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“I brought backup,” Alannah said, pulling Molly in for a hug before inviting herself inside. Justine followed quickly behind, while Eli stayed loitering at the door.

He shifted his weight. “Bentley mentioned I might be taking a few too many liberties where your privacy is concerned. Alannah agrees.”

All things considered, Molly was surprisingly touched.

Eli shifted again, gaze dipping to the ground before he looked up at her. “So . . . could I come in?”

“God, yes, Eli. Of course. Please.” She stepped aside and ushered him through.

Justine had settled into the stiff leather wingback Aster usually favored, and Eli dropped himself on the other, larger armchair. This left the sofa for Molly and Alannah, who took the opportunity to lounge, head resting in Molly’s lap.

Pawntès hopped onto the arm of Eli’s chair, greedily accepting his affection.

“You have good timing, Molly. I need to borrow this very distinguished gentleman,” he said, conjuring a cat treat from his pocket.

“That’s not really how pets work.”

“Technically. But Bentley keeps making vague statements about companionship in my cards. Or maybe it was the stars? I’m not sure, I don’t really understand that stuff. Something about my rising sign making me resistant to the arcane. But it’s put the idea in my head that I might want a cat. I was hoping my very gracious friends might let me take Pawntès for a whirl to see how it works out.”

“You want to babysit my cat as a trial run for getting your own? For how long?”

“Maybe a couple of days? Get a feel for life as a cat daddy.”

“Mmm, let’s retire that phrasing,” Justine said, nose scrunched.

Molly watched Pawntès curled up in Eli’s lap, happy as a fluffy, elderly little clam.

“You’d have to give him real meals, not just treats,” Molly warned.

Evidently, that was all the permission Eli needed. He looked thrilled in his victory.

“Perfect. Excellent. Can and will do. Now, back to the matter at hand. What’s so important that we’ve been called to a clandestine gathering?”

“Roy filled me in,” Alannah said, looking up at Molly. “Since the snacking part of a sulk and snack currently makes me want to hurl, I thought I’d try bringing some reinforcements instead. I figured these two seem to have remarkably unfettered access to your home, maybe they can help.”

Eli mock gasped. “We’re being used?”

“Enterprising,” Justine said with a shrug and a small smile. “I was just pleased to have the invitation, even if by way of Alannah.”

She didn’t say it in a way that suggested annoyance. But Justine’s offhand statement forced a sudden realization in Molly. That she hadn’t—not once—reached out to Justine or Eli to seek their company of her own volition.

Guilt clawed inside her. Molly felt horribly selfish.

A quiet “Oh” escaped her.

Justine tsked, and relocated to the sofa, wedging herself beneath Alannah’s legs. “Please don’t read into that. I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear. You’ve had a lot going on.” From his chair, Eli eyed them warily, his distaste for this particular blue sofa evident as always.

And as if the matter of Molly’s oversight was truly worth no concern, Justine pivoted. “So, how can we be of service? And also”—she gave a light poke to Alannah’s stomach—“why are we feeling nauseated? Hmm?”

Alannah swatted Justine’s hand away but smiled regardless. “Mind your own business, Dawson.”

“Boring.”

“My guess is it has something to do with the fight Aster insists they aren’t having,” Eli chimed in.

Justine made a thoughtful noise. “Could be,” she agreed. “You know, I heard Aster’s sleeping in his own bed again.”

“I didn’t ask you here to talk about my sex life,” Molly said, nipping that topic in the bud.