Page 38 of Little Shake of Salt

“And Layla,” I said seriously. “I . . . Areyouokay? Because I heard some things.”

Leo and Juliet glanced at each other. Layla nodded, but her eyes tore away from me. “It’ll be okay. My dads are powerful. They’ve battled worse, I’m sure. I just wish . . . Well, they’re keeping stuff from us. And Luca hates it. He’s suddenly angry all the time, and I’ve never seen him like this. And I don’t know where the fuck Bell is.”

“Who’s Bell?” Leo whispered to Juliet.

“Bell, or Bellamy, is my brother,” Layla groaned. “He’s a year and a half younger than me and Luca. He’s been traveling around the world for the last nine months. Then there’s Jace, who’s turning eighteen this year, and Tana. She’s twelve. She’s a nightmare.”

My brows shot up. “Damn, your parents have been busy.”

Layla massaged her temples. “Don’t even get me started. Gabriel, Luca, and I have formed a No More Children alliance.”

“Who is Gabriel?” I asked, bewildered.

“Older step-brother. Fallen angel. We have a big family.”

“Ohhhh,” Juliet said as she finished her coffee. “She’s an eldest daughter.”

“Ahhh,” Leo and I said together.

“I’m an only child, so.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Got to skip over that curse.”

Layla snorted and whipped out her phone. “I’m adding you to the chat. Oh, also, did you want to order something?”

“I was going to see if you have any sweets left,” I said. “I wanted to bring something to Marina. She gets grumpy when I leave her all day.”

“I bet she does.” Layla wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think she’ll ever like me.”

“Well,” I laughed. “Sorry. She does hold a grudge. Idothink she appreciates the fact that you brought us together, though.”

Layla smirked as she went to the pastry case and started pulling a few out with tongs. “Good.”

I smiled as I waited for her to bag everything up, but then the door flew open. We all looked up, and my eyes widened.

Oh god.

Rhea’s older brother stood in the doorway, filling the frame with his broad shoulders. I knew he had a glamour on to disguise him from humans, but that didn’t work on any of us. He was all werewolf, tall with thick muscles and dark gray fur with a patch of white on his chest.

“Steel,” Layla said in surprise. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you still matching people, Layla? When you’re not supposed to be?”

Layla blanched. “Um . . .”

“Of course not,” Leo lied on her behalf.

Steel glanced at me and then cocked his head. “I remember you. Heard you found your mate.”

“I did,” I said, scowling at him. “Why are you coming in so fucking hot, Steel? Chill out.” I wasn’t above fistfighting a werewolf.Someoneneeded to kick Steel’s ass every now and then.

Steel crossed to us, staring Layla down as he slammed his claws on the counter. “What Uncle B doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right? I want my mate. Find them for me.Now.”

“What?” she sputtered. “You always said you didn’t want to settle down.”

“I’ve changed my fucking mind.”

Layla’s eyes sparked in a way that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I took a step back as she and Steel glowered at each other. She finished bagging up my pastries and slid them over to me.

“On the house,” she said without looking at me. “You guys should go so you don’t witness me put mycousinin an early grave.”