Page 52 of Witch's Promise

Sean managed a weak smile as he stepped inside. "Nice to see you too, Kate."

Once settled in the living room, Katelyn fixed him with a concerned stare. "Alright, spill. What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Sean ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit he'd never quite shaken. "It's been a hell of a night, Kate. There was an attack on the Reed family."

Katelyn's eyes widened. "What? When? Are they okay?"

"Last night," Sean explained, the events tumbling out in a rush. "Gabe's dad was hurt pretty bad, and they took a girl from the Wisteria coven. I've just come from talking to my father about it."

"You went to see your father?" Katelyn's voice was sharp with concern. "Sean, what were you thinking?"

Sean sighed, feeling the weight of his decisions pressing down on him. "I had to, Kate. I found evidence at the scene that pointed to my the organization. I needed answers."

“And?” Katelyn prompted him.

Sean ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit he'd never quite shaken. "It was weird, Kate. He seemed genuinely surprised to see me. And when I asked about the attack on the Reeds, he swore he had nothing to do with it."

Katelyn's eyebrows shot up. "And you believe him?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore," Sean admitted, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "He's always been a manipulative bastard, but this felt different. It was like he was actually worried about something."

"Riley," Katelyn said, her voice hard. It wasn't a question.

Sean nodded. "Yeah. Dad said he's been 'difficult to control' lately. Whatever the fuck that means."

Katelyn's lips pressed into a thin line. "I knew that slimy bastard was up to something. He's been acting strange for weeks now, skulking around and whispering with some of the newer recruits. I never trusted him, Sean. Not with your father, not with the organization, not with any of it."

The vehemence in her voice caught Sean off guard. "Whoa, Kate. I know you and Riley never got along, but this sounds personal. What aren't you telling me?"

Katelyn sighed, her hand unconsciously moving to rest on her swollen belly. "It's nothing concrete. Just a feeling. But Sean, you know as well as I do that Riley's always had his own agenda. If he's gone rogue now..."

She didn't need to finish the thought. Sean knew exactly what Riley was capable of when he put his mind to it. The memory of their last mission together, before Sean had walked away from it all, flashed through his mind. The screams, the blood, the sickening crack of bones breaking under Riley's merciless assault.

"Fuck," Sean muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face.

There was a moment of silence as they both contemplated the gravity of the situation. Then Katelyn's expression softened, turning speculative.

"So," she said, her tone deceptively casual. "You and Gabe. Together again after all these years. How's that going?"

Sean felt his chest tighten at the mention of Gabe's name. "It's not 'going' anywhere, Kate. He needed help, I was there. That's all."

Katelyn's disbelieving snort spoke volumes. "Bullshit. I know you, Sean. You don't just show up out of the blue for anyone. What's really going on?"

Sean squirmed under her scrutiny, feeling like a teenager caught in a lie. "It doesn't matter how I feel. He's clearly moved on. There's this guy on his team, Lucas. They seemed close."

"And how exactly do you know he's moved on?" Katelyn challenged. "Did you ask him? Have an actual conversation about your feelings like adults?"

Sean's silence was answer enough.

Katelyn sighed, exasperation and fondness warring in her expression. "Oh, Sean. You can't just assume things based on what you think you saw. People can be close without being together. And even if there is something between Gabe and this Lucas guy, that doesn't mean Gabe doesn't still have feelings for you."

"It doesn't matter," Sean insisted, hating how petulant he sounded. "I fucked everything up, Kate. I walked away from him, from us. I don't deserve a second chance."

"That's not for you to decide," Katelyn said firmly. "Gabe's a grown man. If he wants to give you another shot, that's his choice. But he can't make that choice if you don't talk to him."

Sean shook his head, panic rising in his chest at the thought. "I can't, Kate. What would I even say? 'Hey, sorry I freaked out about your magic and abandoned you for twenty years. Want to grab coffee?'"

"It's a start," Katelyn said with a shrug. "Look, Sean. I know you're scared. I know you think you don't deserve happiness after everything that's happened. But you can't keep punishing yourself forever."

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