Page 40 of With This Witch
“Don’t think I didn’t notice the convenient change of subject.”
Petra smiles at her friend before heading to her room. Daisy is like a scrying witch; she isn’t going to let this go. However, if Petra can keep her distracted with other things, maybe, just maybe, she can get through this without having to acknowledge the buzz in the air and her magic when she’s around Lachlan.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Lachlan
As much as Lachlan wants to spend every waking moment with Petra, he knows she needs time to process. Their arrangement and her staying with him is a big adjustment, and given everything she is dealing with right now, he assumes she will be better off if he isn’t hanging around all the time. Thus, in an effort to give her space, he pulls up to Declan’s home, planning to spend the afternoon here.
Declan always got the shorter end of the stick when they were younger. With Lachlan being the eldest, more attention was paid to him as the heir, and more pressure was on him to succeed. Unfortunately, this meant that Declan was often left alone and not trained to the same extent as Lachlan. As Lachlan got older and started noticing the disparities between them, he did his best to fill those gaps, especially after their mom took off with a random shapeshifter and their dad passed. They both have a great relationship with their mother now, but it was challenging for a while as they figured out their roles in the family post-Damian.
It is only with the guidance from Lachlan that Declan has been able to become the demon he is today. It’s also because of Lachlan and his position on council that Declan has his auto shop. Sometimes there are perks to having a family member in politics. Despite being more of a father figure than a brother to Declan at times, spending time with his little brother is one of his favorite things to do. And he’s thrilled to be able to do it today, even if it’s just a means of distracting himself from his new wife and what happened between them last night.
“So, how is it being a married man?” Declan asks, handing Lachlan a cold beer as they sit on opposite patio couches under the open umbrella with the heat lamps nearby. The shift to cooler weather, while not unexpected, is never one of Lachlan’s favorites. Being of the underworld, he is more accustomed to the heat and steady warmth. Declan refuses to acknowledge winter is a thing and thus insists on the patio being an all-year space. Thankfully, he finally invested in the heat lamps this year, meaning that with a warm coat and layered clothes, it’s almost tolerable to be sitting out in the cold and snow.
“It has been interesting.”
“Just interesting, huh?”
“Yep.” Lachlan takes a sip and hopes Declan won’t push further.
“Why don’t I believe that?”
Declan lifts his leg and rests his ankle on his other knee, creating a figure-four shape, as he leans back and rests his opposite arm on the back of the seat. Cocking his head, he smirks at Lachlan, waiting for Lachlan to break. When Lachlan doesn’t, Declan finally says, “I think there’s more to it than ‘interesting,’ but you’re afraid to say anything. You’re just trying to play coy so you don’t freak out over it.”
Lachlan scoffs. “First, why would I need to hide anything? Second, why do you think I would freak outifthere were something more?”
“You lie because you don’t want to have this conversation—which, too bad, it’s happening. And you’d freak out because you’ve had a thing for Petra for the last two years. You’re now married to her, and you’re trying to tell me that you aren’t freaking out over that? I don’t buy it. Spill the dragon dung already.”
It is a shame that Declan knows him so well. Though he is wrong. Lachlan is absolutely not freaking out.
Not one bit.
Okay, maybe a little bit.
“When we do see each other, we tend to watch movies or just chat about our day,” Lachlan says, doubling down on his part lie.
“And…”
Lachlan coughs. “And we may have made out last night…”
“Called it!” Declan exclaims smugly.
“You called nothing.”
“So, now, why are you freaking out?”
“I’m not freaking out,” Lachlan lies.
Declan stares at him.
Dropping his head back onto the top of his seat, Lachlan groans, giving in. “Fine. I’m worried about us getting attached and her getting hurt. Also, it’sPetra. I don’t want to let her go now that I have her. I can’t.”
“There it is,” Declan practically sings. “Took you long enough to admit it. How did you think this marriage thing was going to work out? There’s no way you two aren’t already attached. You need to discuss your feelings before you both get hurt.”
“Won’t that push her away, make her think I don’t want something more?”
“Maybe she wants something more, too. But you’ll never know where you stand or where thisthingis going unless you talk to each other.”
