical sense I feel that I can say that in all honesty. And even though he’s extremely moody, you have a boyfriend who is beyond crazy for you.”
I blinked. “You really think so?”
“Crazy. Beyond. You obviously have a talent for making people crazy, Sarah. It’s a gift. Don’t deny it.”
I laughed. “Great.”
He nodded. “Now let’s go. Another moment of being all snark-free