Cursed

Chapter Ten

An hour after school ended, Adrienne sat in the car with Jayden. They’d been talking about classes she was struggling in for over half an hour as he drove them north of New Orleans, towards the house of his grandmother. Still unable to believe he’d asked, she was nervous enough about being alone with him that she could hardly sit still.

Quiet fell after she explained what classes she’d taken in math before coming to the academy.

She leaned down and reached into her book bag, discreetly pulling a card to see how the visit was going to go.

The cards had their own agenda. Adrienne stared at them, mesmerized by a vision. It was unlike any communication she’d ever experienced before with the spirits. Instead of a familiar symbol for her to interpret, a scene played out on the cards.

Two little girls were playing with a skeleton key. They looked like they were in a closet somewhere, if the clothes hanging on one side of them were any indication.

The key looked a lot like the one in the mark on her shoulder.

As she watched, the girl with a birthmark between her eyes and a scar down the side of her face took the key and held it in both hands. The metal morphed and grew, snaking around her wrists to form manacles. As if it were alive, it then began to spread, winding its way up the girl’s arms, across her body and shoulders, until her entire body was trapped.

The vision flashed away. Adrienne found herself shaking the card to see if it returned.

According to her sticky notes, she was supposed to find a key. Maybe it was real. If so, who were the little girls? Where were they? Why did they have the key she needed?

“My mama’s family is a little poor and um, backwards,” Jayden said, interrupting her thoughts.

Adrienne sat back quickly and glanced at him, sensing his tension.

“My daddy has the money. I try to be diplomatic and keep Mama happy. Sometimes it’s hard.”

“My parents are both poor, but my mama is a little crazy,” Adrienne said. “I’m used to backwards.”

Does he think I’m backwards? She glanced down at her nails. Maybe she could afford to spend a little of what she saved to get stylish nail polish and a pair of jeans that weren’t hand-me-downs.

Jayden left the highway and turned down a residential road.

She took in the housing as they wound through a large neighborhood. The structures were getting worse and worse looking, with some boarded up and covered in graffiti while others were abandoned and still others appeared to be occupied although close to unlivable.

“This looks like home,” she said. “Except most of the damage was done by hurricanes and never repaired.”

“Were you there for the worst of them?”

“No. Mama …” is a voodoo priestess who was told by our ancestors’ spirits the hurricanes were coming. Adrienne sought a better explanation, aware of Jayden’s view on voodoo. “Well, we were out of town at the time. Luckily.”

She sipped the water Kimmie had given her. She’d never noticed the difference in how water tasted, but this was smooth, soft. She almost understood why it was popular among vocalists. If she could afford the ten-dollar a bottle price tag, it would be all she drank.

One day, she promised herself. Once she made it big, she’d take care of her family then buy as much of the special bottled water as she wanted. After all, she was already one step closer to making it as a singer. Tomorrow, at the pep rally, she was singing the National Anthem, something Kimmie arranged for her.

While she didn’t feel comfortable with her footwork in the cheer routines yet, she did know she’d knock them dead when she sang. Then maybe the students would accept her, and maybe for prom, Jayden would ask her to go.

Her secret wish made her giddy. She had eight months to wow the students and win over Jayden. He’d asked her to his grandmama’s; she might not need all eight to work up the courage to ask him if he wanted to see her for more than tutoring.

“That was cool of you to ask Emma to Homecoming,” she said. “You have no idea how happy you made her.”

“She’s a nice girl.” Jayden didn’t sound anywhere near as excited as Emma.

Adrienne couldn’t bring herself to think worse of him, though, not after he’d agreed to go. Even if Kimmie pushed him into it. He could’ve said no – but didn’t. Which meant Jayden was not only handsome and smart, but a good guy.

“What did you tell your daddy so he’d let you come with me?” Jayden asked.

Adrienne laughed. “I sorta lied. Told him I was staying over to work on my cheer routine.”

Jayden smiled. “Hopefully this doesn’t take long and we can get some real studying in.”

“Yeah, sure.” She needed the help, but she hoped he was interested in more than being her tutor.

They pulled into the driveway of a dilapidated house with a middle-aged man seated in a rocking chair on the front porch.

“Ah, Uncle Tommy’s out,” Jayden said with a sigh. “I had hoped to run in and say hi and not drag you in. I’ll have to take you in now.”

