Page 39 of The Nowhere Witch

“There are five in total at the moment. There was a new one every week for the first few weeks. This week there were two new ones.”

“Five and they’re accelerating.” I stepped back so I could see my creation more clearly. I shivered and didn’t know if it was the cold or the reality stinging me. Even though I’d made this crazy wall of crystal, or whatever it was, I had no idea how—or how to repair it.

Hawk shrugged out of his coat beside me.

“I don’t need your jacket.” I took another step away from him before he could try to put it on my shoulders.

“You’re shivering,” he said, his arm outstretched still.

“I’m fine. I don’t need your help, and I don’t want you to think we’re going to work together like we used to.” I wouldn’t look at him even as his eyes bored into me. He’d always had more patience than me, but that seemed to be flipping. It was nice to play the calm one for a change, even if it was only in comparison.

He stepped closer. “If you don’t take this jacket, I’m going to tie it on you.”

I looked at him now, my eyes narrowing. “You would, too, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I guess I would. I’m just a real bastard like that, not wanting you to freeze to death.”

“Don’t try to pretend you’re a good guy. You played that game before, and it didn’t hold up well in the light of day.”

“I’ve been accused of a lot, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before. If you thought I tried to play a good guy, you weren’t paying attention.”

He was right. There was nothing good about him, even then. He’d been protecting an asset.

He still had his coat held out to me, and there was a promise in his eyes. I took it, but only because I’d lose the fight. I wouldn’t always, though. I’d guarantee that.

He moved. I followed him because I needed to see how bad the rest of the cracks were, whether he was there or not.

We surveyed the final three weak points in silence. When we were done, we lapped back to the door he must’ve used to get here.

He walked over to it, holding the door open as he stared my way.

“I was going to take it anyway,” I said, walking past him and into the hallway of the broker’s office.

I made my way downstairs, and not because I was looking for company. I needed a hot tea or a second-rate cocoa, or anything that could put some warmth back into my body. He followed me downstairs, perhaps under the misunderstanding that we’d be speaking. That we’d make a plan,together.

Wrong.

The only bright side to this day was that by the time we got back, the office was closed. I didn’t have to see Bibbi sitting at my table, being all nice and happy.

Oscar walked into the back room right as I was pouring a tea, trying to ignore Hawk as he settled onto the couch.

“How’d it get so dusty in here? Your cleaning crew quit?” Oscar asked two steps in the door.

“We have a dust bunny,” Hawk said.

I held back a giggle. A fine layer of dust had already settled on some of the lower shelves, and there were paw prints leading across the wooden floor. Dusty had clearly made herself at home. I’d have to remember her cocoa tomorrow, as I wasn’t overly fond of having to live in the dust either, revenge or not.

Oscar dropped onto the other sofa. “Those are the damnedest things to get rid of.”

Hawk cleared his throat but didn’t say anything else.

“How’s the wall?” Oscar asked.

“Holding steady at five,” Hawk said.

“What did you think?” Oscar asked me.

As much as I didn’t want to discuss this with Hawk, or feed into the delusion that I’d work with him, what I’d just seen was causing a burning need inside of me to talk it over with someone.