Page 23 of The 13th Daughter (The Witches of New Salem #1)

Chapter Eighteen

Ethan was waiting on my front porch. His eyes narrowed when they zeroed in on Jeff and me coming up the lane. He denied being jealous, but he so was. I smiled. Jeff snorted.

"See ya, Neighbor Boy." I left Jeff at the gate to his house and continued on until I stood on the bottom step of my porch. I craned my neck to look up into his smoky gray eyes. They were flashing with fire.

"Are you going to explain to me why I keep finding you with that boy every time I see you?" Ethan growled.

"Not until you start explaining things to me." I tried to go up the steps and around him, but he caught my arm. He frowned at the bag I held. "Birthday present," I shrugged in answer.

"From Neighbor Boy?"

"Yup."

Before I realized what he was doing, he took the tiny cloth bag and emptied its contents into his hand. He nearly choked. "You can't keep this!"

"The hell I can't." I snatched my necklace and its velvety bag from him. "It was a gift. You seem to forget I really don't like it when people try and tell me what to do. You don't own me, Ethan."

"Cassie, you're my girlfriend," he hissed. "You're not supposed to accept gifts from other guys."

"Jeff is my friend and I've known him since I was born. He isn't just some other boy."

"You're damn right, he's not just some other boy. He's in love with you."

"I know." Ethan sounded like an ass, but I didn't get mad. He was so jealous he couldn't see straight and I loved it.

"You know?" His eyes widened in shock. Then they narrowed angrily.

I nodded. "We sorta talked about it today."

Gray eyes locked onto mine. "And?"

"And I explained to him that I have a boyfriend that I love with all my heart."

He went still. He'd told me he loved me, but I'd never said the words back to him.

"Oh...huh." He scuffed his shoe on the step.

That was his response to my declaration of love? He was a guy, I reminded myself. Did I really expect him to melt at my feet the way I had him? Yeah, but I knew better. Guys just didn't have the same emotional level girls did. Lucky them.

"And I'm not giving this back." I shook the bag at him. "I have wanted a necklace just like this since I saw it in Titanic years ago. Jeff remembered that and had it made for me."

Ethan's lips pursed, but he nodded. Smart boy.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked. "You said you'd be busy all day."

"I came to tell you I have to leave for a bit. I need to go home for a couple days."

He was leaving? "You'll be back for my birthday, right?"

He smiled that lazy smile full of devilment that drove me to distraction. "There is nothing in this world or the next, Cassie Jayne Bishop, that could keep me away on your birthday."

What an odd way to phrase it. Ethan said some of the strangest things to me at times, but I really didn't care. At least not just then. He'd be back for my birthday. That's all that mattered. "I'll miss you."

He smiled and pulled me to the porch swing.

I snuggled into him. I loved the feel of his arms wrapped around me.

He made me feel safe when he held me like this.

I could forget my doubts, forget he was lying to me, forget everything.

Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous pulled me into his lap, turned so that he was stretched out on the swing, and I settled into him.

His chest cushioned my head and he stroked my hair in long, gentle glides.

His legs wrapped around mine and I was content to just lay and listen to the pounding of his heart in my ear.

I'm not sure how long we stayed like that, enjoying the peace and contentment that filled us.

It could have been minutes or hours. I really did lose all sense of reality around my M&M.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?"

"For telling me you loved me."

"You're welcome."

"I know you probably think it's too soon to feel like this," he told me softly.

"There was a time when people were simpler and didn't over think things.

They took time to appreciate what was in front of them and trusted their instincts.

I knew you were important to me the moment I saw you dragging Kay from the bonfire.

The more time I spent with you, the more I knew you were the missing piece of my heart.

It's had a hole for a long time and you filled it, soothed the hurt, and I don't know what I'd do without you.

I love you, Cassie Jayne Bishop. Never doubt that. ..no matter what might happen."

A part of me cringed at his words. He knew what was going to happen, but wouldn't tell me. I hated that. The other part of me didn't care, it only heard the love in his voice and felt it as it wrapped me in a blanket of warmth. He loved me and that's all that mattered.

"I love you too, Ethan Matthew Warren."

"So I don't have to worry about strangling Jeff and dumping his body in the woods when I get back?" he teased.

I laughed. "No, but you might have to worry about me strangling you if you don't get back in time for my birthday."

