Page 82 of The Royal Street Witch
“Semantics. Franklin has decided to move into my house.” He shakes his head, biting his bottom lip.
“He literally said he hated it there.”
“I know, right? Seems he’s hell bent on making Nicola’s life miserable. All the more reason for us to get out of here as soon as possible with him being so close by. My house in Paris is ready. Cassius is storing the things I didn’t take. We need to move quickly. Franklin even called Cassius to ensure that I’m out of town. Cassius lied for me, but soon Franklin will come calling.”
I swallow and look around my bedroom, the spells thrown about my desk, the picture of Chantal on my dresser.
“Okay. I’m hoping Chantal can run the shop—that’s if she wants to. I need to speak to her. I need to go first thing in the morning and tell her everything. My mother can find out on her own, but I owe Chantal the truth.”
“Of course you do. But enough about that for now,” he says, hands cupping my ass, forcing me to grind against him, and his mouth reaches up to kiss mine and forever is looking like a god damn dream right now.
We make love, we laugh, we plan, I sleep, he writes in his journal. I rise and dress an hour before sunrise. I draw the shades Antoine perfectly placed over every window, preparing for Bastian’s first sleep in my home.
“Go out back, through the courtyard, just in case someone’s watching,” he says, and I roll my eyes.
“Vampires can’t watch me—it will be daytime.”
“Just do it, please.”
I blink, giving in to his plea. “Yes, sir. Wish me luck that Chantal doesn’t kill me, okay?”
“She won’t. She finds me highly fuckable. She’ll understand.”
“You’re never going to forget that, aren’t you?” I kiss his nose, his cheeks, his mouth. “Sweet dreams. Don’t go through my shit. We’ll go over the house rules when I get back.” I wink and his eyebrow arches up in the most questioning, adorable way and I hate that I use words like “adorable” now.
“Hurry home, dear.” He laughs and I laugh and God, I have to kiss him again, and again, and leave him to his sleep in my room.
I GO OUT THE BACKthrough the courtyard as Bastian requested and skip down the street to Chantal’s. It’s after breakfast, so she should be awake and I pray, I pray that she will be receptive to me.
I’m in a positive mental state until I find myself actually knocking on her door. That’s when my knees start shaking and my palms run slick with sweat.
My phone rings in my back pocket and I pull it out to see Jade’s the incoming call. I ignore it, suddenly dizzy until Chantal opens the door, her hair flattened on one side from sleep, her eyes, two accusatory slits.
“Let’s talk,” I breathe, and she tightens her robe around her little waist.
“Talk? Oh, there’s lots of talk. Maybe if you answered your goddamn phone you would know! But there’s lots of talk, and your mother is going to be in on the secret soon too.”
Why is it that I feel most vulnerable standing in front of her than anyone else? She’s the closest person to me besides Bastian, and I’ve been hiding myself to protect her. If she turns her back on me, I will be broken.
“Chantal,” I say, and have no idea what to say next. If witches are talking, they can say whatever they want. They don’t control me or my decisions anymore. “I wanted to protect you. And lying to you is a betrayal I regret. But I didn’t know, I didn’t know I would fall completely in love with him.”
Her face softens as she watches my hands writhe inside of each other. She’s not used to seeing me so weak. “Get your ass in this house,” she says and widens the door. I follow her into the kitchen where she takes off her robe and silky leopard pajamas after rifling through a laundry basket. Without breaking eye contact, she pulls on a pair of shorts, bra, and a tank top.
“You fell in love with the enemy.”
“That’s exactly what Cassius said.”
“So every-fucking-body knows, huh?” Her nostrils flare and I shake my head.
“Nicola and Franklin just caught us, the night before last. I have been trying to figure out how I was going to tell you, because I couldn’t bear the thought of you hating me. There’s so much I need to tell you. What did you hear from Franklin?”
“He’s put out word that a new witch is taking your place. One that’s not in our coven. I don’t know who yet, but that’s not cool, Aster. Not fucking cool.”
“Who did you hear it from?”
She pours two cups of coffee, back turned to me as she speaks.
“Jade told me, and it won’t be long until it makes it to Aunt Violetta and Aunt Rosemary.