“Oh.” Adrienne’s smile faded. He didn’t want her to meet his family?

“Sorry. We’ll be quick.”

Adrienne pushed away the hurt feeling and got out of the car. Jayden led her up to the stairs.

“Uncle Tommy, this is Adrienne,” he said. “She’s from my school.”

“Hi,” Adrienne said, stepping forward with her hand extended.

Uncle Tommy’s dark eyes slid to Jayden in a knowing look that Adrienne couldn’t interpret.

“Nice to meet you.” The words were grumbled, the handshake brief. Uncle Tommy nodded his head towards the front door. “Grandmama’s inside.”

Jayden opened the screen door. Adrienne followed, at once accosted by the heat of the confined home and the scent of cat urine.

It wasn’t much different than her mama’s house. She glanced around the living room with its worn furniture and the stained carpets. From somewhere, she heard a cat meow, and the sounds of pots banging around came from the kitchen.

She felt homesick at the familiarity of the rundown house around her, but Jayden looked out of place, like a prince in a ghetto. He was tense, his gaze taking in the surroundings with a frown.

“It smells worse every time I come,” he muttered.

Adrienne said nothing, thoughts on the strange vision she’d had in the car. It wasn’t something she could share with him. He could definitely never meet her mother and that side of her family. It wasn’t just the voodoo, but the fact Adrienne’s house was worse with three kids and cats running around it.

She studied the back of his head, feeling bad about her mother’s poverty and craziness without Jayden even meeting her. Every once in a while, she thought they were too different to be more than friends. Was this what the cards were trying to tell her?

“Grandmama!” he called, moving towards the sounds in the kitchen.

“She’s downstairs,” a woman’s voice returned. “Jay, you here to fix the AC?”

“Yeah.”

Adrienne entered the kitchen behind him, breathing in the scents of dinner. She missed her mother’s home cooking, too!

“Adrienne, this is my Aunt Bess,” Jayden said, motioning to the tall, slender woman at the sink. “Aunt Bess, this is Adrienne from school. I’m tutoring her.”

Aunt Bess looked her over critically. Adrienne resisted the urge to shrink back into the other room.

“AC’s in the living room,” Aunt Bess said shortly and turned around to finish washing dishes.

The cold welcome wasn’t lost on Adrienne. She looked up at Jayden, whose mood appeared to be getting worse. His eyes were on the open door leading to the backyard.

“Stay here, please,” he said, moving away.

Adrienne didn’t need Aunt Bess’s glare to encourage her to return to the living room. One of the cats had come out of hiding and was seated on a chair, watching her though gold eyes.

“Hi, kitty,” she murmured. Crossing to it, Adrienne petted it for a moment.

Her focus shifted to the old AC unit propped up by a two by four. From the stains beneath it on the carpet, it had been leaking for some time before giving out.

The oldest sibling in a household without a father, Adrienne knew a thing or two about repairing household appliances. She moved to the AC unit, needing an outlet for her nervous energy. A bottle of antifreeze was on the top, and she shook it. It was half-full.

Adrienne moved it to the floor and checked the levels. They were fine. The issue wasn’t the antifreeze. Starting with her troubleshooting, she tested different outlets before prying the jammed panel away from the controls.

Something nudged her thigh, and she saw the cat seated as close as it could get to her on the arm of a chair. Adrienne smiled and petted him.

“Sometimes the wires get crossed with the knobs,” she told the cat. “Can you fix this?”

The cat gazed at her. She imagined it was trying to think of an answer and was debating how to tell her without revealing its secret ability to talk.

“Sneaky cat.” Amused by her thoughts, Adrienne laughed quietly and returned her attention to the AC unit.

“You talkin’ to the cat?” Uncle Tommy asked, leaning in the front door.

“Just playing,” Adrienne replied. She picked up a screwdriver someone had left with a few other tools on the floor beneath the AC.

“Hey, Bessy. Lil’ girl thinks she can fix our AC!” he belted out to the woman in the kitchen.

“Maybe,” Adrienne said quickly. “Back home –”

“Well bless her heart. Didn’t know white people got their hands dirty,” Aunt Bess replied, appearing in the living room.

“My dad’s a mechanic,” Adrienne replied.

Confused by the look they exchanged, she concentrated on the AC.

