Rituals (Cainsville 5)

He ran his thumb over the coffee mug handle.

"It's not," I said.

"Of course it isn't," he replied, but a little too slowly, his gaze still fixed on his mug. "It can't be."

He turned the mug. Still didn't take a sip. Just turned it. Then he straightened and took out his phone.

"We're going to need to deal with it, though," he said. "I don't have time to argue with this woman. We'll jump straight to disproving her claim th

rough a DNA analysis. That will mean you'll need to find some way to collect hers." He caught my look. "You already have it?"

I didn't answer.

"You have it, and you've sent it in." He nodded and put his phone away. "Dare I ask how you obtained it?"

"I shot her."

His lips twitched. "You..."

"She pissed me off."

He choked on a laugh. "I see."

"She really pissed me off."

"Dare I ask what she said?"

He was still smiling, but my cheeks heated, and I walked to the counter to fetch the cookies. "It doesn't matter. She pissed me off, so I shot her in the leg. It was just a graze, but I got enough blood for Lydia to send off for a DNA analysis."

His smile evaporated. "Lydia was there?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly or I'd never have shot someone in front of her. I got Lydia out after that, though, before the woman gave her story."

He relaxed. "All right, then. The DNA analysis is under way. While I doubt this woman will return to the office today, I will call Lydia with instructions. We'll also need to tell Rose immediately, should this woman attempt to contact her."

"Do you want to call Rose?"

"It is a complicated situation, as I'm sure you're aware. I'd like to tell her in person."

Seanna was the connection between Rose and Gabriel, yet to him, she was the nightmare who didn't deserve the name of mother, while Rose remembered the beloved niece whose life had gone horribly wrong. For Rose, it had been difficult to see the monster her niece had become and not want to say, "But she isn't really like that, it's the fae blood, the drugs, the alcohol..." The one person she can never say that to is Gabriel, because it trivializes his own experience.

Gabriel sipped his coffee, his gaze fixed on a spot across the kitchen.

"I have laundry I could fold," I said.

"If you're offering me time alone, just say so, Olivia. Unless your laundry is in urgent need of folding, I do not require time for myself. In fact, I'd prefer to do just about anything else right now, including laundry."

"Let's work, then."

I fetched my laptop bag from the front hall. TC followed me into the kitchen and hopped onto the table to sit in front of Gabriel. They stared at each other. It wasn't a territorial stare-down. It wasn't even TC hinting he'd like a pat. It was, I think, their version of a greeting.

I see you're back.

Yes, I am.

All right, then.

TC hopped off the table, walked to his bowl, and waited. I filled it, and by the time I was finished, Gabriel had relocated to the parlor. I sat beside him on the sofa, my back resting against his shoulder as I opened my laptop.