Page 61 of Boss Witch

Unsurprisingly, Allegra ignored that part as Clem drove away from Heart of Artichoke with a heavy foot on the gas pedal. Her mom stared out the window like she was being abducted. “Where are you taking me? Your dad will be worried!”

For once, Clem didn’t even make the usual correction and say,D-­Pop’s not my dad.Because in all honesty, she knew him better and had lived with him longer than her biological father.Maybe D-­Popismy dad.At least he was a good guy who treated Allegra like she was his entire world. And to Clem’s knowledge, he’d never cheated on Mom or broken a promise.

She spared Allegra a hard look for her overreaction. “Please, you take three-­day trips to Vegas with your coven and leave him in Florida. He’s watching TV right now or napping on the couch, so he won’t notice if you’re an hour late. Besides, you love Ethel.”

Allegra brightened immediately, settling back in her seat. “You should’ve said so sooner. How’s Percy doing?”

“Foulmouthed as ever.”

Clem kept glancing back as she sped through town, half expecting to find the lights of Gavin’s motorcycle bearing down on them. It sucked to be so scared, and her own magic rose in response to her fraying grip on her emotions.

No, no, no.

I can’t let this happen. Have to keep Mom safe.

She took one hand off the wheel and gripped Allegra’s slim fingers, joining her in the deep breathing. The streets were quiet at this hour, little traffic to slow her down. She made all the turns, glancing back every few seconds, and then as she turned onto the cul de sac that led to Ethel’s bungalow, a single bright beam shone in her rearview mirror. She’d ridden on the Ducati so many times that she recognized the roar of the engine.

He’s here. He’s found us.

Clem flattened her foot on the gas pedal and then reconsidered.This is a residential street.Trembling from head to toe, she eased off and braked when she got to the end of the road.

The bike behind didn’t make any move to pass, but it stayed with her as she parked the car. Allegra didn’t seem to realize what was happening yet. Closing her eyes, Clem steadied her nerves as best she could.

He knows. Oh fuck, he knows.

I feared this was coming. Distracting him was a stopgap at best. Time to have it out.

“When we get out of the car, walk straight into Ethel’s place,” Clem said without looking at her mother. “Don’t stop, don’t look back.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“Good. Then maybe you’ll take this seriously. Promise me, okay?”

“No! You think I’m a scatterbrain, but I won’t leave you to face trouble alone.”

Urgency spiraled through, sharpening her tone. There was no time for this. “Please, Mom. If it’s just me, I might have some chance of talking him down. Two witches will escalate the situation. Let me do this.”

Allegra glared at her for long, dangerous seconds, then she finally nodded, her eyes silently furious. “Fine.”

For once in her life, Mom listened to instructions, and as Clem swung out of the car, she rushed up the walk to Ethel’s house, leaving Clem to this personal reckoning. She turned slowly, watching Gavin pull off his helmet.

“Caught you,” he said.

***

Gavin gazed at Clem, limned in the light from the Duc’s headlamp.

He couldn’t make out her expression, but judging by the way her fists were balled up, she knew exactly who—­and what—­he was.How long has she known?Narrowing his eyes, he saw she was trembling, not with anger but fear.

What…does she think I’m going to do to her? I’m not an enforcer, I’m a hunter.

But Clem didn’t realize the distinction.

“You must think I’m rubbish at my job,” he said, because it was clear she couldn’t or wouldn’t speak first.

When he glanced over her shoulder at the woman rushing into the house behind them, she raised a fist and snarled, “Don’t even think about it.”

“That’s your mother, isn’t it? You favor her quite a bit.” He didn’t mean it to sound threatening, but she took it that way.

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