Fading Magic (Book 5 of the Ink Series)

Finish him

Ben's truck disappears around the corner and I can still hear the grumble. I let out another sigh, I'm so happy to be looking at my house.

"She's alive," Slade says standing up. I'm not sure how long he's been waiting on the porch swing but I have a feeling it's been awhile.

"Of course I'm alive." My voice is hoarse. And my head is throbbing. I head up the sidewalk and prepare myself for whatever it is he is about to say to me. And what I am about to say to him.

I don't know what to say.

"I wouldn't have known," he says. "Because you never showed up for the show."

I look around hoping I can get the words out and shove ratty locks of hair from my eyes. My nails are caked with dry dirt.

Can't he tell I look like shit?

"I was on my way," I say. I swallow down the panic at the thought of what happened and what is about to happen when I tell him what Charlie did.

Kidd comes out of my front door breaking up our meet and greet and I am thankful.

"She's back." He shakes his head looking me over. "You look like shit."

"Thanks, Kidd." I look past him. "Where's Karsen?"

He points toward her house. "Karsen is across the street passed out. You know how she gets when she is alone at a bar."

I smirk. I know all too well. Karsen hates being alone in public, so now she's at home in bed wasted.

"What did she drink?" I ask.

Kidd starts down the stairs and sits down next to me. He's pretty wasted too. "A ton of margaritas."

Slade sighs. "Are you trying to ignore me?"

"No, I'm not ignoring you." I look past him to the door. "But I am thirsty."

"Go get something to drink," Slade says not buying any of my shit.

"Come on," Kidd says. "Go get her something to drink. And check on Karsen for me."

Slade stands up. "Check on your own girl. I'll be right back with your drink and then you're going to tell me what the fuck is going on."

I watch him go inside and look at Kidd. "Thanks for that."

"I know when someone needs to get something off their chest." He crosses his arms. "Sometimes you can't tell the one person you want to tell the most."

He is so right.

"Something bad happened and I don't know how to tell him. I'm afraid what it will do to him if he hears any more bad news." The thought of Slade on a rampage doesn't make me want to say anything.

"He's always going to protect you," Kidd assures me. "You can tell him anything. Just be there for him when it's too much to handle and he'll get through it."

Slade comes out the door. "It was between diet coke and orange juice."

I accept the coke and Kidd stands up. "I'm going to check on sex kitten. You two need to talk."

Slade waits until Kidd is across the street before he says anything. "I know something is wrong. So just come out with it."

"I don't know how to tell you that everything is going to shit." I pause. "So I guess I should just say it."

Slade sits forward, elbows on his legs, hands clamped together. "What happened now?"

"Charlie Knight happened," I tell him. "Charlie was so sure I was doing something wrong he harassed me at the gas station when I was on my way to see you."