Page 88 of Strike It Witch

“Betty,” Bronwyn called out, “we’re only here in case things go wrong with the handoff. We won’t get in your way.”

The look I turned on her would have reduced a lesser witch to a pile of ashes. “You speak to me with your coven mother standing beside you, commanding your every move. Your assurances are meaningless.”

Bronwyn drew back as if slapped.

My entire body quaked with anger. I dug around in my pocket for a piece of lavender or some soil from my garden room to ground me. I had neither.

“Betty,” Ronan said, his voice gentle yet imploring, “let’s just get this over with?—”

“Andyouare a puppet for your pack, Ronan Pallás. Your first responsibility is to your alpha. Do you think I trust your judgment with your alpha leader pulling your strings?”

Ronan’s eyes glowed gold. The reaction was gone in a second, but I saw it. My barbed words had hooked into his skin.

Good. I’d meant them to.

Joon came up between Ida and me, set a hand on my shoulder. “What’s happening?”

Ronan growled at the other man, and again his eyes momentarily went gold.

“This is the La Paloma wolf alpha and his son. Inside the truck is, I suspect, the pack second, whom I specifically told the alpha not to bring.”

Alpha Floyd looked up and away, confirming my suspicions. Yep. That was Mason Hartman behind the wheel.

“Cobarde,” I said beneath my breath.

The alpha leader’s head whipped around, nostrils flaring, eyes glowing. He squeezed his hands into fists and pressed his lips together.Interesting. I'd called him a coward and he hadn't made a single move. Not even to insult or threaten me.

The wolf really wanted this book.

I can use this to my advantage.

"So, you still going to do this or what?" Alpha Floyd asked.

"Sure." I gave him my most vicious smile. "But the finder's fee just went up. It's now forty percent of the cost of the book."

"Thirty-five," he said.

"Fifty."

"That's not how this works." He shook with rage. "You greedy, conniving, mercenary?—"

"And you aren't? Pay her." Ronan looked bored.

"Fine. Forty percent," the alpha growled, and the two of them backed up a few feet where they engaged in a terse conversation punctuated with snarls.

Joon whispered directly into my ear. “I think you could have gotten sixty out of him.”

“Are yousureyou don’t want to live here?” I asked, with a feeble smile. “I’m starting to think you might end up being Ida’s and my next best friend.”

“Great idea,” Ida said.

“Right?” Joon gave me a mischievous smile. “I can just see the three of us sharing coffee and lavender scones on the cottage veranda together every morning.”

“That sounds great, except the cottage doesn’t have a veranda,” Ida said.

“If we’re going to be best friends, Betty should definitely put in a veranda.”

“Frankly, I’m surprised she hasn’t done it already, Joon. I make a mean mint julep.”

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