“Leave him. He's harmless.” Maxwell flashed a wicked grin. “I'll turn him into a Lancaster yet.”
Pete shook his head. “Let's hope his bitch mother doesn't croak. Her staying alive is what kept him obedient. This job needs an inside man. I doubt those hippie freaks living in the forest will give in without a fight. Something tells me they'll need a gentle shove to sign on the dotted line.”
Maxwell smirked. “Nothing you can't handle. Besides, Kian will seize the opportunity. He won't be able to resist. Like father, like son.” Maxwell glanced at Pete with a smirk. “But for added insurance, keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't stray from the task. Sometimes my boy needs direction.”
“And if he strays?”
“Give him a taste of your charm. You'll make him see reason.”
Pete nodded. His lips lifted into a wide, toothy grin. “Oh, I'll be a fucking prince, boss.”
Chapter 5
Summer glanced at the clock.
Three hours late… three cursed hours. He is not a man of honor. He is a spoiled, spineless coward.
She had cleaned the glass scattered across her living room, attempted to scrub off the vile words desecrating her home with a hard bristled brush, and now she sat eyeing the seconds pass on the clock. Each tick wound her tighter than the last. She considered using magic to fix the mess, but since the Goddess insisted she invite the human back, she couldn't risk him catching her whipping her glowing hands around like a conductor.
In the corner, her sister hummed an annoyingly sweet tune, her hand flicking back and forth as she practiced her conjuring lesson for the day. In front of her, a single white feather swayed with the rhythm of her hand. Beside her, Pepper and Snow slept with an occasional snort.
Winter sighed. “If he irritates you so much, why did you bother to invite him back?” Winter's eyes remained locked on the feather. “It's obvious you hate him.”
“Please stop that magic. What if he comes here and catches you?” Summer sighed. “I told you. The Goddess requested it. What was I to do? Defy her? I prefer to live another day.”
“Maybe it wasn't the Goddess. I bet it was a demon playing a trick on you. They love to mess with us witches. Last time, a death demon had you chasing after make-believe phantoms.” Her sister fell back with a giggle. “It was so funny.”
Summer threw a teeny lightning bolt at Winter's behind as she bent over. She grinned when Winter yelped.
“Hey.” Winter rubbed her left butt cheek. “That hurt, and you burned my favorite skirt.”
“Serves you right for laughing at me.” Summer smirked. “It was the Goddess. I'm not stupid, you know. I know the difference between a ridiculous demon and a Goddess. Her presence and her power are unmistakable.”
Summer eyed the clock again. Each passing second made her anger grow. What was she thinking ordering that human to return? His snide glances and smug manner screamed his opinion of her. To him, she was nothing but an ignorant country skirt. She punched the pillow beside her, pretending to fluff its filling. As if on cue, an image of Kian's devastating smirk flashed in her mind.
What irritated her more than his failure to arrive was the utter disappointment his absence fashioned. What if she never saw him again? The possibility left her cold.
Curse his smoldering eyes and full, kissable lips. She refused to consider the foolish human one more second.
Moments before jinxing him with a horrible case of heartburn, she heard a loud, thunderous sound shatter the serenity of the woodlands.
Summer ran to the glassless window in time to find Kian cruising toward the cottage on a motorcycle adorned with shiny silver accents and black bags clinging to each side. The sight of him straddling the metal monster gave Summer a sudden jolt, sucking the air from her lungs, and making her body burn as if liquid fire filled her veins.
Last night, he was a handsome mystery with his face cast in shadows and his eyes darker than the onyx sky. Today, at this moment, bathed in daylight, he shone like a diamond, flawless and brilliant, yet strong enough to cut through her willful manner.
Mirrored sunglasses hid his eyes from her view. The helmet strapped to his head appeared too small and thin to protect his skull if need be, adding a rebellious sense of danger to him. Tight blue jeans clung to his thick thighs and a black tank top stretched across his wide chest. His leather-encased palms clutched the grips of the bike tightly. He appeared precarious, risky, and to her surprise… titillating.
