Page 100 of Dirty Hearts

While Gigi bounced away with a skip in her step, Amelia moved over to the bed and sat on the edge. I walked around and sat too, twisting so I could face her.

“Gigi’s always like that,” Amelia stated, bringing her graceful hands together.

You could tell from her every movement that she was a dancer. Apart from the fact that she was incredibly beautiful, she reminded me of one of those ballerina figurines on a jewelry box.

I’d taken an instant liking to her weeks ago when we first met, and I liked her even more for brushing aside the embarrassing first meeting we had.

All the time we’d talked that day, she and Luc fascinated me. It was the fact that Luc got married to a woman like her, had a son, and did something he was good at.

The difference in Luc was evident. It was also clear that the reason for that difference was the woman who sat before me.

“Cheerful?” I offered, realizing I was just staring and thinking.

“Yeah, it’s her way. I hate it sometimes, but really, you need people like that to keep the balance, or you will go crazy. For sure.” She chuckled, and her light brown eyes sparkled.

“My best friend, Kelly, is like that.” Kelly wasn’t as eccentric as Gigi, but she had her moments. The minute I got here this morning, Gigi had presented me with a pouch of protection crystals that she said she’d blessed personally. It was all much to Claudius’ irritation.

Kelly would have made food. She’d make cookies, a little like Gigi was doing now.

“How are you holding up, Ava?” Amelia asked.

I was glad she didn’t ask me if I was okay.

I shook my head because I didn’t know what to say.

“Well, from here you look like you’re about to implode. I’m all ears if you want to talk.”

Talk.

Boy, did I ever want to talk, but I didn’t know what I wanted to say, or if I could say what I did think of saying to her.

The attack at the restaurant had been awful. Awful enough to make me head for the hills.

A third was coming. I didn’t know what it was, but it was coming.

I was safe here, supposedly, but I kind of questioned that.

Luc was tending to his bonsai trees in the green house with his friends, Amelia was a ballet teacher, and then there was Gigi.A witch.

If I’d told Kelly all that when she’d called to check on me earlier, I was pretty certain she’d tell me I’d be safer with her grandmother who was a nurse in WWII.

But if Claudius thought I’d be safe here with his family, I trusted him.

Claudius…

God.I just wished I knew where he was and what he was doing.

Why won’t he speak to me?

“He’ll leave me when this is over. I think. I think Claudius will leave me.” Must have been my heart taking over my mind again because I didn’t even register what I’d said until it was too late.

“Did he say that?” Amelia looked me over with concern.

“Pretty much. He thinks it’s not safe for me to be around him.” What he’d said last night pretty much summed up what would happen next. Plus, he didn’t need to say much. I knew him. I knew what he thought. I knew what his actions would be.

“What will you do if that happens?”

It was an odd question, but I liked the tact she showed.