Adrienne jammed the tip of the screwdriver between the back of the control panel and the body of the appliance. She shoved it in with all her strength then yanked. The back of the panel popped free, flew through the air and landed halfway across the living room. She glanced at it then surveyed the wires behind it.

“Do you have any electrical tape, Uncle Tommy?” she asked.

“I reckon.”

“There’s water damage in here.”

“Lemme see.”

She shifted out of the way. Uncle Tommy approached. Peering at the wires, he pointed to one whose plastic covering had been eaten away to expose a rusted wire.

“Yeah. And this should go here,” she said, pointing to the wire that had slipped free of the on-off knob.

“A’ight. I’ll get tape.” He moved away.

“How you know this?” Aunt Bess asked. “Daddy teach you?”

“No. They’re divorced. My mama has two of these in our house in Atlanta,” Adrienne replied. “Can’t afford new ones, so I had to figure out how to keep these working.”

“How you get into Jay’s school?”

“Scholarship.”

Aunt Bess frowned. “Jay’s daddy pays and you get in free. Figures.”

Adrienne didn’t know what to say. She shrugged and retrieved the part that had landed in the middle of the room. She wished hard that Jayden’s relatives left her alone with the cat.

Uncle Tommy returned with tape. Adrienne held out her hand for it, but he eyed her.

“I can do it,” he said curtly.

Nothing she said was going over well. Adrienne stepped aside to watch him. His hands shook as he wrapped tape around the exposed wires. She wondered if he were ill, but didn’t ask, aware of how seriously southern men took what they believed to be their manly duties. Her father was the same. He was never wrong, and when he was, he was all the more convinced he was right, unless she simply dropped the topic. Then his pride wasn’t injured, and he’d come around.

Uncle Tommy reconnected the ignition wire to the knob where it belonged. It took longer for him than it would her; he struggled to keep his hands steady enough to maneuver the pliers and wire in place.

Adrienne watched him, ready to help, prepared to earn more glares. In the end, she didn’t have to. He reconnected it then set the pliers on the top of the unit and flipped it on.

The ancient appliance roared to life with a shudder that rattled the window it hung out of.

“Look at that,” he said.

Adrienne handed him the plastic piece that covered the wires from view. He replaced it then closed up the control panel.

“Why you couldn’t do that before, Tommy?” Aunt Bess demanded. “You got your ass beat by a teenage, white girl.”

“Why you couldn’t do it before?” he snapped. “You got small hands like she does!”

Adrienne crept away. She was thrilled when the appliance worked, but suspected she’d made more of a mess than anything else. She sat down on the couch with the cat, watching the two of them argue over who was the worst sibling for not knowing how to fix the AC unit.

“Tommy, you fixed it?” Jayden called over the sound of the AC. He appeared in the doorway leading from the kitchen.

“Damn right I did,” Uncle Tommy replied.

“No you did not!” Aunt Bess countered. “Lil’ white girl did.”

“Adrienne?” Jayden asked, surprised.

“Oh, you think only a man can fix things?” Aunt Bess demanded.

“No, Bess – “

“Shut it, Jayden. Shut it both of you! If not for me and Mama you’d be out on yo ass, Tommy. And you, Jay, why you couldn’t tell me kids can get scholarships to your school? You don’t want your cousins going?”

Jayden appeared harried while Uncle Tommy grumbled and slammed the door to the porch open.

Adrienne giggled, unable to help the nervous reaction to the insanity around her.

“What you laughing at?” Aunt Bess demanded.

She ducked her head and hugged the cat.

“It’s fixed. We’re done,” Jayden announced. “You ready, Addy?”

“You ain’t taking my cat!”

Adrienne set the cat on the cushion beside her. This time, she imagined the cat silently imploring her to take it with her.

“Sorry, kitty,” she murmured, patting it one last time.

“Jayden, you fix the AC?” another voice with a heavy accent asked from the kitchen.

“Go back outside, Grandmama,” Jayden said, turning to intercept someone. “Tommy fixed it.”

Adrienne almost objected this time, hurt he didn’t want to admit she did it.

“Jay’s girlfriend did it,” Aunt Bess said.

“Jayden has a girlfriend?” the voice asked.

“Grandmama, I think –” Jayden was trying to keep the elderly woman in the kitchen.

