Page 53 of Witch Unbound
“That’s happy hussy to you.” I swept out the door, dragging a growling Tor with me.
* * *
Numbers,so many fucking numbers glared at me from the ATM machine. “I think this thing is busted.”
Leif leaned in from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder before letting out a low whistle.
“Someone’s loaded.”
“I’m not. This is a mistake.”
He chuckled and kissed my neck. “No, Cora. It isn’t. This is Grimswood cash. An anchor payment. Charlotte was given one too.”
“What?” I stared at the numbers again. “This is mine?”
“Yep. They call it the anchor fund. Investments, stocks, and fuck knows what else. It was set up a long time ago and every anchor gets a cut. This is yours.”
I stared at the numbers again. “No one said.”
“Probably slipped their minds with all the death and destruction going on around your arrival.”
“So, they pay the anchor for…what? Giving up her right to have kids and penetrative sex?”
“I guess…” Leif said softly. “Does that upset you?”
Did it? I mean…No. Fuck it. I’d given up a lot to do this, and yeah, I’d gained stuff too, but all bets were off in a century, so…Fuck it. I’d take it. I had money. Real money. I won’t lie, images of boots slide-showed through my head. But that was a trip for another day.
I cashed out the money I needed to pay for the Christmas stuff and a little extra for my purse.
I was no longer beholden to anyone and it felt fucking awesome. Leif took my hand, and we crossed the street toward the café where Rune and Tor were ordering a slap-up lunch for us.
The bell dinged as we stepped inside. I scanned the tables and spotted Rune’s golden head and Tor’s dark one, but they weren’t alone. A silver-haired, electric-blue-eyed Sloane sat with them.
Our gazes locked and she graced me with a slow-burn smile that went straight to my core.
“We thought you might like it if Sloane was here too,” Leif said in my ear.
I tore my gaze from Sloane and looked up at him. “I do. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry Jasper isn’t here too, Cora. But we’ll do this again when he gets back, I promise.”
I liked that he saidwhen, notif, and despite the emptiness that Jasper’s absence made in my heart, I couldn’t deny the joy of having the guys and Sloane here with me. In that moment, I was certain that Jasper would be back and that everything was going to be all right.
I was so wrong.
Chapter Thirteen
Jasper had been gone for three nights.
The decorations were up, and the cabin looked amazing lit up with fairy lights. A huge tree hung with sparkling baubles occupied the spot by the bay windows, and cute, festive ornaments dotted about the atmosphere created a festive air. There was garland on the mantel and nutcrackers either side of the hearth, and I wanted nothing more than to relax and enjoy it, but Jasper still wasn’t back, and I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
I’d stepped into the kitchen to take a breather and reset my game face, but it was taking a little longer than expected. I poured a glass of water and glugged it, hoping it would settle the unease in my belly.
Had Fee sent the phoenix yet? Had Conah received it?
Would he be able to come help me?
Sloane’s throaty laughter drifted into the kitchen from the lounge. I wasn’t sure how the afternoon had turned into a deck-the-halls party, but it had. Someone had even found a bottle of whiskey for us to enjoy, and then Leif had whipped up snacks, and then…yeah, party.
