Page 93 of Witch Unexpected
“Hey, I’m just telling it how it is. Rune is the artistic one with a powerful moral compass. He’s the glue, the peacemaker, and Tor…” His expression sobered. “Tor is troubled, always has been, but it got worse the past year. Aside from his issues, he’s an excellent negotiator, strategist, and a skilled fighter. Family means everything to him… At least, it used to.”
We sat in silence for long minutes.
“Eat your lunch,” Leif said. “Then we’re going dress shopping. You’ll need one for tonight.”
“Unless the dress comes with a weapon holster, I’m not wearing it.”
“No one will attack you at the Den, but there is a dress code.”
“Fine. But I’ll choose my own dress. None of this parading me around shops like a doll and making me try on shit.”
“Dammit, I had the wholePretty Womanscenario planned.” He winked at me and took a sip of his tea.
I hid my smile behind the rim of my mug.
I was beginning to like this shifter. I liked him a lot.
* * *
The black sheathdress went well with the black suede ankle boots Sloane had packed for me, and the brooch she’d given me complemented the plain design, adding a nice finishing touch.
There was no make-up in the bag, but I’d picked up eyeliner, mascara, and some lip gloss on our trip earlier. Enough to add a little finesse to my look.
Shame about my hair.
It tended to go wavy without a pair of straighteners, and I was shit at putting it up—unless it was in a messy bun. It tumbled down my back in waves. Not my favorite look, but it would have to do.
Leif waited at the bottom of the stairs in a midnight blue suit. Clean-shaven, crimson hair slicked back so his cheekbones and chiseled jaw were on display, he looked like he’d just finished shooting an ad for some expensive cologne.
I’d like to say I felt like a princess coming down to meet her prince, but that would be a lie. Dressed as he was now, it was painfully obvious he was totally out of my league, so why was he looking at me as if I was the last custard cream in the biscuit tin?
He raked me over slowly and smiled. “Now, that’s a dress that does you justice.” He took my hand as I reached him and raised it to his lips, and no, I was not blushing. He grinned and reached up to touch my hot cheeks. “Pink suits you.”
“Pfft…Whatever.” I grabbed my jacket. “Let’s go get Tor.”
* * *
The Den wasa converted farmhouse surrounded by land. The drive was long, but Leif didn’t let it get boring, pointing out city landmarks as we went and regaling me with stories about his childhood growing up with Tor and Rune.
His eyes stayed on the road ahead as he steered us out of the city and onto country roads. It was the perfect opportunity to drink in his profile. His nose had a slight bump on it, and a dimple played peekaboo in his cheek with each smile.
“Tor isnota morning person,” he said. “So, one time, when we were teens, we set an alarm to go off every ten minutes and hid it in his room. He trashed the place searching for it, then refused to speak to us for a week after. Rune baked him a lemon cake to apologize. Tor can’t resist lemon cake.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “Fuck. I didn’t realize how much I missed him.”
“Rune was out of wolf form?”
Leif rolled his lips into his mouth and sighed. “Things used to be different. We used to be different.”
The car rocked as we turned onto a dirt track leading to the farm.
“We’ll bring him home.”
“I hope so,” Leif said. “Maybe having you here with me will make a difference. Maybe seeing you will make a difference.”
He was being optimistic on that count. Seeing me wouldn’t turn a guy’s head, and it would only turn a shifter's head if I was his fated mate, which I wasn’t and wouldn’t be until the binding. No. I’d need to use my words to get him to see how selfish he was being. If Tor was the man Leif described, then he would listen. The strategist, the negotiator parts of him would hear me out, and they’d see how detrimental his actions were.
The risks of handing over his responsibility to Ulf were too high.
“We’re here,” Leif said, turning off the engine.
