Crystal Clear by Kris T. Bethke

Author:Kris T. Bethke [Bethke, Kris T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

I’d never seen Cole this upset or panicked, and I almost regretted telling him. Or at least not downplaying the situation. But he’d heard my half of the conversation, and we didn’t keep secrets from each other. So of course I’d told him. And he went from pissed the hell off to panicked all within about ninety seconds.

“Cole, I’m sure that—”

“Do not.” He pointed a finger at me, his brow furrowed. Then he took a breath and attempted to relax. It didn’t exactly work. “Sorry. But we don’t mess around with safety. I know you think your old coven won’t be able to do anything, and maybe that’s true. The MBI has them under surveillance. But we aren’t going to take a chance. Especially since your cousin thought it was prudent to warn you.”

I relented with a nod. “Okay. You’re right.”

Cole’s shoulders did relax with that. “Thank you. Now the question is, do you want to stay here or do you want me to stay at your place?”

I blinked. “What?”

That fast, Cole’s scowl was back. “You think I’m going to let you stay on your own?”

“Let me?” I couldn’t quite keep the indignation out of my tone.

“Yes. Let you. It’s safer for you to be with someone else. You know what? You’re staying here. It’s easier to ward my house with our power circle out back. We can draw on that and make the barrier ward as strong as possible. And you’ll be harder to find. We’ll have to go to your place and pack a bag, but yeah. It’s better here.” The last was said mostly to himself as he was already heading down the hall to his workroom. No doubt to find some of his rocks for something or other. But it was all moving too fast for me.

“Cole. Wait. Just pause for a second and talk to me.”

To his credit, he immediately stopped and turned to face me. It took him a few seconds, but then he jogged back so he could sit beside me, taking my hand in his. I clung on, needing that grounding. For a moment, we both just breathed.

“I’m sorry. I’m worried, and I want you safe. I would very much appreciate it if you’d stay here with me, where we can put up a good barrier. At least then, you’ll be protected. And the thought of you walking away right now makes my stomach hurt. I lo—care about you so much and it would destroy me if anything happened to you.”

I didn’t miss the slip. And it wasn’t like I didn’t already know he felt that way. He showed me in everything he did, every touch, every smile. He made me feel loved and cared for all the time. And maybe it was the rain last night that had washed me clean and started me on a path to healing, but I wasn’t scared of what that meant anymore. I wasn’t afraid to feel it myself.

“I love you,” I said. I was freer for having spoken the words.

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