Page 8 of Power Shift
“I don’t do those much anymore,” Moira said as she plopped down onto the stool. “Maybe I’m finally feeling my age.”
“Heaven forbid,” I said with a gasp. “The sky must be falling.”
She snorted and opened her mouth to retort when the bell jingled.
In breezed a frazzled Simone. She wore casual clothes today—a pair of slim, straight-legged jeans, topped with a cream-colored cable knit sweater, and brown leather loafers.
“You look decidedly non-wolfish today,” I said by way of greeting.
The Omega was the picture of quiet luxury, looking like she stepped out of any Ivy League university. Her blonde hair was caught up in a small claw clip, strands of hair arranged artfully around her face with careless elegance.
But that was the extent of her normalness.
Simone had death in her eyes and those pretty baby blues were locked on their target.
Me.
I took a step back and held up my hands. “Whatever this is, I want no part of it.”
“You,” she hissed. “Can you play nice justonce?”
“Um.” I turned wide eyes to Moira, who turned her head and coughed.
“It’s my day off,” she growled. “I have a lunch date in twenty minutes, and I got interrupted to come deal withyou!”
Caelan. “Simone, this is not my fault.”
“I don’t care whose fault it is! You know what I want?”
“Um,” I said again.
“I want hot tomato soup from that great cafe around the corner.” Her nostrils flared. “And bread, for fuck’s sake. Delicious, crusty, buttered bread. The real butter. Not that shit humans disguise as butter and pretend to like. And coffee. A cup of glorious, freshly ground dark roast. And maybe cake. Coconut. Or chocolate. I don’t even give a shit. Just cake. Any cake.”
I blinked at her, nonplussed. “Can’t you get that at the Keep?”
All that did was piss her off. “No. Can you believe that shit? Ever since that bitch Gianna showed up, the entire menu changed, and now all we get is meat and veggies. Maybe a piece of fruit.”
“It’s been months,” Moira said. “He hasn’t changed it yet?”
Simone’s hand jerked downward in a harsh slicing motion. “No. And he won’t let me! He keeps saying he’ll get to it.” She reached across my worktable and grabbed me by the shirt collar, jerking me halfway across the table “Has a man ever gotten toanythingin a timely manner?”
“Err. No?” I squeaked. Not once had I seen the Omega with a hair out of place. She was always calm, cool, and completely collected. Not this well-dressed harridan in my face.
Blue eyes locked onto my soul. “I beg of you, Evie. Bend on this. Just this once. So I can get carbs and sugar and good coffee.” Her voice was a desperate, shrill whisper.
“What part?”
Simone’s eyes closed. “You know what part.” She let go of me. “You aren’t going to, are you?” Her nostrils flared as she tilted her head up to stare at my ceiling. I could almost hear her counting in her head. “Why must you antagonize me so?”
Moira barked a laugh.
Simone sent her a withering glare. “And you are a born instigator. Why can’t either of you bend?”
“It’s a matter of principle,” Moira said simply. “Your Shifter Lord will bend on everything except for Evie. He’ll throw money at her, give her whatever earthly desire she might want, but when it comes to setting boundaries, Caelan stomps all over them like a bully on the beach when they see a sandcastle.”
Simone’s shoulders slumped. She neither agreed nor disagreed. “What can I say or do to get you to show up tonight?”
Moira slid a look my way and jerked her head toward the kitchen.