He chuckled and I felt his body relax even more. "The old ding bat is staring at us from her window."

I turned my head to stare across the lane. Ethan was right. She was watching us from her living room window. Nosy old biddy. "Hmm....should we give her something to gossip about then?"

"My, my, Miss Bishop, you have turned into a wanton little thing haven't you?" He grasped my arms and pulled me up until I could stare down into his face. "Are we having indecent thoughts again?"

"Mmmhmm." I leaned down and barely pressed my lips to his. "You do always accuse me of trying to start something in public places, Mr. Warren."

"That's because you do, Cassie Jayne," he whispered as his hand cupped the back of my neck and pulled me to him.

His lips crushed mine. An inferno started in the pit of my stomach and the blaze spread outward.

The fire licked my limbs as it raced to consume my very being.

I whimpered when he tore his lips away, but gasped as they wove a fiery trail down my neck and burrowed under my coat to my shoulder.

"Cassie Jayne Bishop."

I shot up so fast, I nearly fell. Ethan's strong hands caught me before I could. My father stood glaring down at us.

Oh, Damn. Oh, Damn. Oh, Damn. My eyes widened in shock and horror. I was mortified. My father had caught me making out with my boyfriend. He looked ready to tear Ethan apart on the spot.

"In the house. Now."

"Dad..."

"I don't want to hear it, CJ." Golden eyes blazed with fury at both of us.

"That's okay, Cassie." Ethan stood up. "I need to get on the road anyway." He tempted fate and gave me a quick kiss before tweaking my nose. "Behave."

Dad growled, hands fisted. He really didn't like Ethan.

"Mr. Bishop," Ethan nodded and very carefully stepped around him before continuing on down the lane.

"Did you have to do that, Dad?" I demanded. I resented him for making Ethan leave. He'd be gone for days as it was, and this was the last time I'd get to see him for who knows how long.

"Stay away from him, CJ," Dad bit out. "He's not who you think he is."

"Then who is he, Dad?" I demanded.

He snarled and stomped into the house. Oh, no he did not.

"Daddy!" I yelled and followed him. I caught him in the kitchen.

"Leave it be, CJ."

"No, I won't leave it be. Who is he, Dad? What do you know that I don't? Is it about the curse?"

The glass he held fell to the floor and shattered. "How the hell do you know about that?"

"Does it matter? The point is I do, but only enough to drive me crazy. Will you tell me the truth? Will you tell me about the curse and what it has to do with me?"

His hands shook. The broom he used to sweep up the glass fragments vibrated with his tremors. "I can't, CJ."

"Is it a binding spell? You were the Coven Master, Daddy. You have to know how to break a binding spell."

"It was a blood oath I took, CJ. You can't unbind that."

I didn't know what that was. I hadn't come across it in any of the books Jeff gave me. Instead I focused on the one question that had been haunting me since my eavesdropping escapade.

"Did you steal the Book then, Dad?"

"No," he shook his head. "I should have, though. I should have destroyed that book long ago."

A wave of black rage swept through me. Destroy the Book? Destroy my Book?

"No one will ever destroy my Book."

He looked at me sharply. "Your book?"

"It's mine," I snarled. "Whoever shall try and take it from me will suffer my wrath."

His eyes went round. "CJ, honey, why don't you sit down?"

"Where is it?" I demanded. "Where did you put it?"

"I don't have it, honey. I swear it upon my oath as Coven Master. I didn't touch it."

The rage drained out of me as suddenly as it came. I fell into the chair. What was going on? "Daddy, what's happening to me? I don't understand. I've never even seen that Book, but I...it...what's wrong with me?"

"Shh, honey, it's okay," he soothed. "Why don't you try and get some sleep? You look tired." He muttered something and my eyes became heavy. I needed sleep. It overrode everything else. I was so tired. I blinked. What had we been talking about? My eyes fluttered. Sleep.

"Yeah, you're right, Dad," I mumbled through a yawn. "I just need to sleep."

He helped me up and half carried me to my room.

"Sleep, sweetheart." He kissed my forehead and pulled my old, worn out throw around me. He left, pulling the door closed behind him.

My eyes fell closed and I drifted on a warm lulling breeze of darkness. Sleep.

The blare of my phone woke me.

"Hello?" I slurred.

"CJ, thank the Fates," Billy sounded frantic.

Kay screamed.