Page 35 of Hooked on a Demon (Leeside Witches #3)

Declan

“T his looks wonderful,” June praises as she walks through the final set pieces with Declan.

He and his crew stayed late last night, and those who could came in early this morning to help finish up painting and assemble all the pieces.

Looking around at what they’ve built, a sense of pride, not for himself but for his team, wells up inside him.

“Are you okay, boss?” Sebastian asks. “Did you get dust in your eyes?”

Clearing his throat, Declan nods. “Yes. Must have been a stray fleck that was floating around.” June eyes him, not believing the lie for a second, but Sebastian buys it.

“Can you grab a broom and do a final sweep to make sure we got it all? Can’t have a child getting sawdust in their eyes… ” he trails off.

“Yes, boss. Right on it, boss.” Sebastian scampers off in search of a broom as Declan turns away and quickly dabs at his eyes with his sleeve.

He hears June approach before he feels her hand lightly touch his shoulder. “You and your team did great work.”

Turning to face her, he replies, “Thank you. They—we—were so happy we could help.”

She steps toward some fake trees off to the side that are to be used in one of the contemporary pieces, according to Eliana. Her hands run over painted wood. “This looks so real. I could have sworn it was actual bark here.”

“I know. I never knew my staff were so talented. I fear that now that I’ve opened this door for them, I may lose their expertise at the shop to more creative endeavors. The sheer joy they exuded every time we were in here was palpable. Like its own living entity in the room.”

“I can tell. It takes true passion to create pieces like these. Perhaps your true calling lies beyond the machinery, Mr. Grace.”

He chuckles. Not uncomfortably, but the idea had never occurred to him.

He’s had a love of cars and machinery, of figuring out how things worked and how to put them back together, for as long as he could remember.

It’s part of why Lachlan helped him to set up the shop in the first place.

He knew that if Declan was that passionate about something, that he’d never let it fade to the wayside.

That Declan would put whatever he could into it to make sure it succeeded. And that he has.

Hellbent Motors, as much as it can be a time sink and source of frustration and exhaustion, is where his passion lies. It’s where he finds peace. Solace. It helps him calm the beast inside that constantly wants to rage.

June watches him consider the idea of being an artist, and the corner of her lip knowingly quirks up, “Something to think about.”

“Perhaps. Though I think my preference is still with machinery. I may have a skill with a saw and wood, but to me, the mechanics of machines, the whirring and buzzing, the clicking and spinning, is its own kind of art.”

She nods. “Fair enough.”

“Anyway, we are thrilled you like it all. Eliana shared your vision and was a great guide in the process. We would consider it an honor to partner with your studio again in the future. But until then, the stage is yours.”

“Thank you. And I will be reaching out soon to see how we can team up in the future,” she replies, heading down the stairs at the side of the stage.

“I look forward to it.”

She waves over her shoulder and heads up the aisle toward the door. Stopping before she leaves, she turns back to him and, projecting her voice, she says, “Don’t let her get away, Mr. Grace. She’s a good one.”

She doesn’t wait for him to respond before she exits, leaving him alone on the stage.

* * *

Declan pulls into the grocery store parking lot, turns off his motorcycle, kicks the kickstand down, and slides his helmet off.

Locking his helmet in place, he darts inside to the flower display.

He’s not sure what her favorite flowers are, but he knows she reminds him of the bright orange and yellow ones, so he chooses a bunch of each and makes his way to the checkout.

A buzz from his pocket catches his attention. He switches the flowers over to his other hand while he digs out his phone, not so subtly hoping it’s a message from Eliana.

Everest

Hey Daddy. You free tonight?

Declan groans. With the frequency at which Everest interrupts Declan’s plans, he wouldn’t be surprised if Ev is secretly some kind of magical being with the ability to tell the future. Of course, he only uses those powers to ruin Declan’s plans.

He steps to the side, placing the flowers on a stack of cereal boxes, and types out his response.

Declan

Hey

Yeah I’m not feeling the greatest. Gonna call it an early night.

You need anything?

Fuck. Even when he’s unknowingly a pain, the guy still cares.

Nah. I’m good.

At Lach’s right now, picking up some sleeping potion from Petra.

Alright, well, let me know if you need anything.

Will do.

Thanks.

No prob.

Oh! Are you coming to this showcase thing for Ellie? Mom wanted to know.

Apparently we need to get tickets or some shit and she wants to make sure we have enough seats together.

Sure. Count me in.

Really?

Yeah?

I mean, I did help build the set

I’d like to see how it all comes together.

Alright

I’ll let her know.

Anyway, feel better, big daddy.

Despite lying to his best friend—again—he laughs as he slides his phone back in his pocket and steps into the checkout line.

He knows he needs to tell Everest what’s going on between him and Eliana, but frankly, he doesn’t know how.

Everest has always been protective of her, though he doesn’t always show it, masking it as the older brother teasing and general pain-in-the-ass shenanigans.

But he cares, and he cares deeply. So, telling Everest that Declan’s dating his sister won’t go over well.

