The Dashing Witch (The Ward Witches) Read Online Free PDF Page B

parents, but they had a bad relationship. They were bonded, and they insisted on trying to maintain a marriage because that’s what was expected. But neither of them were happy.”
    Justin continued for him, “Our mother was miserable, and she came to hate the magic that she had, decrying it as a gift from the devil. She had us and named us appropriately to save her immortal soul. She chose Eusebius,” Seb nodded, “And Justin Martyr for her firstborn because the two worked together to eliminate witchcraft. Pantaleon is the Patron Saint of Doctors and Dymphna is the Patron Saint of the Mentally Ill. We believe she was trying to say that she knew she was going off the edge, but couldn’t stop it.
    “ But when she discovered that she had passed along her magical talent to all four of her children, despite the names to ward off evil, she used her water magic to kill herself. Our father threw himself into work. We, as his kids, always had someone to take care of us, and we knew he loved us, but that didn’t mean we really saw him or connected with him.”
    Seb took over again. “Our father never recovered after Gladys died. Eventually, he passed as well, from a heart attack that probably came from overworking. He was always Duke Drake, the man who reinvigorated the Covens but couldn’t do a damn thing for his own family.” Seb toasted the air. “The point of telling you all this is to show you that we don’t believe in marriage for marriage’s sake. Neither of you wanted this, and you’ll both be happier without it. So there’s no point in sticking together and being miserable together.”
    “ I appreciate it, man.” Justin bumped knuckles with his brother.
    “ Now get out of here so I can yell at Skylar.”
    “ Let us tell them, please,” Melanie said at the door.
    “ Sure. Tell them tomorrow.”
    Melanie and Justin returned to the upstairs apartment. “That was easier than I expected,” he said, slouching down on the couch.
    “ I agree.” She sat down next to him. There was only one couch, after all.
    “ What do you want to do with the rest of our evening?”
    “ Let’s turn on the television for a while.”
    He obliged, and they quickly found a sitcom they could both agree on. They chatted while they watched, and were soon chatting more than watching. Without speaking or thinking, Melanie moved into Justin’s arms, and he held her close. Melanie took great comfort in just laying in his arms. When she started to nod off, they agreed to call it a night.
    Melanie used the bathroom first, and consequently, she was the first in the king sized four poster. She tried hard not to be nervous. After all, she reasoned, they had already done the act, and it's not like it would happen again. She can share a bed with a man, even this man, without freaking out. But she was nervous in her sleep shirt under the covers. Justin got in as well, wearing only boxers. He couldn’t possibly know how hot that made her. He kissed her briefly on the forehead, leaving Melanie wishing for more.
    “ You know, Justin, I've never spent the night in a man's bed. I visited Richard, sure, but he was my only boyfriend. He never asked me to stay the night, and I never offered.”
    “ I've never had a woman in these rooms for any reason before tonight.”
    “ Then I'm honored.”
    Justin reflected on that. She was special, sure, and he didn't want to short-change or disrespect her while they were together so it seemed natural to bring her here. He had never wanted to even pretend commitment before, so his rooms were off limits to the flavor of the week. And lord, had she really only slept with one man before him? Talk about a bad match. How could they have even tried to make it work when she was so different from him?
    She had her life in LA, her classy job, her family. If she was right about her father, she'd be forever breaking ties with the only family she had. And for Justin? He wasn't even that good of a catch to abandon all