FinnsRedemption Read Free

she wanted to run away but he
wasn’t going to allow it. She was too important to him.
    “Alli, I’m sorry,” he said, keeping his voice soft.
    Her eyes began to water and Finn slid his finger along the
smooth skin of her cheek. He prayed to the Goddess she wouldn’t cry. Her anger
he could deal with, he deserved. However, her tears…Finn didn’t think he’d be
able to handle her tears. She swallowed hard and he let out a sigh of relief.
    “I came back for you.”
    She pulled back sharply from him, her face a mask of anger
and confusion.
    Shit, mistake number one.
     
    “Came back for me? What the hell are you talking about? It’s
been fifteen years. Fifteen years and you stroll into my store telling
me that you’re here for me? After all this time, did you think I was here
pining away for you? What kind of game are you playing?” She swallowed the lump
in her throat, “Or do you have a new bet to fulfill? Get the fat girl to give
it up again? You know people still give me shit about what happened.” She felt
little satisfaction when he flinched slightly.
    “This is no game. We belong together and I’m here to claim
you.”
    Her face reddened to deep scarlet. He swore and she hissed
at him.
    “Now you listen,” she said, poking his very hard chest with
her finger. “I don’t know what is running through your mind and I don’t care.
I’m willing to cut you a little slack considering Heather is sick but unless
you tell me right now that you have had a large amount of alcohol to drink, I
want you out of my store, Finn Donovan.”
     
    Alli’s chest heaved in frustration. Her adrenaline poured
through her skin. Her knees were shaking. He’d loved it that she was so out of
control when he was around. When she was eighteen, she loved that about him.
His ability to take to her to places she was always too scared to go.
    Finn grabbed her, hauling her up to him. “I have no
intention of going anywhere until you hear me out.”
    He placed one arm around her back. His other hand moved to
her face again. He caressed her cheek, looking in her eyes, trying to lose
himself in their depths.
    At first Alli stiffened against him. He kept running his
hand along her cheek, taking his time. Willing her to be calm, to not be afraid
of him.
    She finally began to relax in his embrace and he continued.
“Alli, you and I are meant to be together. I know it sounds crazy. Whether you
believe it or not, it’s true. Yes, I came back to help my family with Heather
but I also need you.”
    Her eyes widened. She wanted to believe him, it was there in
her gaze, in the tight line of her mouth. Finn had more work to do to convince
her he wasn’t fucking around.
    “Hmmph, now what’s the other reason you’re here?” It was
obvious she didn’t want to discuss them being together but her resolve was
starting to weaken. Her face had softened and her voice was much calmer.
    He sighed. “I do have another request. My family needs your
help.”
     
    “I’m not a witch. How can I possibly be of any help to your
family?”
    He slid his hand down her face and neck, picking up the
black onyx jewel that hung from her necklace. “This, Alli, this jewel is one of
three that will break the curse on my family and save Heather’s life.”
    “How are you so sure this is the actual gem you
need?”
    “The Oracle gave us the location of the stone. Though Da
claims he’d always known it from the moment he set eyes on you. It was one his feelings. If that was the case, it would’ve been nice if he’d told me when I
was younger.”
    “My grandmother gave this necklace to me,” she whispered,
putting her hand over Finn’s. “How would knowing this was what you needed have
helped you then? We didn’t part on such good terms.”
    “I wouldn’t have left. I would have stayed and fought for
you. Begged you to understand what really happened that night between us.”
    Electricity shot through her body when their hands touched.
It traveled