Page 14 of Shift of Morals (Shifter Lords #2)

“And what else?”

“That’s all. On a silver pin.”

His face curved into a grin. “Dangerous. I like it.”

We stared at each other across the table. “Anyway. I’m leaving. Perhaps we can discuss your wedding arrangements at another time.” I glanced down at myself and frowned. “And when I’m wearing fewer fancy clothes.”

“We will do this now,” Gianna snapped.

I finally looked at her. Gianna’s slender frame bristled with rage. “Again, I am not your employee, and I am not being paid. So I bid you adieu.”

“I’ll pay you,” Caelan said.

Moira’s low chuckle made my lips twitch.

“Are we doing this again?” I said.

“Double time?” Caelan tilted his head.

“Are they always like this?” Soren whispered to Moira.

“Yup.”

“Nice. Maybe I’ll come around more.”

“You should. It’s been pretty fun since those two met.”

“I am right here,” Gianna snapped.

“Yeah,” Moira acknowledged. “Things won’t be so fun after the wedding.”

Caelan and I were locked in a staring contest. “Quadruple, and you stop trying to force your hand.”

Caelan’s eyes narrowed. “You know I won’t stop.”

I huffed out an annoyed breath. “Quadruple anyway.”

“Done.” He gestured with his hand. “Please. Sit down.”

My eyes narrowed.

“Just for dinner and flower arrangement discussion. That’s all.”

I slowly sat back down, adjusting my skirt. The servers swept in and cleared our plates, but I didn’t have a chance to mourn the salad I didn’t eat because another wave of servants swept in with the second course.

No one said anything for a long moment. Caelan picked up his fork. “Please. Let’s continue as if nothing happened.”

Moira snorted.

Soren grinned. “Must say, Caelan, this is the most fun I’ve had in ages.”

I rolled my eyes. “I have some ideas.”

“Eat first, then discuss,” Caelan said, gesturing with his fork. “You missed the first course. Once the second is done, we’ll discuss the arrangements.”

Gianna leaned over and whispered something in Caelan’s ear. His jaw tightened as he turned, murmuring something low in her ear. I picked up my fork and cut into the next course, a piece of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, topped with crab meat and a lemon butter sauce.

It was delicious, so I stopped paying attention to Caelan and turned my focus to the plate before me. Once I finished, I set my fork down and looked up.

Caelan pushed the binder in the middle of the table toward me. “Gianna has some ideas.”

I opened the binder.

“Since we’re joining two royal houses, I’d like a court theme using red and white florals. I was thinking Phoenix lilies to begin.”

I stared at her for a few seconds and wondered if maybe I should turn this job down and pretend I’d never met the Shifter Lord. “Are you speaking of Alstroemeria?”

Gianna blinked. “The Phoenix lily. That’s the one I want.”

“There’s only one Phoenix lily that I’m aware of.”

“Then that must be it.” She made a disgusted face as if I were an idiot and she was the plant expert.

I kept my tone measured. “The Phoenix lily is pink. If you want to use a red lily, we have numerous options I can show you once I’m back at the shop.”

Color appeared high on her cheekbones. “Surely you must be mistaken.”

I wasn’t. “I’m happy to double check my records, but I’ve been involved in the florist industry my entire life.”

A tense silence settled over the table, so I made it a little worse.

“As such, I’d like to make a suggestion.

If there’s no compelling reason to use red and white, I think softer, creamier colors would put a more elegant spin on the day.

Things like cream and navy or emerald and navy.

Deep jewel tones and soft, creamier neutrals. I’m happy to show you some examples.”

Gianna’s mouth pinched. I opened my binder and pushed it over. “I took the liberty of putting some quick arrangements together. You’re more than welcome to keep this. I have another copy at home.”

Caelan pulled the binder over and flipped through the pages.

And so it went. A torturous hour of back-and-forth suggestions, with Gianna disagreeing with everything. Finally, I cried uncle.

“I’m always happy to accommodate any suggestions the happy couple brings.

I don’t want you to feel like I’m resisting your feedback.

If you want red and white, I’m happy to oblige.

I’ll have to go back to the drawing board and make up some new examples, but I can have those back to you in a few days.

” I pushed the last plate away, wishing there’d been a larger portion.

The dish was some kind of hazelnut tiramisu or something with a feather light cake and a cream filling.

“What color are your bridesmaid dresses?” I meant to ask earlier and had gotten distracted by Caelan fingering the Helichrysum tie pin.

“Blue,” Gianna said as she picked up her wine glasses.

Moira choked on her wine and turned her head to cough. I almost laughed before I realized Gianna was serious. That movie came to mind where the busty blonde remarks about how her friend looks like July 4th, and it makes her crave a hot dog.

“If she bends and snaps, I’m going to die,” Moira whispered.

I nudged her under the table. That poor wedding is going to look like America threw up all over it. “Of course,” I said. “I’ll get you some new concepts in a day or so.”

I couldn’t wait one more moment to get out of here. “If that’s all, we will get out of your hair.”

Moira and Soren were whispering something to each other. Their chairs had gotten much closer without me noticing, and I had a weird feeling, whatever this was, wouldn’t stop at tonight.

I kicked her calf gently.

Moira jerked. “Oh. Yes. Right. Let’s go.”

Caelan rose. “I will walk you out.”

“It’s not necessary. We know where the front door is, and I’m sure you’re very tired.”

