She sucked back the rest of her coffee and then went to step around him. She didn’t get far because he caught her wrist gently, holding her in place. “Cass, I know things are…” He grimaced, shook his head, and tried again. “You’ve got a lot going on, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay with me sticking around.”
“Why?”
“Why?” he echoed.
She nodded, an unexpected anxiety skating along her nerves as she waited for his answer.
“Because I like you, or at least what I’ve gotten to know so far, and I wouldn’t mind a chance to get to know you more.” His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist, igniting an internal swarm of butterflies.
Ignoring the delicate shiver that ran down her spine, she twisted her wrist until she could take his hand and thread their fingers together. “I like you, too, Grayson.” When his eyes darkened at her admission, a thrill shot through her, making her voice rough. “So yes, I’m okay with you sticking around.”
“Good.” Without letting go of her hand, he tugged her closer until mere inches separated them. “So, your grandmother first, then your parents?”
She managed a nod despite being caught in a disconcerting state of anticipation. Part of her wanted to get lost in his magnetic pull, but the unrelenting grip of her looming reality refused to loosen. “Can you promise me something?”
“What?”
“Let me know if it gets to be too much.” When it came to her family, that was an inevitable outcome.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead he searched her face. She had no idea what he was looking for, but after a few tense moments, he must have found it, because he said, “I can do that.”
“Good.” Sweet relief rushed through her, and she leaned in to press a quick kiss against his jaw. She pulled back quickly, her face heating. “Sorry.”
His grin was downright wicked as he let her go. “Don’t be. I’m not.” He stepped back until he could open the passenger door and, with his cup in hand, motioned toward the car. “After you.”
She couldn’t help but grin as she settled into the seat. “Thank you.”
“You want me to take that?” He indicated her almost empty coffee cup.
“Sure.” She handed it over.
He took it, shot her another grin, then closed the door.
Cass watched him round the hood and head to the trash bin, only to be blinded when the glass door to the store opened, reflecting the early-morning sunlight directly into her eyes. She turned away and blinked, clearing the white starbursts, until the parking lot reassembled itself. A dark smudge on the roof of a nearby car caught her attention. She blinked twice until it took the shape of an overly large raven, its inky eyes focused on her. Those dark orbs held her captive as it opened its beak to give a harsh trill that mimicked chuckling. Its call joined a rush of whispered warnings that deafened her with a wave of confused noise and trepidation.
Wincing, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “Not now.” It was stupid to ignore the signs, but she never claimed to be smart when her magic was involved.
The driver’s-side door opened then closed as Grayson’s weight settled in the car. “You okay?”
She opened her eyes, dropped her hand, and managed to fake a reassuring smile. “Yep, just tired.”
He paused. She had no idea if he was buying her excuse until he said, “Why don’t you input the address for the funeral home then try to rest?” He started up the car.
She did as he suggested, but once she sat back and closed her eyes, it wasn’t rest that found her but a murky knot of worries.
Chapter 4
Grayson
Grayson followed a quiet Cass into the funeral home, where the air of somber elegance surrounded them. He couldn’t help but note the runes subtly placed throughout. The bulk of them were Divine sigils that ranged from offering solace for mourners to providing eternal rest for those who were gone. But he picked out a couple of necromancer runes in the warding patterns. That was to be expected, considering the clientele.
Cass left him to follow the funeral home director into a privacy room where she could say goodbye to her grandmother. When she reemerged, whatever respite the brief nap in the car from Boulder City had granted her was long gone, replaced by drawn paleness. Grayson went to her side, noting the careful way she held herself and the reddened eyes behind her glasses. He didn’t think she’d welcome his touch, though it was hard not to offer comfort. She remained stiff during the conversation with the director until he reassured her that the logistics were being taken care of as instructed by her grandmother’s will, not her parents. Only then did her shoulders ease, and she inched a little closer to his side. He didn’t hesitate to curl an arm around her waist and take her weight. Somber goodbyes were exchanged, and he led her back out into the bright morning light.
Without removing his arm, he walked with her across the parking lot. He dug the car remote out of his pocket and clicked it, releasing the locks with a soft beep. They stopped at the passenger side, and he gently tugged her out of the way as he opened the door. Before he could usher her in, she turned fully into him and dropped her forehead to his chest. He tugged off her glasses then tightened his arms and bent his head over hers, holding her close as she buried her face against him. Her grief was a quiet storm of tears dampening his shirt as her frame was wracked by the occasional shudder. It left him battered at the edges, but he gave what he could—a safe harbor for her pain. The feeling was old and familiar, but he turned away from the memories and concentrated on the here and now.
Eventually, the tears and tremors stopped, but she didn’t pull away, so he didn’t let go. Instead, he waited, letting her dictate the next step. He wasn’t surprised when it didn’t take long for her to regather her composure and lift her head, her attention aimed at the car, not him.
“Sorry,” she mumbled as she swiped fingers under her eyes.
