Page 28 of A Match Made in Coven (Paranormal Romance #2)

Chapter Twenty-eight

Handcuffs and Heartstrings

LORCAN

Lorcan and Sarah Michelle burst through the grand doors of Town Hall and hurried down the stone steps, her fancy gown billowing behind them as they clutched each other’s hands. The brisk night air nipped at Lorcan’s cheeks as they reached the curb.

Sarah Michelle turned to him, eyes flashing with determination. “I’m going to head over to the station to drop off the glass. We need to get the councilman’s prints analyzed ASAP.”

“I’ll come with you,” Lorcan offered, not wanting to miss any developments. Not when they were so close to catching Elijah’s killer.

“You can’t. If my boss catches us working together again, he might ax me for real this time, not just take me off the case. I’m not even supposed to be investigating Elijah’s death anymore—officially, it’s Malatesta’s case now.”

Lorcan’s heart sank, but she was right. As much as he wanted to be there every step of the way, he had to let her do her job. “Alright, I’ll hang back.”

She nodded. “I’ll keep you in the loop. As soon as I know something, I’ll call you.” Sarah Michelle glanced around, then ducked into a nearby alley. A moment later, she emerged wearing her crisp black police uniform, the shimmery gown bundled under her arm. She wasn’t any less beautiful.

“I miss the peek of legs, but I gotta say, you make that uniform look good, Detective Callidora.”

She shot him a mock glare, but he caught the hint of a smirk on her full lips. “I’m really starting to think you have a thing for handcuffs.”

Then she stepped close, grabbed the lapels of his tux jacket, and planted a kiss on his mouth. Lorcan’s pulse kicked up a notch as he pulled her flush against him, savoring the smoky, earthy scent of her skin and the softness of her curves.

Too soon, she pulled back, leaving him dazed and aching for more. Lorcan watched her go, pride and longing battling in his chest. They were so close to getting justice for Elijah, but what would happen afterward?

With nothing to do now but wait and worry, Lorcan didn’t feel like going back home to his empty—now possibly haunted—mansion.

He took a walk through the moonlit streets of Salem instead.

The chilly temperatures helped clear his head as he wandered a few blocks, hands shoved in his pockets.

All around him, the town was alive with Halloween festivities.

Giggling children in colorful costumes raced by with their bounties of sweets, while adults in elaborate get-ups mingled and laughed.

Jack-o’-lanterns grinned from every stoop, their flickering candles casting an enchanting glow.

Fake cobwebs stretched across doorways, and rubber bats dangled from trees.

Music and laughter spilled from crowded pubs and restaurants, the clinking of glasses and the hum of conversation a merry soundtrack.

But Lorcan didn’t register any of it. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Sarah Michelle and the tangled web of emotions she stirred in him.

The feel of her body in his arms, the taste of her kisses on his lips, the fire in her eyes when she looked at him—it left him reeling in the best possible way.

And yet, even as his heart soared, it still ached for losing Elijah.

His best friend, his brother in all but blood, taken in the prime of his life by some power-hungry bastard.

Lorcan clenched his jaw, a fresh wave of grief and fury washing over him.

They were so close to bringing Elijah’s killer to justice.

He should be happy. He wasn’t. Lorcan had been driven by a single purpose since the death of his friend: catch his killer.

But putting MacGregor behind bars wouldn’t bring Elijah back.

His phone rang, jolting him from his reverie. He fumbled it out of his pocket, his pulse picking up speed at the sight of Sarah Michelle’s name on the screen.

“Hey?”

“The prints were a match. We’re moving in on MacGregor tonight.”

Lorcan blew out a breath, his heart hammering against his ribs. “I suppose this is the part where you tell me to stay put?”

“Yeah, we need to do this by the book.”

She was right, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Always am,” she quipped with a smile in her voice. “I’ll see you soon, Black.”

The line went dead, and Lorcan stared at the phone for a long moment before pocketing it. His feet were already moving, carrying him back to Town Hall.

