ELISE’S WORDS TUMBLED in Lucan’s brain as they headed out the hotel. Each revolution felt like a dagger in his gut: That was a mistake.

It hadn’t seemed like a mistake to him last night, but more like them finally acting on what they’d both wanted.

Until Marguerite showed up. And that had changed everything. He’d spent the night near her in stone form, cursing himself for letting his daughter catch them in such a compromising position. What a way to win her over—to find him kissing her aunt.

Maybe the location had been a mistake, but every other part of the encounter was branded onto his brain as right. So astronomically perfect.

Sure, they’d have to smooth things over with Marguerite, but he had no regrets on kissing her. But her—she seemed horrified this morning, like she was disgusted with herself for allowing anything to happen. But, hell, she’d been the one to initiate it.

He shook his head. Anytime he thought he understood women, they threw a new rule into the playbook.

“Do you want to go see her?” Lucan asked Elise as they exited the hotel.

He glanced at their surroundings, getting a gauge on the weather. It was a sunny morning with a few clouds off in the distance. A good morning to spend outdoors under the warmth of the sun.

She sighed. “I don’t know if she’ll be ready to talk to us, but we at least have to apologize about last night.”

Lucan nodded with a grim nod. We’re coming now, he communicated with his brothers. Where is she?

She’s walking along the harbor right now, headed toward Pedrick’s Store House.

After ending the link with his brothers, he told Elise, “She’s walking on the beach.”

As they walked toward the harbor, he stopped at a bakery. “Might as well get breakfast on the way,” he suggested.

They ordered a couple of coffees and egg sandwiches for themselves. “What would she eat?” he asked Elise. It was ridiculous that he had no idea what his daughter liked to eat, a reminder of how little he knew her—and with the way things went last night, would she want him to be in her life after that incident?

“A plain bagel with cream cheese would be great,” Elise said. “And this,” she added and picked up a bottle of orange juice.

The scent of the coffee and breakfast stirred his hunger. He sipped his black coffee as they walked to the harbor in relative silence. For that, he was grateful. He didn’t want to continue the conversation from earlier in which she dismissed everything that had happened last night with regret.

Couples held hands as they walked along the beach. That could have been Lucan and Elise, headed out for a romantic stroll.

After walking a few more minutes, he spotted Marguerite wading along the shore.

He pointed. “I see her.” He broke into a jog, jolting coffee from the top of the cup and then paused before scalding them both.

“Don’t run,” Elise said. “It will just make her run.”

That made sense. She’d think they were chasing her, which technically they were.

“Fine. We’ll walk quickly.”

He quickened the pace over the sand and Elise hastened to keep up.

“What should we say?” he asked her. “You know her better than I do.”

She pursed her lips and stared down at the sand before bringing her gaze back to Marguerite ahead of them. “We’ll just have to tell her that we were swept up in the moment, but it won’t happen again.”

Those words twisted the dagger deeper in his gut, aiming up to his heart.

Fuck. If Elise didn’t want anything to do with him, he’d back off. After all, it was better for all of them that way, right? Keeping things simpler instead of tangling the web.

Fine, he could do that. He stared at the sand, resisting the urge to kick some.

Once he was away from Elise, he’d learn to forget her. And why not? He had many women come in and out of his life, there was no need to fixate on one. Especially now that he finally had the freedom he’d so longed for. It was foolish to think of pinning an anchor on his feet when all he wanted to do was fly.

As they closed the distance, Marguerite stopped and turned. She must’ve sensed them approach.

“Are you following me?” she barked.

Damn. He straightened, unprepared for her to snap that way.

“Marguerite, we need to talk,” Elise said.

Right. He should say something, too. Something fatherly. He raised the bag and smiled. “We got you a bagel.”

She looked at him like he was a creepy crustacean that had slithered onto the sand, but took the bag. He resisted closing his eyes and cursing himself.

“Come on. Let’s sit over at that picnic table and eat,” Elise said.

Yes, she should take the lead in this situation. He’d follow it instead of being the creep who attempted to seduce her aunt and then smooth it over with breakfast goods.

Marguerite didn’t say anything, but she did go over to the table. She sat on a bench, pulled out her bagel, and then started eating. He and Elise sat on the other side of the bench. He handed her an egg sandwich, which still held some of its warmth, and he took one for himself. Marguerite didn’t look at them. She kept her eyes fixed out to the sea. When a bold seagull approached, she tossed it a piece of her bagel. Lucan opened his mouth to tell her not to feed the scavengers, but snapped it shut. It wasn’t the time for a lecture.

Lucan glanced over at Elise. She took a bite of her sandwich. Damn, wasn’t she going to take the lead on this conversation? He couldn’t do it—he’d say something stupid and not even know what it was that he said wrong. He still didn’t know what had triggered her after they met the first day. With both Elise and Marguerite eating, the silence stretched on. He pulled out his sandwich and began to eat, too.

