Page 102 of Love's a Witch
“I leave so we don’t destroy people’s lives.” Sloane tugged the handle of the suitcase, and I pulled back. We locked in the middle, Sloane pulling hard on the handle while I just held it, and Sloane’s scowl deepened.
“Aye, and you’ll destroy mine if you go.”
“Knox.” Sloane’s face softened, but I couldn’t stand to see the pity in her eyes. Instead, I bent forward and scooped her over my shoulder.
“Knox!” Sloane screeched, slapping my bum with her hand. “Put me down. This caveman routine is not hot. Not at all.”
“Lies.” I clambered down the stairs and walked us directly into the snow. She had no coat, no shoes, and likely no bra on, and I did not care.
“What the actual hell?” Sloane raged at me as I dumped her in the back seat, hit the child locks, and hopped in the driver’s seat.
“Put your seat belt on.”
“I will not.” Sloane battled with the door, her chest heaving, as she scrambled.
“Fine, I’ll do it for you.” Reaching over the seat, I shoved her back and wound the seat belt over her, all while she batted at me with her hands.
“Knock it off. I’m not going anywhere with you,” Sloane seethed.
Catching her chin with my hand, I forced her to meet my eyes.
“You will. If you care even one-tenth as much for me as I do for you, you will sit in this bloody car and keep your mouth shut until we get to where we are going.”
Sloane’s mouth worked, opening and closing, and then she slumped backward, her expression still mulish.
“And then what?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see. I’m serious, Sloane. I’m at my wits’ end with you right now, and I don’t suggest you push me any harder or you’ll just see what happens when a warlock as powerful as I am loses his ever-loving cool.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“With violence? Never. But with consequences of your own choices? Absolutely.”
Sloane gratefully fell silent, and I shifted the car into gear, trying to drive as fast as I could to the Rune & Rose before she decided to give me hell again. Bloody hell, but life with her was going to be fun. Once there, I parked on the street, as the lot was full, and disengaged the locks.
“Knox, I can’t go in there like this.” Sloane looked down at her leggings and baggy T-shirt and slippers. She was likely freezing.
“Put on my jumper.” Peeling off my coat, I handed her my jumper, and then zipped my coat back on over my long-sleeved shirt. She pulled it over her head, looking adorably rumpled in the brown jumper, and then I hopped out. Opening the door, I unbuckled her and lifted her into my arms, carrying her like a man carries his bride over the threshold. The mountain of snowfigures on the front lawn had grown to a terrifying amount, and they seemed to watch our every move as we passed.
“Will you tell me what is going on?” Sloane asked, craning her neck to hide her face from the snow.
“Nope.”
I walked us inside to a huge crowd staring at us.
“What’s happening?” Sloane asked, her body tensing against mine.
“We’re here to help break the curse.” Raven stepped forward, pointing to the cauldron hanging over the fire.
“But how?” Sloane slid to the floor and looked around at everyone.
“Everyone here has lineage back to the days of your curse. These are the founding magickal families of Briarhaven.” I swept my hand out to the room.
Sloane’s mouth dropped open, and a sheen of tears filled her luminous eyes.
“And they all came out? To help?” Sloane looked around, overcome. “I thought they hated us.”
“We hate the snow.” This was a shout from the back.
