“You wouldn’t,” Astra gasped.
“I sure would,” Raven smirked. “My mother called yesterday so I am expecting another call this afternoon. I just have to let it slip that you took a necklace, and next thing you know, Auntie Edith will be calling you so fast…”
Inhaling deeply, Astra shook her head. “You’re a traitor, Raven. You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I? Payback for stealing the necklace and for telling your mom about Arthur.”
Astra’s face paled. “You know I didn’t mean to let it slip that you’d dumped him.” Astra dug a ten-dollar bill out of her pocket and slammed it onto the small counter at the very front where the cash register sat.
“It’s better to pay for it, anyway,” Raven pointed out. “You wouldn’t want to mess with the energies by having a stolen crystal protecting you.”
“Ugh. You’re right. So how are our dear parents, anyway?” Astra asked.
This was the way of the Bishop women. Fighting one second, perfectly harmonious the next. Some said it was because they were temperamental women, but the Bishops knew the truth. It’s because they were witches.
“Well,” Raven shrugged, “our mothers seem to be enjoying themselves on the cruise. But apparently, at the last port, both of our dads staged a protest. I quote, the damned boat was moving too much.”
“Ah, I told them that being a water witch didn’t necessarily mean they’d be comfortable on a moving ship. Fuck!” Astra shouted, her eyes on the small clock above the register. “I’ll be late for Mrs. Gellar. Don’t tell my mom. Bye.” She took the ten-dollar bill back and slid it into her pocket.
Raven didn’t even try to stop her cousin. She was already halfway out the door anyway. Grumbling to herself about her eccentric family member, Raven went back into the store’s aisles to continue the inventory.
But a few short moments passed when the small bell over the door dinged, signaling a new patron. Raven hoped it wasn’t Astra who’d come back for more freebies. She ducked her head around the high shelf and plastered on her best retail smile.
“Be with you in just a second.”
The man who was standing there in the brown sheriff’s uniform made Raven’s heart speed up. His green eyes caught her own, and Raven forgot what she had been doing but two seconds before. If she didn’t know any better, Raven would have sworn that the stranger was undressing her with his eyes. And all he could see was her scooped-neck pink top and her head of black hair.
Raven sent out a silent thank you to the universe that she had actually taken care to wrangle her messy curls into straight, smooth tresses that morning. She couldn’t help but be interested in the attractive man. No, her heart cried. No more dudes. You promised no more after Arthur. Raven ignored her still shattered heart. She couldn’t very well ignore a potential customer.
She dropped her clipboard on the shelf and made her way to him.
As she did, she let her eyes roam over him. He was a beast. Easily a foot taller than her five-foot-four frame. He was wide in the shoulders and narrowed down at the waist. The ugly brown pants and tan-colored shirt shouldn’t, logically, look good on anyone. But she was definitely affected by the uniform. Or rather, the man draped in it. His muscular forearms were clearly on display, the hem of the shirt working around his biceps. His blond hair was swooped back as if he’d been running his hands through the strands continuously.
“Raven Bishop?” the man asked. Oh, sweet lord. His voice was deep and clear. The way he’d said her name gave her chills.
“Yes?” she asked. She’d never admit to anyone, but she was hoping someone had sent her a stripper-gram as a joke. That would be something her cousins would do to mess with her. No sheriff had any right being this hot. Not with a jaw that square and full lips hidden behind a bit of pale blond scruff.
“I’m Sheriff Cross. I’ve got a matter of some urgency I need to discuss with you.”
Raven’s heart started to beat faster, but not because Sheriff Cross was drop-dead gorgeous. Rather, because she’d realized that an actual officer of the law was standing in her store, asking to speak with her.
Could she be arrested for letting Astra take a few things from inventory?
What? No. That made no sense. Raven swallowed against her dry throat.
“Sure. Okay,” she managed to say.
“I need to take you to a safe location.” He gestured toward the door like she would just follow him out of the store and into his cruiser.
“What? I don’t think so.” Her face flushed, and she crossed her arms. “I’m going to have to ask to see your badge.”
Her mama hadn’t raised any fools. She knew a few serial killers pretended to be cops and made away with unsuspecting women. Raven wasn’t about to trust a pretty face and a uniform. He was too good-looking to be deserving of her trust. Yup, her poor heart agreed. We don’t trust sexy men anymore.
Sheriff Cross—if that was even his name—pulled out his badge and held it out for her to see. Raven took the piece of identification in her hands and flipped it every which way until she was positive it was real.
“You’re going to explain to me why I need to go anywhere with you,” she said, handing him back his badge.
“You’re in danger. I can’t give you more details than that. Not here. Not now. It’s not safe.”
“I’m sorry, am I supposed to understand what you’re saying right now?” Her sudden attraction to Sheriff Cross was quickly ebbing away.
He closed the distance between them, coming to stand so close to her, she could see the different shades of blond in his hair and facial hair. So close, she could smell the faint hint of cologne.
“I don’t mean to sound dramatic, Ms. Bishop,” he said, “but you need to come with me if you want to live.”
Chapter Five
Raven
Come with me if you want to live.
Sheriff Cross’s words reverberated through the small store and Raven couldn’t help it.
She began to laugh.
And not a dainty little giggle she could easily recover from. Oh, no.
This was a deep belly laughed that left her snorting every time she tried to kill the laughter. Tears sprang up in her eyes, and she dabbed at them, hoping her mascara wasn’t a running mess.
Sheriff Cross looked at her, green eyes wide and mouth wide open in shock and confusion. Raven held out a finger to him, gesturing that she needed a second—or sixty—to compose herself.
“Sorry,” she managed to say after a few more spurts of laughter. “You have to know how silly that sounded. You took that from an action movie, you can’t blame me for laughing so hard. It was cheesy in the movie, but in real life, it’s just…” She gulped around the next wave of laughter threatening to bubble out of her.
“Right, well, that doesn’t change the fact we need to go. You are in danger.”
“Can you clarify this danger?” Raven asked, her breath still choppy from all of the laughing. God, he was hot. She had to make sure to look away. She definitely didn’t need to notice how square his jaw was.
The last square jaw she’d been interested in had taken her heart, stomped on it, stabbed it with a poisonous dagger, and then set it on fire just for good measure.