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Never had Toni enjoyed herself more at a dinner. Drake’s friends made her feel welcome and not once did she feel she intruded on their lunch. Kale and his wife Carolyn shared a rare connection you witnessed between married couples who appeared to be in sync with one another.
“Do you mind if I speak with Kale for a moment?” Drake leaned toward Toni’s chair while Carolyn gathered up the dishes to take to the kitchen. He twirled the ends of her hair about his fingers.
Much to her surprise, he’d been very attentive during the whole visit. “I’ll be fine.”
Carolyn sent a questioning look from her husband then to Drake. “She can help me make coffee.”
Taking a chance, Toni kissed Drake on the cheek and pushed at his shoulder. “Go talk with your friend. I’m sure I can entertain myself.”
Kale and Drake exchanged a glance and both men left the room, heading down a hall and disappearing. Toni admired the way the black jeans cupped Drake’s very fine ass then hurried into the kitchen after Kale’s wife.
Carolyn pushed buttons on a complicated coffee machine and tossed in a flavored pod with a carafe beneath a spout. “I don’t really need help but this way the men don’t feel like they’ve left us little women to ourselves.”
Toni’s lips twisted in a wry grin. She really liked Carolyn. “I totally understand.”
“How long have you known Drake?” Carolyn asked after drying her hand on a green cloth.
“Not long.” Toni shifted her hips against the counter behind her and wondered if she should explain about their internet connection.
Carolyn raised a brow. “Don’t mind me if I seem nosy. Because I am. It’s the writer in me.”
They stared then burst into laughter.
“I met him on an internet chat forum. This is the first time we’re meeting in person.” Saying it aloud shifted something in Toni’s chest.
“That’s wonderful. I play around with computers but usually for research and fun for my children’s books or to connect with my reader base.”
Toni shrugged. “I’m single and live near my best friend. If the two of us don’t have plans, I hang out online and play games.”
The carafe was now filled with steaming coffee. Carolyn poured two mugs and pushed one in Toni’s direction. “Tell me more.”
***
“She’s not your usual type,” Kale started.
Instantly offended and on guard, Drake glared. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that I’ve seen you at various business functions. You lean toward flashy blondes. Not the innocent, sweet types.”
Drake grunted. In the past, he admitted to being prone to blondes. That was all before Antonia. Now he was decidedly attracted to tall, brunettes with pretty eyes and round curves.
“I’m assuming you want to talk about your magic?” Kale asked, propping a hip on the edge of his desk.
Drake paced the study, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve got bigger problems.”
“Really?” Kale’s drawl held a sarcastic bite which pulled Drake from his deep thoughts. His friend stared as if he’d grown a second head. “What could possibly be more important than your magic?”
“Something attempted to gain entry into Antonia’s room last night while we slept.”
Kale’s brow quirked and a frown pulled at his lips. “By slept you mean had sex, I take it?”
Drake’s ears burned and he halted across the room from Kale. “Yes. Sex. That’s not the point I want to make. I set small wards at her door last night and someone tampered with them.”
At least his friend looked interested instead of annoyed with him. “Your wards work?”
Drake nodded. “Some of my magic works. It hasn’t been consistent in six weeks. The warding hasn’t been a problem though despite everything else.”
“What makes you think they were bothered? Maybe your magic degraded the wards.”
“No.” Inwardly, Drake cringed. The wards assured he protected himself. Losing the ability among everything else would eliminate holding his own against an enemy of magical origins. “The wards were gummy. There was a sticky residue left behind as if someone tested the strength of the spell imbedded.”
Kale drummed his fingers on the desk behind him. “You and I both know only one creature which does that. Did you weave the wards with your signature attached?”
Smirking, Drake didn’t answer and Kale rolled his eyes. Drake made it a point to use a portion of his family’s most powerful magic in any spell he worked. He’d used a milder version for security in Antonia’s room but if a person was familiar with Drake or had crossed his path at some point they could easily identify his essence within the magic.
“Right. This is you we’re talking about. So this...person might know who you are and the trouble you’re having.”
“Exactly. My question is how did it find me here.” Drake was very careful when he left New York and nothing had tracked him to Virginia.
Only three people from home knew he was here and he trusted Ben and Kent not to tell. Dr. Curran for all his difficulties would not release the information either.
“If word gets out that you’ve been having problems with the core of your abilities...”
Drake cut Kale off with a curse. “You don’t have to tell me.”
His business and personal life would implode. Drake walked toward the window in the room Kale was using as his office and stared at the backyard. An array of garden tools and several half-started flower beds ruined the otherwise smooth symmetry of the green yard. His hands tingled with temptation, magic begging to be released. Was this a new manifestation of the problems he was having? Things had worked for once this morning but the odds of that continuing were slim.
“What are you going to do?” Kale asked from behind him.
Drake heaved a sigh and raked a hand through his hair. He needed to go home but he wanted to spend as much time as possible with Antonia. Their night of explosive sex had been more than he’d expected or dared dream. He also needed to figure out if he was mistaken concerning what tried to break into her room. With this recent development he was feeling...vulnerable. Drake wasn’t used to feeling weak. He didn’t like it at all. “I’m not sure.”
Unable to resist a moment longer, Drake waved his hand in the direction of the scattered tools and unpacked flowers. Dirt and mulch swirled until four neat rows of freshly planted yellow flowers settled.
“Did you mean to do that?”
Kale’s roughly worded question came from beside him. Drake glanced over, witnessing his friend’s surprise.
“Yes.” Drake wiggled his fingers and turned his back on the yard. “That’s a perfect example of never knowing if something’s going to work or not.”
Kale folded his arms over his chest. “If you’ve attracted attention from a bad element and can’t count on your magic, you may need to leave sooner than you want.”
Drake had thought of that. “What if it’s not after me and Antonia is the original target? I can’t leave her.”
The odds were slim. Antonia had no connection to the otherworld or paranorm beings. Hell, she didn’t know what Drake was. Or who, he added with a sense of trepidation. The moment of truth was coming fast. A truth he didn’t originally plan to share with Antonia. He was perfectly content with leaving her in the dark about his true identity but that wouldn’t be fair when she’d been honest with him. The reasons for maintaining his anonymity with the others online remained but not with her.
“That’s a stretch, Drake. There are few of us who’d concern ourselves with the trivial nature of humans. Do you wish my assistance?”
A djinn’s help was an invaluable gift. Stunned he’d offered, Drake studied Kale’s serious expression. It would come with a huge debt. Djinn collected favors like some people collected toys. He sighed and shook his head in refusal. At any rate, he didn’t want to leave Antonia’s safety to anyone else. Possessive, ugly jealousy dug its claws in and vehemently opposed the idea. No way he was leaving her protection up to someone else. He couldn’t leave her at risk if he was mistaken either.
“Very well but know I’m here to help even after Carolyn and I return to Maryland.”
Drake repeated aloud the claim he’d refused to acknowledge the night before. “Antonia’s mine. I’ll take care of her.”