[Southern Arcana 1] Crux by Moira Rogers Read Free Book Online

“You’re going to strengthen those old wards, right?”
    “First thing in the morning,” he promised, “if you can get Mackenzie out of here.”
    “I have a plan, of course. I’m taking her shopping. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
    Jackson tapped his chin. “Alec, can you take Kat back to the office and get started on that stuff? I’m going to see if Mackenzie would like to get out of here and grab a late lunch.
    Maybe, if I keep trying, she’ll see that it isn’t dangerous to let us help her.” Maybe I can figure out just what the hell she is .
    It had nothing to do with wanting to spend more time with her, nothing at all. This was a job. This was protection. This was…
    “A date?” Nick demanded, poking him. “You expect her to open up about whatever’s wrong on a date ?” Jackson blinked at Alec. “Is that…wrong?” Alec’s expression made it clear he’d rather walk into traffic than have to answer the question. Fortunately for him, Kat spoke, her voice firm. “No. It will work. Don’t take her somewhere too fancy, and not too far from here. She’s scared and she’s overwhelmed but she wants to trust you. She wants www.samhainpublishing.com 55

    Moira Rogers
    to—” Kat laughed. “Let’s just stick with she wants to trust you.”
    Nick choked on a groan and poked Jackson again. He rubbed his arm and glared at her. “What?” She shrugged. “Consider that an advance.” Mackenzie watched the blender whirl, vanilla ice cream mixing with chunks of fresh strawberries she’d pulled from the industrial-sized refrigerator. She could hear the faint murmur of voices from the front, interspersed with the occasional laugh.
    Nick had lied to her. Mackenzie had seen enough lies in her life to recognize when someone was talking too fast.
    Whatever the reason Jackson’s assistant had collapsed, Mackenzie doubted very much it had to do with her blood sugar.
    She would have bet anything it had something to do with her. The startled, terrified way the girl had watched her as the blood drained from her face had been indication enough there was something odd going on.
    It hurt more than Mackenzie wanted to admit, thinking Nick had lied to her. It hurt even more to imagine Jackson had as well. Following her could have been a way to find out where she was staying. Offering her Mahalia’s apartment was a perfect way to keep her in one place.
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    Crux
    Stupid. Stupid, stupid… She’d let a handsome face and a friendly smile distract her from the danger. They could be out there planning right now, while she sat and made milkshakes.
    She wanted to run. She should have run. The minute the door closed, she should have been gone. By the time they realized she was missing she could have had her things in a cab. She should have gotten a head start.
    She should have. But she hadn’t.
    Stupid.
    Mackenzie opened the blender and stared blindly at its contents. It was too late to run now, even if she wanted to.
    And that was the real issue.
    She didn’t want to.
    Something about Nick and Jackson made it impossible for her to believe they would actually hurt her. It was foolish and naive, especially in the face of everything she’d been through in the last month, but every time she tried to consider the possibility of one of them being in league with Marcus…
    It was absurd.
    Sighing, she poured the milkshake into a glass and dropped in a straw. Either way, she was too tired to run again.
    Another city, another job, another cheap motel… She couldn’t bring herself to go through it.
    The group fell silent when Mackenzie pushed through the door, the milkshake in one hand and a bottle of water in the www.samhainpublishing.com 57

    Moira Rogers
    other. Subtle , she thought wryly. No, no one was talking about me at all . She didn’t say anything about it, though, just smiled.
    “Here you go. One strawberry milkshake.” Jackson came over to take it, his hand brushing hers.
    “Thanks,