Page 64 of Live Love Lasso

Furyon cocks his head to the side. “That’s…odd. She don’t care for nobody, but it seems like she’s waving at us.”

“Not you,” I say with a laugh. “Me.” As we cross the street, I explain how I met the house the day I arrived, and how I told her I was gonna be there if she needed something.

When we halt in front of the gate, she lets out a warning creak from deep in her pipes. All the shutters and siding ripple in great waves, almost like she’s beckoning me close.

I grasp the gate and look in. “Poor girl, you need some fixing up, don’t you? You finally gonna let me in to do something in there? You know I’m down!”

The creaking and groaning stop, and the front door swings open.

Furyon gasps. “Oh my gods, Lemon.”

I frown at the front door. This is crazy progress, but I have to get back to work. So I rub the front gate lovingly. “Pretty girl, I’ve got to get back to work because I’m on the verge of getting fired, but I can come back later tonight. Would that be okay?”

A morose clacking of the shutters is my answer.

I turn to Furyon. “I’m already in trouble.”

He laughs, a soft thoughtful sound as he stares at the house. “I’ll come back with you, just in case…well, shit, I don’t know. She’s never let anyone through the gates as far as I know. Seems like maybe you do belong here, city girl. The evidence is mounting up.”

I snort at that. “Long as it’s not evidence that lands me in your jail cell. Although, if I’m honest, that could be kinda hot to go in our regular sex rotation.”

Furyon pulls me close, dipping me backward as he trails a row of hot kisses up the front of my neck to get to my ear. “We can mix it up a little bit too. Sneak into the jail and play a little cops and robbers. I can be the criminal next time. Or I’ll show you how I handle sassitude.”

“Sassitude?” I throw my arms around his neck as he bites his way down to my shoulder. “Yeah, country boy, I like the sound of that.”

The house thwaps her shutters again, a little more insistently. I can take a hint, so I haul myself out of Furyon’s arms and take his hand. After pulling him across the street, I let him steal another kiss before heading back into Glimmer.

Hours later, I pour the final purple potion into a giant decanter to sit at room temp for the next twenty-four hours. I’m just about to notify Letitia that the potion is done when someone clears their throat from the doorway.

Pasting on a pleasant, Letitia-appropriate smile, I spin in place. But the smile drops.

My father and Hunter stand in the doorway wearing matching frowns. Father’s dressed impeccably in a three-piece suit, white collared shirt open to show off his intricate House Denton familial tattoos. He steps into the room, sniffing at the stale air as he takes in the cobwebbed corners and the dust covering every surface but my potions table.

Hunter stalks in behind him, dragging a pale finger along the wall. He lifts it, inspects the dust, and sneers at me. “Quite the potions floor you’ve got here, Lemon.”

I resist the urge to stomp across the room and bitch-slap him, because a little bitch is exactly what he is. Instead, I focus on Father. He clasps both hands on the top of his walking cane, looking everywhere but at me. And I know that look on his face.

Dismay. Disgust.

It’s the way he looked at me after Varitius Nerazar called to let us know his precious daughter was covered in welts and scabs after the potion I crafted.

Fucking Hunter.

But the fault was mine too. I knew better than to allow him to help me, and I did it anyway, despite my reputation being on the line.

Never again.

“Hello, Father,” I croon as I match his stance. “I didn’t realize you were coming to town.”

Letitia strides into the room and halts next to my Father. “Lemon, I’ve been keeping your father abreast of your progress, of course, but he wished to see it for himself.” She looks almost…nervous.

“We can’t have any more mishaps,” Father says smoothly, his expression bored. “Varitius’ daughter is slowly improving with the best healing help money can buy. But Letitia let me know that you’ve been incriminated in some sort of crime here? I had to see that for myself so I can decide what to do with you next.”

Hunter smirks. “Not to mention, you haven’t been returning any of my calls, sister.”

I ignore him and resist the urge to glare at Letitia, although she appears discomfited by what Father just shared.

Instead, I clear my throat. “It was a simple misunderstanding that had nothing to do with me. I was only implicated because it happened on the day I arrived. But I’ve been cleared of any suspicion. You can set your mind to rest on that.” I wave at my boss. “Hopefully Letitia has also been able to confirm that I’ve successfully crafted every potion she’s asked of me. Including this one.” I wave at the full decanter.