Witched to Death by Deanna Chase Read Free Book Online

have likely clocked him with it. “It is when you threw me away.”
    “What?” He took a step back as if I had really decked him. “What are you talking about?”
    “Please, Diesel. There’s no need to lie to me. I know what you did. I know why you broke things off with me. No wonder the curse Zelda tried to reverse for you resulted in me being back here. You weren’t honest with me. And you never deserved my heart or my trust. I guess you’re just going to have to remain shiftless until you prove to me you’ve changed. Prove you’re worthy of me or any woman for that matter.”
    If I’d thought he was shocked before, it was nothing compared to what I saw now. Wide eyes, open mouth, complete deer in the headlights, blank expression.
    “Yeah, the secret’s out, buddy. I know all about Ophelia and your engagement. That you didn’t leave me to go back to New York. That you married that woman instead. You didn’t have to lie—”
    “Whoa!” Diesel snapped out of his frozen trance and in two steps, closed the distance between us. “Is that what you’ve been thinking all these years? That I left you for Ophelia ?”
    I squared my shoulders and met his intense gaze head on. “Don’t try to deny it. I saw you with her. You were down by the river. The same spot you and I used to go to. You were holding her hand and your heads were bent together just like you were sweethearts.” I let out a strangled laugh. “But of course you were, weren’t you? It was then I had Josephine’s investigators vet you. And you know what they found out? That you were promised to that high society cow and engaged to be married!”
    Some of the indignation went out of his eyes as he studied me. Then his shoulders relaxed. “So…the investigation came after we weren’t seeing each other, then? I wasn’t just like any other client?”
    Hells bells. I had told him that hadn’t I? Well, it hardly mattered now. “No,” I said quietly. “You weren’t like a client. You weren’t anything like a client at all. Our private lives were our own. I just said that because you hurt me.”
    “Dammit, Ida May,” he said, his tone just as quiet as mine. “I should’ve told you about her and for that I am truly sorry. But it’s not what you think.”
    “How can it not be?” I shot back. “You were engaged to her, weren’t you?”
    His shoulders slumped in defeat. “Yes… and no.”
    “No? What the hell does that mean? Either you were engaged or you weren’t. Please, just be honest with me.”
    He reached out and took one of my hands. “Can we sit and have breakfast? I’ll explain everything.”
    My headache was trying to needle its way back into existence and the nausea was starting to kick in. “Fine.”
    I sat at the small pine table and gingerly took a bite of the eggs benedict. The creamy rich sauce hit my tongue and my eyes closed as the flavors sent me into a state of pure bliss. “Ohmigod. So good.”
    When I opened my eyes again, Diesel was sitting in his chair, elbows on the table just watching me. I swallowed and put my fork down. “Thanks for the food. But I’m still waiting for your explanation.”
    He sat back and blew out a breath. “Ophelia’s parents had a connection to my pack. They were longtime allies, so when I came to New Orleans it was natural for me to spend time with them.”
    I took another bite of my breakfast and nodded. “Sure.”
    “I should probably mention that Ophelia is a witch, so being paranormals meant that whenever there was ever any problem we tried to help each other out when we could. Back then it was sort of an unwritten agreement.”
    I’d learned she’d come from a family of witches after the investigation, and over time had come to understand that paranormals usually stuck together. I nodded again.
    “Well, right before I was called home, there was some sort of scandal with the man Ophelia was supposed to marry, and apparently both our families decided I was the answer to