The awkward silence stretched. Pretty soon, it would go too far, headed as far as the horizon.

When he couldn’t take it any longer, he blurted out, “Last night was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

Marguerite fixed an accusatory stare at him. “I knew it.” She raised her index finger. “You just wanted to hook up with her like you did with my mom and then chuck her.”

Ah, fuck. Why did he speak? Elise had been telling him that it was a mistake, but when it came from his mouth, it sounded so much worse. No wonder Marguerite reacted that way.

“That’s not what I meant,” Lucan said.

Marguerite skewered him. “Well, what did you mean?”

Good question. How would he state it without setting her off again? He was so bad at this. Would he learn to communicate with a preteen girl whom already had it out for him?

Elise said, “What he means is that we both realized what we did last night was wrong. I’m sorry you had to see that. We got caught up in the moment, but it won’t happen again.”

Although he was grateful for her stepping in, so he wouldn’t follow up with the wrong words, he hated hearing her state those words: It won’t happen again.

What if he disagreed?

No, now he sounded crazy. One kiss with Elise had already unraveled a ball of trouble with his daughter. Time to get his head out of his ass and off his dick. He was a father. He had to learn how to behave like one.

“We came here to meet your father, so we should try to forget what happened last night and stick with that plan,” Elise said.

“It hasn’t gone well so far, has it?” Marguerite stood and tossed the remains of the bagel into her bag. “I need more time alone.”

“Marguerite, you’re not old enough to go wandering off in a new city by yourself,” Elise said. “I understand you’re upset, but you can’t just go off on your own like that.”

“Why don’t we spend the day exploring the area?” Lucan suggested.

She gave him a look that all but said, Yeah, like you were exploring my aunt last night?

“Give me an hour and we’ll meet at the hotel.” She waved her arm. “It’s not like it’s dangerous here. The 17th century is long gone. This town is full of witches. I’m not going to be persecuted for being one.” She raised a brow at him. “Or half of one.”

“True, but still,” Elise said. “It’s not just a different city, but different country.”

“I know you’re like my mother, Aunt Elise, and you feel responsible for me, but you don’t have to. I’m practically a woman.”

Elise drew her mouth into a tight line. “You’ve been out all night and all day yesterday.”

“And it was fine. If nothing happened in the dark, an hour in the morning during a beautiful day at the beach is hardly going to be dangerous.”

Lucan resisted grunting. His daughter was stubborn, for sure. Perhaps there were no evident threats at the moment, but as a gargoyle shifter, he’d never let down his guard. That’s when danger arrived—when it was least expected.

Elise exhaled from her nostrils. “Fine. An hour. We’ll meet you at the front of the hotel.”

“Okay.” Marguerite turned and trudged up the beach.

Lucan watched as she walked away and then turned to Elise. “I don’t like it.”

“Why not?”

“She spends too much time alone. Is she always like this?”

“Often. Come on,” Elise said. “She agreed to meet with us after being upset over last night.”

“True.” That was progress. At least she hadn’t given him another spiteful look before departing. If she was anyone else’s daughter, he wouldn’t stand for it. But, after what she’d gone through, he had to give her some leeway.

He gave his brothers a heads up that Marguerite was out exploring again.

Sounds like she has some of her father in her, Mattias joked. All that restless energy and wanting to explore. Can never sit still.

I sat still for a good part of over a decade, he replied. I don’t plan to stay put any time soon.

But, you’re a father now, Danton said. Doesn’t that change things?

Lucan rubbed his fingers into his palms. Considering she doesn’t seem to be able to stand me, I doubt it. Although her rejection stung like he’d injected poison into his chest, it also released him of some of the new parental responsibilities that had been thrust upon him. If she didn’t want him in her life, he could be free.

Was that what he wanted? Ah, fuck. It was all too confusing. Things had changed since Elise and Marguerite had walked into his life. But, he wasn’t sure just how much it would change things going forward. Would they return to France and everyone would go back to the way things were? Or, would Marguerite want to live with him?

He pictured her scowl. Definitely not.

An awkward hour passed with Elise in which they barely spoke. When they did, it was small talk remarking on aspects of the town, weather, and other light remarks. She wanted to forget that kiss last night, but he never would.

Finally, it was time to return to the hotel. They headed back there and waited for Marguerite. Minutes stretched into a half-an-hour.

She didn’t show.

***

“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.” Elise paced before the hotel entrance. “What is going on with her lately?”

For someone who was so practical and relied upon, Elise had been making one mistake after another since coming to the U.S., both with Lucan and Marguerite. She thought she knew Marguerite well, but during this trip, that notion had been challenged more than once. Perhaps Elise had damaged Marguerite’s trust in her a bit too much last night. Hopefully it hadn’t affected their relationship in the long run.

“I’m hardly the one who can answer that question,” Lucan said. “My brothers said they lost track of her when she disappeared into the Museum Place Mall.”

