“No, Maya,” Naomi had clearly been stewing for a while, and now she was going to let it out. “That was on the low end of people who try to use me to get to you. At this point, I’m tired of being a consolation prize when they can’t get to you. So, criticize me all you want, but I’m not going to be belittled by someone who doesnothingto help the situation.”
Maya’s words and thoughts were identical as she cried, “None of that ismyfault.”
“Really?” Naomi gave her a look, as if judging her for being born a distant relation to the crown. “Because I remember you saying that people constantly hit on you when I was considering becoming your business partner. At the time, you said it as a warning. How did you not put it together that people stoppedafterI started working with you?”
“I …” Maya thought back to the early days, when she had to fight Naomi’s family to let her become a part of the business. She hadn’t wanted the gifted young shifter to have any misconceptions about the job. It had been a warning, but more for such a talented, attractive shifter who was likely to attract just as much attention as Maya did. It hadnotbeen meant to make Naomi think she was responsible for stopping the advances. Maya tried to express that but really didn’t have the right words. “I had noticed, but I thought that they finally took a hint. I didn’t realize they were making it your problem.”
After a momentary pause, Naomi did what she always did—quickly dismissed the problem. With a brief wave of her hand, Naomi said, “I get it. You probably haven’t really thought too much about it since it was no longer an issue you had to deal with. Now you know, and I will keep turning them away. But don’t criticize me so much, okay?”
Maya wanted to apologize, to let Naomi know that the guys were fools for seeking her instead of making advances toward Naomi. Of the two, Naomi was much better suited toward being someone’s partner. All Maya could do, though, was to give a slight nod.
I really do need to treat her better when I get stressed. Once I get out of here, I will find a way to make sure Naomi knows just how important she is. And that the world is full offools who will take her for granted if she doesn’t value herself more.
The moment didn’t last as the storm shifter let out a low whistle. “And here I thoughtwehad drama to contend with.”
Maya wasn’t pleased with the way he had interrupted, but Naomi seemed happy for the distraction. She was even smirking at the weird shifter as she replied, “Do you really think there’s any business more likely to initiate drama than theweddingindustry?”
The way the storm dragon looked at Naomi was strange as he replied, “That’s a fair point, but I will counter with what things look like when two people show up as significant others to someone we are treating. It usually results in us having a lot more work, usually bloody work too. Literally.”
Maya watched as the pair verbally sparred.
Naomi was smiling a little too much as she said, “And I will counterpoint that with the same scenarioat the wedding.”
“Oooh, yeah,” the storm dragon’s eyes positively shone as he considered the scenario, then he had a momentary look of pain before admitting, “Okay, that’s more drama. Although, it would mean less work for you guys.”
Maya listened, a strange sense forming in the pit of her stomach as she realized that the two were flirting. Openly. In front of the shifter that was obviously meant as Naomi’s mate. However, Maya found herself listening to the back and forth, especially as Naomi was able to discuss some of the more horrifying events at weddings they had planned. After she detailed one where an ex of a member of the family had tried to poison another member of the wedding party, Maya found herself getting hooked into Naomi’s storytelling with the occasional response from the storm dragon. Maya’s mind was firmly back at the event, remembering the details as Naomi reached the end of that particularly nasty incident. “Noone actually got sick since one of our staff members realized something was wrong with the dishes before they went out. The only reason the people who were in the wedding party learned of the problem was because we had to offer different dishes. At a discount since everything we had available was cheaper. And the groom’s family tried to blame us for it.”
Maya couldn’t help but mutter, “That was a mess. Serves them right that the judge ended up siding with us in the lawsuit they filed.”
“Yes, very fortunate,” Naomi said, looking away toward one of the windows. Maya knew that Naomi had been instrumental in the final verdict, but she couldn’t fathom what kind of magic her business partner had used to get the desired outcome. She had always had a way of swaying people that Maya simply couldn’t understand.
The storm dragon held up his hands, as if admitting defeat. “Okay, you win. I don’t want to compete with you when it comes to drama. Life-and-death situations are a cakewalk by comparison.”
The way he said it was so blasé, Maya couldn’t figure out if he was serious or not. However, the blond shifter didn’t have a problem with saying, “That’s probably the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.”
“Surely not,” Cosmo said, waving a hand. “And if so, give me a few minutes. I can come up with something far more ridiculous with minimal effort.”
With the conversation seemingly having devolved into the ridiculous, and a sense of being completely exhausted by seven days of nonstop work, no sleep, and dealing with people, Maya decided that she could use her situation to her advantage. If only for a few hours of sleep. “Well, this has been … something, but I would really love to get the device back so that I can dosomething more useful. In the meantime, I think I’m going to go to bed.”
When the storm dragon pointed out, “It’s the middle of the day,” she had an easy comeback.
“Not to me, it isn’t. I was just getting ready for bed when I was dragged outside and into this nightmare.” It was a lie, especially since she had children to teach and time to bend, but she hoped that it would make the two guys less inclined to pursue her. Especially since both males were showing an interest in her younger business partner. If she made it clear she wasn’t an option, Naomi may realize she had alternatives.
With nothing else to say, she turned and headed to a small staircase just outside of the room. The voices of the remaining three shifters followed her, but Maya’s thoughts were already too far away to hear anything they were saying.
Chapter 2
A Not-So-Friendly Warning
Without even thinking about what she was doing, Maya walked into one of the rooms a little ways along the hallway at the top of the stairs. Closing the door behind her, she shut her eyes and made the dress and shoes disappear. Feeling more comfortable in just a slip and bare feet, she moved over to the bed, pulling her hair out of the carefully crafted style that had garnered more attention than she wanted. She reached out a hand, creating a thin layer of magic over the bed so that nothing on it could touch her skin. Then she got in it and pulled the comforter around her body, leaving the sheets and blankets largely untouched. As her mind drifted, Maya thought of a cool fall day from her childhood. The last happy day she had experienced. Whenever she allowed herself time to sleep, she would return to that one memory to help guide her mind into a peaceful sleep. It was a trick that had taken the better part of a decade to learn.
Her consciousness slipped as the sound of her parents’ and siblings’ voices rang through her mind.
Knock, knock, knock.
Maya’s eyes flew open as she realized the words in her dreams had come from just outside her room. There was a gentle rapping on her door. Immediately understanding her situation, Maya had no desire to answer the knock. Pulling the blanket further around her, she stared at the window, willing the person who had interrupted her sleep to leave.
The cartoonish sound of squeaking hinges let her know that the person had decided to come into the room, despite not being invited. She turned to see the storm shifter quietly closing the door.