One of his dark eyebrows rose. “I insist.”

“And I will escort Moira,” Soren chimed in. “There is something I’d like to discuss with her.”

I sent Moira a beseeching look, but she was locked onto her prey.

I reluctantly rose, Caelan leading us out of the dining room.

Gianna gave us a regal head incline and sailed away, her high heels clicking on the stone floor.

Simone was right behind her, but not before she shot me an exasperated but amused look on her way out.

Moira and Soren walked ahead of us, leaving Caelan and me alone.

“You hate the vision,” he said after a moment.

I thought about my words. “It’s not up to me to hate anything. All I can do is guide and suggest, and when none of those are taken, I am required by contract to go ahead with whatever the couple wants.”

Caelan sighed. “It’s going to look like the fourth of July.”

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.

He held out his arm. I hesitated before curling my fingers around the crook of his elbow.

“Your fiancée is beautiful.”

“She is,” Caelan agreed.

“I’m sorry about tonight. My behavior was appalling.

” And it was. I’d touched him when I shouldn’t have, destroyed his property even if that boutonniere deserved a fiery death, and had a smart mouth most of the night.

I don’t know what got into me when it came to the Shifter Lord, but normally I knew when to keep my mouth shut.

“You really hated my boutonniere that much?” His words held a touch of amusement.

“With the fire of a thousand suns,” I said vehemently.

Caelan laughed, the sound bright and free. He rarely laughed or smiled, and I felt like I held a gift in my palms when he did.

“Do you want to marry her?” I asked softly.

Caelan’s posture stiffened. “It is not up to me.”

I blinked. “Of course it is. You’re a Shifter Lord.”

He sighed. “If it were only that simple, Evie. I might be a Lord, but I answer to the Council. They felt it was time to take a bride, and Gianna was chosen.”

I eyed him. “You can’t choose your own bride?”

He glanced down at me, sparkling gold glowing in his eyes. “Are you offering?”

His words made my stomach lurch. And not with horror. But there was so much I couldn’t tell him. He’d never forgive me once he knew what I was. My mouth opened and snapped shut. I glared at him. “Not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny.” He grinned. “But it is fun to needle you.”

“There are women out there who would love you, Caelan.” I believed that one hundred percent.

We rounded a corner, and I found myself jerked off my feet and tucked into a stone corner, Caelan’s hard body pressed to mine. “There are no cameras here,” he whispered, one hand pressed to the curve of my hip.

My heart thundered in my chest. “Even so,” I said, my voice unsteady, “you have a fiancée not too far away. I’m sure she won’t approve.”

He dipped his head, his mouth close to my ear. “Gianna doesn’t give a shit what I do. She only wants power.”

I pressed against his chest. “I won’t be anyone’s mistress.”

“I’m not here to ask you anything of the sort. I’m here to warn you. The Council is watching you. They think you’re dangerous, Evie.” His hand tightened. “And so do I.”

“Then why do you keep hiring me for shit?” I hissed. “Just leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone!”

“We both know that won’t happen.” He bent closer, his teeth closing over my ear lobe gently.

My breath caught as my neck arched, seeking more of him.

“You are in my blood so deep I can’t even burn you out,” he whispered.

His words set a fire deep in my soul. “Caelan. This is madness.” I pushed him off as anger settled inside me. “If we’re to work together, I need you to stop antagonizing me.”

His eyebrows went up. “Antagonizing, Evie? You offered me your throat in surrender. You did not seem antagonized at all.”

Color burned on my cheeks. “Ass,” I hissed. I smoothed down my dress, only to notice two more flowers had bloomed on the bodice. Traitor , I thought. “Tell me how I’m in danger.”

“The Council believes you are more than you claim. And they still think you’re tangled in the rogue magic attacks.”

I sighed. “I thought we were past that. Those were divine in nature.” Notice I said nothing about the belief concerning my bloodline. I wasn’t touching that with a ten-foot pole. The less everyone knew, the better.

“The Lords have good instincts.” He took a step back, outside of the alcove and waited for me. “And so do I.”

A chill ran down my spine as I rejoined him in the hall, glancing in both directions. “Even though there aren’t cameras in that alcove, won’t it seem suspicious we both walked out of the same place at the same time?”

“Simone will take care of it.”

I winced. “I don’t think your Omega is my biggest fan right now.”

Caelan’s eyes grew stormy. “Simone is not a fan of my situation. If things were different, I suspect you’d be…what do the humans call it?”

“Uh. Besties?”

He snapped his fingers. “Yes! Besties. You’d be besties.”

“I already have one of those, but she can be a second bestie.”

We started for the door again. “Simone doesn’t like second place.”

I laughed. “We can settle the bestie semantics once your situation is settled. Two months and you’ll be a married man.”

“Two months,” he agreed, a strange note in his voice.

“And afterward, I’ll never get hired for another Keep event again.” I snickered.

Caelan’s lips turned up. We stopped at the front door. “Thank you for coming this evening, Evie. Isn’t it better to walk through the front door than sneak in?”

I stepped outside. “Not necessarily. Flying is always better than riding in a car.”

A beat of silence. “I adjusted the wards after your stunt. Breaking in won’t be so easy next time.”

I winked. “I looked forward to trying.”

Caelan’s wicked chuckle slid over my shoulders. I turned and hurried down the steps toward Moira, patiently waiting for me by the car.