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A wicked smirk curled Magnolia’s lips.“Did he now?I’ll be sure to pay him special attention.”

I laughed.“I think it’s fear.A clinic, especially to shifters, can seem utterly foreign.”

“Don’t you dare feel sorry for him,” she said.“The assholes in this city need to start appreciating what Jack’s done for them, what we do for them.They’re damned lucky.”

“Agreed.”I chuckled.“I’ll leave him in your capable hands, then.”

“How you doing?”she asked before I could walk away.“Haven’t seen you outside of work lately.”

The video of my humiliation had gone viral.The wolf who’d been standing with Jagger had taken the video down, and I guessed I had Willow to thank for that.Draven, the alpha of the Silver Claw Pack, was mated to Iris, another Thornheart sister, but it had unfortunately been too late.It was already out there and shared thousands of times on Nightscape.

I shoved down the pain and smiled.“I’m fine.”

“Glad to hear it.”She motioned to my hair.“Love the new look, by the way.It’s hot as fuck.”

Mags was good people, and I appreciated her trying to make me feel better.“I felt like a change,” I lied.I’d been living with the blunt bob for the last week and I still hadn’t gotten used to it.

“Well, it looks awesome, even with pudding in it.”

My hand flew up to where she pointed, and my hair crunched under my fingers.I groaned.

Mags chuckled.“Enjoy the rest of your night.”

I lifted my hand to my hair again as I walked out.Thankfully, Phoebe had been able to fix the hack job I’d done of it when she got home from the conclave.Which I very much appreciated.But I’d kept what had caused me to drunkenly hack off my own hair and what I had learned about Luke to myself.She hadn’t pushed when I told her I didn’t want to talk about it, but she wouldn’t let me shut her out forever.Eventually I’d have to tell her something.

The Jagger stuff I would tell her about when that time came, but what was going on with Luke, well, I wasn’t sure that was a good idea, not yet anyway.Generally, bad guys and gangsters didn’t like you talking about their “business,” and the more people who knew what was happening, the higher the risk to everyone involved.Not that I didn’t trust my coven, I did.But I also wanted to protect them.

There was no point freaking everyone out.I had an appointment with the bank in a few days.If I could get a loan, I could get this all cleared up and no one would have to know.Luke could come home, and things could go back to normal.

He’d called the night before last and said he was safe.He just needed to lie low for a few more days, then hopefully this would all be sorted out.

I unlocked my car.My tub was calling me, preferably filled with bubbles.It’d been a long shift with one seriously difficult patient.I just wanted to wash the pudding out of my hair and not think about all the crap in my life?—

Someone grabbed my shoulder and jerk me back roughly.

“I’d strongly advise you not to scream,” a rough voice said against my ear.

I was spun around and came face to face with a tall male with sharp features and dead eyes.His gripped my shoulder tighter, and my internal alarm bells wailed.

I tried to pull away, but he held on tight.“Let me the hell go.”

He grinned, and the sight sent ice sliding down my spine.“Now aren’t you a pretty little thing.”

My heart pounded out of my chest and fear gripped my throat, but I tried not to show it.“Do I know you?”

“How remiss of me.Let me formally introduce myself.My name is Poe, and I’ll be your escort this evening.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you?—”

“Apologies, I am again getting ahead of myself.We have a mutual friend, you and I, and, well, he’s been a very bad boy.My boss would like to have a word with you about this mutual friend, and hopefully we can come to some kind of mutually agreeable arrangement.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.Now you need to let me go so I can get into my car.”I tried to pull from his grip.

Poe’s fingers dug into my flesh.“Now, now, sweetheart.You’re getting yourself worked up.I would highly advise you to stay calm and do what you’re told.I’d really hate to have to hurt you.”He leaned in closer.“There are only two ways this is going to go down.You either come with me like a good girl, nice and quiet, and we’ll all have a pleasant little chat, or we do things a different way, a way that you won’t like”—one of his hands slid up the side of my throat—“but I will, immensely.”His eyes flashed.

Oh yes, this creep wanted me to do it the hard way.This sick, twisted asshole was enjoying every moment of the power he held over me.

Combat magic, darker spells to cause harm, didn’t come easily to me.After all, I was a healer.Those kinds of spells weren’t readily in my repertoire.I did have one I’d practiced after what happened to me, but even that was difficult.Regardless, I had to try.If I could get away from him, I could run inside.