Free Desolate (Riverband #2) by Sara Daniell, J. L. Hackett

him.”
     
    I nodded and looked at Reese.  “Our relationship just went to a whole new level of weird.”
     
    She looked at her hands and nodded. “I can understand if you want to end things.”
    Janet scoffed. “After all the shit he did while you were gone. He better not. He’ll never find anyone as good as you to put up with his dumb ass.”
     
    I smirked.  “Or you’ll just turn me into a frog.”
     
    Janet chuckled. “We can’t actually do that. It doesn’t work that way. The witches you’ve heard about aren’t what we are.” She took another drink.
    Reese fidgeted with her charm bracelet. “Besides I suck.”
     
    My mind immediately went to the gutter with Reese’s comment.  I bit back a smile.  Now isn’t the time, Havock.  I looked at them both.  “I won’t say anything. But what does this mean for me?  Can I still be with Reese?”
     
    “Yeah.” Janet plopped down on the couch with another glass of whiskey.
    “Besides, after what she did to get back to you I doubt anyone could take her away from you again.”
    Reese smiled a little.
     
    “Think you should slow down on the Whiskey, J?”  I asked as I took Reese’s hand in mine.
     
    Reese squeezed my hand and looked at J worriedly.
    “Nah, it takes a lot to get me drunk. Besides, between Garrett and I fighting, and now you knowing what I am, I think I need to drink.” She downed the Whiskey then put her head back. “You two should probably head home.”
     
    As if on que, my phone started ringing again with mom’s ringtone.  I stood, helping Reese to her feet.  “Ready?”
     
    She nodded then looked at J. “Thanks, Janet.”
     
    Janet pinched the bridge of her nose and grunted in response.
     
    My Princess was a witch.  For real.  I was positive I’d never be used to the reality of it, and I’d probably avoid talking about it unless I had to.  I wanted us to be us again, but that was far from possible now. 
     
    ~~~
     
    I wasn’t allowed back to school for the rest of the week.  Jackson ended up getting suspended, too.  The principal made it very clear I was being suspended for previous transgressions but also for pushing Jackson do what he did, which wasn’t fair.  I didn’t throw a punch or anything.
     
    He also said if it weren’t for living in a small town and my mom being a saint, I’d be repeating my senior year.  He called me everything but a fuck up, but he pretty much labeled me that by the list of wrong doings he threw at me and saying I’d never amount to anything.
     
    I drove Reese to school earlier and told her I'd pick her up at the end of the day. So, that meant I had the rest of the day to do whatever.  Sleep sounded great.
     
    I was worried about Reese, though. What if someone made her mad today and she lost control? The fact that she was a witch scared me. My mind couldn't even process it. Every time I tried to think about it, my mind just regurgitated it like spoiled food.  But I had to think about it. I had to think about it because I was concerned for her.
     
    I knew she needed help from the ones who took her from us and were training her, but then I also remember her ribs and the other bruises all over her body.  Unacceptable.
     
    Mom was in the process of taking them to court, claiming abuse, but now it all made sense. It wasn’t abuse, but we couldn’t explain that to mom or the court.  Reese told me that we couldn't tell anyone and that she was already worried that Jackson was suspicious.  The fact she was a witch had to be a secret locked tighter than Fort Knox or she could be in danger.  Whatever the hell that meant.
     
    I had just turned on the TV to occupy my mind when the doorbell rang. I got up and looked out the window. I could only see the side of a man. I opened the door. "Mayor Johnson?!"
     
    I moved to let him in. His clothes were ripped and he had a beard that would need hedge trimmers to fix. He looked worse than terrible.
     
    "Is she here?!" He asked