As his mind wanders to Eliana and the anticipation that builds in his stomach knowing he’s about to go see her, he knows that she’s worth it. She’s worth whatever Everest wants to say to him. All he can hope is that Everest sees how much Declan cares for her.

Digging out his wallet from his back pocket, the last voice he wants to hear right now calls his name.

“Well, if it isn’t Declan Grace,” Charlie says, her tone laced with venom. Or at least it would be if she could actually spit it. Thankfully, that’s not a power she possesses.

“Hi, Charlie,” Declan responds, flatly.

“Are those flowers I see? Surely, you, the master of sneaking out of a woman’s bed, can’t be getting flowers for someone?”

His jaw clenches. This is not what he needs right now. “Yes, these are flowers. And no, they are not for you. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get going.”

Her voice rises. “I do mind. I mind a lot . I mind that you slept with me and left me while I was still sleeping, like some dirty deed you wanted to forget about.” People around them start to look on, watching as this unfolds.

Anger starts to bubble under his skin, twisting and turning, needing to release.

He tries to step away and get in line, but she follows.

“I also mind that you then treated me like dirt when I attempted to see you again. Like I was worth less than the scuff on your boot. Yes. I fucking mind.”

She continues to yell at him as he steps up to pay for the flowers. Flowers, which he was excited to give Eliana, that are now tainted with the memory of Charlie screaming at him. Not that he’ll tell Eliana about any of this.

“What? Am I not even good enough for you to acknowledge me now? Does the person you’re getting those for know how much of a dickbag you are? How you only want to fuck someone? That you don’t have the ability to actually engage with them like a human being?”

Without warning, smoke fills the space, enveloping them in a thick fog.

His demon growls in his head, as anger floods his system.

The demon inside wants to shift. To show the perceived threat what she is really dealing with, but he manages to keep it at bay.

He fights the urges pulsing through him and the pain searing at his temples.

The last thing he needs right now is a video of him shifting to presumably attack some upset woman in the grocery store going viral.

Charlie quickly silences as he steps toward her, menace lacing every movement of his body. His vision flickers gold as he rolls his head, cracking his neck in the process, in an effort to keep the vitriol he wants to spill under control.

His voice is tight, restrained, as he says, “That’s the funny thing.

I left you so that you wouldn’t get hurt.

Instead, you stand here making a fool of yourself, for what?

In hopes that I’ll give you the attention you so desperately desire, but which I can’t fulfill?

You don’t deserve that, and I don’t deserve to be locked into something I don’t want to be a part of.

Let. This. Go. Charlie. It was one night. ”

She squeaks as he retreats. The view around them clears, and the other patrons around them remain silent, unsure of how to proceed.

“And stop spreading rumors about me. Everyone knows you’re lying.” Declan looks up at the till and tosses more than enough money on the counter to cover the flowers and hopefully, the cashier’s discomfort. Without saying another word, he picks up the flowers and steps back into the night.

It doesn’t take long for him to get to the studio.

His attempts to calm himself along the way have not helped.

He was lucky that the only thing that happened back there was a cloud of smoke.

Yes, he told Eliana that he had to practice to control himself and his demon abilities when he was younger, and that’s true.

But there are times, particularly when he feels threatened, that the demon inside him takes over, and he has no choice but to let the bastard lead.

He parks his motorcycle out front of the studio and swings his leg over the seat, turning so he faces the building and leans on the side of the seat, flowers in hand as he waits.

He can’t help but replay everything that happened over and over in his mind, wondering how he could have made it go at least a little more smoothly. No ideas come to mind.

A few minutes later, Eliana emerges, and his heart clenches at the sight of her. She looks as radiant as ever in her standard leggings and oversized T-shirt.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” he says at the same time she softly says, “Hi, Mr. Grace.”

He opens his arms. “Come here, Oaks.”

Hades, he needs her.

Moving toward him, she drops her bag on the sidewalk next to him and steps into his arms. She slides her arms over top, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck as his arms close around her.

Her peppermint and grapefruit scent mixed with the saltiness of sweat envelopes him.

As he takes a deep breath, continually trying to imprint her into his brain, he finally feels the angry toddler within him relax.

Home, his demon internally states.

Fucking right, he agrees.

She pulls back and gazes into his eyes. “You alright?”

“I’m perfect now.”

“But before?”

He pauses, hesitating. He had no intention of telling her what happened.

Or anything that ever transpired between him and any other woman.

As far as she is concerned, Declan is a virgin.

But the concern painting Eliana’s face is enough to break his heart.

He can’t have her worrying about him. He also doesn’t want to keep secrets from her.

He takes a deep breath, deciding to at least give her the soft version of the truth.

“I had a bit of a run-in on the way here with someone I dated. It wasn’t pleasant.

She wasn’t happy. But I’m here with you, now, so that doesn’t matter.

You are the only one who matters. The only one who will ever matter. ”

She eyes him for a moment but doesn’t push it further, which he’s thankful for. She may be the only person he wants to spend time with, and he can’t stop thinking about her, even when he shouldn’t be, but he’s definitely not ready to tell her that he loves her.

Wait, does he love her?

Oh fuck.