Witches for Hire (Odd Jobs #1)(80)
Chapter 21
JEREMY CHEWED on the morsel in his mouth as if it was the most delicious thing in the world.
The food was good enough to warrant high compliments, but Clive wasn’t moaning about it. When he accidentally grabbed for a potato on the wrong plate, Jeremy smacked his hand away.
“There is plenty of food to share without becoming violent,” Clive hissed.
Jeremy’s hand guarded the plate as if Clive intended to do it again. “Mine.”
“Like some spoiled king,” Clive muttered. Jeremy watched him suspiciously before he went back to scooping up hummus with pita chips. The tapas restaurant wasn’t badly priced, but the high tab adding up was because of the six plates on Jeremy’s side alone. Clive received more glares, but then Jeremy resumed stuffing the crispy and steaming hot potato squares in his mouth. In the darkest corner of Clive’s mind that had been burned repeatedly and didn’t need another high-maintenance lover, he thought Jeremy looked sort of cute while shoveling food in his mouth and glancing at him like it would be snatched away.
Truth be told, that was all Jeremy had in common with Ruthein: being demanding. Light hair to Ruth’s dark, and blue eyes to Ruth’s brown ones. They are both handsome, but the man who really reminds me of him is…. Clive’s hand clenched around his fork as Desmond’s face appeared in his mind. If anyone acts like a king, it’s him. He sighed. Simone and Jeremy believed he was being too harsh on Desmond for killing Perry when the man had tried to kill him multiple times. Am I being an ass to him because he reminds me of Ruth? We don’t even know the exact circumstances of Perry’s death to really judge Desmond’s actions. Silence from Ben also made it apparent that Clive had little chance of getting his hands on Levi’s notebooks. When Jeremy turned his attention to his purple cocktail topped with a candied slice of grapefruit, Clive cleared his throat. “I want to talk about Levi.”
Jeremy’s sipping stilled. He removed the straw from his cup and gulped down the contents in one swallow. “Why?” As the server walked by, he pointed at his empty glass. “I’ll have another one of those, please.” The server nodded, leaving Jeremy facing Clive again with his hands going for the sangria pitcher.
Perhaps it was unwise to have two forms of alcohol at the table. Clive waited until Jeremy filled his wine cup. “I noticed that you become stressed when the topic is broached.”
“Yet you continue to bring it up.”
“That’s because we’ve never had a solid conversation about what happened. What I know is that he was killed by an energy vamp, and you were one of the last people to see him alive. Since I’m in the same position as him, I would like to prevent meeting a similar end.”
“You want all the dirty dirt, I take it.” As soon as the fresh cocktail landed by his elbow, Jeremy upended it into his mouth. “I’ll have that raspberry thing next,” Jeremy said before the server could get two feet from their table. He waved for Clive to continue when they were alone again. “Go on. You must have so many burning questions.”
“Perhaps you should slow down,” Clive suggested as Jeremy drank nearly his entire wine goblet in one gulp.
“Ask before I change my mind.”
“Did you know how close Desmond and Levi were?”
“Imbecile,” Jeremy muttered.
“You said—”
“I meant for you not to ask me stupid questions. Levi and Desmond hated each other. It’s why I never guessed they were hunting the energy vamps together.” He forlornly looked into his empty tumbler. “How could I imagine that they were thick as thieves?” Jeremy sniffled. “They had a good plan to capture the serial killer, and the Council fucked it up. They trapped Desmond in a fortress while Levi was left in the cold.” He slapped the table hard enough to disturb people eating at nearby tables. “Who the hell did Levi think he was, telling a guy he loves him and then dying? A rude person, that’s who.”
Clive’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I had no idea that you and he—”
“There was no me and him because I have shitty taste in men.”
More heads moved in their direction. “How about I go to the bathroom for five minutes, so you can cool down?” Clive asked, since they were causing a scene and it was obvious Jeremy wouldn’t let him finish one damn sentence.
“That is the most brilliant idea you’ve had all day. Piss off for a spell and drown in the bleedin’ toilet for all I care.” Jeremy laid his head on his hands and lazily popped olives in his mouth.
This was somewhat productive, Clive thought as he stepped away from the table and the stares. Why has Desmond kept silent about working with Levi all this time? And why has Jeremy too, for that matter? It can’t be just because of Levi’s last declaration of love.
AS SOON as Clive returned to his seat, Jeremy continued where he left off and poured himself another cup from the pitcher of sangria.
The way he was drinking, Clive thought he’d have finished the whole thing by now. Clive looked at his watch. “It’s been about forty-five minutes. We should get on the road soon.” He motioned for the server to bring them the check, and Jeremy hurriedly refilled another cup of wine. “I didn’t mean drink faster.”