Page 3

PIPER

R elief washes over me. It’s so profound, I struggle to choke back tears.

I’m sure I’ve already made Ambrose incredibly uncomfortable.

I don’t need to make things worse. I can’t look at his warm whiskey-colored eyes.

They’re too concerned, too caring. I focus on my breathing.

Ambrose holds out his hand to help me up.

I grasp him so hard my nails dig into his wrist, but he doesn’t seem to care.

“Let’s get you some dry clothes, and then we can figure out the next steps.

My relief immediately turns to panic. “No. We need to leave right now.” The towel falls off my shoulders, and Ambrose’s eyes drop to my soaked t-shirt.

“You look like you just jumped in the river, Piper. Besides, it's after three in the morning. It’s not like the justice of the peace is open right now.” He looks up in the air, his forehead wrinkling.

“Do we need to get a blood test? Is that still a thing? How long does it take to get a marriage license? I never thought I’d be asking these questions.

” Ambrose chuckles to himself as he pulls me out of the bathroom.

I tug on his hand, and he looks over his shoulder at me.

Ambrose Roth is beautiful. He reminds me of the sun.

The Maiden, Mother, and Crone must have all come together and blessed him with beauty, because he’s absurdly good looking.

With golden blond hair and eyes the color of dark honey, he practically glows.

Then there’s his smile, which is so bright it makes you feel as if he’s bestowed a gift when he turns it on you.

I don’t have time to get distracted by his insane handsomeness. His looks don’t matter. “No. We need to go now. Tonight.”

Ambrose turns and frowns at me, his face beautiful even in confusion.

He’s wearing a silk floral robe and a pair of matching pajama pants.

He doesn’t have a shirt on, and the robe is wide open, giving me a view of his perfectly chiseled muscles.

There’s a light smattering of hair on his chest and a trail of slightly darker hair from his belly button that disappears into his low-slung pants.

I snap my gaze back up to his face. Ambrose dips his head to catch my eyes, a cocky grin on his face. It takes all my strength to hold his stare.

“If you’re looking for a distraction, there are other things we can do tonight. We can hold off on getting married until tomorrow, if you like.”

That snaps me out back into my senses. “No, we need to leave now.”

I glance over my shoulder, even though I can’t see the front door from here.

We’re in the hallway that looks like a museum, filled with suits of armor, massive oil paintings, and even tapestries that hang on the wall.

It’s dark, but beautiful. Everything in this house has the weight of history, even if the history doesn’t belong to this family or place.

I love this house. It’s over the top, just like Ambrose.

That doesn’t mean it’s currently safe to stay here.

Logically, I know my uncle didn’t follow me.

He can’t get out of the house right now.

That doesn’t stop me from worrying that he might find a way.

If anyone is devious enough to fool the coven or trick the spells that are keeping him inside his house, it would be Tucker Beaumont. I can’t let him get his hands on me.

“We need to go now.”

“Piper, you’re soaked. And it’s pouring outside.

” As if to emphasize his words, a crack of lightning brightens the sky until it’s as if sunlight is pouring in through the windows.

The boom of thunder quickly chases behind it, and I shiver.

I hold my breath, counting in my head until the rumble of thunder dissipates.

Storms are not my favorite. I would love to cozy up in front of a fire and pretend like my demons aren’t chasing me down, but I don’t have that luxury.

“I don’t have anything else here. This will have to do.” I wave a hand over my sodden outfit.

Ambrose frowns at me, and I wonder if this will actually work. Or will he drag his feet until I have no choice but to run again?

“Odie has some clothes here. She won’t care if you borrow them. You can get changed, I’ll get dressed, and then we can go.” Ambrose's face takes on a serious mask that I’m not used to seeing from him. “Here, I’ll show you.”

Momentary relief washes over me, and it’s so strong I feel lightheaded.

He’s going to help me. Ambrose leads the way up the grand staircase with a heavy mahogany balustrade.

The stairway zigzags up to the second floor, where the bedrooms are.

I’ve been up here once before after a birthday party, but Ambrose leads me as if he’s forgotten that he’s showed me around.

“We missed you at the new moon ceremony tonight.” Ambrose waits for me at the top of the stairs, hand outstretched like I’m a fine lady being led by my gentleman husband.

I don’t want to think about earlier. I close my eyes, hand gripping the banister while pain lances through my body.

