Page 96 of Renard's Deliverance

What other colors does this come in?

Urgh. Leave me alone.

Well, this is your job, you know.

She was really starting to wish that she’d listened to Renard and hadn’t come in to work today.

All she wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for the next century.

Not deal with people and all their demands.

“Opal! Why didn’t you tell us?” Lilac asked, walking in.

“Yeah. Why were you keeping this from us?” Ryleigh added, pushing a sleeping Kye in front of her in a stroller.

Drat. Alec Malone had a big mouth.

“Liston, do you think you can handle the shop for fifteen minutes while we go out back?” she asked.

“Yeah, go for it!” Liston said cheerfully.

Opal moved slowly out to the back room.

“Oh, Alec said you had hurt your back,” Ryleigh said. “Are you okay? He wasn’t real happy at you moving that carpet by yourself, by the way.”

Awesome.

“Neither was Tanner. He wanted to come have a few words with you,” Lilac added. “I managed to convince him not to. But the Malone men are upset. I think you’ve insulted their manhood or something.”

“Their manhood? Doesn’t that mean their dicks? How have I insulted their dicks?” Opal asked as she poured them all coffee.

Opal doctored hers with four spoons of sugar and extra creamer. She didn’t usually have sugar, but she needed the energy boost.

Ryleigh just shrugged. “I’d rather not think about my brothers’, uh, privates, thank you very much.”

“There’s only one Malone dick I’m interested in,” Lilac said as she took a seat, sipping on her coffee. “And it’s just fine, thank you very much.”

“Gag,” Opal replied without heat. She lowered herself into a chair with a moan. “Fuck. Who knew your back could hurt so much?”

“Have you taken painkillers?” Lilac asked with concern.

“Last night. I have to get some liquid stuff, you know I have trouble with having pills near me.”

“Opal, you need to take some,” Ryleigh told her, leaning forward. “Do you need us to go get some for you?”

“No. I can do it.”

“I have some in my bag,” Lilac said, pulling some painkillers out.

Right. Lilac poured two out and Opal stared down at them.

Nausea bubbled in her stomach.

Great.

She breathed in deep and started to bring them to her mouth. But all she could remember was Stefan shaking her, yelling at her.

Stupid bitch!

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