As if the universe has summoned a reminder to put Ambrose in his place, a dark-haired woman comes out of the shadows and flings herself onto Ambrose. I’m knocked aside, and he grunts as she throws herself into his arms. Her face is streaked with tears as she looks up at him in adoration.
“I’ve been waiting, baby. They wouldn’t let me inside. I tried to get in, but they must hate you. Trying to keep us apart. They didn’t understand that I’m yours and that we need to be together.” The words come out in a rushed jumble. The woman is short and curvy, and her knees are torn up and bloody.
One of the bouncers comes around and tries to peel the woman off Ambrose. “When we didn’t let her in, she tried to crawl through a back window. She fell. The bouncers found her and told her to leave.”
This is another one of the girls Ambrose kissed. I throw my hands up in the air. I know I should feel sorry for her. She can’t help her feelings because of his damn curse, but I’m just pissed. I’m pissed at her. I’m pissed at Ambrose. I’m pissed at this fucking town.
Ambrose gets out his phone.
“Hey, Ashley. Yeah, Tonya’s at Heathens. Do you think you can come get her?”
“I don’t want to see Ashley. I’m leaving with you,” Tonya cries as the bouncer holds her back.
“Exactly how many family members of the girls you’ve kissed do you have in your contacts?’ My words are a little slurred. So what? I’m drunk.
Ambrose pinches the bridge of his nose. Tonya is yowling. “Just go wait over there, Piper,” Ambrose snaps. It’s a command.
“Fuck you,” I hiss, sniffling as I try not to cry. I may not have a choice in moving, but I stomp all the way over to the wall.
“Piper.” He sounds broken. Tonya is petting his neck and Ambrose keeps moving her hands off his body, looking miserable.
The night gets worse as a misting rain begins to fall. It’s not long before we’re soaked and freezing while we wait for Ashely. Ambrose finally agrees to hold the woman’s hand so she’ll calm down. He’s not looking at me, but that’s fine. I don’t want to see his face right now anyway. Josephine is our designated driver so everyone is waiting together. What was an incredible night has turned into a complete mess.
When Ashely pulls up in a beat-up Honda, Ambrose guides Tonya over to the car. I can’t hear what he says to her because they’re too far away, but whatever it is, Tonya agrees to get inside and waves as they drive off.
The drive back to the chateau is quiet. For the first time since I married Ambrose, I want to go back to my apartment and be alone. Not wanting to make a bigger scene than we’ve already had tonight, I quietly say goodnight to the others. I’m not sure if they even realize Ambrose used my hex against me. I head inside the chateau and up to my room. I wash my face, wiggle out of Odie’s tight dress, and throw on a pair of sweats and a warm sweatshirt.
Instead of going to bed, I head back downstairs to the library. I light the kindling in the fireplace. Knowing how much I love the crackling warmth of the fire, Ambrose has taken to having logs ready to go. All I have to do is strike a match and hold it to the crumbled-up newspaper and dried sticks and then wait for the logs to catch. I pick up one of the books stacked on the table. I need to figure out how to break this hex once and for all. I’m sick of relying on other people to do right by me. I want to be the only one who owns my actions.
I stare down at the book, not taking in any of the words. I’m a little too drunk to be reading, but I don’t care. My mind is too turbulent for sleep, and all my thoughts float around in a whirlpool that sucks me in toward Ambrose.
The sound of fabric rustling behind me alerts me to Ambrose’s presence. He doesn’t say anything but sits in a chair next to the couch where I’ve taken up residence. He’s wearing a pair of his silk pajama bottoms and a robe that flows open. I’m pissed at him, so I don’t want to admire how damn hot he looks. Even if his outfit is ridiculous, he pulls it off, and it’s infuriating.
He leans forward and picks up a book off the table, still staying silent. The mist has turned to freezing rain outside and the only sound besides our breathing is the sleet pinging against the windows. Out there it’s cold and miserable. In here it’s warm and miserable. So I guess I have that going for me.
I flip the page of my book even though I haven’t read a word. The crisp sound of the heavy paper is loud in the silence.
“I’m sorry, Piper.”
Closing my book, I hold it to my chest as a shield. I stare at the fire, not ready to look at Ambrose yet. “For what? Which part of that are you sorry about?”
Ambrose sucks in a deep breath. “I’m not sorry for punching that asshole. He deserved it.”
That’s debatable. I didn’t let Harley do anything I didn’t agree to. Even if he used me, in a way, I used him too.
“But I am sorry for commanding you.” He curses as he throws his book down and drags a hand through his hair. “And for my fucking curse. The fact that my actions and bad decisions keep popping up to remind me–and you–that I’m a fuckup.”
When I look over at Ambrose, his head is hanging. He looks destroyed.
It would be really easy to accept his apology and pretend like this is all okay, but I don’t know that it is. Nothing is okay right now. This whole situation is messed up.
“I don’t think I’m ready to accept your apology for commanding me tonight. I really don’t care about you beating up Harley. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but it is what it is.” I trace the frayed edge of my book, the binding old and worn.
“How many more girls are there?” I don’t even know why I’m asking, because I don’t think I want to know. But they keep surfacing like a bad penny, one after the next.
“That’s all, Piper. I promise, there aren’t any others. And I know I fucked up when I gave you that command. I wasn’t thinking.” Ambrose’s eyes move over the books on the table. “Is that why you’re down here?”
“I need to break this hex, Ambrose.” I rub my eyes, my shoulders sagging with fatigue. I think I’ve hit the stage of drunkness where I’m so tired I could pass out at any minute. “Honestly, it wasn’t right for me to come to you that night and ask you to marry me. It was too big a favor.”
