Cursed Hearts (A Crossroads Novel) Read online

  “I see you met Jerry,” she said, smiling widely.

  “Don’t you mean ‘The Great Geraldo’?”

  “He’s a really nice guy. You should probably stop laughing.”

  “That’s alright. My husband lives to entertain.”

  “Sorry, Mrs. Jacobs,” Aria apologized.

  “I told you, you can call me Jessica, dear.”

  Jessica glanced at Rome who was trying desperately to compose himself. “I’ve never seen you in here before. Aren’t you Donna’s boy?”

  “Sorry,” Rome said, schooling his features and ghosting over her question. Apparently she’d known his mother. That didn’t mean he wanted to talk about it. He was just glad she didn’t press the issue and had decided to leave them to it.

  “So, what are you doing in here?”

  “Well, I gave this really nice girl a ride into town, and I realized that without me, she was kind of stranded. You haven’t seen her, have you? I could have sworn she came back here.”

  Aria smiled.

  “Thing is, I think she tricked me into going back to this really weird school with her, and I’m not sure if I’m upset about that, or impressed.”

  “I think you’re giving this girl more credit than she deserves…”

  “So you’re telling me that, on a whim, you hitched a ride from a complete stranger and let him leave you in the middle of town? Setting aside the fact that you don’t know me, and I could be like a kidnapper or something, you’re now miles from where you’re staying with no car, little to no money, and no way to get back.”

  Aria scowled at him. “I have money,” she said, “and I could use their phone. I’m not as helpless as you’re making me sound. I could call a cab, or… my father does keep an apartment here in town. I have options.”

  “I’m not saying you’re helpless, I’m just saying you should be more careful.” She looked away from him, fidgeting with a plant on the shelf. “How about I give you a ride back?”

  “I don’t know…”

  “I won’t drive so crazy? Besides, then we both get what we want.”

  “And what would that be?” she asked.

  “You get a ride back to school without having to tell your dad how you got here, and I get a second chance at not being a jerk.”

  Aria scoffed, grinning down at her shoes. “Okay. Just let me finish up here first.” She picked a few materials off the shelves before walking up to the counter. “You know,” she said, “if you’re going back to school anyways, you should probably pick up some supplies while you’re here.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be needing any of this.” Truthfully, Rome didn’t understand what half the items in this shop were, let alone what he’d use them for. “Hey,” he said, “what’s to stop someone from just walking back here and seeing all this weird stuff?”

  Mrs. Jacobs looked up from the counter, lips curled slightly as the spark of a very good secret danced in her eyes. “The lock,” she whispered, “will only turn in the hands of a witch.”

  Chapter 4

  Rome stepped out of the eclectic shop and into the darkening street, holding the door open for Ariahna. The sound of the bell faded away, replaced by the light whistling of cool air. “You know, if you’re hungry, there’s this great little diner we could hit up before heading back?” he said, fishing around in his pocket for his keys. He frowned when he came up with a quarter and a handful of lint. “…About that cab,” Rome said, peering in through his window. “That might be a good idea right about now, considering my keys are dangling from the ignition.”

  Aria glanced around the empty street before walking up behind him. It was risky, but maybe if she could get him to unlock the door, she could convince him that he really belonged at Vardel. That he was, in fact, a witch. Right now, convincing him seemed more important to her than the possibility of getting caught.

  “Here,” she said, taking his wrist and pulling him over to the door. “Make it unlock.” She slid her palm down over the back of his hand, slipping her fingers between his and curling them under the cool, black metal. “Just visualize what you want, and then focus all of your energy on making it happen.”

  Rome was stuck fixating on the simple yet intimate touch of her hand upon his. He was visualizing what he wanted, but it had nothing to do with the car, and everything to do with her. The soft glow of the streetlights danced over her ruby red hair, giving the illusion that flames were framing her face. In this moment, she seemed wild, untouchable. Like an angel, or maybe a devil, trapping him in the promise of some indescribable redemption.

