Page 66 of Boss Witch

Grandad

Gavin didn’t reply immediately.

Instead, he let the words sink in slowly. He tucked Benson back into his habitat then stripped off and went into the shower. Tonight, he didn’t adjust the temperature, just let it stream icy cold, a shock to his system after the heat of the summer night. Not more of a shock than the last twenty-­four hours. By the time some of the numbness wore off, he was shivering, and he stumbled out of the shower to scrub his face with his palms.You will have to choose.

The end of us.

For some reason, those two sentences stuck in his head, and he couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen here and what he could do to prevent it.

But how?

The order was powerful enough that Grandad lived in hiding, even twenty years later.What should I do? WhatcanI do?

Eventually, exhaustion won out, and he tumbled into bed, prepared to postpone the problem. Gavin slept poorly, his brain flooded with shadowy nightmares. It was late when he finally woke, and his whole body was sore. His father would probably say he’d already been cursed by one of the witches, but Gavin could tell it was the result of tossing and turning, sleeping with his fists clenched.

“I should eat,” he said to Benson, though he couldn’t muster much enthusiasm.

He had a few berries left, so he cut up blueberry and a bit of celery and gave it to Benson as a treat. Gavin wished he could be as excited about anything as the white mouse was to taste a bite of berry. He’d never broken up with anyone, not really, because there were only hookups in his history, but knowing she’d been using him from the start felt like knives slicing clean down to the bone.

Fuck.

Gavin had no power, no leverage, but he couldn’t walk away either. That would be the easier path for sure, but he didn’t think he could convince his old man that St. Claire was a dead end. Even if he admitted failure here and pissed him off, they’d send someone else. Someone who wouldn’t care if Clem got hurt. Bold, beautiful, valiant Clem.

She’d been ready to fight him, even if she didn’t want to, which proved witches were different than he’d been taught. Or at leastshewas. But that didn’t make sense—­that he’d randomly metoneoutlier in a world of dangerous, wicked witches. It was more probable that most witches were good people, demonized by those who benefited from their oppression.

I’ve worked for monsters my entire life. She said she doesn’t want me to be one.

“Am I a monster?” he asked Benson.

The mouse paused with his cheeks full of berries and gazed at Gavin with soulful black eyes. For some reason, the look didn’t feel like exoneration, though it struck him as sympathetic. Spinning the problem in his head, he scrambled some eggs and had just sat down to eat when someone rapped on his door. For a heartbreaking second, he let himself hope it was Clem. He threw it open with a smile trying to form, but it dropped when he saw Mina. Not that he had anything against her. She was nice, just not the woman he wanted to see right now.

Somehow, Mina’s air seemed a bit different today; she radiated nervous energy as she bounced in front of his door. “Brought you a little treat. Oh! I see you’re already eating. Well, everyone has a separate dessert stomach, am I right?”

“I do have a sweet tooth.” Belatedly, it occurred to him to worry about what she’d make of Benson, but he couldn’t think of a reason not to invite her in.

At his gesture, she swept into his apartment with a plate of delicious-­smelling croissants. “Two are chocolate, three plain.”

“Thank you for thinking of me,” he said, aware that his voice sounded strained.

Fortunately, Mina didn’t notice. There was something going on with her, but he didn’t know what. It kept her from noticing the mouse habitat in the sitting room, at least. “It’s no problem. I just buy a few extras. But if I ever bring something you don’t like, please feel free to pass. I don’t want to annoy you. I just have an uncontrollable urge to mother people.”

Is Mina a witch? Keeping tabs on me for Clem.

He stared at her, stunned into silence by the possibility. Though he didn’t sense any magic from her, he hadn’t from Clem either, until the situation caught fire. Mina could be carrying some charm to help her hide.

Why…do witches have to hide from us?

His father had made it sound like a religious mission, as if the world would crumble into fire and brimstone without the service of hunters and enforcers. Without the order.

Mina laughed nervously, evidently unnerved by his stillness. Or maybe it was because she thought he might attack her?

“Why are you staring? Am I bothering you?” she asked.

Gavin rallied quickly, offering what he hoped was a believable excuse. “No, I’m just touched by how kind you’ve been. Do you treat all your renters this well?”

She beamed, setting the plate down on the small island. “Only the ones I like. Don’t let your eggs get cold! And text me if there’s anything you’d like to eat. The kitchenette is okay for small, quick meals, but for home cooking, you need a real stove.”

“Thank you. Truly.”

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