Read Online Mark of the Witch (Boston Witches) by Jessica Gibson - Free Book Online Page A

looked up at him. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes looked worried. “I’m fine, she’s fine. She’s upstairs pretending like this never happened.”
    “I guess that’s probably just as well for her; she’s most likely in shock.”
    “Emily’s coming over soon to help me strengthen the wards on the house. Oh, and I need to call the shop and tell them I’m going to be off for a few weeks until we figure this out.”
    Jilly grabbed her phone and made the call. Tanya sounded worried when she told her she was taking off, but she quickly told her she was just taking a vacation since Caroline was in town. She hated to lie to her, but it was better that she didn’t know any specifics.
    “Can I make you some coffee?” she asked as she walked over to the coffee maker and went about preparing the machine.
    William nodded and came over and leaned against the counter behind her. “So tell me what happened. Don’t leave anything out.”
    She launched into the story and when she finished he rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a minute before speaking. “That will have been Liam then; I wondered which side he would land on in all of this. He’s always been a bit of a rogue.”
    “Oh, I think it’s safe to say he’s chosen,” Jilly said caustically. She brought the pot and two mugs over to the table, and asked William to grab the cream from the fridge.
    Once they were seated with their coffee in front of them, William reached across the table and grabbed Jilly’s hand. Although she was expecting it, she still was shocked by the jolt she felt when he touched her skin. After a few seconds, it dulled down to a nice tingling sensation in her fingers.
    “I was so worried, Jilly. I’ve not cared for someone like this in many years.”
    Jilly’s face was a mask as she thought about how to respond. “Is it really me you care for, or is it Liza? Do you see me, or is it Liza’s face you see when you look in my eyes?”
    William sat quietly for a second, lips pressed into a hard line, obviously irritated that she would even ask that.
    “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. Yes, I loved Liza, but believe me, you are nothing like her. You may look like her, but that’s about where the similarities end.” He was angry, and it made Jilly a little nervous. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held on firmly.
    “I had another dream last night. You never told me you loved her,” Jilly said quietly.
    William dropped her hand and stepped back. “What do you mean?”
    “How you felt was written all over your face, William. It was awkward for me to be in Sabine’s body while you were kissing her.”
    William dropped his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jilly. I’m not a saint, and I was very young. I thought for a while that I did love her, but I was wrong,” he said quietly.
    Jilly didn’t know what to say, so they just looked at each other, both feeling uncomfortable.
    Emily’s voice coming in the door broke the tension in the room. They both went out to meet Emily in the living room. Although her words were bright, Jilly could see the worry in her friend’s eyes. She shot her a look that said “everything’s fine now” and walked over and hugged her. William went out back to take a look around while the girls set about their work.
    *
    Two hours later they were finished and exhausted. William made them lunch while they sat at the table, trying to regain some of the energy they had just expended.
    “Ok,” Jilly said in between bites, “where do we go from here? Do we wait for another attack, or should I agree to this meeting she wants?”
    William hesitated for a moment before speaking, chewing on his lower lip while he was thinking. “I think we should let things cool off for a few days. Sabine is going to be angry when she finds out Liam let you escape. She’ll most likely wait a few days before she tries for you again. In the meantime, I think you should stay in the house; Caroline too.” He nodded in Emily’s