Curious as to why, Adrienne moved closer to see.

The round woman in purple stopped pushing at her grandson when Adrienne came into view. Her eyes grew wide, and she mumbled something in French. She hurried further into the kitchen.

Jayden shook his head and turned.

“You ready?” he asked Adrienne, forcing a smile.

She nodded, though she hoped not too eagerly. Jayden rolled his eyes, and she sensed he was as stressed out by the visit as she was. He moved towards the door, where his aunt stood with crossed arms. Adrienne watched him, once again glancing at the cat.

She pitied the poor creature.

“I’ll see you soon, Aunt Bess,” Jayden told his aunt, leaning forward to kiss her.

“Zombie!” shouted his grandmother.

Adrienne barely had time to turn. Purple filled her vision, and something soft knocked her to the ground. She landed with a grunt beneath the weight of the overweight woman on top of her, soon aware of something else: the flash of a pair of poultry shears heading towards her head.

“White zombie!” Jayden’s grandmother hissed at her. “You will not take him!”

Adrienne braced herself to be killed by the crazy woman with gold teeth, too shocked to scream.

Instead, Jayden’s grandmother grabbed a handful of her hair and sliced through it, taking a piece of Adrienne’s earlobe with it.

She screamed at the hot pain.

“Grandmama!” Jayden was the first to recover.

“You will not take him!” his grandmother shouted.

Jayden pried her off of Adrienne, who felt close to fainting at the pain. She reached up and touched her ear, horrified at the blood on her fingers.

“Why did you do that?” Adrienne asked faintly.

Jayden was panting from the effort of pulling the hefty, incensed woman away.

“You brought your family’s curse into my house!” the grandmother shouted, pushing Jayden away. She rose and stuffed Adrienne’s hair in the deep pocket of her housedress.

Aunt Bess and Aunt Tommy stood a few feet away, stunned. Jayden moved between his grandmother and Adrienne.

Adrienne stood, scared but ensnared by the talk of a family curse. How did Grandmama know?

Jayden gripped her arm and kept her behind him.

“I warn you, Jayden,” his grandmother said. “I warn you!” She reached into her pocket, and Adrienne braced herself for a gun or something worse to appear.

His grandmother withdrew a vial of what looked like blood and flung it at the two of them. Adrienne gasped while Jayden muttered a curse. The liquid seeped into the white shirts of their school uniforms.

“What is this, Grandmama?” Jayden exclaimed, pulling his shirt away from his chest as the wetness spread.

“My most powerful protection spell. Made with my own blood,” she replied proudly. Her eyes settled on Adrienne. “It will kill a zombie.”

Adrienne stared down at her shirt, horrified by the thought of being covered in someone else’s blood. She held the injured earlobe, disgusted by the warm liquid trickling down her hand.

“Adrienne is not a zombie. For the last time, stop with this nonsense!” Jayden yelled. “Stop filling my mother’s head with this ridiculous voodoo shit.”

His grandmother didn’t seem to be paying attention. “The spell does nothing. Her face is the same, but she is not the zombie I saw.”

“You know what? That’s it. Adrienne is a sweet, good person. She sings like an angel – she is an angel,” Jayden snapped, pulling Adrienne towards the door. “After what you did to her, I’m never coming back, Grandmama!”

Adrienne glanced back over her shoulder, as intrigued as she was surprised and grossed out by the blood. Her ear hurt badly enough to make her feel like vomiting.

Jayden, who hated voodoo, had a powerful priestess as a grandmother. One who had recognized Adrienne and her family’s curse.

Grandmama was studying her.

Adrienne turned away, fear running through her again.

They made it outside and to the driveway when Jayden stopped to look at her. She gazed up at him, wanting to cry, but not in front of him.

“Are you okay?” he asked, the angry edge leaving his voice. His warm eyes softened. He scoured her features then took the hand covering her ear.

He didn’t seem to care that she was bloody. He pulled her hand away and grimaced.

“I am so sorry, Addy,” he said. “You must hate me.”

“No,” she replied. “Just a little freaked out.” She stopped and swallowed hard, trying to contain the tears that were forming in her eyes. Jayden hesitated then wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t expect the warm embrace or the sensations it caused. She was too aware of the heat racing through her, his scent, the strength in the body pressed to hers to enjoy the hug.