  “Are you focusing?”

  “…Do you know how beautiful you are?” he whispered, stepping in close. Her fingers tightened over the back of his as they locked eyes.

  Ariahna stifled a gasp. She leaned back against the car, gazing timidly up at him. He was standing so close that the fabric of his shirt was brushing lightly against her tie, and she could feel the gentle rising of his chest against hers with each silent breath. He was making her heart pound in a slow, weighted drag. A gentle yet untamed look reflected in his eyes, captivating her and demanding recognition.

  Rome slipped his fingers under her soft curls and around the smooth skin of her neck. His thumb brushed along the edge of her jaw, sweeping up over her cheek as she stared back at him. There was something mysterious in those emerald green eyes, alluring and free; and whatever it was, it was rendering him unable to breathe.

  She stood frozen as he caressed the side of her face, enjoying the gentle warmth of his hand. He was going to kiss her. She’d known him less than a day, had barely carried on a full conversation with him, and he was going to kiss her. Was it insane that she wanted him to? No one had ever looked at her like this before, made her feel like this; like she was worthwhile, precious, something to be desired. He bent unhurriedly, leaning in slow as his breath washed over her skin. She smiled at the sensation, letting her eyes finally slip closed as his lips swept just barely over her own.

  “Hey!” Dallas shouted from the street.

  Rome exhaled slowly, trying to hold on to the faint aroma of vanilla on his lips – that near-kiss they’d almost shared before fate had seen fit to interrupt. Whatever magic that moment might have held was now gone. So why couldn’t he bring himself to pull away?

  “Is this guy bothering you?”

  Aria glared up at his shoulder blade as Dallas pushed Rome away, putting himself between them. “No,” she whispered tightly, “but you are.”

  “You again? What the hell is your problem?” Rome said.

  “You, kissing my sister, that’s my problem.”

  “Dallas, I’m not your sister. Just get back in your car and go, okay?”

  Dallas turned around with an indignant look on his face, crossing his arms over his chest. “Near enough,” he said.

  “We’re neighbors, and that’s it.”

  “Okay, now you’re just trying to hurt my feelings.”

  “If you were my brother, I would have done away with you by now for being so annoying.”

  “You’d miss me if I was gone,” he grinned.

  “Why don’t we test that theory? Leave, and I’ll let you know if I missed you or not. I can’t miss you if you’re still here. Besides, you know what they say; absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

  Dallas laughed as she tried to herd him back into his car. He wasn’t angry anymore, he was just amused. “Grow fonder?” he questioned. “Not possible. I seem to recall someone having a crush on a certain striking young man.” He smiled, gripping his jaw and tipping his head up dreamily.

  “I was ten, Dallas, and you were the only boy I knew. My choices were a bit limited.”

  “Limited, or refined?” he quipped, delighted by their familiar banter.

  “Limited,” she answered. “Definitely limited.”

  “Aria,” he said sternly, trying not to laugh at the tone of his voice. “I’m not joking around, okay? I’m older and wiser than you and I k
now what I’m talking about. So just listen to me and get in the car and I’ll give you a ride back to school.” He lifted his chin slightly, crossing his arms in a way that said, ‘and that’s the end of that’.

  He knew her too well to believe that that was really true.

  “You’ve got the older part down, but I’d rethink calling yourself wise,” she said, shaking her head with a sigh.

  Rome stifled a laugh.

  “I have a ride, okay? And regardless, don’t you think you should get your car out of the road? I know I don’t know a lot about driving, but I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.”

  Dallas pursed his lips at her, obviously trying to summon his patience – a characteristic he did not have an abundance of.

  “But my car’s shinier,” he grinned.

  The arch of her eyebrows said she was not amused.

  “Your jokes haven’t gotten any funnier.”

  “But I’ve been working on them all summer,” he chuckled. “Not that you would know. You never came to visit once. I mean, really, what gives? You practically lived at my house the last few years. And now, you don’t write, you don’t call, you’re interested in boys?”

