Ever Tempted by Odessa Gillespie Black

Author:Odessa Gillespie Black [Black, Odessa Gillespie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

The Rollins Manor seemed almost foreign. The summer air was thick and heavy, dark clouds looming over the towering wings of the house. The grass was a little longer than I preferred to see it, and the bushes under the windows had grown stray sprigs as if they’d been neglected.

In my absence, the groundskeepers would probably slack on their duties.

Allie straightened her hair and pressed the wrinkles out of her pants suit as she stepped out of the car. She maintained her refusal to make eye contact.

My stomach had seven thousand butterflies fighting for the same space, and her silence did nothing to help matters.

Dalton made no rush as he sauntered toward the car to collect our bags. He leaned on the rear quarter panel and folded his arms. “It’s about time you got back. That personal assistant of yours is trying to make me wear a uniform. I’ll quit before I’m seen dead in a penguin suit.”

Allie patted Dalton’s shoulder as she stared up at the house with determination. “Don’t worry. I’ll put her in her place.”

That statement stabbed me in the gut.

Irritated, I grabbed our bags and busied myself with loading them on the cart.

“I’ll see you inside. I have a bitch to fire or kill, whichever I decide to do first.” Allie finally looked straight at me. “And Dalton, please take Cole’s bags to his cottage. He’ll be sleeping out there indefinitely.”

I bumped my head on the trunk lid. “Dammit.”

Dalton stared after Allie who was already on her way inside. “She’s fired up about something.”

“Yeah. You could say that. Would you bring these in? I need to catch up to her before she does something stupid.” I shoved the cart to Dalton.

“Trouble in paradise already.” Dalton shook his head as he took the handle.

“Just shut up and bring the bags.” I raced in after Allie.

Five staff members stood in the corner, one with a clipboard and the others listening.

Allie was nowhere to be seen.

“It’s about damned time.” Shelby glared at me from the living room entrance.

“Where’s Allie?” My heart slammed in my chest. A slow ache started in my temple.

“Kaitlyn’s doing damage control. As usual. Don’t worry. She’s got your wife in the cottage talking her off the ledge.” Shelby waved me into the living room. “And as for Grace, I drugged her. She should be out long enough for us to talk. I did a little binding spell to keep Grace inside her until the body dies.”

Apprehensively, I followed her.

Shelby plopped on the sofa and regarded her nails with a sly grin. “Boy, do we ever have some catching up to do.”

“I’d say. Since when were you able to cast spells?” I went to the fireplace. Someone had decided a painting of Grace Rollins needed to stare down over the living room.

“Seems I’ve always been able to do it. I just didn’t know that’s what I was doing.” Shelby busied herself with straightening her blouse.

“Where did she find this?” Her eyes seemed to see everything in the room and dig into her audience’s soul.

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