Devils & Thieves (Devils & Thieves #1)(36)

“She was with a guy.” Dara sounded a little nervous.

“I need you to tell us as much about this guy as you can. What did he look like?” Crowe asked.

“He was young. Looked a little older than Stephen, but not by much. He was six foot, maybe? Blond hair. He was wearing a white T-shirt and those god-awful skinny jeans.”

My throat closed up. Her description sounded an awful lot like Darek.

We all looked at one another.

Dara must have read into the silence, because she asked, “Why? Is something wrong with Alex?”

Crowe ignored her question. “If you think of anything else, call me, yeah?”

“Sure, of course.”

With the call ended, Hardy let out a sigh and scrubbed at his eyes. “That description sounds an awful lot like that Deathstalker prospect kid.”

“I don’t know what it is about that guy, but he pisses me off,” Crowe said, his fingers curling into fists.

I cringed internally. I knew he’d noticed Darek last night, but I hadn’t realized he’d taken such an instant disliking to him.

Crowe straightened abruptly and ran a hand through his hair. “Fucking Deathstalkers! I should have killed that kid when I had the chance. Killian probably ordered him to take Alex. God only knows what he’s done with her.”

“Crowe,” Lori said, clearly trying to calm her son, “I’m worried, too, but it’s dangerous to jump to conclusions.”

“I know, Ma, but can you blame me?” He came around the bar and started to pace, his hands on his hips. No one said anything. Inside, I felt like my guts had been knotted a hundred different ways. Had Darek really left the festival with Alex? Where had they gone? Why hadn’t he called me back last night? Or texted me?

I checked my phone again and found nothing.

“Jemmie,” Crowe said, finally turning his attention to me. He opened his mouth to speak, glanced around, then said, “Can I talk to you in the hallway?”

Frowning, I followed him out of the bar area. Did he know I knew Darek? “What’s up?”

“You think you can cast a locator spell?”

Relief rolled through me. My secret was still safe. But it wasn’t just that—a glow of gratitude warmed my cold thoughts. He’d asked me privately about the magic, instead of putting me on the spot in front of everyone. Except… the look in his eyes was so intense that, even here, with just the two of us, that’s exactly where I was.

I sighed. Could I really say no? He was so desperate to find her.

And I was desperate to know why she and Darek had left together.

“I can try.”

Crowe nodded. “Let’s go to the house and find something of Alex’s to strengthen the spell.”

For a second, I watched him as he walked ahead of me to the door. I couldn’t help but notice the heaviness in his shoulders, as if he was having a hard time keeping himself upright.

“You should get some rest, Crowe,” I said.

He barely glanced at me as he replied, “I’ll get some rest when I know my sister is safe.”





TEN


AS CROWE AND I CUT ACROSS THE SCHOOLHOUSE PARKING lot, clouds rolled in, blocking out the early light of day. The air had turned chilly and brisk. A storm definitely seemed imminent.

Several paces ahead of me, Crowe threw on his Devils’ League vest. He glanced at me over a shoulder when he reached his motorcycle, the wind tousling his hair into a perfect mess.

“You want to ride together or meet me there?” he asked.

“What do you think?”

He didn’t answer, just slid on his black helmet, flipping the tinted visor closed with a definitive snap. While most of the Devils rode traditional Harleys with chrome everything, Crowe owned a 1960s model that he’d customized himself. The frame was matte black from rear to front, and so was just about everything else on it.

Though I knew very little about Harleys, I had to admit Crowe’s was practically a work of art. No one knew their way around a bike quite like he did. In fact, he had an annoying talent for fixing just about anything. Except our relationship, apparently.

Without waiting for me, he started the bike up and tore out of the lot, the roar of the engine echoing through the neighborhood. The sound of his bike used to make my heart do funny things. Now it just irritated me.

The Medici house was on the north side of town, tucked into the center of dense woods, and as I wound my way down the mile-long drive, I tried to prepare myself for what was about to happen. It wasn’t just that I was going to try to do magic on purpose, that I would have to brace myself for the smell and the sight and the feeling that was about to crush me like a tsunami. It was also the first time I would be alone in the Medici house with Crowe since the night we’d kissed.

When the trees finally gave way to the house and I saw Crowe’s bike sitting in front, I inhaled and exhaled three measured breaths. I’d read somewhere that doing so helped with anxiety and stress. Turns out it didn’t help me at all.

I parked and climbed out of the car. I entered one of the open garage bays and was greeted by the familiar scent of grease and gasoline. The Medici garage was not used for parking; it was used for wrenching. Several bikes were torn apart, their pieces strewn around in what looked like a nonsensical mess but was actually Crowe’s version of order.