Free Witch Hunter Olivia by T.A. Kunz Page B

starting over never simple? It seems like we’re having a standoff of the wills as we stare each other down for a few seconds. I’m only able to keep my steely gaze up for so long before it cracks under the pressure of her pointed one. She knows I know she’s right, like always.
    “Okay, but you’re on recon only. If anything happens, you call me ASAP, no questions. Please try and remember that we’re tied together now, so don’t go being a shero. Ass kicking is my domain.”
    “Understood,” she replies with a half-smile. “Thank you for trusting me, Livie. It means a lot.”
    “Please don’t make me regret this.”
    “I’ll be careful, don’t worry,” she states, placing her hand on my shoulder while sending me a reaffirming look.
    “Famous last words, right?” I say, causing her to giggle.
    “Leaving so soon?” Angelica’s voice rings down the hall, leading up to where we’re standing. She hurries over to us, her heels shuffling across the wood floors. She drapes her arm around Tara’s shoulder and sends me a wide smile.
    “Yeah, I was, but Tara’s still free. I have someone waiting for me.”
    “Oh, like a guy?” Angelica probes, which causes Tara to look at me with a wicked grin.
    “Yeah, kind of, I guess,” I reply, dodging Tara’s goofy face because she knows who I’m talking about.
    “You’ll so have to bring him to the Alpha Nu Gamma pre-hell week initiation party tomorrow night. It’s the second round of the initiation process, and a super big deal. I’m totes not supposed to say anything until the invites go out this afternoon, but Tara here is so in,” she explains, hugging her close and causing Tara to beam with a tiny squeal. “You’ll come, right, Olivia?”
    “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I say, but am thinking to myself this will probably be the perfect time to draw out Angelica’s attacker and get to the bottom of this.
    “Perfect. Then it’s all set,” Angelica says with her picturesque smile still gleaming.

“Okay, so I’m only going to ask you this one more time, Liv. Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you to see your mom?” Heath asks as we pull into Dark Ink’s parking lot.
    “Yeah, I’m positive. This is something I’ve got to do by myself. I appreciate the offer, really I do, but it’s already going to be tough enough being in front of her without a warlock tagging along. No offense,” I reply, putting Scarlet into park and turning to face him.
    He sends me a concerned look. “You don’t have to do everything alone. You know that, right? I realize it might seem easier to go at this solo, but if people want to help you, you should consider letting them. I mean, I understand wanting to see your mom by yourself, but just know you don’t have to figure this whole mess out on your own.”
    “I know, but if I’m alone, then no one is in danger but me. It kills me a little bit every day when I think about what happened to Tara, and I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself or the Guild. I’m tired of seeing people I care about put in danger because of my actions. That’s why I left in the first place,” I explain, shying away from Heath as I talk.
    I feel him lean close to me, and the whole right side of my body heats up like I’m sitting next to a roaring fire. The heat spreads across my chest and caresses the side of my face as his arm reaches over and his fingertips touch my left cheek, causing me to turn toward him again. His face is full-on serious and his blue eyes feel like they’re peering right through my facade.
    “You’re not alone. Remember that, okay?”
    I feel each word as they leave his lips. He backs away from me and opens the car door before making his exit. I’m left here in a daze, still feeling his fiery embrace against my cheek. I reach up to trace where his fingers just grazed while watching him walk to the front door of the parlor. I’ve never seen him look so serious, and his abrupt exit makes me