Page 45 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Knox

Like hell they’re going to leave,” I snarled out loud, pacing the library, Haggis wheeling behind me. I’d barely slept the night before, and Sloane hadn’t answered my call. I’d only tried once, and when it had gone to voicemail, I didn’t try again.

I’d said what I needed to say.

But now I needed her to believe it.

Stay, stay, stay.

“Damn right they need to stay.” I looked down at Haggis, who peered up at me, his eyes concerned behind his shaggy scruff of bangs.

Whatever happened with the blood curse ritual?

This from Oswald, who sat on the back of the couch, near the half-burnt curtain sash that hadn’t yet been removed from when Sloane had set it on fire. I was oddly sentimental over that sash. He prowled forward, pretending indifference, but I knew where he was headed.

“It didn’t work.”

Oh? Did they have all the people they need to perform it? Oswald rolled on his back and licked a paw, the picture of calm.

“I’m not sure.”

Don’t you think that might be something you could help with? Oswald stood and stretched, his tail brushing the hanging cord, and he whirled, ready to swipe.

“Oswald,” I warned.

It’s already ruined.

“Fair point.” I ran a thumb over my chin as I considered it. It was the same thought I’d had the other day. But I’d forgotten about it in the flurry of the festival, and then with Felicity’s accident last night. “I might have to convince a lot of people.”

And? Don’t you think it is time to call in a favor after everything you’ve done for this town?

At that, I paused, not even caring when Oswald went into full attack, ripping the curtain cord down from the hook and pouncing on it on the floor. He was right, as he often was.

I never asked anyone for favors. In fact, I spent my life serving others. It felt… out of pocket, against the grain, uncomfortable—but if I wanted Sloane to stay, I needed to give her a fighting chance.

She needed Briarhaven.

As much as I needed her.

In the time since she’d come home, she’d worked her way into my heart, and now I couldn’t picture a future without her.

I wanted her at my side, bossing me about.

Then in my bed, with me taking control behind closed doors.

I wanted Blue to join our pack, knowing how much fun he’d have living here.

I wanted a chance at making a real family. Together.

Yesterday, I’d been infuriated when she refused to say the words back. Adrenaline from the crash had spiked, causing me to shout, but now I could see what I needed to do. Not only did I need to call in favors, but I also needed to show her, again, that I wasn’t going to leave her.

I needed to show Sloane that people would turn up for her.

When most people in her life had failed her, it was time for her to learn a lesson about community, about friendship, and about love. And I was going to be the one to teach her, even if I had to shove the damn lesson down her throat and keep her tied to my damn bed for a week.

You look a little scary.

“Oh, sorry.” I gave Haggis a scratch behind his ears and smoothed out my expression.

Probably shouldn’t go into Sloane’s screaming about tying her to my bed and refusing to let her leave until she understood that people who loved each other showed up for each other.

Instead, I picked up the phone and clicked on Liam’s name.

“Liam, mate. Need a favor. Today.”

By the time I arrived at Sloane’s house, my plan was well in motion, and I was a warlock on the warpath. When Lyra opened the door and looked up to see my scowling face, she beamed.

“Ah yes, our knight in shining armor has arrived.”

“Where is she?”

“In her room. Packing.” Lyra moved back, letting me inside.

“Here’s a spare key to the Land Rover. Get yourselves to the pub. I’ll follow with Sloane shortly.”

“My, my.” Nova fanned her face as she stood. “I do love this alpha-male thing you’ve got going on, Knox.”

Despite myself, I smirked.

“Bring Blue with you, too, so she doesn’t worry.”

“Blue, cheese!” Nova called, and there was a clamor of noise, a curse from Sloane, and then Blue wobbled his way down the stairs, zooming heavily toward the kitchen. Nova had grabbed a container and walked toward the door. “This way, bud.”

I stomped upstairs, ready for the fight of my life.

“Knox.” Sloane held a hand to her chest when I burst through the door. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving you.”

“Damn it, Knox.” Sloane shook her head, a wistful expression on her pretty face, and folded a jumper. A worn suitcase lay on the bed, already half-full, and seeing it made fury rise inside me. “This is for the best.”

“The best for whom?” I asked, stepping close and wrenching the jumper from her hand. I tossed it on the bed, and Sloane’s mouth dropped open.

“Okay, Mr. Caveman and all that. No need to be rude.”

“You haven’t even seen me begin to be rude. You want rude? Here.” Picking up the suitcase by one hand, I upended it as Sloane gasped, furious. All of her carefully organized piles landed in a mess on the floor.

