So Tempting Read Online Free Page B

where the ways of the ancient gods have been recaptured." His eyes glittered, almost feverish.
    Oh, hell. Now he'd gone woo-woo on her. "What do you mean?" She kept her voice neutral.
    "There's no way to explain how it feels. I wish you would..." He shook his head. "Never mind. I just came to say goodbye."
    "Goodbye? Why?"
    "The Magos knows that to fully bond, we must first bid goodbye to the past, to break the chains of everything that's holding us back from realizing our full potential." His body all but vibrated with his fervor as he spoke words obviously not his.
    "Wait just a damn minute." Jace held up her hand. "What's a Magos ? What the hell have you gotten yourself into?"
    He visibly withered. "I'd hoped you'd understand and be happy for me."
    "Happy? When you're renouncing the world and joining some Satanic cult?"
    "It's not a cult."
    "Give me a break—what is it that they want you to do? Give all your worldly goods to the group? Panhandle in airports?"
    His face told her she'd lost him already. Jace forced herself to speak more calmly. "I'm sorry, Jimmy. I'm not making fun of your...friends. I just don't understand." Placing a hand on his arm, she looked straight into his eyes. "Can't you see how this sounds? I've never heard of this group. What's its name?"
    "It's sacred and cannot be spoken." The insult he felt bled through his tone. "And for your information, this is no Satanic cult. Satan is a part of Judeo-Christian folklore. The Magos is a leader, nothing more." He leaned toward her, his expression intent. "There's nothing evil about this, Jace. Mankind has given up its ancient powers in this modern world. It doesn't have to be that way. We just have to open ourselves up to reclaim what's rightfully ours. If we love ourselves, the world will be better for it."
    What bullshit, but he'd really fallen for it. "Jimmy..."
    A shadow passed over his features. "Can't you just be happy for me that I've found something solid?"
    "Have you? Or is someone taking you for a ride again?"
    "You can't believe in anything you can't touch or taste or see, can you?" His bitter laugh stung her heart. "Jace knows best. Ms. Cop-to-the-Bone can always see the evil that's at the heart of everyone's soul."
    Jace stiffened. "I don't think everyone is evil."
    "Oh, yeah? When's the last time you really trusted anyone? When did you ever open up your heart and quit looking for the sucker punch?"
    Anger ripped into her again. "Who else was going to take care of things, huh? When Mom was passed out on the couch, who made sure you had food in your belly and the rent was paid?" Her voice sharpened; she couldn't stop it. Wouldn't. "I never had time to be trusting and tender, for your information. I was all that stood between you and a foster home."
    "Oh, yeah? Well, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, ever think of that? Maybe I didn't want to have you riding my back over every little thing. Mom would have taken care of us if you'd given her half a chance."
    The pain staggered her. "You ungrateful little shit! She had lots of chances, and what did she do? Stole the money I'd saved to buy myself a prom dress and spent it on liquor. Took grocery money, hell, what I'd put away for your birthday and used it to drink away her sorrows." Chest heaving, she poked him in the sternum. "If I didn't hand the rent money direct to the landlord, she'd spend that, too. I had to work weekends for that sleazy bastard so we wouldn't be out on the street until I could make up the three months' worth of rent she threw away on liquor and lottery tickets. Don't you talk about what you don't know. All you could do was whine because you couldn't have every toy you wanted."
    His eyes were bleak and tortured. "Yeah, I'm a fuck-up, all right. Next to St. Justine, I could never measure up. And you won't ever let me forget it, will you?"
    Was that what he thought, that she took pleasure in his eternal refusal to grow up? Her hand covered a mouth that tasted of ashes. It was