Page 79 of The Most Wanted Witch

It meant nothing. The fuel I’d been running on all night sputtered out. I took a few steps back, making my way over to the safer area by the tea kettle as Hawk watched. So he hadn’t declared anything? I sank down onto a chair, the energy gone.

“Everything okay?” Hawk asked, his voice softer than usual, as he continued to watch me.

“Of course. I’m glad we got that cleared up is all.” Yep, things were back to normal, just the way they should be.

“Glad I could help,” he said, getting up.

I didn’t watch him as he made his way out, even as he paused by the door for a few moments. Once he finally left, I waited another twenty minutes, long enough for Hawk to be long gone, before I grabbed my jacket and headed out the back door.

I’d walked from one end of Xest to the other, searching for grouslies, when a lone man happened upon me. His anger roiled off him in waves.

I turned, staring at him. The last fight I’d had, my odds had been much worse and my mood had started off much better.

“I wouldn’t do what you’re thinking, not tonight. It won’t end well for you.” The pent-up confusion and rage of my current situation must have seeped out into my voice, because he only paused a second before walking away.

I hadn’t recognized him from the many faces of the last attack.

Actually, I hadn’t seen any of the people who’d attacked me. Not a one. Not at the factory, and not in the streets. Hawk’s words came back to me: “I don’t feel like killing more people, and I’m sure they don’t feel like getting killed.”

31

“Now what happened? Why are you refusing to look at him? He declared for you. Doesn’t that hit you anywhere warm and tingly inside? You can tell everyone else you’re not into him, but I’m not buying it. I know. I canseeit.”

The second I walked into the back room for a cup of tea, Bibbi followed me, and it was clear what was coming.

“I’m not looking at him because I’m embarrassed. I accused him of declaring for me when he didn’t.” I’d barely looked up from my desk all day. I’d actually had to remind myself to look up occasionally so that I wouldn’t seem odd.

“That doesn’t make sense. What happened?” She glanced at the door to make sure we were still alone.

I took a sip of my tea, trying to find strength to rehash this. “I accused him of declaring for me and basically overstepping, and he said he did nothing of the sort.”

My cheeks warmed just from uttering the words.

Bibbi’s mouth dropped open. “He did too. I saw it.”

“You saw an antiquated ritual.”

“Antiquated. Ritual?That’s what he said? I know what I know.” She took a step toward the door, shaking her head.

I grabbed her arm, swinging her back to me. Bibbi had one purpose burning in her eyes, and she was not making this a debacle in front of everyone. As it was, I already couldn’t look at Hawk. It was going to take days to undo the damage from last night.

“You are not saying anything. Promise me.” I hardened my tone, letting her know just how serious I was. It was still iffy whether it would work. Bibbi didn’t back down easy.

She looked at the door, as if it was taking every ounce of her control not to go walk in the office and lay all the dirty details out on the table.

“Bibbi?”

She clenched her fists. “Fine. I won’t. But for the record, I don’t care what he says. I know what he did. If he’s telling you it wasn’t a declaration, it’s probably because you look ready to run at the first sign he’s really into you.”

“He didn’t declare for me. Believe me, he’s never made any declarations of any type of wanting anything but a couple of quick grabs.” I tried to not sound disappointed or bitter. I wasn’t sure I succeeded with either.

“That is so not true.” Bibbi made it sound like she was defending Hawk’s honor. “I’m not buying it. Look at it from my perspective. I nearly begged you to tell Gillian you and Hawk had something, but you wouldn’t say a word. Just let her set herself up for a disaster.” Bibbi crossed her arms.

“What disaster? I don’t know what went down between them last night, but he was probably up there apologizing half the night.” She was starting to light the fires to my anger.

“That’s why she wasn’t at breakfast?” Her incredulous disbelief was hard to ignore.

“She said she had an early order.” Bibbi did have a point, but it was more likely they were still fighting. Gillian was the type to drag something out.

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