Page 29 of Kat Bethel

“It’s a start. I’ll keep digging while you chase that lead.”

I let out a breath to steel myself. “By the way, expect some divorce papers.”

She went silent on the other end.

“You already got them.”

“Not exactly.”She paused, thinking about how to say what was on her mind. Something Willow didn’t do, and immediately put me on edge. I wasn’t the only one. The hand on my stomach held me tighter.

“What?”

“He showed up here, looking for you,”she finally said. I blinked trying to reconcile what she said.“Something about winning you back.”

The lights flickered angrily and the point of claws pressed into my skin, threateningly.

My brain short-circuited while I tried to figure out how to respond. “He left me.”

The bulbs popped and went out, leaving me in darkness, but they didn’t explode like they had in my dream. At this rate, I was going to make a name for myself in this town as a lightbulb killer.

My heart raced. If he lost control, he’d eviscerate me.

The darkness smothered the light in a way that made me feel small. That I was nothing more than an ant living in his world.

I lit my lemon balm candle, still on the table. It calmed me down. Maybe it would help him, the way it did the first night. The early morning sun gave enough light to show how every shadow in the room shifted back and forth, yet somehow didn’t diminish his presence.

I was all too aware of him.

“He left you? I thought you came to your senses and left him.”The incredulity in Willow’s voice almost made me laugh. Then she gasped.“I might have…told him you’ve always been too good for him.”

“I’m sure he’ll just think of it as family allegiance.”

“I was really specific. He was purple when he stomped off my porch,”she told me quietly.“I also pointed out that Esme would never let you go back to him.”

That was truer than she knew.

Icy breath blew across the back of my neck, sending a chill over me that made my nipples harden. His menacing whisper tickled my skin. “If he tries, he’s a dead man.”

My heart threatened to jump out of my chest, but my pussy clenched and throbbed. Why did a monster care about my ex-husband?

The answer shouldn’t have washed me in excitement. I needed to run as far as I could in the other direction. Was it even possible to escape him?

I whirled around, looking for him, but the room was empty.

I bit my lip, remembering how his cool touch made me throw reason out the window for something more primal and needy.

He intended to claim me.

Chapter 12:

IdrovearoundtheDark Entry Forest until I came across the house on the edge of the forest. It was a cute little place kept in good condition. It surprised me to find the barn and garden in front of the elderwood home instead of behind it. A witch built this house.

Interesting.

Perhaps they destroyed the one that was previously here.

A knock rapped on my window, and Myrtle waved at me with a smile.

“Sorry, I was checking out the perimeter,” I lied. “I didn’t realize just how close you were.”