Page 93 of Sweets and Sycamores
“I’m not letting her do anything, Brandon. It’s her choice.” And it would hurt like hell if her choice was not him. Yet it was still hers to make.
“You’re finally happy?—”
“Allie!” Dominic shouted, her name wringing a sweet pain inside his chest.
“Dom…” He avoided Brandon’s look, which, by the tone in his voice, was full of pity. Instead, he focused on the Witches, standing casually onhissidewalk, staring at the trees inhistown, threatening to gethisgirl.
“What’s up?” Allie came out in a mild jog, wiping sticky hands on her apron. Her bun was messy, untamed strands running wild around her face. Dominic’s hand itched to tug thehair safely behind her ears, but he knew that if he touched her, he would never let her go.
His jaw clenched hard, teeth grinding together as he spat, “There’s someone here to see you.” Then he jerked his head toward the window and watched her mouth open, eyes growing wide.
He couldn’t bear not knowing what was going on in her head, in her heart. The stakes were too high for him to just…wait. Yes, it was her choice, and yes, he respected it. But he couldn’t possibly stand there without a fucking clue about his future.
So Dom Read her.
His magic was not back to its fullest yet after fixing the magic on the sycamores, but it was enough to get an idea of her feelings. Genuine surprise washed over him, mixed with curiosity, and… Was that fear?
Was Allie afraid of these Witches? Had they ever done anything to her? Dominic felt his body heating, breathing faster as rage took command of his own feelings.
Allie had nothing to be afraid of as long as he was by her side. As long as he was alive, nothing and no one would get past him.
“I’ll be right back,” Allie said and reached for the doorknob.
Dom acted without thinking. He grabbed her by the wrist in a swift movement, bringing startled brown eyes to his. The rage was not targeted at her, so he inhaled for a long moment, dulling it, softening his features so she wouldn’t, gods forbid, be scaredof him.He gathered the courage needed to make this demand, to ask her to change the course of her life. For him.
It would only take one word. Or four.
“Stay.”
Allie froze. Not because of Dominic’s sudden touch. Not because his green, icy glare drilled into her like a sharp blade. But because she could see behind it, could feel that iciness melt the longer he held her hand.
“What do you mean?” she whispered.
“Stay here. With me.” His voice was loud and clear, not even remotely wobbly. The grip around her wrist tightened, and he pulled her to him, laying her hand over his heart, the frantic beats tickling her palm.
“I have to check what they want,” Allie tested him. She selfishly wanted to make sure Dom was asking her to stay here, in Sycamore Falls, not here, in the bakery. That he wanted her in his life.
He nodded once, brows furrowing deeper, creasing his handsome face.
“Go. Then come back to me.” The plea in his voice grabbed her heart with an invisible hand and squeezed it until Allie found it difficult to breathe.
Except nothing about this was difficult. Not at all. It was the easiest decision she had ever made. She rose on her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on his jaw.
“I’ll be right back.”
The sigh that followed her outside the bakery felt like a gust of wind caressing the back of her neck. Yet Allie held back her smile, knowing what she would face.Whoshe would face.
“Lydia!” At the sound of her voice, the four Witches turned to face her. The Magistra was accompanied by Freya, who looked sick to her stomach, and Marla and Aurora, the elder Witcheswho openly disliked Allie. It was an interesting choice for a party, but Lydia didn’t do anything without a reason.
“Alecsandra.” Lydia twirled the ends of her red ponytail between her fingers as she looked Allie over like she was a prize calf. “Such an…interesting choice.” Allie crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. “Sycamore Falls. New magic? I thought you didn’t like being around it.” Allie felt as though a blunt arrow punctured her throat.
“What?”
“You thought I didn’t know about your life in Green Creek? How you ran away from it?” Lydia scoffed. “It is my responsibility to know everything there is to know about a Witch who joins my coven.”
Allie straightened her spine, willing some of that initial confidence into her voice. She would not let them intimidate her.
“And you took me in knowing that.”
