Page 56 of The 13th Daughter
I laughed. "No, but you might have to worry about me strangling you if you don't get back in time for my birthday."
He chuckled and I felt his body relax even more. "The old ding bat is staring at us from her window."
I turned my head to stare across the lane. Ethan was right. She was watching us from her living room window. Nosy old biddy. "Hmm....should we give her something to gossip about then?"
"My, my, Miss Bishop, you have turned into a wanton little thing haven't you?" He grasped my arms and pulled me up until I could stare down into his face. "Are we having indecent thoughts again?"
"Mmmhmm." I leaned down and barely pressed my lips to his. "You do always accuse me of trying to start something in public places, Mr. Warren."
"That's because you do, Cassie Jayne," he whispered as his hand cupped the back of my neck and pulled me to him. His lips crushed mine. An inferno started in the pit of my stomach and the blaze spread outward. The fire licked my limbs as it raced to consume my very being. I whimpered when he tore his lips away, but gasped as they wove a fiery trail down my neck and burrowed under my coat to my shoulder.
"Cassie Jayne Bishop."
I shot up so fast, I nearly fell. Ethan's strong hands caught me before I could. My father stood glaring down at us.
Oh, Damn. Oh, Damn. Oh, Damn. My eyes widened in shock and horror. I was mortified. My father had caught me makingout with my boyfriend. He looked ready to tear Ethan apart on the spot.
"In the house. Now."
"Dad..."
"I don't want to hear it, CJ." Golden eyes blazed with fury at both of us.
"That's okay, Cassie." Ethan stood up. "I need to get on the road anyway." He tempted fate and gave me a quick kiss before tweaking my nose. "Behave."
Dad growled, hands fisted. He really didn't like Ethan.
"Mr. Bishop," Ethan nodded and very carefully stepped around him before continuing on down the lane.
"Did you have to do that, Dad?" I demanded. I resented him for making Ethan leave. He'd be gone for days as it was, and this was the last time I'd get to see him for who knows how long.
"Stay away from him, CJ," Dad bit out. "He's not who you think he is."
"Then who is he, Dad?" I demanded.
He snarled and stomped into the house. Oh, no he did not.
"Daddy!" I yelled and followed him. I caught him in the kitchen.
"Leave it be, CJ."
"No, I won't leave it be. Who is he, Dad? What do you know that I don't? Is it about the curse?"
The glass he held fell to the floor and shattered. "How the hell do you know about that?"
"Does it matter? The point is I do, but only enough to drive me crazy. Will you tell me the truth? Will you tell me about the curse and what it has to do with me?"
His hands shook. The broom he used to sweep up the glass fragments vibrated with his tremors. "I can't, CJ."
"Is it a binding spell? You were the Coven Master, Daddy. You have to know how to break a binding spell."
"It was a blood oath I took, CJ. You can't unbind that."
I didn't know what that was. I hadn't come across it in any of the books Jeff gave me. Instead I focused on the one question that had been haunting me since my eavesdropping escapade.
"Did you steal the Book then, Dad?"
"No," he shook his head. "I should have, though. I should have destroyed that book long ago."
