Fable (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #3)(27)

After a few blocks, Brody slowed the car down and came to a stop down a road lined with darkened houses. “Would you like to sit in the front seat?”

“No, I think I’m good back here,” she said stiffly.

“I really don’t know what came over me,” Brody said quietly, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

“She’s your girlfriend—you don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

“No, it was inconsiderate of me, considering our past history. I’m not even sure why I drove Nan home first. It was never my intention to hurt you like that.”

“I know. It’s not your fault.” Her heart was being twisted in a vise, and she didn’t think she could handle it anymore. Quickly, she flipped open the Grimoire and pulled out her pen and tried something.

Jared, she wrote.

Mina? Wow, how are you doing this? I can see your words in my head.

Never mind that. Can you come get me…NOW?

Are you in danger?

She thought for a moment.

Yes, no. Just come get me…please.

On my way, he answered.

Brody squeezed his hands on the steering wheel and turned around in his seat to look at her. “You don’t really mean that. You can’t just up and forgive me for the way I’ve treated you. Mina, I’ve never been so confused before. I feel like I’m in a tug of war of emotions. When I’m with Nan, it’s like a powerful force of nature and I can’t fight it. I don’t know how to fight it. But I feel so much for you. I don’t…I’m not sure—”

Mina didn’t let him finish because she saw the dual headlights coming down the road, and they slowed to a halt in front of the car. She grabbed her purse and notebook, and opened the door. Brody was surprised by her sudden exit and opened the driver’s door to jump out after her.

She couldn’t just abandon him without an explanation. She turned back and took a deep breath, being careful to keep her tears at bay. She stepped up to the door and closed it. Brody’s warm hand came down on top of hers through the open window.

“Sometimes love is worth fighting for. And if you don’t fight for it, then it slips through your fingers.” She pulled her hand away.

He looked devastated, but she didn’t turn back, and instead continued to walk toward the Ford Boss. Jared was being careful to not make eye contact with Brody. For once he was being the gentleman. She only hoped that she hadn’t interrupted his date with Ever.

She slid into the front seat and opened the window as Brody pulled away. The rush of wind in her hair and the hum of the engine lulled her into a place of nothingness. Refusing to think of Brody, of Jared, of Teague, she concentrated on a happy place. Of a time when she was still with her brother, playing board games. Moments later Jared pulled up to the Grimm house and waited by the gate. Mina leaned forward across him and punched in the code, and the gate opened up. He drove slowly up to the front door and turned off the engine. She sat in the car, still numb, and he walked around to the passenger side.

He didn’t speak, didn’t ask any awkward questions, and she respected him for it. He saw that she was hurting, and he reached out to grab her arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She lost it. She threw herself into his arms and started crying, using him as a shoulder to cry on. He held his hands up in the air awkwardly before he wrapped them around her and let her cry herself out.

When she was done blubbering, she pulled herself away and used the sleeve of her jacket to wipe away the tears. “I’m so sorry.” She sighed.

“Nonsense. I’ve watched many Grimms grieve over the years, and I think I like the way you do it the best,” he answered.

She smiled and nodded pathetically. “It’s not fair to you and Ever that I ruined your night, too.”

“Hey, I may be old, but the night’s young.” He tilted his head, and the moonlight illuminated his swollen and bruised cheek. He noticed where she was staring and shook his head. “He sucker-punched me with a fist made of iron.”

“Copper,” she corrected.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, I think he was a Stiltskin, too. How many of them are there?”

“More than you probably want to know.”

“Then help me get to the Fae plane and rescue my brother.” It was probably the wrong time to bring it up, but she was done wasting time. Tonight proved it. And she wasn’t going to mention what she needed to do once she was over there. If Jared learned of her plan to steal the Fae book, he would definitely refuse to help her.

“Are you daft and dumb? No way.” He grabbed Mina’s arm, threatening her. “I won’t let you throw your life away on something that is impossible.”

“Every quest I attempt is a life-or-death situation. So why is it that when I want to do something it’s dumb, but if it’s a fairy-tale quest or creature it’s different. It’s because finding Charlie doesn’t help break the curse, isn’t it?” She pulled her arm out of his grasp.

“No, it’s because finding Charlie is a lost cause that will surely end in your death.”

“What’s the big deal? The curse will pass on to another Grimm, and you can be free of me and go on to choose to help or not help the next Grimm.”

Jared looked taken aback. He leaned against his car and crossed his arms. “Maybe I don’t want to help another Grimm.”