“You really think I’m an angel?” she asked.

“Without a doubt.” Jayden hugged her closer. “I can’t tell you how bad I feel. I never should’ve brought you here.”

“It’s okay, Jayden,” she said, lifting her face to see his eyes. “Your grandmama wanted to protect you.”

“That crazy old bat,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I don’t know how she could’ve done that to my angel.”

My angel. Adrienne’s pain almost disappeared at the gentle words. He meant them. She saw his sincerity in his features. For a moment, she was almost glad she’d been attacked by his crazy grandmother.

“Come on. We gotta get you to a doctor,” he said. “You have to be on your feet and ready to sing for the school tomorrow!” Jayden withdrew and took her hand, walking with her the rest of the way to the car.

Adrienne couldn’t answer. First he’d called her his angel. Now, he held her hand.

He really did like her.

If her ear didn’t hurt, this would replace the day before as the best in her life!

They got into the car. She glanced down at her bloodied shirt, uncertain which was hers and which was his grandmothers. Worse – how did she make a decent impression at school when she had to choose between a soda-stained shirt and a bloodstained one?

“You have a doctor in town or should I go to urgent care?” Jayden asked.

“Um, it’s okay. This doesn’t look that bad,” she replied.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.” She feared looking in the mirror to learn how bad it really was.

“I’m taking you somewhere. This is my fault, Adrienne. I’ll pay for it, whatever it costs.”

She flushed. She hated that he’d guessed why she didn’t want to go to the doctor.

“You don’t owe me, Jayden. It’s okay. I can take care of myself,” she said firmly.

“Look, Adrienne, I kinda know you’re probably on scholarship for a reason,” he said. “Not being mean. Just saying I care about you. If you’re hurt, let me fix it.”

“You can drop me off at the free clinic,” she said. “But I won’t let you do more.”

He frowned.

“And … maybe you can take me to that arts and crafts fair,” she said then quickly added, “If you want.”

Jayden glanced at her. “Yeah. Okay. It’s a date.”

Adrienne smiled. If her daddy had a phone, she could call her best friend from Georgia and tell her she was going on her first real date. She’d have to email instead.

“There are napkins in the glove box,” he said.

She wiped her hand on her shirt before opening it then grabbed a handful. Adrienne wadded them up and pressed them to her earlobe. Her adrenaline wore off too fast, and the injured body part began to ache badly.

Her thoughts settled as well, and she dwelled briefly on why Jayden hadn’t wanted his grandmama to meet her. Did the older woman always try to cut off the ears of people, or was there something about the white zombie that Jayden had known about when he took her there? She couldn’t think poorly of Jayden, not with how sweet he was being.

But she did wonder how his grandmother knew of the family curse on sight.

You will not take him! What did this mean? She didn’t know how to even get through Therese’s journal, let alone use magic to do anything to Jayden!

“So your grandmama is into voodoo?” she ventured.

“Unfortunately. She’s ruined the lives of all her kids with that nonsense.”

Sore topic. Adrienne said nothing, wanting him to like her. If he thought she was like his grandmama, there was no way he’d take her on a date.

She wanted to know more but didn’t ask. Clutching her ear all the way back, she was almost relieved when Jayden dropped her off in front of the free clinic. It hurt more than she was willing to tell him.

“You want me to come in?” he asked, eyeing the crumbling brick exterior doubtfully.

“No. I’ll be okay.”

“Adrienne – ”

“Jayden! I can do this.”

“I know you can. I’m just worried,” he said, his warm gaze on her.

“I’ll email when I get home. Okay?” she asked, touched that he was concerned.

“All right,” he said grudgingly.

Adrienne got out before he could insist again. She closed the door and waved with a smile, then faced the free clinic.

Ugh. She smiled until she walked in the front door and saw the overflowing waiting room. There was little more standing room than on the city bus at rush hour. Adrienne squeezed herself to the front to sign in then started to make her way back. Even with a bloodied shirt, she knew she’d wait for a few hours at least.

“You again,” a familiar woman said.

Adrienne turned to see Rene and Jax’s aunt waddling with a small stack of files to the front desk. A stethoscope was draped around her neck, and she wore red scrubs that made her round form look like an apple.

“C’mon, cinnamon rolls,” their aunt grunted. “If you walking with that much blood, can’t be that bad.”

