Page 16 of Resting Witch Face
River Blackman had no right to be that perfect. Period.
“Don’t listen to her, she’s lying. It’s been something she struggled with from a young age.” I gave him a “what can you do” widening of my peepers. “How can I do you, Mr. Blackman.” It took a herculean effort not to punch myself in the face for blurting that dumb shit out. “I mean …” After an awkward clearing of my throat, I stared at the point in his chin so I didn’t have to see his expression. “What do you want?” I barked.
Sissily snorted.
My face was on fire, and I hoped by some miracle Hecate found mercy on me and would strike me dead where I sat. River’s body rocked slightly, and my heart lodged in my throat when I thought the Goddess finally heard me and made the ground shake. That was when Sissily burst out laughing, almost busting my ear drum, and even going as far as doubling over and smacking her forehead on my upper arm. She wasn’t laughing, actually; she was screaming with laughter. My owlish gaze snapped to Blondie, and that was apparently all he needed. Throwing his head back, River Blackman guffawed, the deep from the belly sounds rolling out of him in waves.
I dumbly stared at his tilted head and the strong column of his neck.
It wasn’t Hecate granting my wish to kill me. That would’ve been merciful, indeed. River’s body was rocking because he found my idiotic word vomit hilarious. Ugh. I had half a mind to sock Sissily if she didn’t stop, too.
“You truly are the most intriguing person I have ever met, Miss Byrne,” Blondie informed me with a wide smile, but only after he stopped chortling like a hyena. “You show this tough side of you to everyone but never the sweet, endearing one. I wonder why that is?”
“The deadliest poison is also the sweetest, Mr. Blackman.” I batted my eyelashes at him before wiping all expressions from my face. “What do you want?”
His smile grew.
“Don’t take it personal, River. She’s always this awkward. Just give her some time,” Sissily piped in, and I did sock her that time. “Ouch.”
“Shut the hell up, you snake,” I hissed at her, my glare promising glue instead of shampoo next time she washed her hair. She stuck her tongue out at me because that was how we showed maturity around these here parts.
“Duly noted, Miss Stormblood.” River chuckled, shaking his head at me.
It was always strange when someone addressed Sissily by her family name. I had no idea why. Maybe because we were inseparable, and it was a shock to hear it was different than mine. Or she was friendly with everyone and they felt comfortable using her first name always, unlike me. I was the cactus to her tulip. She allowed everyone in her personal bubble to bask in her beauty and warmth, while I was only too happy to stab them with my thorns. Well, stab anyone but her, unless she didn’t stop laughing at me. If she didn’t, I could stab her in the forehead since she was close enough.
“Whatever you are thinking, no.” My best friend scooted far away from me, slicing the air between us. “Just no.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, ladies,” River started.
“Are you?” I growled at him in annoyance. “Sorry enough to go away? No? Shame, that.”
“We have a teeny tiny problem.” There was no humor left, which cast his features in dangerous territory for my stupid hormones.
“You should know all about teeny tiny, I guess.” I suppressed a groan when Sissily pinched me hard for muttering under my nose.
“What’s up?” she asked River, ignoring the death looks I was stabbing at the side of her face.
River looked left and right as if making sure no one was around before crouching, stopping only when he was eyelevel with us across the window. My heart skipped a beat having his face that close, especially when I noticed the golden flakes in his melted chocolate irises. They blinked like stars as the sun hit them through his thick, long lashes.
“I’m sure you both received the message this morning.” He didn’t need to explain which message, and we didn’t ask. “It’s in Hazel’s best interest for this to stay between us, but …” His gaze flicked through mine, and his jaw tightened. “I think this is not just other covens feeling left out when it comes to enforcing the law.”
“Oh?” Sissily sounded way too nonchalant.
I, on the other hand, found it hard to breathe.
“This is all my observation, of course, but I have a suspicion someone is trying to get rid of the Byrne bloodline. Starting with Hazel.”
“Aren’t you under ‘other covens’ too?” I couldn’t stop the words when they slipped from my lips without a conscious thought.
“I am, yes.” His peepers swirled with power when he focused on me, and there was not enough air to fill my lungs even with the window of the car open. “But as I told you a few times, I find you very intriguing. A puzzle I would love to solve. I would like to keep you around, if you don’t mind.”
His nearness made me dizzy all on its own, the scent of his cologne causing feathers to tickle the back of my throat and my belly to tighten. Adding a plot to remove me from my coven and a threat to my family, regardless of all the faults we had, poured acid in the pit of my stomach. Bile burned my windpipe, and my throat worked double-time to swallow it down.
“What do you suggest?” Sissily was all business while I struggled not to pass out.
“Not here.” River stood up, tapping the roof of my car once. “Meet me at Moon Howl café. First one there orders coffee.”
We watched him swagger away like he didn’t just drop the mother of all bombs on my head with no warning. Sissily was quiet as she stared through the windshield, and I replayed the conversation I’d overheard between Danika and River. With that in mind, what Blondie said made sense. His words, the ones he didn’t know I’d heard, aligned with his declaration that he wanted to help. I closed the window and yanked on my seatbelt, clicking it in place. Sissily did the same.
