Page 23

I was really starting to get pissed about the way every single person was treating me now because of the Council. They treated me like I was a baby, and it was like they all forgot why the Council had asked me to join them in the first damn place. And, because I had to be mad about more than just one thing, why did every single person think they answered to Quinton or Rain where I was concerned? I was my own damn person, thank you very much.

Now I was even a legal freaking adult. I needed to remember that and not stick out my tongue or stomp my foot the next time I got into an argument with Uncle Quint and told him to suck it.

“That’s right, bitch, I’m talking to you.”

I didn’t know why he chose to single me out, it wasn’t like I’d been driving the fucking car. Some men would rather confront someone with a vagina rather than one with a dick dangling between their legs.

Fucking coward.

“What the fuck did you just call her?” Simon whispered in a harsh voice that trembled with rage.

Oh boy.

Simon was down for a pissing contest if it came to that. And they were seriously worried about me causing a scene?

Boys, please.

Boys were so fucking overrated sometimes that it wasn’t even funny.

The man stopped right in front of me and didn’t hesitate to get right in my face. The idiot was going to get himself beaten to a bloody pulp if he didn’t take a step back.

“You think you’re hot shit in your big, fancy, gas guzzling SUV, don’t cha, you little bitch? You think it’s okay to cut people off and act like you’re better than everyone else. You think it’s okay to cut someone off like they are nothing. I’m here to tell you—”

“Dude,” Simon snapped, finally out of patience. He put his hand on the man’s chest and roughly shoved him back. “She wasn’t even driving. How about you get the fuck out of her face and stay out of it, buddy, before I have to fuck you up.”

That was it, I was completely over this BS, and I still had my shopping to do, which wasn’t exactly my favorite pastime.

“You’re going to forget this ever happened,” I whispered as I looked him dead in the eye and pushed my will and my magic into him. “You’re going to forget you ever met me, turn around, and walk back to your minivan. I want you to get inside and take a little nap. Okay?”

I smiled at him kindly, putting on the sweetest, fakest smile I had in me to bust out just for occasions like this. Sometimes it really was easier to catch flies with honey and all that garbage.

His head jerked to the side as he blinked slowly at me—right before he openly scoffed.

“You dumb, stupid ass girl. He told me you were going to try and boss me around. He said you tried that shit on everyone you meet who has a dick. Well, I’m here to tell you, princess, that shit is not going to work on me. You better get over yourself, and you better do it really fucking fast.”

I jerked back a step, taking Simon with me. I did not want to be that close to him.

He?

He who?

My stomach threatened to drop out and land at my feet. I had a horrible, terrible feeling that I knew exactly who thishewas.

Adrian.

The bane of my motherfucking existence.

Or someone else just like him, one of his brothers or coven members or whatever the fuck you wanted to call them.

It would explain why my magic had no effect on him whatsoever. Someone else had already done a number on him with their own magic. It was the only explanation I could come up with.

Ugh.

What a shit show.

Quinton was going to lock me up for good after this and likely throw away the key. Fuck my life.

I turned to Trenton and threw caution to the wind. “I think violence is going to be the only thing that works here. Do what you have to and then we’ll get the hell out of here. No more shopping.”