Page 55 of Wolves Always Bite

“Shit,Jeremy, what were you thinking?”

Irubbed my hands over my face. “Iremember thinkingIwas going to lose my apartment becauseIneeded the money she was supposed to pay me that day at the market.”

“Soyou decided to call her names and tell her…”Heglanced down at the screen. “AndIquote ‘Don’tmake me make you pay me.You’llregret it when the hounds of hell come after you like the evil green monkey creature that you are.’AtleastIthink that’s what it says.Yourspelling is atrocious.Isit always that bad or was it because you were drunk.”

“Don’ttease…Ialready told youIwas drunk.”Igrimaced. “Andyou didn’t have to read it aloud.”

“IthinkIdid,”Adriansaid as he glanced at the phone again. “Nexttime you get drunkI’mtaking your phone away.”

“Nexttime?”Mygrand seduction plan was working if he was already contemplating something happeningnext time.Ijust wishedIcould be happier about it, but the consequences of my drunken texting were ruining everything.

Herolled his eyes at me, then he nodded at the phone. “Talkto me about these pictures.Itake it you recognize these people and places.”

“EveryoneIknow—my family, including every single one of my brothers, my neighbors, my librarian, my high schoolEnglishteacher.Andthere are pics of my apartment and my parents’ house and my local grocery store and…”

“Babettemust have gathered that information a while ago.Seethe background?Cherrytrees haven’t been blooming for at least a month or two.”

“You’reright.Shit.”Mystomach twisted. “ButI’mjust some guy she pays minimum wage to as a temporary summer worker.Whywould she have done that?”

“Babetteprobably had you investigated when you applied for the job to make sure you weren’t going to interfere with her business.”

Iwrung my hands in my lap. “Doyou think she’ll hurt them?Imean she didn’t send me any of that until afterItexted her.Icould apologize?”

“Isthat a question?”

“No.I’llsend her an apology, but do you think that’s all she wants?”

Adrianeyed my phone again. “Weshould talk toGage.Shecould just be baiting you, trying to get you to react.Itmight be a trap.”

“Iguess it’s safe to say she won’t be paying me, hey?”Myshoulders drooped. “IguessI’mmoving back in with my parents.Ineed to get my stuff out of my apartment before my landlord tosses everything.”

“Wecan get your stuff and your cat.”Adriansqueezed my knees. “I’llletGageknow what’s happened, so we can get a few of us together to move you.Ifit is a trap, we’ll be prepared.”Helooked me in the eye. “Iwon’t let anything happen to you,Jeremy.”

Iswallowed hard at his sincerity. “Thankyou.”

“And, if we’re going to the city, we’ll need to see if this town has a car we can rent.”

Myphone pinged again.Adrianlooked down at the screen and paled.

“What?Whatnow?”Igrabbed my phone back.

Apunch to the gut would have been easier to handle than the latest picture fromBabette.Herscrawny green arms were wrapped around my precious cat.Clawiewas baring his teeth, his ears were tucked back, and his eyes promised death to everyone in the vicinity.Basedon the long deep scratches onBabette’sarms, he’d made his displeasure very clear.

“Clawie!”

IphonedMrs.Kozak.

“Jeremy?Whyyou call?”

“Justchecking on my cat…”Myvoice wobbled, and my heart thundered in my chest.

“Cat?Girlfriendget cat.”

“Mywhat?”

“Tak.Girlfriend.Shetake cat.”Therewas a pause. “Ino think you like people like that.”

“Likewhat?”Iasked, even thoughIdreaded the answer.Oh,God.HadBabettedone something toMrs.Kozak?WasMrs.Kozakmagical too?Hadshe seen beneath the glamour?Didshe knowBabettewas a goblin?