  Rome had been leaning back against his car with his hands in his pockets, observing their behavior and looking for a chance to interrupt. Between the two of them, he couldn’t get a word in edgewise. They may not have been blood related, but one thing was for sure, they were definitely siblings. “My keys… are still locked in the car,” he said disjointedly, pointing at the window and trying to draw their attention. Dallas looked at him with a cool expression. “Right, okay.” He exhaled, scratching at his eyebrow and waiting for them to decide who’d won this little argument.

  “How about this, get in the car, or I’ll tell Richard you’ve been slumming it around town with the criminal element. I’m sure he’d just love to drag this kid’s ass in for questioning.”

  “Or,” Rome said, “you can come over here and say that shit to my face, and she can get a ride home with whoever’s left standing.”

  Dallas took a step towards Rome, smiling angrily as Aria held him back. “You know what your biggest shortcoming is?” he said. “Overconfidence. You think you’re so damn scary—untouchable, even.” He shook his head at him. “I wonder if you’ll still be making threats when I knock you flat on your back.”

  “I’d like to see you try,” Rome growled, stalking towards him slowly. Aria stepped between the two of them, holding her hands out awkwardly and forcing him to stop. They were glaring at each other over the top of her head.

  “Why don’t we just go?” she said.

  Rome pulled his eyes away from Dallas long enough to look down at her. “Are you talking to me, or him?”

  “Let me make this easy for you,” Dallas said, pulling out his phone and dialing Richard’s number. “You can go with me, or you can go with your dad, but you’re not riding with him.”

  “You’re going to tattle on me, is that it Dallas?” she asked, her eyes alight with both fear and betrayal. “That’s real mature.”

  “Victory by any means.”

  “You’re bluffing,” Rome said.

  Dallas hit the call button. “…It’s ringing.”

  Aria snatched the phone from his hand, hanging it up just as her father’s voice crackled through the speaker. “You know,” she mumbled, “sometimes, I really hate you.” She stared into his eyes for a long moment, feeling the fever of a swell of emotions rising under her skin.

  “Fine,” she said, waving her arm angrily at Rome’s car. The locks jumped in response. She bowed her head, resisting the urge to turn and look back at the boy who’d almost given her her very first kiss.

  There was no point, she thought.

  Life was too short to spare time for regrets.

  Chapter 5

  Ariahna sat in Dallas’s car, seething silently and glaring out the window. They’d left Rome a few minutes ago, standing alone on Main Street. She didn’t even know if he was coming back; if he’d turned his car towards the highway, or continued further into town. Would he go home? Forget about everything she’d said to him? Forget about her? She had been seething before, and now she was sulking. And Dallas kept glancing at her – just quick, nervous little flicks of his eyes. It was only making her feel worse.

  “Come on,” he said. “Are you really going to try and ignore me the whole way back?” No response. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? But believe me when I say that what I did, I did for you. It’s for the best.”

  Ariahna closed her eyes slowly, biting the inside of her cheek and trying not to take the bait. She wasn’t talking to him. He’d gotten what he wanted. She was in the car, letting him take her back to school, and Rome was probably far, far away by now.

  “Did you know he was going to leave school? He doesn’t think he’s magical, or that he belongs there. I was trying to convince him to stay.”

  Dallas tightened his grip on the steering wheel, staring fixedly out at the road. “He’s bad news,” he said simply.

  “You don’t know that,” she muttered. “You don’t know him.”

  Dallas sighed. “Guys like that want one thing, okay? And it’s not a chance to sweep you off your feet and drive off into the sunset in a golden chariot. It’s not some fairytale kiss, either.”

  Aria could feel anger winning out as she turned to Dallas, her face twisted in annoyance. It felt like she was talking and he wasn’t even listening. She reached over and slapped him on the arm, hard. And it felt so good she did it again, and then again, emphasizing each blow with a curt, frustrated word. “He-was-going-to-take-me-to-dinner!” she bit out, slapping him one last time for good measure.