A sudden shove of power rocketed through her, reached out, and demanded to touch him. The unfamiliar lust struck without mercy, waking her, forcing her to either tear her gaze off the human or risk wrapping her essence around him… not to mention her body.
She glanced at her shaking hands, shocked at the traces of power fading from her palms. Remnants crackled in the air around her.
Winter appeared at her side in an instant. “What's wrong?”
If her sister sensed the surge of magic, it had been strong.
“It's nothing,” Summer lied.
She hadn't lost control of her energy since her first power flux as a toddler. The flux struck several times before a witch obtained magical maturity around the age of sixteen. For Summer, the instability occurred once. She fought to manage her powers because even at the young age of three, she needed to keep order. She refused to allow an unrefined, arrogant male shake her off balance. She'd rein in her cursed lust even if it killed her.
Determined to ignore the odd need stirring between her thighs, she stood and straightened her skirt.
No man will rule over me, not my body, my dreams, or my power. Ever.
She straightened her spine, lifted her chin, strolled over to the door, and stepped out onto the porch.
Kian pulled in front of the house. He popped out the kickstand and lifted himself off the bike.
With one hand balanced on the tank, he dug through the black leather bags with the other. A gray-shaded angel tattoo on his bicep moved when he shifted. When his muscles flexed, the wings lifted, giving eerie life to the skin art. A sudden urge to trail a finger along the detailed feathers made her hand lift on its own accord. She snapped back her arm, determined to ignore her craving.
Winter nudged Summer's arm. “What is wrong with you?”
Summer frowned at her sister. “Nothing.”
Once again, she focused on Kian. He yanked out a thin, three-inch wide metal plate. It hit the ground with a thud before he slid it under the kickstand with his foot. Hooking his finger around the arm of his sunglasses, he lifted them off his face. Far more vibrant in the light of day, his intense, amber-colored eyes seemed to glow beneath the midday sun, like fallen leaves blanketing the forest floor before the first flakes of snowfall.
With a gentle shove, he slipped the glasses in his helmet before hanging the hard hat on the handlebars by the neck strap. Whatever he used to spike his one-inch crop must have been strong, because the helmet he'd worn hadn't dulled the pointy blond tips at all. They stood tall and sharp.
Without warning, his warm gaze locked on her. Sunlight reflected off the piercings in his eyebrow and lip, bringing an emphasis to both, not that this man needed anything to draw a woman's attention. His charisma was inborn.
As if reading her mind, he smirked. His smug amusement made sweat break out on her forehead. She wiped her brow before he noticed his effect on her. All she needed was to inflate his ego further. The male's head couldn't hold any more arrogance.
A long, awkward silence stretched between them. Goddess be, he is a handsome man. He flashed another devastating grin, and she fought the urge to sigh.
Yes, a fact he is well aware of. She had to remind herself of the kind of man she was dealing with.
“You're late.” Summer crossed her arms over her chest.
He didn't deserve pleasantries. She needed a reminder of why he'd come today. She ripped her gaze away from his mesmerizing eyes to glance at the smeared vulgarity scrawled across the front of her house.
Sperm donor? Summer rolled her eyes. “Must vulgarity blurt from your mouth at every given moment?”
He ignored her and offered Winter a devastating grin. “Hey, pretty girl, how are you today?”
Her sister's face turned a deep shade of rose. She flashed him a grin. “Much better now that you're here and I don't have to hear Summer complain—”
“Winter,” Summer snapped.
Winter rolled her eyes.
He turned back to Summer. “I'm getting to you, aren't I?” He waggled his brows.
Summer brushed past him. “Do you plan to get any work done today or are you just going to annoy me?”
He frowned. “I brought a can of white paint and some brushes. They're in my saddlebags. First, I want to measure the windows, so I can order the glass later. I'll make sure I put a rush on it so it's here ASAP.”
