Free jinn 01 - ember by Liz Schulte

through my hair, only half listening. “When?”
    She laughed and kissed the side of my neck. “For the conference, silly.”
    I willed my cell phone to ring. If there was ever going to be a good time for Holden to interrupt, it was now, but it remained stubbornly silent. I really only had one choice. I scooped her shirt off the floor and handed it to her. “Um, we need to talk.”
    Her face fell. “You don’t want me to come, do you?”
    “It’s just—” Avoiding relationships was a better idea than being in them. Why had I done something as stupid as break my own rules? “I can’t spend any time with you. I would hate for you to get there and have to sit by yourself all day.”
    “I don’t mind. I have my Kindle packed. I will read and we can be together in the evening. Unless you don’t want me, that is.”
    “Maybe some time apart would be good.” My heart pounded. Nothing in me wanted to do this, but I had to. “You deserve someone better. I just can’t be the person that you need or deserve.”
    She stared at the floor. I couldn’t stand to look at her for any length of time knowing I was breaking her heart. “There is no conference, is there?”
    “No.”
    “And you aren’t a doctor.”
    I didn’t say anything.
    She took a deep breath. “I thought it was strange that you lived in a place like this.” Her lip curled as she looked around the room. Those accusing eyes turned back to me. “You’ve lied to me the whole time.”
    “Not about everything.” It was the only thing I could say. I didn’t want to hurt her, but she couldn’t stay and I couldn’t leave. We had no choice.
    Her gaze shifted to the bookshelf then to my fully clothed body then back to the bookshelf. Her cheeks turned pink and her eyes liquefied. “That was goodbye sex, wasn’t it?” She shook her head, a shaking hand over her mouth. “Stupid, Maggie. Stupid.”
    If it had been goodbye sex, I wasn’t aware of it. All I knew was that I’d needed her in that moment and she’d been there. But I couldn’t both smooth this over and keep her safe. I had to choose. “It’s really for the best.”
    “Do I know anything about you at all? Is Baker your real name?”
    “I’m sorry, Maggie.” I tried to take her hand, but she pulled away.
    “I can’t look at you.” She buttoned her shirt and grabbed her purse, heading for the door.
    I clutched my hand into a fist. I wanted to stop her, to explain, but I had to let her go. The sound of the door shutting reverberated in my heart. I locked it then once again collapsed in the bed, but I couldn’t sleep. I lay there with my eyes open, staring up at the ceiling. My eyebrows pulled together. If I stayed here, I was going to go crazy. I got up, showered, and left.
    Olivia was hearing voices. If I couldn’t sleep, maybe I could get to the bottom of that. There was only one place where I could get information on angels, and I hadn’t stepped foot there in over a century. They might have kicked me out once already, but I had to try. My phone buzzed. Now Holden called, just when I no longer needed the distraction.
    “Couldn’t have called me twenty minutes ago, boss?”
    “Why? What happened?”
    I pressed my hand hard against my forehead and forced a smile even though no one was there to see it. “Nothing. What do you need?”
    “We have to talk, but not at the apartment or over the phone.”
    “Okay. Where?”
    “Your house. Where is it?”
    Well, this was a first. I hesitated just a moment before giving him my address. As I rattled it off, I realized I’d never given my address to anyone—including Maggie. How in the hell had she found me? I had been so distracted and happy to see her that I hadn’t thought about why she shouldn’t have been there.
    “I’ll be there in ten—make that twenty minutes. Quintus just showed up,” Holden said.
    “And you’re going to stay to chat with the guardian?” My heart stilled. Quintus had been watching Maggie. What if he