  Dallas mouthed the word, Ouch, as he rubbed at his arm.

  “All the more reason to thank me for saving you,” he said, feeling his joke fall flat. She slapped him again and he swerved a little, making a pained noise. “Are you trying to make me crash?” he asked. “Seriously, I think I’m going to have a bruise tomorrow.”

  She didn’t care very much right now.

  Ariahna sat there staring out the window, intent on paying more attention to the trees than Dallas. It was then that she saw headlights in the reflection of the side mirror. It was Rome, racing down the road after them – after her. He was slowing down to keep pace with Dallas’s sure and steady speed. For a teenager with a BMW, he sure did drive like a little old lady. Why he drove in the fast lane was anyone’s guess. Rome glanced over at her through his open window, letting a gentle curve play at the corner of his lips. With a single gesture, he had quelled all of her concerns. She stared after him as he raced away, smiling widely and trying to hide it as she felt the weight of Dallas’s gaze.

  “Look, you got your wish. Mr. Bad News is here to stay.” That only meant more work for him. He’d never thought the day would come when he’d have to protect her from the perils of hormonal, sex-driven boys. Dallas sighed. How did he just know he was going to become a big, annoying buzz-kill?

  They drove on in silence for a few miles, the atmosphere between them much lighter despite Dallas’s obvious disapproval. Ariahna was grinning and keeping her head turned carefully towards the window, trying not to provoke another speech with her blatant content. If she hadn’t been so focused on trying to conceal her delight, she might not have spotted the familiar silhouette of Rome and his car up in the distance.

  “Pull over,” she said, tearing her eyes away from the smoking beast. Dallas was ignoring her. “Pull over! We can’t leave him stranded.”

  “What do I look like, roadside assistance?”

  “Dallas, stop this car now, or I will stop it for you.”

  He rolled his head to the side, wordlessly conveying his irritation with a look. Ariahna huffed at him, snapping her fingers and turning his car off in the middle of the highway. The irritation on his face transformed comically into an expression of shock as he slammed on the brakes. Apparently, he hadn’t been taking that threat seriously. She took a
dvantage of his stupor, hopping out of the car and running over to the shoulder.

  The sound of Dallas’s voice was just a distant hum.

  “Rome,” she called. He was walking back the way they’d come as a thick, curling cloud of smoke billowed out from his engine.

  He bent his head at the sound of her voice.

  “Rome, where are you going?”

  “Back to town,” he sighed. “I don’t even know why I came out here. I don’t belong at that damn school, and clearly the world is trying to remind me of that.”

  Dallas twisted around in his seat, looking behind him at the road as he steered backwards in a quick squeal of tires. He stopped beside them with a lurch. “I can’t believe you turned off my car!” he complained, tossing her door open. “Get in, now. This isn’t your problem.”

  She gave him a sour expression.

  “Why don’t you let us give you a ride back? I don’t want you walking along the highway in the dark. It’s dangerous.”

  “Why do you even care?” Rome mumbled.

  Aria took a deep breath, reaching out to touch his wrist. “Because someone has to, and obviously it’s not going to be you.”

  “This is all very touching,” Dallas shouted, “but I’d like to get back sometime this century. Some of us have lives. Will you please get in the car? I’ll give him a ride if that’s what it takes. Just hurry it up.”

  Rome pulled at the strap of his bag, eyeing Dallas and his car with disdain. He was seriously considering declining the offer. He’d almost rather walk than accept help from him. He had another option, but that came with its own set of challenges.

  “Come on,” she said. “It’s late. You can always leave tomorrow if you really want, but you should probably stay for the night; at least until you can get everything all sorted out.”

  “Or, you could fix my car with your…” He waved his hand vaguely in the air, giving her a hopeful expression.

  Aria laughed quietly.

  “I’m not sure if I can. Not without knowing what’s wrong. Honestly, I don’t even know what I did to make Dallas’s car stop.”