“You put a can of paint in your side bags? Weren't you worried it would spill out?”
“It's fine. The can is brand new. I picked it up before I came over.”
She licked her lips. “Oh, well, thank you.” Summer wandered to the couch and sat, crossing her arms over her chest. “Interesting machine out there. I was expecting—”
“What were you expecting… a Porsche? Maybe a Mercedes?”
He sounded offended, but she wasn't sure why. She wasn't even sure what those things were.
“She was a rust bucket when I found her. I rebuilt the engine, added my own touches, and brought her back to life.”
Summer's eyes were glued on his flexing pectoral muscles as they shifted beneath his tight tank top. His biceps tensed.
“I'm impressed.” She admired the fact he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Maybe he did have some redeeming qualities after all. “I expected a gas-guzzling atrocity.”
He laughed. “Yeah, well, I left my atrocity at home.”
He pulled a measuring tape from his front pocket. With his muscular back now to her, he focused on his task. Smooth shoulders rippled with each shift. He squatted to measure the bottom of the frame, his legs, hips, and behind, tight, firm, and powerful.
If her friend Clara met him, she'd call him a triple D, a man who would demand, dominate, and deliver. A member of her coven, Clara had a wild streak Summer adored. Too bad she moved to the other side of the country. Regardless, Summer planned to invite her to the promising ceremony.
Summer scowled and pushed the idea of her future nuptials back in her mind.
Kian held himself there for a minute, giving her another moment to admire his assets. A few more tattoos peeked out from underneath the bottom of his shirt when he stretched to scribble the measurements on a piece of paper.
Did the designs stop at his fine behind or did they continue on, past his thick thighs?
She bit her lip.
“So how long have you lived here?”
Surprised by Kian's sudden deep voice, she lost her ability to speak.
He glanced over his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Um, yes. I'm fine. All my life.”
“What?”
“I lived here all my life.”
“Oh, how long? I mean, how old are you?”
She offered a pleasant smile. “I'm twenty-five.”
“I'm hitting twenty-eight my next birthday.” A moment of silence passed. “It's in a few months.” More silence. “You were born here? Not in the house, but the area?”
Her eyes narrowed. Why did she suspect the beginning of an inquisition? She tightened her arms over her breasts as her guard rose. Since when did he become so chatty? “I was born in the house. A midwife brought me into the world a few feet from where you're standing.”
“Right there, huh.” He continued to measure the other side with a smirk on his face.
She frowned. When he remained silent, she added, “Yes, it's common for those with my beliefs to seek alternative medicine.”
“And what beliefs are those?”
“I, umm...”
“Hey, I'm not knocking it. I thought I was the only one. My sister and I were born at home too. My mom insisted, even though it freaked my father out. He's a more conventional prick than an open-minded chump.”
She harrumphed. “Are you… an unconventional prick, you know, like your father?” Her cheeks blushed at the sound of the word prick crossing her lips. I've never said such a word in my life.
He spun. His face twisted into a fierce grimace. “I'm nothing like my father,” he snapped.
Interesting.
She narrowed her eyes, but didn't push. His father proved to be a sore subject. “Perhaps it would be better if we kept the conversation to a minimum.”
“Fine by me,” he grumbled before turning his spectacular back to her.
For the next half hour, the cottage remained free of Kian's questions. Outside, the sweet song of the mocking bird joined the coo of a mourning dove. Energy filled the forest. Nature chatted with enthusiasm, vitality buzzed in the air, and all the while, Summer's power rode along the edge of her control.
She glanced at Kian. Was he the reason for the change within the woods... and her?
She hoped the Goddess might shed light on the strange shift she sensed. A visit to the grove was imperative, but later, after the threat of Kian's presence dissipated.
Out of the corner of her eye, Summer caught her sister levitating a book on the desk. She mouthed the word stop and signaled for her sister put the thing on the floor. It fell with a loud thud. Kian spun so fast, he stumbled.
