Page 12 of Boss Witch

Gavin didn’t know what happened to hunters who refused to work, but based on whispers he’d heard, it wouldn’t be good. The thought of returning to the crapulent motel where he’d been making do—­so much like the other places he hadn’t called home over the past few months—­depressed the shit out of him. Before he could talk himself out of it, he dodged into Java House and bought a bottle of water so he could make use of their fine free Wi-­Fi. Gavin pulled up a few short-­term rental sites, and to his astonishment, like it was fated, he found a decent place straightaway, an over-­garage flat with a private entrance, offered at a shocking discount—­50 percent off for reserving the full month and another 10 percent since the site was running as a summer special. When he did the mental conversion from USD, he widened his eyes in shock. For this, he couldn’t rent a room back home, let alone a whole flat.

Dealing with the issue might not take that long, but he could fudge the timeline, delay the order with claims that the investigation was more complex than he’d thought initially. Normally, he’d never try to trick his superiors, but Clem made him want to stick around for a while. If he dragged it outtoolong, they would send backup, and then his father would raise blue hell over Gavin’s moral failings.

Like it’s not normal to crave connection. Permanence. Things I’m not permitted to have.

Allowing temptation to take root, he input his details and rented the flat, starting tomorrow. His motel room was paid up for a few days yet, but he didn’t mind losing those funds. Within moments of completing the transaction, he had a stream of messages telling him how to get inside, where everything was located, and advising him that he could park on the right side of the garage on the extended driveway pad.

With housing handled, a more decent place for private time with Clem, Gavin ought to stop mucking about and get to work. Reluctance weighted his feet as he chugged the last of his water and dropped the bottle in a waste bin. The moment he got serious about the work that had brought him to town, it also meant running down the clock on his stolen moments with Clem.

Outside, the day that had been muggy enough to leave him breathless—­and grateful for the abbreviated outfit she’d worn—­had cooled slightly as the sun sank. He had no enthusiasm for the task, but he decided to head for O’Reilly’s again to continue his observations. Little as he relished the chore, it was still less dispiriting than ordering takeaway and sitting in that vinyl chair until the walls closed in.

There were other bars in town, but this one seemed to be the busiest. He passed the night nursing one beer, played a random game of billiards, and didn’t sense even a whisper of magical energy. Odd, ever since his arrival, things had been eerily quiet, though the prior spikes had drawn notice from multiple hunters.But I got the call, lucky me.

Still, it was truly mystifying.

Possibly the witch had experienced a crisis of some kind, realized they were in trouble, and left town? If that were the case, other hunters in some other part of the States would pick up the trail. Eventually. But delays in communication would likely mean that Gavin could hang out here for a month and just…breathe. Enjoy the unexpected pleasure of a summer fling.

Hell. Yes.

Around midnight, he decided there was no point in loitering any longer, and the waitress was starting to give him the evil eye over his light drink order. He headed out and reveled in driving the Duc on the dark and silent roads between the bar and motel. Nighttime was a goddess to him, and it felt like he could see forever with the pavement glowing beneath the beam of his headlamp.

As he hopped off the bike and removed his helmet, his phone pinged. New message. He hoped it was Clem, but no such luck. Back home, it was six hours later, which meant his father had chosen to give him hell directly upon awakening.Story of my life.Until he left home, Gavin had never been allowed to sleep past five. He sighed at the avatar blinking on his home screen, but aggravation wouldn’t make the notification go away. Tapping the screen, he read,You should have sent your first status update by now. What’s the situation?

The elder Rhys hadn’t wanted Gavin to accept the assignment across the pond, but by then, Gavin had been desperate to get a little slack in the line. Time difference and great distance should be enough, but as soon as he saw his dad’s text, his lungs constricted, suffocating him. The old man could suck the air out of a space like nobody else.

Do you know how big this country is? It took two days to get here from Florida. I’m investigating carefully and methodically. As I’m supposed to.

Fuck, Jase must’ve sensed that Gavin experienced an emotion adjacent to happiness, and all Da’s alarm bells went off.

Don’t bollocks it up.

He ignored that charming bit of advice and sent back:It’s gone midnight here. I’m going to bed.With great effort, he restrained the urge to tell his father that he had no right to be checking up on him. Here, Gavin didn’t fall under Jason Rhys’s chain of command, exactly why he’d quietly requested the reassignment, because even the stint in Germany didn’t put him beyond his father’s clutches.

Sometimes, in his bleakest nightmares, the ones that left him shaken and sweaty, he feared he’d die before the old man, never having done a damn thing of his own free will.

Chapter 4

Sighing, Clem let go of her magic and set down the waffle maker.

Since Allegra and Dougal, Clem’s stepfather, would be arriving soon, she couldn’t dodge calls forever. Mom might need to talk to her about travel plans or something. Hopefully, she didn’t need a ride from the airport. They usually rented a car while they were in town, but she could never be sure what Allegra would do. The woman could be unpredictable.

Maybe they’re not coming after all?

“Hey, Mom,” she said, picking up on the fifth ring.

“I finally got you! Is the shop swamped?”

No, there’s a witch hunter in town, Gram is trying to set Danica up with someone while she’s dating a mundane on the down low. And I have no idea where to go from here while pretending I’ve got it all figured out already.

“It’s a busy time of year.” That wasn’t really an answer, but fortunately, Allegra had other items on her personal agenda.

“I see. I wanted to ask you—­we found the cutest cottage on a little lake, and it’s a good rate—­but I’m afraid the photos are deceptive.”

“Let me guess, you want Ethel to check the place out before you commit.” There were diviners in Florida too, but Allegra believed that nobody could match Ethel for accuracy.

And maybe Clem was biased about her coven sisters, but she had to admit Ethel was incredibly skilled. She mentally added this task to her growing list even as Allegra said, “You guessed it! I’ll send you the property listing. If I message Ethel, she might ignore me, but I know she won’t turn down a request from you.”

“I need to go see her later anyway,” Clem said. “I’ll take care of it.”

---