Page 14 of Broken Wolf

Noah, Carter, and a few other of the ancients were getting them as well, but none of the vamps were there for the event. The boys could explain it all to them later.

Brutus already knew since he was their tutor for so long and he hated gatherings and group activities. Plus, I was pretty sure he was locked in his office working on edits for his new book and we wouldn’t see him until that was done.

It went over ridiculously well, and people were thrilled for something so nice from their kids or those who loved them. Vinn had the final number, but I knew it was over fifty suits, so everyone would have to be patient and understand they wouldn’t be here next week like with Amazon.

Plus, that was part of the discounted price. We were in between pricy orders and important clients. I was fine with that, but I made it clear that I still expected them all before Christmas.

There was a limit to how far I would let my people be pushed back when we were still paying.

“Princess, the designer is asking about promo shots and if some in your inner circle would be willing or interested,” Vinn told me. She bit back a smile when I frowned. “You have some rather attractive partners. He’s caught up on the latest gossip and who stands at your side. They are all ‘model sexy and gorgeous’ according to him.”

“Talk to them and see what they can get out of it.” I shrugged. I didn’t care if they were willing or wanted to. I didn’t think they would really want to do it.

Then again… We liked free stuff.

“Is he fine making it clear they’re supes and he is supe-friendly?”

She frowned. “Yes, he does constantly working with our queen.”

Right, duh. “Great. Yeah, I know the twins probably need tuxes.” Again, I shrugged.

Brian was probably the only one who would be out. He couldn’t ever go undercover anymore since he’d first been a division chief and now section chief since his picture was on the FBI website, but they still wouldn’t like him modeling. Or what did I know when it came to the boys club?

They wouldn’t like it for me. I knew that.

Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun while the dads getting the suits took turns looking through the selection and then being measured. The rest of us ate and ate, Topher having the time of his life that we were all gathered together and doing something special.

The boys loaded the carts with dirty dishes and I helped by pushing one of them to the elevator in between rounds of eating… And caught a conversation I wasn’t meant to.

“Look, there’s no easy way to say this and we could totally be wrong,” Freddie said quietly. “But we don’t think we are, and I’d want to know if it was Jessica even if I was wrong.”

“Tell me,” Reagan replied.

I knew it was him because I looked over my shoulder and saw Hagan dancing around with Topher on his hip. Normally, I would be able to tell by scent, but everything from the plates and being near the buffet clouded my nose.

“We think something is wrong with Sera. She can’t tell who is lying to her,” Freddie blurted.

“No, you’re seeing—” Reagan started to argue.

So he didn’t know. He hadn’t noticed… While Freddie and Jessica had. Wow.

Ouch.

“One of the kids fibbed right in front of her that working for the suit wasn’t a big deal. Sera didn’t even flinch. She normally stops them and makes them take credit, not blow off their good deeds even when she’s the worst one to accept praise. She tries and doesn’t want the kids to pick up that bad habit. She’s said that. But she didn’t even flinch, Reagan. She still always—”

“Flinches when someone lies around her. She’s still not used to being able to tell and how often people lie,” he muttered. “Yeah, okay, I could get that, but it was one time and she’s tired. We’re all tired and—”

“It’s not one time,” Freddie muttered. “I’ve caught it a few times but thought I was just being too much. Jessica the same, but when we both saw it now, we shared a look, and I knew she thought the same and I needed to say something.”

Listening to this conversation wasn’t emotionally healthy for me especially when Reagan argued again. Plus, I didn’t want Freddie and Jessica to worry about me when they had so much going on as well.

I pushed the cart closer and smiled when they both jumped, focused on Freddie. “Eva lands tomorrow and she knows. She knows how to work me through it and—my wolf is wounded after what happened with my birth mother, but also it messed up my maturing. Carter has taken a vacation so he can always be around to make sure I’m protected from that.”

He let out a relieved sigh. “Okay, good, and I’m sorry I didn’t come to you. I didn’t know—I would freak if it was me and I didn’t know how to break that with all you have going on.” He swallowed loudly and gave me a look of pity before excusing himself.

And I knew it wasn’t about me not being able to smell lies.

No, it was that he noticed but Reagan didn’t.

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