“What the hell was that?”
“Nothing,” said Winter and Summer in unison. A blush formed on both their cheeks. Pepper sprawled out on the floor next to Winter as if nothing happened. Snow yawned and stretched.
His gaze slid back and forth between them. “Okay… well, I got the measurements and I fixed the frame. It might take a few days for the glass to come in. These are old panes and it will have to be a special order.”
Summer nodded without a word.
He frowned. “I'll get started on painting the shingles.” He sauntered out without another word.
As Summer watched him leave, her gaze locked on his taut behind, appreciating how each firm cheek connected to his powerful thighs. What in the world is wrong with me? I'm eyeing him like the last piece of chocolate in a heart-shaped box.
Summer wasn't immune to a handsome male, but she insisted on composure. Right now, her thoughts verged on indecent and wild.
She longed to explore his tan contours with her fingertips and taste him with her tongue. Investigate each dip and crest to confirm whether they were as smooth and hard as she imagined.
She wondered. Would he welcome her touch? Would he return it? Within moments of his departure, the intense energy vanished. The cottage grew cold and still. Temptation nudged her to run outside, drag him back in, and admire him a few moments longer. She resisted.
“Summer likes Kian. Summer likes Kian,” sung for her sister in a low, childish pitch. She laughed when Summer scowled.
“Nonsense.” Summer rolled her eyes. “Are you sure you're eighteen? I'd swear I shared the room with a toddler.”
“You like him and you know it.”
Summer groaned. “He's arrogant and stubborn and—”
“Hot,” snapped Winter, finishing her sentence.
Summer grimaced at her sister. “Where did you hear that term?”
Winter bit her lip. “I snuck into Momma's box and read her secret books.”
Ah yes, Momma's secret box. Winter wasn't alone in her transgression. Summer still remembered her shock the first time she poked through the forbidden box and read one of her mother's romance novels. They spoke of illicit things, desire
s a witch should have with her promised. Without a doubt, it was not appropriate reading material for her little sister.
“No more sneaking into Momma's things. You hear me?”
Winter frowned. “You read them too. Besides, they're so silly. Whoever saw a vampire sparkle? Make such a claim to a vampire lord and he'd drain you dry.”
“I have to admit, the stories are… creative.”
They both giggled.
Shuffling on the porch caught Summer's attention. Kian's muscular torso passed the broken window. His shirt had disappeared, revealing every square inch of his amazing upper body. Summer sighed. Her heart skipped a beat at the view of all his glorious flesh. How did he make her excited and content all in the same breath?
He stopped in front of the door and stretched his arms into the air, the chiseled definitions of his back flexing and rippling. Had he no shame, prancing around with nothing on. No man as handsome as him should be allowed to expose such perfection without regard. It was indecent, flashy, and... Goddess, he was magnificent.
Two colorful tattoos covered each corded shoulder. A large dragon with claws drawn and teeth ready to shred decorated his left. On his right, a sorceress with her arms raised, commanding the beast with rays of fierce magic. The work was elaborate. Breathtaking.
“Summer, are you worried about who Momma and Papa will choose for you?”
The question sucked the lust right out of her. She couldn't watch Kian with the mention of her intended on the table. She dropped her gaze. The idea of being with another man with Kian just outside the door made her sick. It was preposterous, considering she had no promise to Kian. She hardly knew him.
She sighed. “Yes, I'm worried.”
“They will choose well for you.”
She offered a faint smile to her sister. “I'm not worried about their choice. I know they will pick a husband who will be honorable and strong. I worry I will not please him. He will expect a doting wife, the kind of woman who submits to every whim of her husband. This is not who I am.”
Winter sat beside her on the couch. “Well, then they must find you a male who's strong enough to allow you to be you.” Her naive words were a result of her youth.
Passion of a Witch: A Wicked Series - Book 1 Page 5
