of Risa and, so far, Lexi seemed disinclined to object. Which was good − with Alec outside, if Lexi Blanc decided to exert Alpha power to save her stylist, there wasn’t much either he or his brother could do about it.
She didn’t seem to care.
In fact, she’d taken a seat at the big front table, with Jojo on one side, fussing with her hair, and her manager on the other side, taking photos.
“Perfect, Lexi. Just look at you, you’re so real. You’re so down to earth, so humble. So relatable in this setting! I love it. Gimme a little more of a pout. Show us the drink. And… sip! Oh yes, totally Instalamb-worthy.” Suddenly the manager looked up. “You!”
Colin blinked. “Me?”
“Move, you’re in the background of the shot.”
So, yeah, Lexi didn’t seem to be inclined to help her erstwhile employee.
Agent Lenis came marching in.
Alpha Lenis terrified Colin. She was strong, not so strong as Alec, certainly not over Alec’s pack, but that didn’t stop Colin from feeling the dominance pouring off her. She was also dangerous, unpredictable, and packless – hungry for something. She gave Colin the willies.
There were some local cops milling around outside the café as well. Agent Lenis paused in the doorway to yell at them for a bit – something about their inability to hold onto a few fucking selkies – before she marched in.
The only cop Colin recognized by sight was Deputy Kettil, and he seemed more interested in the ocean, like Alec. Most likely because Trick was below the surface. Deputy Kettil probably thought that because Trick was a small otter shifter, he was weak.
That again.
But Trick had faced down Colin’s mother. Trick had sassed Max over whipped cream. Trick wasn’t remotely weak. Trick was just small, and cheerful, and fabulous. Trick was awesome. Could it really be that easy?
Agent Lenis ignored Colin, thank heavens. He didn’t want to discover a modicum of backbone, only to have her chase it out of him.
She marched over to Kevin instead.
Kevin thrust Risa at her. “This is yours.”
Agent Lenis looked to Lexi. “It’s as we suspected?”
Risa gasped, clearly feeling betrayed.
Lexi Blanc stopped posing and glared back, but did not stand or approach the other werewolf Alpha. “Little pustule. Thought she could get one over on me, did she?”
Kevin said, “So you were working with the SBI? For how long?”
“Since Dallas. Didn’t your little brat of a brother tell you he saw me with them? Colin, you weren’t being loyal to me, were you? Stupid.”
Colin winced at the unwarranted attack.
Kevin bridled. “Yeah, he fucking told us! Called a pack meeting and everything.”
“Oh, brave little boy, runs crying to his pack.”
Colin arched a brow. Apparently, I can’t win with her.
Agent Lenis said, “Family drama again? Stop it. Did you collect the evidence we asked for, Ms Blanc?”
The country music queen shrugged. “Isn’t evidence your responsibility?”
“Bullshit, now we really do need that jacket. Quarter of a million in real gold is sewn into the thing.”
“No wonder it weighed so much,” said Lexi, not seeming too surprised. “Not that I minded, of course, Alpha strength and all. You know, I thought those were genuine Swoopski Crystals.”
“Then the jacket would have been worth more than a quarter of a million,” said Jojo, cheerfully.
Lexi laughed like this was a grand joke.
“This is a goddamn nightmare.” Agent Lenis glared at Kevin, then Colin. “Why you felt the need to stick your collective noses into this business is beyond me.”
Kevin huffed. “Did you miss the part where this is our mother? And you’re in our territory? And we had a bodyguard contract in place?”
Judd came walking back into the café at that juncture.
Colin was beyond relieved to see him.
He was even more relieved when the big enforcer came straight over to him and squeezed his shoulder with one hand. “Okay in here?”
Colin let bitterness into his voice, “Apparently, the SBI doesn’t have enough evidence.”
Judd looked at Agent Lenis. “Do you actually know how to do your job?”
“Oh, that’s rich. When you’re running an interference op? Don’t put this on me, Old One. You’re still just a fucking enforcer, and your pack is nothing but local muscle. What the hell were you thinking, baiting a trap with our target, using our asset?”
Judd only crossed big arms over his massive chest. “Seriously? I texted you the moment we had Risa. You got the time and location. Not my fault a bloody colony of selkie mobsters moves faster than your governmental asses.”
“What did you just say to me?”