Page 111 of De-Witched

She swore she felt the abrupt chill in his gaze, sliding ice into her skin.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Careful, she warned herself. “I’m just...look, if he wants you to succeed so much, why talk down to you today? Why make you do this at all?” She wet her lips. “Maybe he’s setting you up to fail—because he doesn’t want to give up being CEO.”

“Stop it.” Gabriel came forward so abruptly, it startled Rosie from her position next to Leah. His hands clenched, a storm in his eyes. That storm flared out, little green sparks flickering and flashing around him. “You don’t know what you’re saying. August has always wanted the best for me, for Melly. He’s been there my entire life, especially when my parents died. He sat with me in silence for two weeks until I was ready to talk. He helped me sort out details when I could barely breathe. He’s family.”

Leah’s heart softened. She lifted her hands in pacification. “Okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Another man, another warlock might have pounced on the vulnerability. Pointed out again that the reason for that was because she was outside his world. Maybe even use what she’d told him that evening on the balcony to cut into her.

Gabriel merely stared at her, that muscle in his jaw beating away.

The divide between them yawned. She felt every inch of it viciously. His world, she thought with a pang. It would always be his world and she would always be on the outside.

Good thing she wasn’t attached like Chuck.

“He’s always accepted me,” Gabriel said into the quiet. Her gaze flew up, found his. The green was fierce. “My entire life, he’s always been there, supporting me.”

Unlike his parents.

Leah swallowed down regret. Maybe she’d been wrong. Just because she didn’t like his uncle didn’t mean he was a bad guy. Taking a chance, she rose and went to Gabriel, tilting her head back to maintain eye contact. She slid her hand down his arm to his hand. His signet ring brushed her fingers as she linked them.

“I guess I owe him for that.” She squeezed, letting it go. She’d said her piece and it was up to him what to do with it. “Wanna make up and make out?”

Grave, he studied her. Then he cracked, lips tilting to a smile.

And everything was alright in her world.

Peggy came back five hours later to find them arguing on the couch.

“It’s irresponsible,” Gabriel said, waving a hand at the television where Simon, Duke of Hastings, was striding around and looking damn fine doing so. He’d offered to watch something she wanted after dinner. He probably regretted it now. “Just because his father was harsh does not mean he should be so petty.”

“He was hurt,” Leah argued hotly. “Admittedly, it’s not the best idea, especially now he has Daphne, but people can’t be ruled by logic alone.”

“Of course, they can.”

“Well, of course you’d think so.” Leah jabbed his chest from where she was curled up next to him. “But the rest of us aren’t robots. We feel, we act.”

“His father isn’t even around anymore to see him take his ridiculous revenge.” Gabriel shot her a superior look. “Tell me how it’s harming anyone other than himself.”

Peggy leaned on the back of the couch. “He’s got you there.”

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Leah directed at her and Peggy laughed, said good-night and drifted upstairs. When she’d gone, Leah turned back to Gabriel. “It’s not,” she said, returning to her argument. “But the point is emotion makes you a little wild. Human.”

“Impractical,” Gabriel corrected. “Life should be looked at with sensible eyes.”

How he could be so obtuse was both irritating and laughable. Leah raked her hands down her face and peeked at him through them. “You’re going to love Anthony’s season.”

“The rogue who’s infatuated with the opera singer?”

Leah sighed, swinging her legs into Gabriel’s lap. His hand went there instantly, cupping her thigh. “Trust me,” Leah said with a small shake of her head, pretending to be annoyed when what she really felt was just...happy. “You’ll love him.”

They both turned back to the TV, while underneath, Ralph’s unblinking eyes watched them as if they were far more entertaining than any show.

The night had been a kind of dream, the sort nobody wanted to wake up from.

The day swiftly devolved into a nightmare.

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