Not going back to Tucker’s house was breaking my word.

Just thinking about it causes agony to roll through my body, the residual effects of disobeying him stinging like nettles.

“Okay. We’ll add that to the do not talk about list.” Ambrose comes back down the last few steps to where I’m holding on to the railing.

He slides his arm around my waist and helps me up the last of the stairs.

His touch is soothing but frustrating at the same time.

I’m not weak. I don’t need someone to help me up the damn stairs.

Well, normally I don’t.

Ambrose leads us down the hall. “Odie always crashes in here when she drinks too much and can’t drive.” He opens one of the guestrooms and flips on the light.

Odie is one of Ambrose’s best friends. Less than a year ago, I didn’t know her or Ambrose.

Our covens were separated by the natural border of the Briar Hollows River, and we were all but enemies.

In a series of events that seem like a fever dream, our two covens became one.

There was an attempted overthrow of power and now light and dark witches can freely mix and aren’t bound to one side of the river.

The consolidation of our covens has not been without challenges.

“Take whatever you want from the closet. I’m sure she won’t mind. I’ll be right back.” With that, Ambrose spins, his robe swirling behind him like a prince in his castle as he leaves me in the large room.

Before I can take a deep breath, he sticks his head back inside the room. His whiskey eyes narrow. “Are you okay? Truly?”

The rain slams against the floor to ceiling windows, and I shiver in my wet clothes. “I will be. As soon as we get married.”

Ambrose hums under his breath.

“Are you sure you really want to do this?” My whole body is clenched, waiting for him to say nope and laugh me off.

“I’ve got nothing else going on.” He smiles, knocks on the wall, and shrugs. “Okay. Be back in a few.”

When Ambrose was in the room, it seemed bright and welcoming, but as soon as he left, it’s as if he took all the soul with him.

Now it’s just a big, drafty space. I head to the closet and quickly scan the clothes.

Odie is taller and thinner than me, but there are a pair of comfortable drawstring pants, someone’s university t-shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt that will do.

I throw my wet clothes over the bathtub in the bathroom.

Who knows when I’ll be back to get them.

I have plenty of clothes and toiletries at my apartment, but I’m scared to go back there. Tucker is bound to his house by the coven’s magic, but I don’t believe for a second he won’t find a way to work around that magic.

I search the closet and unearth an old duffel bag, tossing in another pair of pants, a change of t-shirt, and a sweater.

Looking through the drawers in the bathroom uncovers a brand-new toothbrush, a tiny travel-size toothpaste, and a hairbrush that looks like it’s never been used.

It all goes in the bag. I don’t know why I’m bothering.

It’s not like we’re staying in Vegas to gamble.

“Are you ready?”

I startle as Ambrose’s voice pierces through my thoughts. My heart is hammering in my chest, and my voice is shaky when I finally speak. “Yes.”

“Sorry. I didn’t think I was being sneaky.” Ambrose has changed into a pair of jeans and a light blue sweater that makes his skin practically glow. Standing in the door, looking so large and masculine, I wonder what the hell I’m doing. Why did I pick Ambrose?

“No, that’s my fault. It’s been a long day.”

Ambrose steps into the room, reaching out to tuck a wet strand of hair behind my ear.

His gaze is too knowing. Ambrose plays the part of a lovable playboy, and yes, that is a facet of his personality, but there’s a depth to him I don’t think he shares with many people.

He doesn’t miss much while pretending to notice nothing.

“We can rest, Piper. You’re safe here.”

It would be so easy to believe that lie. To fall into the enormous bed, sleep for the next day, and forget my nightmares. I can’t do that. Not if I’m serious about freeing myself from at least one of my curses.

I roll my shoulders back and gaze up into Ambrose’s eyes.

I’ve always been quiet and shy. The girl who sits in the corner and nobody notices she’s there.

I perfected staying silent, so I didn’t make a fuss or draw attention to myself.

Then I learned how to become invisible so people would forget about me.

I’m so grateful for my friends who have never looked at me that way, but there’s something about Ambrose that makes me feel bolder than I’ve ever been before.

“No. I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Ambrose shakes his head. “I can’t believe I’m about to get married.”

“Lucky you,” I say, as I hoist my bag up on my shoulder. Ambrose immediately takes it from me.

“All right, then, future wife, let’s go.”