Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
The Sea Witch was angry she hadn’t been invited since it was in her cove the Spring Court was celebrating.
So, she’d done the only thing she could do—she had destroyed everything and left a mess in her wake.
I still remembered the look of envy on her face when Ben had grabbed my hand and pulled me next to him.
The memory was strong because he didn’t shield me. No, he had stood on equal ground with me, equal footing.
For some reason, the memory wouldn’t leave even long after the dream was over. Did it mean something? The fact that I was beside him, not behind him?
Or was it just remnants of our fight last night?
“Hey, you okay?” Sarah bumped me with her hip. “You’ve been super quiet, and you seem to have gone through a midlife crisis last night and added a white tiger stripe to your hair.”
Malcom leaned over the counter and winked at me. “I think it looks cool.”
“See? I’m cool.” I stuck out my tongue at her, earning a laugh just as the little bell went off above the door.
“Mom.” Sarah backed up a few steps like she was afraid of her mom, and I was irrationally protective and irritated that I recognized her this time.
In another life, this bitter woman was my older sister. I’d been a gift from the gods, according to my mother, born ten years after my sister, born with grace, beauty, and the one girl able to take the attention of the prince who would inherit the kingdom.
Some things, I guessed, never changed regardless of the century… unfortunately.
How powerful bitterness and jealousy must be—to have the traits born and reborn over and over again?
“Sarah.” Her penciled brow arched at her daughter, and then her icy gaze was back on me as if Sarah didn’t even exist. “Give us a minute, please, honey?”
Why did “honey” sound like a curse word coming from her lips?
Once Sarah was out of earshot, I pasted a fake smile on my face. “What can I do for you, mayor? Is this about the festival? Benjamin has the packets at his house. I’m sure it’s going to be—”
“Stay the hell away from him,” she said in a low voice that had me ready to strangle her. “He’s mine.”
“Is he aware of that?” I didn’t mean for it to sound bitchy. Then again, how else could someone fight bitchiness? With a hug?
Her blue eyes narrowed into slits as she placed her hands on her hips with a lame attempt at intimidation. “Look, I can make your life a living hell in this small town. I know everything about everyone, and Benjamin and I have more in common than you could possibly imagine.”
I wanted to say, “try me,” but held my tongue. Fighting with her would get me nowhere. “Well, I will gladly step aside, then. He’s all yours.”
Her anger dissipated just barely; her brows lifted a good inch. “Are you being sarcastic?”
“Do you want me to be?” I frowned. “If you think I’m an obstruction, I’ll gladly get out of the way. I’ll just let him know tonight when I pick up my things—from his house—and his room—that you want in. Considering all you have in common, I bet he’s been expecting you to make your move and all.”
She gaped, her mouth opening and closing twice before she clenched her hands into tight fists. Damn, even I was impressed with those talons she called fingernails as they dug into her skin. “How dare you!”
I held up my hands in innocence. “I’m just doing what you asked.”
“No! You’re twisting my words! And you’re a liar. There’s no way he’d sleep with you, knowing that I’m interested. I mean, have you looked in a mirror lately? Why the hell do you have a white streak in your hair? Aging before our eyes, are you?”
She had no way of knowing how true her mark had hit.
Because if we didn’t solve this.
I would eventually age right in front of him.
And I would eventually die in his arms, an old broken lady.
And he would blame his lack of self-control.
She lifted her chin in defiance. “He’ll get tired of you, and when he does, he knows exactly who can keep his bed warm.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say he’d prefer a cold dead corpse, but I refrained and instead smiled and watched her stomp out of the bookstore.
Mrs. Smith said something that must have pissed her off more because she let out a shriek of rage and practically sprinted, in heels, mind you, back to her car.
Curious, I poked my head out the door and watched her speed off. “What did you say to her?”
“Oh, a bit of this…” The chair squeaked as it rocked back and forth. “A bit of that—I also told her that he’s bound to you, and no tight skirt or amount of cleavage will change when you have a fated mate.”