Adrienne almost smiled, but didn’t, aware of the glares she was getting from those who had probably been waiting since noon to be seen. She maneuvered through the patient packed hallway to follow their aunt, who disappeared into a doorway.

“Rene, you and yo’ friend need to stop fighting.” The aunt was saying sternly.

Adrienne walked into the room and saw Rene on a chair near the computer, holding ice against what looked like a black eye. His blue-green eyes glowed, and dried blood was on his shirt.

Rene did a double-take, his eyes narrowing as he took in the blood on Adrienne’s shirt.

“Hop up,” his aunt directed her, patting the exam table.

Adrienne dropped her book bag by the door and obeyed.

“What’s bleedin’?”

“My ear.” Adrienne removed the wad of napkins with a grimace.

Rene’s aunt peered at it. “Cut your lobe right off. You need stitches. Wait here.” She left the room.

Adrienne met Rene’s gaze. He rose and crossed to her, resting his hands on the table on either side of her as he leaned in to see her battle wound. Adrienne’s breath caught in her throat at his nearness. Jayden smelled clean and of cologne; Rene smelled of male musk and sweat, a heady combination she found herself breathing more of.

“She got most your hair. You win at least?” he asked, leaning back.

“That’s um … kinda hard to say,” she said. “Someone attacked me with scissors. I just kinda laid there.” She reached back to feel for her hair.

“So you lost.”

“It wasn’t a real fight.”

Rene raised his eyebrows. His face was covered by two days growth of a beard, his direct gaze and heavy features rendering his appearance dangerous. He was so close, and warmth pooled at the base of her belly. She wondered what it would be like to date someone like him, if he was gentle with his girlfriends like he was tough with the rest of the world. He was a bad boy, the opposite of Jayden, and yet, she found herself attracted to him as well.

“Did you win?” she asked curiously.

“It wasn’t a real fight either.” He turned away and returned to his chair, sinking into it. “You have a fallin’ out with cheerleaders over mascara?”

She rolled her eyes. Adrienne hopped off the table and went to the mirror over the sink. She stared, dismayed. Half of her long hair had been chopped to shoulder-length. She’d have to cut the other half when she got home, or she’d look awful for her singing debut at the school.

Rene’s aunt was right about her ear lobe. Most of it was missing, and it still bled down her neck. She looked awful, covered in blood and with half her hair missing. She bit back tears.

“Some voodoo priestess attacked me,” she said at last and returned to the table. “Was worried I’d take her grandson away or something.”

“No surprise.”

Adrienne looked up, startled.

Rene shrugged.

“What does that mean?” she prodded.

“Jax said your family was cursed. She probably knew it.”

Is it that obvious to everyone? Adrienne absently rubbed the spot on her shoulder that marked the curse. It never saw the light of day and yet, somehow, everyone knew.

“She took my hair and threw blood on me,” Adrienne finished. “No chance she’s not making a voodoo doll or hex to put on me. Like I need another curse.”

Rene snorted, amused.

“It’s not funny, Rene.”

“A’ight.”

What was it with boys? Jayden took her to meet a woman who chopped off her ear and Rene thought curses were funny.

“You should learn to fight,” Rene advised.

“You know how to fight and you’re still here,” she pointed out.

“That’s different. I fought with Jax.”

“Your brother did that to you?”

“He got what he gave!” Rene shot back.

“Why were you fighting?”

“My family ain’t your business.”

“You’re not convincing me that learning to fight will help me at all,” she replied. “Doesn’t seem to do you no good.”

“I didn’t get my ear chopped off. Like I said, this was different. Always different when you fight family.”

“You do that often?” she asked quizzically. “Cuz I never fought any of my sisters.”

“You’re a girl.”

“Whatever.”

“You wanna learn, I’ll show you. You don’t, I won’t. Not my ears getting chopped off,” he said.

“Gee, thanks.”

“What he say?” his aunt demanded, walking in. She smacked Rene on the back of the head.

“I didn’t say nothing,” he growled.

“His mama moved in beside me when he was ten after his daddy ran off and his mama got sick. She don’t walk no more. Practically raised him and this is how he turn out?” his aunt complained.

Adrienne smiled.

“Wipe that smile off, cinnamon rolls. This is gonna hurt. We saving our local anesthetic for people worse off than you,” his aunt told her.