Her declaration to stay away from Lucan had been a challenge at every opportunity thus far. What the heck were they going to do now? Would they search for Marguerite together again? Or would the temptation be too difficult to ignore?

She sighed. It wasn’t sensible to spend the day with him considering how that had turned out yesterday. She didn’t need his raw male sensuality gnawing at her resistance. She’d already thrown herself at him once.

Right, she was a sensible woman. She wouldn’t get wrapped up by her chaotic attraction to a dark-haired gargoyle shifter with intense eyes.

“I’m going to head back to the hotel,” she declared. “I’ll hang out in the lobby. Maybe she’ll come back.” If she remained put, there was no chance of her ending up in a horizontal position on her bed again with a hot shifter on top of her.

Lucan gave her a slow nod. “We’ll keep an eye out for her. If I find her, either I or one of my brothers will be sure to notify you.”

One of his brothers and not Lucan? Her shoulders sagged and an emptiness tugged inside her gut. Why did this fill her with such disappointment?

As he walked away and she stared at his retreating figure, the answer was vividly clear—because it wouldn’t be him.

Enough of that. She could find something to distract her. She passed a bookstore on the way and picked up a book on the history of witchcraft in Salem and one from a modern witch on garden witchery. She loved to grow herbs, vegetables, and flowers back in France. She used them often in cooking, spells, and medicinal healing. She wanted to be as self-sufficient as she could, something she’d had to learn at an early age. Since her parents didn’t pay her much attention, she learned to take care of herself.

When Marguerite was born and Elise noted Veronique’s lack of maternal skills, Elise carried on her caregiving to her niece. And, she’d been doing a pretty good job as a sort of single parent.

Until now.

She sighed and turned toward the hotel. Maybe she wasn’t able to raise Marguerite any longer on her own. Sure, they had the extended family outside of the coven, but when it came down to their family circle, it was the two of them. Maybe Marguerite needed more.

A father figure, perhaps?

Or, her actual father.

Once in the lobby, Elise stopped by her room with the scant hope that Marguerite had returned. No such luck. But, the glimpse of the unmade bed reminded her of the heat between her and Lucan last night. Her cheeks warmed at the vivid memory of the flames he’d stoked inside her before they’d reached the room. She quickly rearranged the bedding as if trying to erase signs of her indiscretion, and then closed the door and returned to the lobby.

Plopping down into a comfortable chair with a view of the entrance so she could see those who were coming and going, Elise opened her book. She spent the next hour or so reading, glancing up whenever she heard someone entering.

After a few hours, she’d had enough of waiting. She left a note in the room indicating where she was headed and left the address of the restaurant where she planned to eat that night.

Elise headed back into town and kept an eye out for Marguerite and Lucan as well as any gargoyle statues that might be inconspicuously mounted on any buildings.

Although the sandwich she’d ordered at a local pub tasted fine, dining alone left her too much time to think. She glanced at other couples at the bar, having a great time over a drink. Would she ever have an easygoing relationship like that?

Not if she messed around with the wrong men.

Her thoughts vacillated between worrying about Marguerite and daydreaming about Lucan.

I wish it was you.

Those words replayed in her head far too many times since yesterday. Perhaps she was a fool for fixating on them. Even though she meant what she’d said in how they’d never have had Marguerite, she couldn’t help entertaining a fantasy about them being together.

What if it had been her who had gotten pregnant by him, instead of Veronique? She certainly wouldn’t have gone off the deep end the way that her sister had. And, she would have let him know about his child.

Well, she could dwell on the what ifs all night, but it didn’t change a damn thing. She couldn’t rewrite the past and she sure as hell couldn’t anticipate the future, not when she couldn’t predict the next five minutes with the way this trip had turned out. But, maybe she could smooth things over with Marguerite and turn it around, so she could at least have a civil relationship with her father.

Once she and Marguerite returned to France, they’d likely have minimal contact anyway.

Since Elise couldn’t figure out the near future, she might have to be more flexible to a number of possibilities.

After dinner, Elise returned to the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall, where she’d strolled with Lucan. She wasn’t ready to head back to the hotel where she’d spent far too much time today. Marguerite likely hadn’t returned, or if she had, she hadn’t wanted to join Elise at the restaurant. Oh well, they’d patch things up eventually.

She hoped.

When she returned to her room, she pulled out her pajamas and toiletries and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

A loud knock on the door startled her.

“It’s me, Lucan.”

Her heart sashayed. What did this mean with him coming here?

She glanced in the mirror to ensure she was presentable and caught the excited glimmer in her eyes and flushed cheeks that practically screamed her thrill at his unexpected arrival.

After she opened the door, she said his name, hearing the excited breathlessness in her voice.

Lucan’s expression was grim, not at all the hungry, sensual one she’d anticipated.

“You need to come with me,” he declared. “She’s not safe being on her own out there tonight.”

“Why not?”

“There’s a vampire ball in Salem.”