Page 61 of Witch's Promise

"I don't know if we can ever truly start over," Gabe said slowly, choosing his words with care. "There's too much history between us. Too much hurt. But maybe... maybe we can start from where we are now. Build something new."

Hope flared in Sean's eyes, bright and fragile. "Yeah?"

Gabe nodded, surprising himself with the certainty in his voice. "Yeah. Because the truth is, Sean I never stopped loving you either. You were my rock, my anchor. And I guess, in some ways, you still are."

The admission felt like jumping off a cliff, exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure. But as Sean's face lit up with a joy Gabe hadn't seen in years, he knew he'd made the right choice.

"I swear, Gabe," Sean said fervently, reaching out to grasp Gabe's hand. "I won't let you down this time. Whatever it takes, however long it takes, I'll prove to you that you can trust me again."

Gabe squeezed Sean's hand, allowing himself to really feel the contact for the first time since Sean had returned. "I believe you," he said softly. "And I want you to know... now that I've found you again, I'm not letting you out of my sight. We face whatever comes next together, okay?"

Sean nodded, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Together. I like the sound of that."

For a moment, they just sat there, hands clasped, the weight of everything said and unsaid hanging between them. Then, as if by mutual agreement, they leaned towards each other. The hugwas awkward at first, both of them mindful of Sean's injuries. But as they settled into the embrace, it felt like coming home.

Gabe buried his face in the crook of Sean's neck, inhaling the familiar scent of leather and spice that he'd never quite been able to forget. He felt Sean's tears soaking into his shirt, felt his own eyes burning as years of pent-up emotion finally found release.

They stayed like that for a long time, holding each other as the stars wheeled overhead. When they finally pulled apart, Gabe felt lighter somehow, as if a burden he'd been carrying for years had finally been lifted.

But as he looked at Sean's face, saw the serious set to his jaw, Gabe knew their conversation wasn't over yet.

"There's more, isn't there?" Gabe asked, resigned but not surprised. "More to the story that you haven't told me."

Sean nodded, his expression grim. "Yeah. And it's not just you who needs to hear it. We should gather everyone - your family, your team. What I have to say affects all of you."

The ominous tone in Sean's voice sent a chill down Gabe's spine. Whatever this was, it was big. Potentially dangerous. Part of Gabe wanted to shield his loved ones from whatever new threat Sean was about to reveal. But he knew that wasn't an option. Not anymore.

"Okay," Gabe said, steeling himself for whatever came next. "Let's do this. Together."

Chapter 18

Sean

As Sean settled onto the loveseat next to Gabe, he couldn't help but marvel at the surreal turn his life had taken. Twenty-four hours ago, he'd been gearing up for another mindless underground fight. Now here he was, about to drop a bomb that could reshape Salem's entire magical community. Funny how life worked sometimes.

Sean's fingers tightened around the warm mug, the ceramic a steadying presence against the tremors he couldn't quite control. The weight of Gabe's gaze on him felt like a physical thing, equal parts comforting and terrifying. He took a deep breath, trying to center himself, to find the right words to explain the clusterfuck that was his life.

"Whenever you're ready, Sean," Gabe said softly, his voice cutting through the tense silence of the room. "We're here to listen."

"Right," Sean said, clearing his throat. "I guess I should start at the beginning. Or, well, what I thought was the beginning for a long time."

He took a sip of tea, the warmth spreading through his chest, fortifying him for what was to come. "My mother died when I was ten. Heart attack, or so my father told me. I believed himat first - I was just a kid, you know? Grieving and scared and looking for any explanation that made sense."

Sean's gaze drifted to the fireplace, the dancing flames mirroring the turmoil in his gut. "But as the years went by, things started to change. My father... he wasn't the same man anymore. Or maybe he was, and I was just finally seeing him clearly for the first time."

"What do you mean, he changed?" Emily asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

Sean let out a bitter laugh. "He got colder. More focused. Started pushing me harder in my training, talking about legacy and duty and shit that went way over my head at the time. Looking back now, I can see what he was doing. He was molding me, turning me into the perfect little soldier for his cause."

"And what cause was that?" Lucas asked, his voice sharp with suspicion.

Sean's eyes met Lucas's, understanding the other man's wariness. If their positions were reversed, he'd be just as skeptical. "An assassin's guild," he said, the words tasting like ashes in his mouth. "A whole fucking organization dedicated to taking out magical targets for the highest bidder. And dear old dad was running the show."

The revelation landed like a bomb, shock rippling through the room. Gino shot to his feet, fists clenched at his sides. "What the fuck? You're telling us your family's been killing witches for money?"

"Gino," Gabe said, his voice a warning. But Sean shook his head, waving off Gabe's attempt at intervention.

"No, it's okay," Sean said, meeting Gino's furious gaze. "You have every right to be pissed. Hell, I'm pissed. Have been for years. But yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying. My father built an empire on the blood of magic users. And he wanted me to take over someday."

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