Bree snorted. “He’d be breathing through a goddamn tube if he had.”
“I thought you were keeping it to yourself because you weren’t ready to talk about it. But it’s not that, is it? You’re protecting him. Whatever he did … he’d be punished for it.”
“He made the same mistake that I did, Elle. He fell for someone who doesn’t want him back.”
“He made a move on you?”
“Yeah. And when I made it clear that I wasn’t interested in taking our friendship to a whole other level, he didn’t take it so well. He even seemed shocked.”
“Bree, tell me what he did.” Elle squeezed her hand. “Look, I promise not to repeat it to anyone, act on it in any way, or do anything to hurt him—I’m pretty sure your cat would kill me if I robbed her of the latter privilege anyway. Just tell me.”
So Bree did, and Elle almost freaking exploded.
“Yes, I’m very aware that you don’t like shopping, Fenris. If you hadn’t dropped my brand-new e-reader in the bath—”
“That was an accident.”
“—you wouldn’t be in a jewelry store buying me new earrings to make up for your stupidity, so suck it up and take it like a man.”
Considering Mateo had all but spoiled her afternoon, Bree wouldn’t have thought she’d find herself smiling a few hours later. But as she stood behind the counter listening to the female raven and her wolf-mate argue, Bree had to bite back a chuckle.
She’d met the couple before at various celebrations, since Riley and Tao were Mila’s pack mates. The Phoenix Pack were often invited to pride events, just as the pride was often welcomed at pack events.
The poor guy looked like he’d love to be anywhere in the world but there. Riley was totally unmoved by Tao’s discomfort, far too distracted by all the pretty, sparkly things around her—typical of a raven, really.
Riley tapped her nail on the glass surface of the counter, pointing at a set of white-gold earrings. “I know these are expensive, but they match my necklace perfectly.” She fingered the locket around her neck. “See?”
To be fair, the pieces really did match. “Would you like a better look at them?”
“Yes, please.”
The keys in Bree’s hand jingled as she unlocked the case and pulled out the tray.
Riley immediately scooped up the earrings and cooed over them. “I really do love these. What do you think, Tao? They suit me, right?”
He rubbed at his nape. “They’re pretty, sure, but there are much more beautiful earrings in the store. Hey, what about these over here?” He pointed at a pair on a different tray, smudging the glass case with his fingertip. “They would suit you so much better. They complement your skin tone and bone structure and stuff,” he babbled.
Riley’s mouth thinned. She lifted her chin. “You want me to pick those because they’re cheaper.”
“It’s not that,” he hurriedly assured her.
“Tight-ass motherfucker.”
Bree sucked in her lips, trying to hide her smile.
“It’s not about the price, it’s—” Tao cut off as something behind Bree caught his attention. He nodded. “Alex.”
Her stomach fluttered. The wolverine had turned up at the store half an hour ago. Busy with a customer, she’d given Alex only a quick, impersonal smile. He’d disappeared into his office, and she hadn’t seen or heard anything from him. Until now.
She didn’t hear him move, but she sensed him slip behind the counter. His dark familiar scent washed over her just before a hand settled on the counter either side of her body, caging her in from behind. Her heart slammed in her chest.
“Everything okay here?” Alex rumbled, his body heat radiating against her back.
Bree froze. “Everything’s fine,” she told him, somehow managing to keep her voice perfectly even. She turned her attention back to Riley, who was still cooing over the earrings.
Alex and Tao fell into a conversation about sports. Every now and then, Alex would idly rub his lightly stubbled jaw along her shoulder. Her frantic hormones didn’t know what to do with themselves.
Her cat, on the other hand, snarled at him. The feline was still mightily miffed that he’d snuck out of her bed—hell, so was Bree. That didn’t dowse the sexual buzz humming in her blood.
“Fenris, I’m taking these,” Riley eventually declared, gently flicking one of the earrings.
Tao didn’t argue—just pulled out his credit card. Wise wolf.
The bell above the door rang. One of their pride mates, Farrell, stepped inside. “Bree, Fritz asked me to come get you. We got a situation. An omega-necessary situation.”
Oh, her role was such a blessed thing.
“I’ll serve Riley and Tao,” James told her, slipping behind the desk. “You go. We can hold the fort.”
Hiding her reluctance, she skirted the desk and faked a smile for Farrell. “Lead the way.”
Alex, the nosy bastard, stayed at her side as she followed Farrell down the street. She didn’t even bother to give the wolverine shit for tagging along. She was more concerned about what could be happening that warranted her intervention.
Farrell led her to the parking lot outside one of their pride’s apartment buildings. The large crowd there parted to allow them to pass. Fritz and his sour-faced teenage son were standing by a vandalized car, yelling at Fritz’s sister-in-law and her teenage son.
Dani was doing her best to get the situation under the control. All softness and reassurance, she said, “Please let me help with this, Fritz—”
“No, you’ll say whatever will make everyone calm down.” Fritz’s hard gaze flicked to Bree. “She’ll tell the truth.”
Conscious that Alex had planted himself behind her like a sentry, Bree folded her arms. “What’s the issue here?”
“Fritz is accusing my boy of vandalizing Junior’s car,” said Harriet, Fritz’s sister-in-law. “Parker is not a vandal.”
“Touch him,” Fritz told Bree. “Touch Parker. Read his emotions.”
Parker’s shoulders went stiff. “Omegas can’t sense lies.”
“But we can detect the emotions associated with lying, like guilt and shame,” said Bree. “Or I could just infuse a little guilt into your system; make it so that it bloats you into needing to confess. Of course, that could lead you to make a number of confessions for various things.”
Dani gasped. “Bree!”
Parker shook his head. “You wouldn’t do anything like that without a person’s permission.”
“Very true,” said Bree. “But why wouldn’t you give me permission? I mean, I could help prove your innocence. Wouldn’t you want that?”
The kid’s eyes fell closed. Seconds of tense silence went by. “Okay, I-I did it.”
Harriet whirled on him. “What?”
“I did it. But only because he spray-painted my Harley.” Parker jabbed a finger at Junior.
Fritz’s gaze slammed on his son. “Did you do that?”
Junior’s eyes widened. “Why are you turning on me?”
“I know my own son,” said Fritz. “You’ve been caught spray-painting people’s stuff a few times, and you did it to one of his possessions before—I saw it with my own eyes. So, I’d say I’m justified in asking you this question. Did you do it?”