By the time he arrived, the scene was a chaos of flashing lights and uniformed officers.

Police cars crowded the street, their sirens silenced but their lights painting the night in bright shades of red and blue.

Lorcan’s heart lodged in his throat as he scanned the crowd for any sign of Sarah Michelle.

As he kept looking for her, the large entrance doors burst open and a cluster of SMPD agents emerged, the councilman held between them.

Even from a distance, Thaddeus MacGregor was unmistakable—his usually snobbish features pale and drawn, his wrists bound by handcuffs that glinted silver in the flashing lights.

Lorcan’s gaze zeroed in on Sarah Michelle, her expression grim but triumphant as she and her partner marched MacGregor down the steps. Pride surged, warring with a sudden, irrational pang of jealousy for the tall, handsome detective at her side.

He tamped down the unworthy emotion as the agents bundled MacGregor into the back of a waiting cruiser none too gently. The councilman’s head disappeared from view, and Sarah Michelle’s partner slid behind the wheel, slamming the door with a decisive thud.

Sarah Michelle leaned toward the window, exchanging a few final words Lorcan couldn’t hear.

The hot clench of jealousy reared its head again, but he throttled it ruthlessly.

They weren’t officially together, and he was already acting like a mannerless caveman.

And even if they got together, Sarah Michelle was a free spirit and Lorcan would never want to clip her wings. They were too beautiful.

As if sensing his gaze, the witch straightened, her gaze finding his across the distance. A slow smile curved her lips, and Lorcan’s heart turned over and tripped down under the force of that smile.

She raised a hand, knocking twice on the hood of the cruiser. The car pulled away from the curb, disappearing into the night. Sarah Michelle watched it go, then turned and crossed the street toward him, her pace unhurried and her smile still in place.

He met her halfway. They came together in a rush. As his arms went around her, her fingers curled into his shirt. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of rain and vetiver, letting it ground him.

“We got him,” Sarah Michelle murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. “It’s over, Lorcan. He’s going to pay for what he did to Elijah.”

Lorcan nodded, not trusting himself to speak past the sudden thickness in his throat. He squeezed her harder, the last of the tension draining from his body as she leaned into him, offering wordless comfort.

They stood like that for a long moment, wrapped in each other and the bittersweet triumph of the night. When they finally drew apart, Lorcan’s gaze dropped to her mouth, the urge to kiss her rising fierce and sudden.

Sarah Michelle’s eyes fluttered closed, her lips parting in anticipation. Lorcan leaned in, his breath mingling with hers—her phone rang, the shrill sound shattering the intimacy of the moment.

Sarah Michelle jerked back, fumbling in her pocket with a muttered oath. She glanced at the screen, frowning, then brought the phone to her ear.

“Hello?” A pause, then, “Wait, slow down. What happened? When?”

The color drained from her face, and Lorcan’s stomach knotted with dread. She listened for a moment longer, then said, “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Just… tell her to hold on, okay?”

She ended the call, her hand trembling as she lowered the phone. “It’s my grandmother,” she said numbly. “She’s been taken to the hospital.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“You can’t. If my family sees a Black…” She trailed off, her expression anguished. “I need to do this alone, Lorcan. At least for now. I’m sorry.”

He wanted to argue, to insist on being there for her, but the pleading look in her eyes stopped him. So he nodded, cupping her face in his palm. “I understand. Go. Be with your family. But promise you’ll call me if you need anything, okay?”

Sarah Michelle leaned into his touch, her lids fluttering closed. Then she stretched up to press a hard, quick kiss to his mouth and strode away. For the second time tonight, Lorcan watched her go, unease settling in the pit of his stomach.

At the end of the block, Sarah Michelle paused, glancing around to ensure she was unobserved. Then, with a subtle shimmer of magic, a pair of iridescent wings unfurled from her back, becoming one with the moonlight.

In a flash, she was airborne, rising into the night sky until she was little more than a glowing speck in the distance. Lorcan tracked her progress until she vanished from view, the bad feeling in his gut only intensifying.