Adrienne’s smile dropped. “You serious?”

“Yep. Can’t hurt as bad as you getting cut up. You be good, and I got cookies this time.” His aunt turned and waved to her nephew, “Come hold her hand. I gotta use both of mine to sew.”

Once more, Rene appeared less than pleased at being burdened with her. He tossed his ice and crossed to the table, slapping his hand palm up on the table beside her.

Adrienne placed a hand in his, not expecting to notice the size, warmth and strength of his. Was it possible to be attracted to two guys? Sweet, dreamy Jayden and Rene, her reluctant thug of a guardian!

“What your name? You been in here twice. I’ll make you a file in case you come back,” his aunt asked. “Hold still.”

“Adrienne St. Croix.” She jerked at the sting of alcohol on her already burning ear. Rene’s aunt cleaned her up quickly then reached for the small tray containing a needle, thread and needle-nosed surgeon’s pliers.

“She look like the girl Jax dated a few years ago,” his aunt observed, pulling off the bloodied gloves and pulling on a clean pair.

“Not really,” Rene replied. “She wasn’t puny.”

“I’m not puny!” Adrienne objected.

“You should let Rene teach you to fight. He had to learn cuz his daddy was the only white man on their block. Might keep you outta here,” his aunt said and lifted the needle.

“I don’t need to – oh, god!” Adrienne’s ears burst into buzzing as agony roared through her. Tunnel vision formed, and she slumped.

“Nice,” Rene muttered.

Adrienne was vaguely aware of his arms circling her to keep her from falling off the table.

“I’m quick,” his aunt said, unconcerned.

The piercing pain made her want to throw up. True to her words, his aunt was fast and had the wound stitched within a few long seconds. Adrienne felt her wipe it down again then bandage it.

“Is she okay?” Rene asked uncertainly.

“She fine,” his aunt said. “Brighten right up when I bring in cookies.”

Adrienne forced herself out of the in-between place. She’d been attacked by a crazy priestess then almost passed out when someone tried to stitch her up. She helped raise her three younger sisters and manage her unstable mom. Of all things, she wasn’t weak, but today made her feel that way.

She drew a deep breath, pulling in Rene’s scent. He was strong and lean beneath the saggy clothing. Her ear throbbed, and his grip was solid.

He held her close until his aunt was done. His hands slid down her arms as he released her but kept one hand on her back to steady her. She rested against his chest, listening to his heartbeat and enjoying the way his warmth came through his t-shirt.

“You got even whiter,” Rene said, studying her.

Self-awareness spun through her. Did he think she was weak for almost passing out?

His eyes settled on her lips and lingered.

Was he thinking of kissing her?

Adrienne stared at him, startled but thrilled by the idea he was attracted to her. As if sensing her thought, he pulled away from her.

“It’s been a weird day,” she said. Adrienne wiped her face. She felt tired and weak. “Did you have any luck with Jax about the journal?”

“Don’t talk about it here,” Rene snapped quietly, attention shifting to the door.

“Are you walking me home again?” she asked. “Because I want my journal back.”

Rene shrugged and returned to his chair.

“Your cookies,” his aunt said, appearing in the doorway. “You feel okay?”

Adrienne nodded and accepted a sandwich bag with three cookies. They were warm to the touch, and her mouth watered. It was almost dinnertime, and her lunch salads weren’t filling her up at all.

“Go on. Rene, you walk her home. I don’t want to see her here again!”

“I had nothing to do with this!” Rene replied, standing.

“She got issues. The Lord say we take care of people with issues.”

“I don’t have issues,” Adrienne said, dismayed. She stood, wobbled and steadied herself.

“Maybe I should send more cookies. Fatten you up a little. A stiff breeze take you away.” Rene’s aunt laughed loudly.

“Thank you. Again.” Adrienne mumbled and walked out.

Did she have issues? Or at least, did she appear to have issues? Like her mother? People who saw her mother knew she’d bring drama with her, even before she opened her mouth. It was the crazed look in her eyes.

Was Adrienne turning into her?

Double ugh! She started out of the clinic, lost in her thoughts and wincing with each step that seemed to jar her sensitive ear. Judging by the last two days, she had something going on, or she wouldn’t keep finding herself at the free clinic.