I’ve envied them from a distance. The easy friendship. The way they belong.
“Can we come in?” Sienna’s smile doesn’t waver, but I see concern flicker in her eyes. “You look a little pale. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine.” The lie tastes like ash, but I step back, pulling the door open wider. “Come on in.”
They step inside and both freeze, taking in the space.
“Holy shit,” Anne breathes. “This place is gorgeous.”
“And huge!” Sienna adds, her strategic mind probably already cataloging every detail. “The penthouse? How did you manage to snag this?”
My stomach clenches. “It was…available.”
“Well, you have excellent taste.” Sienna moves into the kitchen and sets down the bag she’s carrying. “We brought snacks. Nothing fancy, just chips and dip and some cheese. Anne insisted on bringing wine even though I told her most people prefer beer at these things.”
“Wine is classy,” Anne protests, setting the bottle on the counter. “Besides, Violet seems like a wine person.” Anne pauses as she pulls items from her bag. Then she glances around, her nose wrinkling slightly. “Is Darius already here? I recognize his scent.”
Heat floods my face. Can they smell what we did? Can they tell?
“He, uh, dropped off his housewarming gift just now,” I say, forcing my voice to be steady. “Had to leave right away. Pack business with his father.”
I watch their faces carefully. Neither reacts with suspicion. They can’t tell. Thank God, they can’t tell.
“Oh, that’s too bad.” Sienna shrugs, starting to open some of the snacks they brought. “Knowing Darius, though, he probably wouldn’t have stayed long anyway. He’s not really the social type.”
“What did he get you?” Anne asks, nodding toward the open box on the counter.
I move toward it, closing the lid with hands that have finally stopped shaking as badly as they were. “Supplies for a dog. I’m getting a puppy tomorrow.”
“You’re getting a dog?” Sienna’s eyes light up, her whole face transforming with genuine excitement. “That’s amazing! What kind?”
“Golden retriever.” I hold up the photo, and both women immediately crowd closer.
“Oh my God,” Anne breathes, pressing a hand to her chest. “She’s adorable. Look at those paws!”
“You’re so lucky,” Sienna adds, leaning in for a better look. “I’ve always wanted a dog, but my apartment doesn’t allow pets. This place is incredible. And the furniture! Where did you find everything?”
“Marks and Woodsons, mostly. And a few other places.”
“Fancy,” Anne says, uncorking the wine. She pours three glasses and slides one over to me. “Those stores are usually way out of my price range. Like, seriously expensive.”
“They had a sale,” I mumble, taking the glass gratefully.
“Lucky timing.” Sienna raises her glass, warmth radiating from her smile. “To new apartments and new puppies.”
We clink glasses, and I take a long drink. It tastes delicious and warms my insides. Maybe if I drink enough, I can forget the feeling of Darius’s mouth on mine. The desperation in his kiss. The way my body came alive under his hands. That wild, hungry thing inside me that wanted to devour him whole.
“So,” Sienna says, leaning against the counter with casual grace, “tell us about yourself. We’ve been dying to get to know you better. Where did you go to school?”
The next thirty minutes pass in a blur of conversation. They ask gentle, friendly questions about my education, my hobbies, what made me want to work in the Supernatural Affairs Division.
I answer on autopilot, forcing smiles, nodding at appropriate moments.
They don’t push when I keep my responses vague. Don’t pry when I clearly don’t want to elaborate. They just talk. Fill the silence with their own stories, their own jokes, making me feel included without demanding anything in return.
Sienna tells a story about accidentally filing a report to the wrong pack and nearly starting a diplomatic incident. Anne describes her terrible luck with dating apps. They bicker good-naturedly about whether wine or beer is superior at parties.
It’s nice. Different from what I expected.
