Spells Trouble, Kristin Cast [books to read in a lifetime .TXT] 📗

a few,” Kirk mumbled against the top of Mercy’s head before backing away and jogging toward the field.

Mercy let out a tiny squeal as she took Hunter’s hand in hers and swung it back and forth. “I told you he’d be cool with the spell. He really is awesome, right?” She sighed and watched Kirk wave at the group before he turned his attention to Coach Jamison.

Jax crossed his arms over his chest. “He really is a dick.”

Hunter hiccupped back a laugh as Mercy sucked in a breath and halted her excited arm swinging.

Jax’s mouth opened and closed like a suffocating fish’s.

“You’re a dick!” Mercy fired back.

Hunter squeezed Mercy’s hand and bit her cheeks to stifle another chuckle.

Mercy dropped Hunter’s hand and clamped her own to her waist. “Your friend is being an asshole because Kirk called him out about dropping those balls in practice.”

With a huff, Jax threw up his hands. “It was one ball. And that’s not why your boyfriend is a—”

“You’re just jealous,” Mercy spat.

“I wouldn’t be jealous of Kirk Whitfield if he got drafted to the Bears.”

Hunter’s hand flew to her pendant. This was it. Whatever Jax had heard about Mercy had something to do with Kirk. It had to. Jax would give almost anything to play for the Bears and would be salty for years if one of his friends got to live out his dream.

Mercy leaned forward. Her hair slipped from her shoulders. “Then what is it, Jax? What’s your problem with my boyfriend?”

Jax sucked in his bottom lip. His Adam’s apple bobbed just above the padded collar of his practice jersey.

“Jax.” Hunter bit the tip of her fingernail. “You can’t clam up now.”

“He told everyone, Mercy.” Jax clasped his hands together. Color drained from his knuckles with each passing second. “The whole team. He told them everything.”

Now Hunter was the fish. Her mouth bobbed open and closed as she struggled to put the pieces together.

Mercy took a step back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shook her hair away from her face and dug her teeth into her bottom lip.

Jax’s gaze fell to his feet. “The blowjob and the…” He brushed the pegs of his cleats against the gravel. “Other stuff.” His dark eyes lifted. “Everyone knows, Mercy.”

Mercy wrapped her arms around her core. She squeezed her stomach as if she could keep it all in, keep herself together, if she only applied enough pressure. “No,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry.” Jax reached out. His hand hung in the air for a moment before dropping to his side.

Mercy cleared her throat. “If he told, there had to be a reason.”

Jax shook his head. “He was bragging, Mag. I swear. Big, detailed, douchebag bragging.”

“You don’t know him. Neither of you. Not the way I do.” Mercy straightened, stiffened, and held her fists down by her sides. “I’ll be at the car. Come when you’re finished with…” She narrowed her eyes and waved a hand in front of Jax. “This.” And stormed off.

Hunter started to go after her but Jax caught her hand. “I didn’t want to tell her. Not like this.”

“You did the right thing. We all know Kirk is terrible. Now she does, too.”

Jax squeezed her hand before he let go and bent to pick up his helmet.

“Mercy!” Hunter called as she jogged into the parking lot after her sister. “Wait!”

Mercy whirled around, her black hair cutting the air like a scythe. “For what, Hunter? So you can tell me more lies about my boyfriend?”

“Jax wasn’t lying.”

Mercy slumped against the nearest car, Coach Jamison’s puke green El Camino. “Kirk wouldn’t do that. Not the Kirk that I know.”

Hunter couldn’t stop picking at her fingernails. “But the Kirk you know is the same Kirk Jax knows.”

“He’s just gone through so much with his mom leaving and his dad being such an awful misogynist.” Mercy pressed her palm against her chest. “He thinks that the only way people will like him is if he pretends to be mister jock.”

“Or maybe he is mister jock and he thinks the only way you will like him is if he pretends to be someone he’s not.”

Mercy’s hand fell to her side. “There’s no way you could ever understand. You’ve never even dated anyone. You’re jealous! You and Jax and Em. You’re jealous that someone loves me and no one loves you.”

Hunter’s heart squeezed. Didn’t Mercy love her? Didn’t that count for something?

“I’m right! Kirk is sweet and loving and kind and respectful.” Mercy’s left brow lifted, and she sprang away from the car. “And I know a way to prove it,” she shouted and stormed back to the practice field.

Twenty-six

Mercy had to get her anger under control. Spellwork could be volatile—unpredictable—if the witch doing it wasn’t calm and focused, so she forced her steps to slow and shifted her concentration from how pissed off she was to how much she loved the way the fringe that hung around the hem of her short jeans skirt felt brushing against her thighs. She shook back her hair and her lips actually lifted in a small half smile as the beads on her hoop earrings jingled musically with her movements. Mercy drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was still pissed, but her mind had calmed enough to work through the angry haze that colored her thoughts.

Jax was full of shit.

But her sister’s best friend’s words haunted her. The blowjob and the … other stuff. Her cheeks went hot. Okay, so, Kirk had said something to them—or at least to Jax. But it couldn’t have been like Jax was making it out to be. It couldn’t have been bad.

Kirk’s voice seeped seductively from her memory, overpowering Jax’s stupid words. You are a goddess. My goddess. I love you. Kirk had probably just wanted to tell Jax about the amazing thing that had happened between them—had been trying to be actual, real friends with him—and Jax was making a big deal out of it. Sure, Kirk could’ve sounded kinda