Hoodoo Woman (Roxie Mathis Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

this Stack business. There was no need for you to keep him a secret. If your instincts tell you he’s kosher, that’s all I need.”
    I raised my head and gave him a look. He’d given me grief about Blake from day one. He pursed his lips as he dropped back onto the couch. “I may not like it but I’m not going to get stupid about it.” He took a drink. The blood darkened the amber liquid to tiger’s eye. “Did he give you an ultimatum?”
    “No.” I rolled to my side and rested my head on my arm. “Didn’t sound too hopeful, though.”
    “He ever talk about all that other stuff much? I think that’s his main problem.”
    “Hardly ever. I could tell he was different but I guess I just thought, I don’t know. Maybe he was maturing or something. He’s taking this teaching stuff pretty seriously.”
    “Like he’s got a newfound responsibility? Shelby says he’s pretty strict. He’s a good teacher but working with him is a lot more structured than she thought it would be.”
    I sat up. “I am a shitty girlfriend. He’s been going through all this guilt and hell, probably PTSD, and I had no idea.”
    “In all fairness, he never said anything.”
    “I’m still a shitty girlfriend.”
    “Well, yeah. What are you gonna do about it?”
    I reached for my margarita, shaking the melting ice. “Right now, nothing. He’s right, we both need some time to figure things out.”
    “You’re not banishing Stack.” It wasn’t a question and there was no reproach in his voice.
    “Nope.” I held up my glass and looked pitiful. “Make me another?”
    Leaving his own drink on the end table, Daniel made me a fresh margarita. “Why do you think he kept it from you? Whatever problems he’s having with his past?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe he was doing the same thing I was, trying to figure stuff out before talking about it.”
    “That doesn’t always work. Sometimes you need to talk shit out.”
    “I guess we should have come to Doctor Daniel for relationship counseling.” I took the drink offered and sipped. “Thank you.”
    He waved at the stereo as he returned to his seat. “What the hell is this? Why the hell is this? It’s not your usual.” He sounded like an old codger about to tell me to get off his lawn.
    “Hip hop keeps Stack away. He doesn’t like it so when I don’t want to be bothered with him I play some hip hop.”
    “Where does he go when he’s not hanging around you?”
    “I asked him once. Storm hunting mostly, but he likes to people watch, too. Sometimes he’s just sort of dormant.”
    “That is seriously weird.”
    Finally I said what I’d been thinking for hours. “Blake’s going to break up with me if I don’t banish Stack.”
    Daniel leaned forward. “Honey, you don’t know that.”
    “He equates Stack with Delia. I couldn’t make him understand they’re not the same at all.”
    “He’s not stupid. Stubborn maybe. Going through some shit of his own right now, but not stupid. He’ll come around.”
    “What if he doesn’t?”
    He moved from the couch to the floor, gesturing for me to sit beside him. I did. He said, “Then he doesn’t. I know you love him but that doesn’t mean he gets to define you. If your time together is over, you’ll mourn it and honor it and move on.”
    I leaned my head on his shoulder. “I told him once I didn’t believe in destiny and all that kind of stuff. That we make our own choices. I still believe that.”
    “Speaking as a vampire who chose not to be a monster, I’d have to agree with you there.”
    “But what do you think that means for love? People talk about how they were meant for each other, meant to be, born for each other. If I believe in making my own choice, does that mean there’s no one meant for me? It’s all just random chance and it doesn’t matter who I’m with or if I’m alone?” Oh god, that had to be the tequila talking.
    “I think we’re meant to make ourselves happy. If it means staying with one