“So, let’s not dwell on that, okay?”
“I can do that.” I squeezed his hand as we stepped into the elevator.
We reached the garage in record time, and when he saw his Impala, he looked like me when I saw a cheeseburger.
He placed his palm on the trunk, sliding it across the smooth metal as he walked us to the passenger door. I could make out a grin in the dim, yellowing light of the garage, something I knew I wouldn’t have been able to see before.
“Do you want some time alone?” I offered as his hand glided over the back door. “You know, in case you want to make out with your car in private.”
Zayne laughed as he opened the passenger door. “Get in.”
“Bossy.” I glanced down at where he held my hand. “You’re going to have to let go.”
“I know.”
My brows lifted. “Before we can get into the car.”
“I know,” he repeated, but this time, he lowered his mouth to mine as his other hand curled around the nape of my neck. It was a deep and fierce kiss, sending a rolling wave of heat through me. I wondered if he could devour me with just one kiss. I was so willing to engage in a little public indecency and find out, right here, in the parking garage. But he lifted his head, nipping at my lower lip in a way that sent a curling motion through my stomach.
“Goodness,” I whispered as he let go of my hand. “You’re really happy to see your car, aren’t you?”
“After we deal with the Crone, how about we find out?” he suggested.
A flutter moved from my chest to my stomach and then lower. “I am so okay with that.”
“Then let’s get this over with as quick as possible.”
I all but threw myself into the passenger seat. Letting the bagged feather rest in my lap, I buckled myself up as Zayne climbed in behind the wheel. He took a moment, checking the rearview mirror, gripping the steering wheel and straightening the visor before turning the key. The engine purred to life, and the smile that broke out across his face caused my heart to squeeze.
Shifting the gears into Reverse, he looked over at me. “Where’s your sunglasses?”
“Lost them.”
“Again?”
“Again.”
“Man, we’re going to have to start ordering them in bulk.”
“So I can start losing them in bulk?”
“Maybe we need to get a sunglasses subscription service for you, then.” He reached over, opening the glove department. He pulled out a pair of silver aviator-style sunglasses. “These aren’t that dark, but they’ll work until we can get you another pair.”
“Thank you.” I took the sunglasses and slipped them on. “How do I look? Badass?”
“Beautiful.” He backed the Impala out. “And badass.”
My smile was so big I was sure I looked like the biggest dweeb known to man, and the smile pretty much remained there as we drove to the Hotel Witchy. We chatted about Peanut and made plans to stop by the Warden compound to retrieve his phone after we made a pit stop at a drugstore...to purchase a pregnancy test for the first time in my life.
Fun times.
We arrived at the hotel, parking in the nearby garage. When we entered the hotel and I went to push up the sunglasses, Zayne took them from me.
“I think I’ll have better luck with them,” he said, hooking an arm of the sunglasses around the collar of his shirt.
“Probably.”
As we rode the elevator up to the thirteenth floor and walked the hall to the restaurant, I wasn’t at all worried about whether the Crone would be here. I had a feeling she knew exactly what day we’d return.
And wouldn’t you know, Rowena was behind the hostess’s table, and before either of us could speak, she stepped out behind it and said in the most annoyed voice possible, “This way, please.”
I raised a brow as my gaze swept the dimly lit interior. “You really love these little visits, don’t you?”
“I await them with bated breath,” she responded.
I smirked as Zayne’s brows lifted. “That’s right. You’ve never had the pleasure of being greeted by Rowena. She’s always so eager to see me here.”
“I can tell,” Zayne replied flatly.
Rowena said nothing as she led us past the partition wall. Like before, everything but the round table in the middle of the room had been removed. Only three chairs were positioned at the table, and the Crone sat this time facing us. The table was bare of plates and glasses, and I had a sudden feeling that after this meeting, the table and chairs would disappear.
And so would the Crone.
Her shirt was the brightest pink I’d ever seen, and something...glittered across the front of it.
“How old is she?” Zayne whispered to me.
“Older than you think I look,” the Crone answered. Apparently her hearing wasn’t affected by age. “Come. Sit with me,” she called, her head tilted toward Zayne.