Page 86 of Shift of Morals
I gave him a quelling look. “Ben is always welcome on my property.”
“May I speak with you outside?” Ben asked.
“Keeping secrets from your Lord, Evie?” Caelan’s taunting tone made me want to scream.
“I saved your life last night,” I snarled. “Don’t make me regret it.”
Caelan’s warm laugh followed Ben and me outside.
We hadn’t made it off the porch before Ben spun to me. “What are you hiding? Is this why Caelan was attacked?” He exhaled. “What are you?”
I blinked. “Ben. You just threw a lot of questions my way.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “And you aren’t going to answer any of them, are you?”
When I remained silent, Ben’s face hardened. “I can’t be the fool who continues waiting around for you to trust someone.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “If you harm the Lord, the entire Council will come down on you. Remember that when you decide you want to keep your secrets.”
Ben hoisted his bag over his shoulder and jogged down the stairs, not looking back.
I threw up my hands and marched back inside. Caelan hadn’t moved from his spot, the Lord looking like the cat who’d eaten the canary.
“A lover’s spat?” he asked, sipping his coffee from my fox mug. I didn’t even realize I’d given him that one. How fitting.
“It’s time for you to go home. If Gianna finds out you stayed the night here, things will get complicated.”
He rose, all lean grace as he sauntered over. “It’s time for you to spill your secrets, Evie Quinn. Before they get someone killed.”
Chapter
Twenty-Four
The shrill ring of Caelan’s cell broke the tension. I stepped away, keeping a wary eye on him.
His lips pressed together as he snatched his cell from the coffee table. “This is Caelan,” he barked.
His face went blank a second later. My hearing wasn’t as sharp as a shifter, but it was better than a human’s. The caller was female and agitated.
And from Caelan’s expression, the caller was his soon-to-be wife.
I grinned and wiggled my fingers at him, hurrying to escape to the bedroom. “Show yourself out,” I whispered.
It took a while, but Caelan finally vacated the house. I came back into the living room to find the rest of the debris picked up and Caelan’s trash gone from the kitchen. The only evidence he was here was the destroyed couch and flooring.
And a note lying on the kitchen table.
With trepidation, I picked it up.
I had fun last night. Let’s do it again, minus the blood, vomit, and property damage.
A smile tugged at my mouth. Folding the note, I tucked it into my pocket and went to get ready for the rest of the day. IfFinn was stalking me, he must be waiting for me to let my guard down. Surviving him would mean being able to shift rapidly and on demand, while also using my Floromancy.
I fired off a quick text to Hazel to make sure she was okay. Knowing the witch, she stayed the night in the woods, but dangerous things prowled out there, and I needed to know where all the people I cared about were.
She responded right away and said she’d be home later.
Moira, Tess, and Ash were all at home, safe and sound.
I went to the back and put on a pair of workout leggings and a tank top. On the way out, I tied my hair into a ponytail and slipped on a pair of flip-flops. I didn’t mind destroying some workout clothes with the practice I had in mind, but I didn’t have many shoes. Mostly because I only wore them when I went to work or had to be in public. Other than that, it was bare feet all the time.
