Page 47 of These Witches Don't Burn
“I’m serious. Would you have answered right away if you weren’t working?” She grabs my hands and won’t look away. She barely even blinks, and it’s like she thinks she can stare long enough to see back in time and know exactly what I was doing when she called.
I pull from her grip, picking at the threads in the old comforter. “I don’t know. We’ve had a complicated few weeks.”
Veronica scoots closer until her knees rest against mine. “But you came.” She trails a hand down my arm. “You saved my life.”
“What can I say? We Elementals have to stick together.” I force a smile, but her closeness makes me uncomfortable.
Veronica laughs, the sound bitter and hollow. “God, this day. I really thought I was going to die.”
“You didn’t. You’re fine.” I blow out a breath. “I’m sorry about your house though. I broke a few windows.”
“I don’t give a shit about the windows.” Veronica leans forward and brushes her lips against mine.
I flinch back. “What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” She leans forward again.
“Veronica, it’s over between us. We have to move on.” I slip off the bed as I speak, but Veronica follows a second later, closing the distance between us. The wall ends my escape.
She stops before me, tears spilling over her eyes. “I was wrong, Hannah. I screwed up. I was selfish and bossy, and I didn’t listen. I can do better. I want to be better, for you.” Veronica tries to kiss me, but I turn my head so she catches my cheek instead of my lips.
“You’re scared. I get that,” I say, even though my insides squirm with unease. “But that doesn’t mean we work.” I try to slip by her, but she blocks my path.
“Give me another chance.” Veronica brushes the hair away from my injured face. “You and me? We’re meant to be together.”
“I can’t do this with you. I’m not—”
Veronica ignores my pleas and presses her lips against mine. The pressure of her unwanted kiss slams a rusty nail in the coffin of my heart. I shove her away and escape to the center of the room. “Dammit, Veronica. I’m not trying to be an asshole, but you can’t keep doing this. How many times do I have to tell you no before you stop?”
“You’re not listening!” Veronica wipes at the mascara-infused tears running down her cheeks. “I’m trying to apologize. I want you back. I want forever.”
I cross my arms against my chest and force myself to stand tall. “You can’t have me back. I’ve moved on.”
Veronica snorts. “How?”
Harsh words rise to my throat, but then I remember the blood on Veronica’s face. See the bruise darkening along her jaw. I swallow my anger. “It happens.”
Veronica considers me, her head tilting, her eyes narrowing. “Not this fast. Not unless—” She shakes her head. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“Didn’t what?” But my chest constricts. She knows. I don’t know how, but she does. The heat in my cheeks grows into an inferno.?“You slept with someone else, didn’t you?” Tears stream down her face, painting her cheeks with streaks of black. “How could you?”
“How could I? Veronica, we’renot together. Who I have sexwith is none of your business.”
“So, you admit it. You did sleep with someone. Fucking perfect.” Veronica swipes the ruined mascara from her face. “I’m such an idiot. I knew I couldn’t trust you.”
“Excuse me?” My magic tries to surge in my chest, but pain lances through me, and I shove it back down. “I’ve never doneanythingto betray your trust.”
“Should we review who ended our relationship?”
“God, enough! Can’t you see how unhealthy this is? Why would you want to be with me when all we do is fight?” I ask, and she doesn’t have an answer for that. “Exactly. For the record, I didnotsleep with Morgan. But if I did, that would be none of your damn business.”
An angry silence permeates the room. “Who. The hell. Is Morgan?”
Shit.“No one.”
But Veronica isn’t having it. “Who is she, Hannah?”
I tip my chin up. I’m done letting Veronica intimidate me. She doesn’t get a pass to hurt me like this just because she’s scared. Especially sinceI’mthe one who saved her. “The girl from Nolan’s party. Today was our first official date.”
