something I can do. Don’t panic yet.”
She didn’t look at all convinced. “What?”
“I have to go to Phoenix. He knows people and might be able to pull some strings.” More than likely he would bribe who needed to be bribed, and if that didn’t work, he’d use a little of his jinni magic to make the obstacles go away. Convenient, yes—but also a terrible abuse of power, one that I had hoped to avoid in my life.
“Really?” Her face completely changed. “Good. Go now.” She all but pushed me out of the door. “I can handle the store.” I untied my apron and put on my parka. “Hey, Maggie, please make this happen. That man looks at you with stars in his eyes. Use that.”
I wrinkled my nose. From the one time she met Phoenix, Izzy had it in her mind that he was not-so-secretly in love with me. Fat chance of that! He wanted me like I wanted him. It was completely physical and the fact that I wouldn’t give into him kept him coming around. That was it.
It was early enough in the morning that the streets of Chicago weren’t crowded. The wind whipped along the pavement, cutting right through me and blowing snow in my face. I loved this city, but damn I hated the cold.
Partly because of the cold and partly because of my inhuman speed, I made it to Phoenix’s apartment in record time. It was a bizarre building, especially for a jinni— a former church that had been divided into unique dwellings. I buzzed his apartment repeatedly, smiling a little because I knew I’d be waking him up. Probably not the best start to asking for a favor, but torturing him was one of the ways I got back at him for the many, many times he lied to me.
Phoenix ran a nightclub and jinn front named Xavier’s. While I came into work about three a.m. every day, he didn’t even make it home by then, which put me at the perfect time to disturb his sleep. I held down the buzzer. When I finally released it, the door clicked open.
His apartment door was open as I stepped onto the landing. “Did I wake you? Can’t say I’m sorry,” I said walking through.
“I was awake.”
It took a moment to find him. The only windows in his apartment were stained glass that didn’t let in a huge amount of light. All of the walls were painted black and not one light was bright enough, making it seem a lot like a cave with super high ceilings. I blinked at the sight of him. He was standing in the kitchen eating a yogurt—and not wearing a speck of clothing.
I probably should’ve looked away, but I didn’t. His black hair was wet and slicked back from his face like he had just gotten out of the shower. His many tattoos darkened his too pale skin, which was taut over tightly corded, lean muscles. My eyes trailed down to his stomach. I bit my lip and snuck a peek a little bit lower—
“My eyes are up here.” His voice was low and velvety.
I looked up, pressing my lips together to keep from smiling. Not bad. Not bad at all. Focus, Maggie, the rational inner voice reminded me. This was why I had been avoiding him. He was a temptation to a much darker more complicated life than I was prepared to accept. “Maybe you should put on some clothes.”
One side of his mouth curled. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
Before I could stop them, my eyes gave him another once over and now his grin was full-fledged. I forced myself to look away. “Yep, I’m good.”
He sat the container of yogurt down and came around the counter toward me. The air in the room was suddenly very warm and it crackled with energy against my skin. He didn’t stop until he was entirely too close to me, reminding me that it had been a while since I last fed. Dark souls weren’t always easy to come by and I’d been busily avoiding life. He lightly tugged the zipper of my parka all the way down. “It’s been a while.”
My brain went blank. What had been? He couldn’t be talking about—
“Since I saw you.” He spoke slowly.
Right. Of course. The hunger
She didn’t look at all convinced. “What?”
“I have to go to Phoenix. He knows people and might be able to pull some strings.” More than likely he would bribe who needed to be bribed, and if that didn’t work, he’d use a little of his jinni magic to make the obstacles go away. Convenient, yes—but also a terrible abuse of power, one that I had hoped to avoid in my life.
“Really?” Her face completely changed. “Good. Go now.” She all but pushed me out of the door. “I can handle the store.” I untied my apron and put on my parka. “Hey, Maggie, please make this happen. That man looks at you with stars in his eyes. Use that.”
I wrinkled my nose. From the one time she met Phoenix, Izzy had it in her mind that he was not-so-secretly in love with me. Fat chance of that! He wanted me like I wanted him. It was completely physical and the fact that I wouldn’t give into him kept him coming around. That was it.
It was early enough in the morning that the streets of Chicago weren’t crowded. The wind whipped along the pavement, cutting right through me and blowing snow in my face. I loved this city, but damn I hated the cold.
Partly because of the cold and partly because of my inhuman speed, I made it to Phoenix’s apartment in record time. It was a bizarre building, especially for a jinni— a former church that had been divided into unique dwellings. I buzzed his apartment repeatedly, smiling a little because I knew I’d be waking him up. Probably not the best start to asking for a favor, but torturing him was one of the ways I got back at him for the many, many times he lied to me.
Phoenix ran a nightclub and jinn front named Xavier’s. While I came into work about three a.m. every day, he didn’t even make it home by then, which put me at the perfect time to disturb his sleep. I held down the buzzer. When I finally released it, the door clicked open.
His apartment door was open as I stepped onto the landing. “Did I wake you? Can’t say I’m sorry,” I said walking through.
“I was awake.”
It took a moment to find him. The only windows in his apartment were stained glass that didn’t let in a huge amount of light. All of the walls were painted black and not one light was bright enough, making it seem a lot like a cave with super high ceilings. I blinked at the sight of him. He was standing in the kitchen eating a yogurt—and not wearing a speck of clothing.
I probably should’ve looked away, but I didn’t. His black hair was wet and slicked back from his face like he had just gotten out of the shower. His many tattoos darkened his too pale skin, which was taut over tightly corded, lean muscles. My eyes trailed down to his stomach. I bit my lip and snuck a peek a little bit lower—
“My eyes are up here.” His voice was low and velvety.
I looked up, pressing my lips together to keep from smiling. Not bad. Not bad at all. Focus, Maggie, the rational inner voice reminded me. This was why I had been avoiding him. He was a temptation to a much darker more complicated life than I was prepared to accept. “Maybe you should put on some clothes.”
One side of his mouth curled. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
Before I could stop them, my eyes gave him another once over and now his grin was full-fledged. I forced myself to look away. “Yep, I’m good.”
He sat the container of yogurt down and came around the counter toward me. The air in the room was suddenly very warm and it crackled with energy against my skin. He didn’t stop until he was entirely too close to me, reminding me that it had been a while since I last fed. Dark souls weren’t always easy to come by and I’d been busily avoiding life. He lightly tugged the zipper of my parka all the way down. “It’s been a while.”
My brain went blank. What had been? He couldn’t be talking about—
“Since I saw you.” He spoke slowly.
Right. Of course. The hunger
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