“That’s all we’re doing today?”
Chuckling at my enthusiasm, she gave me a pat on the arm. “Give it a few minutes then ask me again.”
A few minutesbecame a two-hour nap.Oops. I hadn’t doubted Fayne, exactly, but I had overestimated my own stamina. The twenty or so minutes we spent on energy exchanges sapped me of my will to live. I had sent Fayne ahead while I swung by the police department and gave them a heads-up on Old Man Jenkins, but I was dragging my feet by then, and his idea of a nap on the grass under the sun was starting to sound incredible. I only woke when I did because Sloane bellyflopped on top of me, a habit I needed to break her of, claiming she hadn’t seen me burrowed under the covers.
“Take your punishment like a woman.” She twisted into a seated position, bouncing on my abdomen. “You sneaked out, and that’s not cool, bestie.”
The headboard thumping against the wall brought footsteps running. “What’s going on in…?”
Sloane had left our room door open, and Liam filled the gap, his jaw falling slack at her using me as a trampoline. “Just punishing a naughty dragon who ditched her security detail this morning.”
“In that case—” Liam leaned against the doorframe, “—carry on.”
“I was with Fayne,” I protested, wheezing, “and she left a note.”
“That’s the only reason Rían didn’t have a heart attack when he couldn’t find you.” Liam showed me no mercy. “Give her twenty more.” He snapped his fingers at Sloane. “It’s the least she deserves.”
“Hey.” Sloane landed with a thump beside me. “You’re not the boss of me.”
“I’m the maguri of the Walsh clan.” His lips curved into a devious grin. “That makes me the boss of you.”
“Um.” The color washed from her cheeks. “Burdock left out some fine print I really should have read.”
“Sloane.” A twitch started under his eye. “Are you saying you would rather be dead than answerable to me?”
“I mean…” She stared at the ceiling, her brow pinched, tapping a finger against her bottom lip. “Mostly, I was afraid of leaving Ana alone. I didn’t want to die either. Obviously. So, yeah. Those were the top two items running through my head. I didn’t put much thought into the wholeLiam is my new Mercerthing.”
“You’re wrong.” Pivoting on his heel, he stalked back down the hall. “I’mnothinglike Mercer.”
For a minute or two, we sat there, waiting to see if he would come back.
But he didn’t.
“I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings.” Sloane fell back on the mattress. “I just meant he’s my new beta.”
“Maguri,” I murmured the correction, aware she had to adapt to her new circumstances to find a place among the Walshes. That meant she had to learn their structure and the lingo to gowith it. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. His ego is titanium. He’ll get over it.”
“Yeah.” She rolled onto her stomach. “You’re probably right.”
“You actually care that you hurt his feelings?”
“No.”She scoffed, chin resting on her folded arms. “But I prefer to be more intentional with my aim.”
“Come on.” I nudged her with my foot. “I’m going to clean up GSG now that it’s empty.”
Thanks to Walsh clan teamwork, we got the Pampered Pooch clients to their pawrents after the police left, giving the employees a few days off to process what happened to them. Jess, Rochele, and Mindy also managed to get GSG cleared out. Even going so far as to offer home delivery for a few of the pets.
“Oh.” Sloane jerked upright. “That reminds me.” She pivoted toward me. “Clary’s available next week.”
“Really?” I squeed a little. “How did you manage that?”
Clary was a popular muralist around town. Everyone was booking her these days, and it gave downtown an artsy vibe that blended our mishmash of buildings into one seamless community at a glance. As small as Brentwood was, beautification projects were necessary to draw in visitors through word of mouth for our festivals and other events that kept the bills paid.
“She had a few postponements with the upheaval in Brentwood, so she slotted us in on her schedule.”
“Oh.” I withered on the spot. “I hope I don’t cost her any business.”
No two ways about it. The Walshes had come to Brentwood for me. All the lives they disrupted to make it happen? That was on me. Including any losses taken by local businesses while the wards kept the peace in town.
