Page 101 of Love's a Witch
I never asked anyone for favors. In fact, I spent my life serving others. It felt… out of pocket, against the grain, uncomfortable—but if I wanted Sloane to stay, I needed to give her a fighting chance.
She needed Briarhaven.
As much as I needed her.
In the time since she’d come home, she’d worked her way into my heart, and now I couldn’t picture a future without her. I wanted her at my side, bossing me about. Then in my bed, with me taking control behind closed doors. I wanted Blue to join our pack, knowing how much fun he’d have living here. I wanted a chance at making a real family. Together.
Yesterday, I’d been infuriated when she refused to say the words back. Adrenaline from the crash had spiked, causing me to shout, but now I could see what I needed to do. Not only did I need to call in favors, but I also needed to show her, again, that I wasn’t going to leave her.
I needed to show Sloane that people would turn up for her.
When most people in her life had failed her, it was time for her to learn a lesson about community, about friendship, and about love. AndI was going to be the one to teach her, even if I had to shove the damn lesson down her throat and keep her tied to my damn bed for a week.
You look a little scary.
“Oh, sorry.” I gave Haggis a scratch behind his ears and smoothed out my expression. Probably shouldn’t go into Sloane’s screaming about tying her to my bed and refusing to let her leave until she understood that people who loved each other showed up for each other. Instead, I picked up the phone and clicked on Liam’s name.
“Liam, mate. Need a favor. Today.”
By the time I arrived at Sloane’s house, my plan was well in motion, and I was a warlock on the warpath. When Lyra opened the door and looked up to see my scowling face, she beamed.
“Ah yes, our knight in shining armor has arrived.”
“Where is she?”
“In her room. Packing.” Lyra moved back, letting me inside.
“Here’s a spare key to the Land Rover. Get yourselves to the pub. I’ll follow with Sloane shortly.”
“My, my.” Nova fanned her face as she stood. “I do love this alpha-male thing you’ve got going on, Knox.”
Despite myself, I smirked.
“Bring Blue with you, too, so she doesn’t worry.”
“Blue, cheese!” Nova called, and there was a clamor of noise, a curse from Sloane, and then Blue wobbled his way down the stairs, zooming heavily toward the kitchen. Nova had grabbed a container and walked toward the door. “This way, bud.”
I stomped upstairs, ready for the fight of my life.
“Knox.” Sloane held a hand to her chest when I burst through the door. “What are you doing here?”
“Saving you.”
“Damn it, Knox.” Sloane shook her head, a wistful expression on her pretty face, and folded a jumper. A worn suitcase lay on the bed, already half-full, and seeing it made fury rise inside me. “This is for the best.”
“The best for whom?” I asked, stepping close and wrenching the jumper from her hand. I tossed it on the bed, and Sloane’s mouth dropped open.
“Okay, Mr. Caveman and all that. No need to be rude.”
“You haven’t even seen me begin to be rude. You want rude? Here.” Picking up the suitcase by one hand, I upended it as Sloane gasped, furious. All of her carefully organized piles landed in a mess on the floor.
“Now you’ve crossed a line.” Sloane lifted her chin before stepping forward and reaching for the suitcase, but I held it out of reach.
“I plan to cross a lot of them. Over and over. You know what I’ve figured out, Sloane?”
“Give it back,” Sloane hissed, fury rippling across her face as she lunged for the suitcase.
“I’ve figured out that nobody ever pushes you. You’re always the one calling the shots. You’ve got everything planned, and once things get messy, you leave.”
