5. Harper
“ I was just introducing myself,” Axel said smoothly, trying to placate my furious brothers.
“Why don’t you introduce yourself to the door?
” Rem suggested with a cavalier grin. Remus was normally pretty easygoing, and he gave serious golden retriever vibes when it was just us.
But he wasn’t harmless. The dangerous glint in his eyes betrayed his tendency to throw himself into the thick of things, and it complemented the cold steel of Romulus’ glare.
Rom, in contrast, was quieter but much more unpredictable. Smiles didn’t come as easily to him, and he was currently looking at Axel as if he were wondering what his insides looked like.
“Alright, alright.” Axel sighed, holding up his hands. He reached into the pocket of his jacket and dropped a business card on the counter. He glanced at me, and I glared back at him, my arm still tingling from where he had touched me.
I was gonna need to cleanse the shit out of this shirt, fuck me.
“Here’s my card. If you change your mind, give me a call. ”
“She won’t. Now get the fuck out,” Rom snarled, taking a menacing step forward. Axel and Rom stared at each other for a long moment, and I got a weird feeling that they knew each other. The moment was broken, however, as Axel blinked and reclaimed that polished, easy smile.
“Until next time,” he said softly and stepped past my brothers, slipping out the door and striding away.
As he passed, the cat hissed at him, and the raven puffed up its feathers in irritation.
Knew that guy was bad news.
Animals had a sense about stuff like that.
Once the douchebag was gone, we collectively sighed a breath of relief.
“Well. That was fucked,” I muttered, and Luna nodded, looking concerned.
“What did he want?” Rem asked, wrapping his arm around Luna’s shoulder and rubbing his fist into her hair in greeting. She made an annoyed sound and squirmed out of his grip.
“Watch the buns!” she chirped, though she was laughing.
My brother shot her a flirty smirk and winked, which was wasted on Luna.
She was as gay as the day was long. She was probably the only witch in Salem that didn’t moon after my brothers like a love-sick puppy.
Well, her and me, obviously. Even Willow tended to stare at them longingly from time to time, and I guess I understood it.
They were devastatingly attractive, though neither of them seemed interested in any of the women who propositioned them.
All they cared about was soccer and sticking their noses into my personal life, which—if I was being honest—was welcome right at this moment.
I was grateful they had walked in when they did. It was typical of them, though. They always seemed to turn up just at the right time.
“He’s starting up some church and wants my blessing.”
Romulus frowned and snatched the business card out of my hands, examining it carefully while Remus messed around with Luna’s crystals, making a mess of things, as usual.
“The Church of Seraphim...” Romulus murmured, reading the card out loud.
“Sounds like they know how to have a good time,” I scoffed, straightening a tray of obsidian rings .
Romulus flicked the card and shoved it into his pocket. “Stay away from him, you hear me? This whole thing reeks of bad news.”
I rolled my eyes. “No shit, Sherlock.”
Remus laughed, turning to face us with a big, dopey grin on his face. “Like Harper would. She can barely keep her eyes open during circle; you think she’d be able to sit through a full-blown mass without passing out?”
Romulus’ eyes twinkled with amusement, but he didn’t smile.
“We were just stopping by to let you know we’re heading out for the night. We have a game in Danvers. Though, now I think we should skip it and walk you home. I have a feeling that guy’s not done with you.”
“I’ll be fine. You can’t both skip—you guys make up two-thirds of the team’s offense.”
“Yeah, but?—”
“I’ll be fine. He’s just some suit trying to swindle his way through bureaucratic hurdles. He’s annoying, but I don’t think he’s violent,” I said, though the tingling feeling on my arm said otherwise.
Neither of my brothers looked convinced, and Luci let out a low whine in protest. I sighed.
“I have my kitty knuckles; worse comes to worse, I’ll stab him.”
Remus barked out a laugh, and suddenly, it was my turn to get nuggied .
“Atta girl!” He grinned good-naturedly, and Romulus begrudgingly conceded.
“It’ll be fine.” I grinned at them, pulling out my keys to flash my bright pink kitty knuckles.
“Famous last words, Harp,” Rom grumbled, but he dropped a kiss on my head and left with Remus, knowing that what Luna had said earlier was true.
I was cute, but I would fight.
And I would look good doing it.