Wicked Destiny - By Tiffany Stevens Page 0,54

Shay, who was on the phone with someone asking for them to pick her up.

“What are you doing? We just go here.” Now I was confused.

“Sloane, I don’t feel all that great, so I’m having Mindy come get me. She’s right down the road.” She was digging in her purse for some gum, or something in general, just so she wouldn’t have to look at me.

“Shay, I’m—” Mindy pulled into the parking lot and Shay turned to walk off, but she suddenly turned back around.

“This isn’t you and this isn’t what I meant by owning your talents.” She turned to walk away and all I could do was watch.

I turned around to see if Viktor was there, but he was gone too. Oh, well, I was here and I wasn’t going to let the day go to waste. I walked in and headed straight to the bar area. I asked for a corner booth and a berry mojito. As I sat there sipping on my drink, I was thinking about everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks. I finished the first round and ordered another. I was feeling on edge and scared. I never liked being in a situation where I didn’t know what to do. It was always so easy to talk to Shay about it, but she was ill with me at the moment.

I ordered an appetizer of cheese sticks. Just as they came out, I caught a glimpse of the people walking in. Declan was all decked out with a woman. My stomach began to twist because she was beautiful. She was tall and thin with just the right amount of curves, and her skin looked just like a Greek goddess’. Why was I so shocked? Declan was beyond handsome and now I knew why. This was surely the person he was to end up with—someone who looked like a super model and not a witch that worked in a nightclub.

Suddenly, I wasn’t so hungry and I waved down my waiter to get my check. Funny thing was, I didn’t have to worry about a designated driver because all I had to do was think where I was going and there I’d be. I took one last look at Declan as I signed the check. He wore low-rise jeans with a white buttoned up shirt that he wore open at the top. I noticed his hand resting in his pocket and the trinket that hung loosely from his wrist. It was the eternity bracelet I gave him. I couldn’t get up fast enough from the booth and I must have created a ruckus, because they caught sight of me. I couldn’t even smile to be polite. I looked back at Declan and walked out the side door, right into my loft.

Chapter 14

I sat there on my sofa pissed with Shay and Viktor. I thought I’d done pretty good so far with not letting magic control my life. I just wanted to have a little fun. I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Now I was irritated and needed a distraction. I thought I neglected my studio long enough. Feeling spunky, I walked through my door still wearing my clothes from earlier and I crossed the next threshold. I changed into my overalls and pinned up my hair, taking out my iPhone from the leg pocket.

I started the music and turned it up. I let the music determine everything. Looking at the blank canvas, I picked up a pencil and grabbed the sketch pad instead. I sat at my bay window that had a great view of the river walk and a down below park where kids could play. After a couple strokes, I looked up to see if I was missing anything. Nothing had changed. The water flowed down stream, runners ran along the river walk and mothers chased their kids through the park. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if I became a mother. Would everything of me pass to it? I was sure it would, and now that I thought about it, I wouldn’t want this life for a child.

Having kids was far from my life, but I already felt robbed—robbed of the option to choose. It seemed like I never had a choice anymore. Everything hung in the way of my choice and I had never been so confused in my life. The music still blared in my ears and no matter how loud I had Halestorm