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“Because you aren’t Pack?”
“Probably because I’m not old money. Brecks,” she said with a little distaste. She selected another cake, bit in, screwed up her face. “Ugh. Raspberry. You want?”
I held out my palm, and she dropped the half-eaten cube into it.
“It’s good,” I said when I’d eaten the leftover. “I like it.”
“You’re insane. Raspberries are the devil’s balls.”
“I... have no response to that.”
“Good. I don’t want to eat or talk about them. Tell me about your business with the prince.”
“Is it worth saying that my business isn’t yours?”
She snorted. “No. All your business belongs to me. It’s part ofthe rental package.” She inspected the remaining petit fours, settled on a glossy chocolate cube.
I gave in. “He’s leaving for Minnesota tomorrow for a relative’s initiation. Grand Bay, Minnesota. It’s on Lake Superior.”
She frowned. “Damn it. If he doesn’t prioritize being in Chicago over his, you know, family and friends and biology and future position as Apex, your relationship is never going to get off the ground.”
I kept my face blank, drawing out the enjoyment of irritating her as long as I could. Because friendship. “Yeah,” I said dryly. “When you put it that way, he’s being a real jerk.”
“I just want you out of the loft of an evening now and again.”
I looked at her, brow arched. “Am I interrupting plans? Do we need a ‘sock on the door’ situation?”
“Lord no,” she said, sliding her empty plate onto a nearby cocktail table that was already stacked with them, then dusting off her hands. “If I was any less interested in surfing Chicago’s dating scene, I’d be... Well, it’s literally impossible for me to be any less interested.”
That meant both of us spent time in the loft we’d been sharing since I’d come back to Chicago. Because she was as generous as she was talented, it was probably time to fess up.
“He wants me to go with him to Minnesota.”
“Wait. What?” Her eyes popped wide. “That’s huge!”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “It is.”
“You’ll have to talk to your dad about the political ramifications. And Yuen about getting time off.”
I lifted my brows. “I haven’t decided if I’m going.”
She just snorted. “Of course you’re going. Your dad will be thrilled, because alliance. Yuen will be cool with it because you’ll be escorting a shifter to a shifter cultural event. That’s right up the OMB’s alley.”
“That sounds filthy.”
“So it does.” She looked me over, nodded decisively. “You’re going to Minnesota.”
But I was much less sure.
***
It was nearly dawn when we climbed out of the self-driven Auto taxi in front of Lulu’s loft in the Near North Side neighborhood. And we carried a bag of leftover appetizers and a growler of beer we hadn’t been able to turn down.
“How pissed is she going to be?” Lulu asked after we swiped our way into the building and she pulled out keys to unlock the door.
“She” was our third roommate. Eleanor of Aquitaine, a cat of sleek form, black fur, and a refusal to answer to anything shorter than her full name.
She wasn’t technically a demon, as far as we were aware, but she had the same general disposition and attitude.
