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“I’mtaking you home andIdon’t want to hear from you for a while.”

Hegrips my arm tightly and spins me around to face him.Hisnostrils flare. “Yeah, well, that’s not gonna happen.”

“Whythe hell not?”

“Imade you a promise, princesa.”

“Itsounds like you’re supposed to leave me alone now, anyway,”Irespond, shoving him back and storming toward my car.

Adrianpushes me against the car, cups my face, and kisses me hard.

Ithrash against his constraints, pulling away and putting distance between us. “Getthe fuck off me.”

“IpromisedIwas gonna kiss you every day,” he reminds. “Getmad at me all you want, butI’mgonna do it.”

“Why, to make up for lost time because apparentlyyouwere supposed to be my boyfriend this whole time?”

Adriantuts. “Forgetthat—”

“No!I’mnot gonna forget thatIwas just a fucking game for y’all.Wayto make a girl feel special.”

Hereaches for me. “Steph—”

Islap him away, but he grabs my hand and yanks me close, wrapping his arms around me tightly untilIcan barely breathe.

“Youwere never a game,” he insists lowly in my ear. “You’rethe girl we’re both crazy for.”

Thewill to fight him is strong, but his embrace is even stronger and refuses to let my anger boil over and erupt.

Myfists ball up, wanting nothing more than to slap the stupid out of him.Ifhe thinks this sudden revelation will erase everythingIhad with his brother—

Wingsflap overAdrian’sshoulder.

“Isthere another lechuza besidesKris?”Iwhisper.

Hestiffens. “NotthatIknow of.Why?”

Ipull away slightly and point behind him.Hespins around and finds the unwelcome visitor perched in a live oak, staring us down.

Heushers me into my car, quickly shutting the door behind me.

Myheart pummels against my chest as he stealthily approaches the owl for a closer look.

Hishead shakes, and he heads toward the car like it’s no big deal to turn your back on a potential man-eating, shapeshifting witch.

Thecar door opens. “It’sa normal owl.”

Airrushes past my lips. “Yousure?”

Aseat belt buckles. “Prettysure.”

Myhands fall soIcan glare daggers at him. “‘Prettysure?’Ican’t live with ‘pretty sure,’Dree!”

“Thefuck do you want from me?Lechuzasare barn owls, and that one isn’t.Besides,Imissed out on the brujo genes.”

“Youare the fucking devil.Howcan you not tell?!”

Hegrumbles, shaking his head and searching the trees. “Idon’t deal with brujas;Imake deals with desperate people and collect when the devil says ‘go.’Beyondthat,Iget to drink and smoke and fuck allIwant and get a fat paycheck.”