Page 97 of Love's a Witch
“Knox,” I said.
“You can’t do this. You can’t leave. Not now. Not like this.”
“I have to go, Knox. Don’t you see?” I swept a hand out, tears blurring my vision. “This is only getting worse. We were stupid to think we could fix this. We’ve barely made any headway, and now someone is seriously hurt. How many people will have to break their faces against steering wheels before you let me go?”
“There has to be a way around this,” Knox argued, his eyes wild, burning through me. “You can’t just leave.”
“I don’t have a choice. Look at me,” I shouted, and Blue whimpered on the seat next to me. I held up my hands, still covered in Felicity’s blood. “Look at this! Her blood is, quite literally, on my hands. I don’t have a choice.”
“Please don’t go, Sloane.” Knox leaned forward until his forehead touched mine, his breath tickling my lips. “I need you. I…”
“You what?” I said, his nearness calming me despite it all.
“I love you, Sloane. If you leave, you’ll take my heart with you.”
That box of emotions cracked open inside me, my heart shattering open, and tears poured down my face. A future here now truly felt insurmountable.
“I have to go, Knox. It’s what we do. We don’t get to stay, can’t you understand?”
“Then I’ll come with. Take me with you.”
“No, Knox. Your home is here. Briarhaven needs you.”
“Forget Briarhaven, Sloane. When do I get a chance at my own happiness?”
My heart cried for him, for us, as I stared at him, frozen with the impossible choice in front of me.
But I did know one thing, now that I’d finally allowed my emotions to escape. I loved Knox, irreparably so, and I knew two things. The first? If I told him now, he’d leave everything behind and follow me to the ends of the earth. And the second? He’d never be happy if he did so.
Raven appeared behind Knox.
“Emergency meeting of the Charms. At your house. I’m coming with you.” Raven slid into the back seat, ignoring Knox, and I looked up at him, helpless.
“I have to go.” And I didn’t mean just because the Charms had called a meeting.
He knew it, and I knew it.
“Coward.” Knox turned and spat on the street behind us before storming away, the snow swallowing him up as he went. Blue whimpered after him, and I slammed the door, agony rippling through me.
“There’s time to deal with that later, Sloane. Pack it away,” Raven ordered, and I nodded, my hands gripping the wheel.
“Is she going to make it?” I asked, starting the car and easing it past the squad cars that had blocked off the accident scene.
“I believe so.”
“You’re not just saying that?” I shot a glance in the rearview mirror to see Raven sitting, her head thrown back, eyes closed, all color drained from her face.
“No, I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“I need to leave, don’t I?”
Silence greeted me, but that was all I needed to hear. I know Raven didn’t want to be the one to say it, to send me packing, but I also knew her code of “first do no harm” as a healer wouldn’t allow her to encourage me to stay here any longer either.
“Understood,” I said.
I stared at the blood drying on my fingers, and my resolve tightened. I would get us home, get us through this meeting, and then I was packing my sisters up and leaving town. We’d been happy enough traveling the world before, and we’d figure it out again. I wouldn’t allow anyone to die because the MacGregors simply wanted an easier life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENSloane
