“I’m already under strict orders from Knox not to blame myself, so you can stop fretting.”
A huff. “I’m your grandmother, it’s my right to fret.” The line went dead.
“Blame yourself for what?” asked Khloë, arms folded. “And what about Carla? Has she been found?”
Raini and Devon flanked the imp, looking just as worried.
Harper sighed, wanting to strangle her grandmother. Jolene could have spoken to her telepathically, but no. She’d wanted the girls to overhear the conversation so that Harper would have to tell them. Jolene didn’t want her to bottle the whole thing up. Master. Manipulator.
Devon took a single step forward. “Harper, what’s going on?”
Knowing they wouldn’t stop pestering her, Harper told them. For a long moment, there was a stunned silence.
Khloë blew out a breath. “Well, fuckadoodledoo.”
“You can’t possibly think this is your fault, Harper,” Devon said.
“I don’t,” Harper told her, returning to the sink. “And I don’t want to talk about it.”
Khloë sidled up to her. “Grams obviously wants you to.”
Harper sighed. “Look, I have another client coming in soon.”
“Not now you don’t,” said Raini.
Harper grit her teeth. “Raini —”
The succubus raised a hand. “We’re officially closing for the day. In fact, it might be best to close for a few days.”
For God’s sake. “That’s not necessary.”
“Harper, news of Carla’s condition will get around the demon community pretty fast,” Raini pointed out. “Every demon who walks through that door is going to watch you carefully and report back to their friends whatever it is they think you’re feeling. That’s if they don’t simply ask you outright and insist on talking about it. Is that how you want the rest of your day to go? Because I pointblank refuse to put you through it.”
Shit, she was so right. “I know, but —” She paused because something… something felt off. Looking into Khloë’s coffee cup, Harper saw the liquid shaking just as she felt subtle vibrations beneath her feet. “Do you feel that?”
They all exchanged looks of alarm as the framed licenses and pictures shook against the wall. The items on the desk clattered on the wood, and pieces of equipment tumbled off the counters of their stations onto the floor. The ground no longer vibrated, it tremored. Harper’s heart began to pound frantically, and her demon tensed.
“Did I ever mention how much I hate earthquakes?” groused Raini.
Devon winced as her shoulder crashed into the wall. Harper swayed, slamming her hand against the other wall for balance, while Raini and Khloë leaned against the desk for support.
Outside car alarms wailed, sirens blared, headlights flashed, and shingles tumbled off the roof and hit the sidewalk. People passing pressed themselves against the studio’s window to support their weight, hands plastered to the glass.
Harper breathed in time with each bucking tremor. The glass of the jewelry display case shattered and the items inside rattled and jangled on the shelves. Coffee was sloshing out of the cups, spilling everywhere.
Then the tremors slowed until, finally, they eased away just as suddenly as they’d began.
Tanner came racing inside, face hard. “Everyone okay?”
Harper nodded. “But there was nothing natural about that earthquake.”
Rubbing her sore shoulder, Devon declared, “That’s it! We’re getting out of here.”
“I can’t go home and just sit there,” said Harper.
Raini slipped on her jacket. “Who said anything about you going home?”
Khloë picked up the phone. “I’ll cancel the last two appointments for today and then we’ll all get the fuck out of here.”
“To go where?” asked Harper.
Devon grabbed her purse. “Where do you think?”
The human was good at bluffing; Knox would give him that. But he simply wasn’t good enough. Knox had no interest in working with liars or people who believed they could manipulate him. This was why he preferred working with his own kind. They already knew these things and, as such, didn’t waste his time with such bullshit. But in order to blend with humans, he had to work among them and —
Knox, said Tanner. Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might like to know that Harper and her friends are at the Xpress bar. They’ve been here for a few hours now and she’s… well, she’s blind drunk.
Drunk? I didn’t expect her to go drinking. But he maybe he should have done.
I don’t think anyone can ever expect anything when it comes to Harper. I have to admit, though, I didn’t think she was the kind of person who would drown their sorrows.
She’s not drowning her sorrows. She’s distracting herself because she doesn’t think she has the right to be upset.
I’m watching them from another table, since they wouldn’t let me sit with them. Do you want me to take her home?
No. Knox got to his feet. I’ll go get her myself. He quickly ended the business call, uncaring that he’d been rude. Opening his office door, Knox indicated for Levi to follow him. “Tanner just contacted me,” said Knox. “Apparently Harper —” He cut off as a she-demon rounded the corner and came to a halt in front of him.
Belinda smiled. “Oh, Knox, I was hoping to catch you.”