Page 81 of Hooked on a Witch
“We aren’t. I know. I wished for more, but I’ll respect your decision to be alone. This doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. You can go.” She waved at the bathroom door.
Shit, he’d zoned, and she’d gone the wrong way interpreting. “We are.”
“What was that?” Her forehead crinkled.
“This…you and me, it’s real. I let Danny run his mouth because I needed you to be away from me for what’s coming later today. I’m sorry. It was an assholish thing to do, but I told you I’d do whatever must be done when it comes to keeping you alive.”
“So you don’t have flings with whatever girl you’re working with?”
“No. I haven’t been with anyone in a long while. That’s not saying I’m not good at anything that might be longer term. I’m not really sure how it’s done. All I know for sure is you’re not a fling. We’ve been involved in some sense ever since we met.”
She chewed her lip.
“I need to get you fixed.” He waved at the scratches. “They’ll scar if we don’t do it now.”
She touched his marred cheek. “Like this?”
He nodded. “If we wait too much longer, they’ll be permanent. You’re too beautiful to have that carving up your skin.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I’ll get Eli to do it.”
“No. I want to do it.”
“He’s a lot closer than the ocean.”
“We can go to the creek since it’s closer than the ocean. It’ll work. Any natural water source works.”
She frowned at the door.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“My father… All right, we go to the water and you do your thing, but then we have to hurry back. He got the drops of that stuff, but he hasn’t accepted healing help. He’s—”
“Like you?” he interrupted. “Sees to everyone else first?”
“They all did so much for me. I can’t stand thinking of any one of them in pain. Two of the guys almost died today.”
“It’s what they signed on to do. Give them at least that much respect.”
“You’re right. You impressed him. A lot. You did what each of us would do for each other. If there’s a way to end a fight and save the others, even if it’s our own death, not someone else’s, we’ll do it. We’re a family. You’re a part of that now.” She touched his cheek, the cool pads of her fingers sliding along his scars.
Didn’t that just give him a case of the warm and fuzzies. Family. He cleared the sudden congestion in his throat. “I’m not real sure about what it means to be a family. I know friends like Chad and Danny. I guess we’re family in a way.”
She shifted, her knee bumping his injured side. He winced.
“You’re hurt too?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s get to the water right now. Then we’ll come back and force Dad to get help.”
The second she had her shirt on he tugged her outside and toward the creek. Healing both of them took moments. She yanked up his shirt as soon as he was done to run her hand along his smoothed side, now blood free. “How does it clean you up too?”
He shrugged. “It just does. Magic.”
“Unfair. I need a shower. Let’s go back. I’ll convince Dad to get Eli to take care of him. Then I’ll shower.”
“Then I’m taking you out on the water.” He stroked her hair and ran his fingers down her spine.
“Why?”
“Today’s my last day. Official judgment comes down sometime in the next twenty-four hours. I’m sorry we didn’t come up with an answer for you on the Trident. I’ll ask Poseidon when he shows up to judge me. Not sure how I’ll get you the answer, but I’ll try to text you or something before I...”
She touched his forearm and squeezed. “It won’t be your last day. You’re a badass. Badasses don’t die.”
“I don’t want this to be over.” They were right for each other. Got the memo and on board the train. He wouldn’t fight it anymore.