“Now you’ve crossed a line.” Sloane lifted her chin before stepping forward and reaching for the suitcase, but I held it out of reach.

“I plan to cross a lot of them. Over and over. You know what I’ve figured out, Sloane?”

“Give it back,” Sloane hissed, fury rippling across her face as she lunged for the suitcase.

“I’ve figured out that nobody ever pushes you. You’re always the one calling the shots. You’ve got everything planned, and once things get messy, you leave.”

“I leave so we don’t destroy people’s lives.” Sloane tugged the handle of the suitcase, and I pulled back. We locked in the middle, Sloane pulling hard on the handle while I just held it, and Sloane’s scowl deepened.

“Aye, and you’ll destroy mine if you go.”

“Knox.” Sloane’s face softened, but I couldn’t stand to see the pity in her eyes. Instead, I bent forward and scooped her over my shoulder.

“Knox!” Sloane screeched, slapping my bum with her hand. “Put me down. This caveman routine is not hot. Not at all.”

“Lies.” I clambered down the stairs and walked us directly into the snow. She had no coat, no shoes, and likely no bra on, and I did not care.

“What the actual hell?” Sloane raged at me as I dumped her in the back seat, hit the child locks, and hopped in the driver’s seat.

“Put your seat belt on.”

“I will not.” Sloane battled with the door, her chest heaving, as she scrambled.

“Fine, I’ll do it for you.” Reaching over the seat, I shoved her back and wound the seat belt over her, all while she batted at me with her hands.

“Knock it off. I’m not going anywhere with you,” Sloane seethed.

Catching her chin with my hand, I forced her to meet my eyes.

“You will. If you care even one-tenth as much for me as I do for you, you will sit in this bloody car and keep your mouth shut until we get to where we are going.”

Sloane’s mouth worked, opening and closing, and then she slumped backward, her expression still mulish.

“And then what?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see. I’m serious, Sloane. I’m at my wits’ end with you right now, and I don’t suggest you push me any harder or you’ll just see what happens when a warlock as powerful as I am loses his ever-loving cool.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“With violence? Never. But with consequences of your own choices? Absolutely.”

Sloane gratefully fell silent, and I shifted the car into gear, trying to drive as fast as I could to the Rune & Rose before she decided to give me hell again. Bloody hell, but life with her was going to be fun. Once there, I parked on the street, as the lot was full, and disengaged the locks.

“Knox, I can’t go in there like this.” Sloane looked down at her leggings and baggy T-shirt and slippers. She was likely freezing.

“Put on my jumper.” Peeling off my coat, I handed her my jumper, and then zipped my coat back on over my long-sleeved shirt.

She pulled it over her head, looking adorably rumpled in the brown jumper, and then I hopped out.

Opening the door, I unbuckled her and lifted her into my arms, carrying her like a man carries his bride over the threshold.

The mountain of snow figures on the front lawn had grown to a terrifying amount, and they seemed to watch our every move as we passed.

“Will you tell me what is going on?” Sloane asked, craning her neck to hide her face from the snow.

“Nope.”

I walked us inside to a huge crowd staring at us.

“What’s happening?” Sloane asked, her body tensing against mine.

“We’re here to help break the curse.” Raven stepped forward, pointing to the cauldron hanging over the fire.

“But how?” Sloane slid to the floor and looked around at everyone.

“Everyone here has lineage back to the days of your curse. These are the founding magickal families of Briarhaven.” I swept my hand out to the room.

Sloane’s mouth dropped open, and a sheen of tears filled her luminous eyes.

“And they all came out? To help?” Sloane looked around, overcome. “I thought they hated us.”

“We hate the snow.” This was a shout from the back.

“Don’t take much issue with the MacGregors.”

“Sloane?” Broca asked, leaning on her cane by the fire.

“Och, I’m overwhelmed.” Sloane fanned her face, looking around at everyone. “You all didn’t have to do this. We would have figured something out eventually. I can’t thank you—”

“Save it until you know if it works.” Dorothy cut off Sloane’s rambling, and laughter went through the room. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

I stood watch as every standing founding family member I could find came forward and added a drop of their blood to the cauldron, along with honey and whisky.

“Mandy’s not here. Is she not from a founding family?” Sloane looked up at me, and I nodded toward a woman dressed in muted turquoise who stood quietly at the back of the room.

“Her mum is. Mandy refused to be here.”

“Is that right?” Broca’s look sharpened, her eyes meeting mine.