Hand to his chest, head screwed sideways, and his muzzle twisted up in the greatest affront, Outraged, Orion must have forgotten about not being able to breathe as he huffed at her, outraged.
“Just because you are friends with the Lombardi Pack Alpha bitch doesn’t mean you are untouchable,” Roxi hissed through a steadily morphing face.
“I didn’t poison him!” she protested. “I gave him what he ordered.”
“The Leo is allergic to peanuts. He never would have ordered it.”
“I can show you the paperwork. Have someone follow me to my office. I’ll prove it.”
Was she terrified? Of course, but she didn’t run a business in one of the most dangerous places in the world and maintain Level-7 wards on her windows in case of attack to back down at every challenge. Shifters were the worst with dominance and only understood things when they got knocked over the head.
She always knew she was on her own when it came to handling emergencies. In theory, the Mage Council provided protection, but they only came down for major squabbles between groups; they wouldn’t waste their time on an issue like this. They’d rather let the pride get rid of her and be done with it.
Roxi nodded at someone behind Kalinda. “Take her, and kill her if the information is wrong.”
Wonderful.
Kalinda turned on her heels, head held high, back straight, and floated. Her mother always told her a woman had to fight the whole world, and the best way to do it was with a smile, good character, and a hell of a walk.
She ignored the snapping shifters with each step and avoided the large beige lioness circle on the edge—they’d already shifted and were ready to attack. Kalinda put one foot in front of the other, hips swaying, and never looked anywhere but between the shoulder blades of the charger escorting her back into the serving room.
As they entered, Orion let out another piercing wail, and Kalinda grimaced.
“What room did you set up as your office?” the no-name-charger sneered at Kalinda. Her blond hair was cut close to the scalp, shoulders barely contained in her sleek mermaid style dress, and blood-red nails curled like claws.
“The Cub Area.”
They had never let her into the inner sanctum of Rock Landing, instead keeping her to the children’s space just off the kitchen and open ballroom. Kalinda was escorted into her makeshift office and went right to her papers. She found what she needed in one shuffle before handing it over.
“Here is the order list, signed and confirmed.”
“We shall see.”
Someone had their panties in a bunch.
What would Kalinda have to gain by killing Orion? If this was a plan to extort her, she’d find out who was behind it. There was no way in hell she was going to let her business reputation be destroyed by someone playing a game.
She was proud of how she’d managed to build up one of the most sought-after catering businesses from scratch after being forced to move to Encantado. And nobody would take that away from her.
Her magic, low as it was, had come to light while she was in culinary school. Luckily, she’d managed to graduate before the Federal Bureau of Magical Containment swept her out of her life and into a portal city.
Her dreams of owning a five-star restaurant in the Bay Area disappeared. Her fiancé had chosen not to come with her; he didn’t want his children tainted by having “magic blood.” She’d clawed her way to where she was now in Encantado, despite the loss of her mother a few years back, and she’d made it her mission to make Kalinda’s a household name.
“It seems in order. Are there any other copies? A way you manipulated this receipt?”
“The signing isn’t done until we get here, as always, and I have no access to a system here. Roxi signed off on the menu, as you can see. Please take up any discrepancies with her.”
“Are you calling our head charger a traitor?”
Did. She. Just. Spit. On. Me?
“No, I’m saying Kalinda’s Katering has done what was ordered and will be happy to serve another meal, if that’s what you would prefer.”
Suddenly, Kalinda began to sweat and breathe hard, as if she’d been transported into a sauna. Hot. It was so freaking hot. Her magic, which normally did nothing more than make her food more delicious and add a sense of comfort, pulsed under her skin. She resisted the urge to rake at her arms, but she couldn’t stop the magic from leaking out. Finally, brilliant rays of gold and white spread from her, weaving its way around the charger in front of her and back out the door.
The charger dropped to the floor, purring, stretching her back, and kneading at the floor. Sharp nails curved from her fingertips and plucked at the rug. Kalinda took a step back, eyeing her suspiciously.
“Um, Kalinda? You may want to come out here,” Silva called.
