Betrothed to My Mother’s Killer

No Way Back

The shop was empty. Dust and cobwebs, and a forgotten locked door. Completely empty. Like it had never existed.

“No—no, no, no—” I slammed my hands against the glass. “Darcy! I know you’re in there!”

People stopped and turned to the noise, staring. I didn’t care.

“PLEASE!” I shouted, banging harder. “Darcy, I need you!”

“Ruby…” Katie whispered, tugging at my sleeve. “People are watching.”

“I don’t care!”

I was about to hit the glass again, try to smash my way in if I had to, and the door popped open. I stumbled forward. Darcy stood there, looking mildly annoyed.

“Must you make a spectacle of yourself?” he sighed. “Very bad for business.”

“You weren’t here!” I choked out. “It was gone..”

“Yes, yes, dramatic entrances, very effective,” he waved a hand. “Now come in before someone sensible calls someone official.”

He pulled us inside the shop, and I stopped.

I blinked.

Shoes. Rows and rows of shoes.

Bright displays.

Soft lighting.

Not a watch in sight.

Katie leaned close. “I thought this was a watch shop…”

“So did I,” I whispered.

Darcy clapped his hands together. “Ah! One must evolve with the times.”

I didn’t care. “He’s dead,” I said, my voice breaking. “I saw it. He...he..”

The words collapsed into sobs. Covering my face with my hands. “I saw him die.”

Darcy went very still, watching me.

Then he stomped his foot, annoyed. “Oh, do stop that blubbering.”

I stared at him. “What?”

“Lying,” he said sharply. “It’s exhausting.”

“I’m not lying!” I snapped. “He was shot….there was blood….he….”

Darcy’s eyes flashed. “Alive,” he said flatly.

The word hit me like a slap. I shook my head. “No. No, I saw….”

“You saw what you understood,” Darcy cut in. “Not what it is.”

My breath caught. “How do you know that?”

He didn’t answer.

Of course, he didn’t.

Katie stepped forward, taking in his green attire. “Okay, hold on,” she said, pointing at him. “Are you...like...magic? Like a leprechaun?”

Darcy turned slowly. Looked her up and down. Then smiled.

“Well,” he said, pleased, “you’re far more observant than most humans.”

Katie lit up. “I KNEW it.”

“Careful,” he said, tapping his nose. “We prefer discreet brilliance.”

She leaned closer. “So where do you keep your gold?”

Darcy beamed. “Oh, I like her.”

Katie leaned forward and smiled a brilliant smile at him. “I like you too.”

My entire world was crashing around me….and

they were flirting??

I grabbed his sleeve. “Darcy….please….he’s dying.”

That wiped the smile off his face.

“Yes,” he said. “He is.”

The words seemed to constrict my heart.

“How long?” I whispered.

Darcy checked an invisible watch. “Minutes,” he said casually.

My stomach dropped.

“You need help,” he continued, sizing me up, my whole 5’ 4”. “You need speed. And you need something that ignores weight.”

Katie chimed in, “I don’t mind driving fast.”

He flashed Katie another smile as he reached behind the counter and pulled out a folded piece of fabric.

A blanket.

It shimmered faintly.

“Wrap him in this,” Darcy said. “And even a girl your size can carry him like air.”

Hope surged as I reached for it, but Darcy snapped it out of my grasp.

“Ah-ah. Of course. A leprechaun,” he said smoothly, “does not give gifts.”

Katie held back a grin as she answered, “Of course you don’t.”

“What do you have to trade?” Darcy asked, eyes gleaming at Katie.

“Anything,” I said instantly. “Take anything.”

Katie nodded, almost purring. “Yeah, same. Whatever you want.”

I yanked the watch from my wrist. “This—take this.”

Darcy didn’t even look at it, keeping his eyes on Katie. “No.”

“What do you mean no?!” I snapped. “You gave it to me!”

“Yes,” he said. “And I don’t want it back.”

“Then what do you want?!”

Silence.

Darcy studied Katie, as if he were waiting for something.

Then he smiled. Slow. Dangerous.

“I’ll allow it,” he said lightly. “To be worked off.”

Katie blinked. “Work it off?”

Darcy’s eyes drank in Katie as he nodded.

“Oh yes,” he said. “I do so enjoy long-term investments.”

My chest tightened. I didn’t have time for this. I grabbed the blanket from Darcy. “Fine,” I said. “Whatever it takes.”

“Good,” he said. “Because you’re already late.”

I didn’t ask anything else.

I ran.