Page 10 of White Little Lies

I slid into the booth across from him, then looked down at the strange pastry. “Do you have any idea what this is?”

“No. Hence my interest.”

I lifted my eyes to his face. “It must be nice to live your life entirely based on your whims.”

“Says the woman whoadoptsevery goblin she comes across. Small, or so very very large.”

I glared at him. “Touché.”

As Seraphina shooed out her remaining customers, I lifted the green pastry to my mouth and took a bite. It was incredibly soft and fluffy, and tasted like salty seaweed. I wrinkled my nose, then set the pastry back down. “She probably makes those for the water nymphs and merfolk.”

Sebastian’s eyes danced with amusement, his pastry untouched before him. “I did actually already know that.”

My glare deepened. Of course he would trick me into eating a nasty pastry just for fun.

The door clicked behind us as Seraphina escorted out the last of her customers. I heard the lock sliding into place, then she returned to our table.

She crossed her arms, looking down at us, then nodded toward the back room. “Just you.”

“Of course.”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at me as I stood.

“Client confidentiality,” I explained.

He still didn’t seem satisfied, but he didn’t interfere as I followed Seraphina into the back. Maybe he was wondering if I would slip out the rear exit. It wouldn’t do me any good unless I tossed his card into the trash, but I knew he didn’t think highly of my reasoning skills. So he probably wouldn’t put it past me.

The door shut behind us as Seraphina walked past metal shelves of baking supplies toward an impressive array of whisks and spoons.

She turned back toward me, arms still crossed. “How could you bring someone else on your delivery? You know how sensitive the situation is. Braxton is one thing, but this?” She waved a hand toward the door. “A total stranger?”

I lifted a brow. “Do I? You still have never told me what I’m delivering to your sister every other month. And I’ve been making deliveries for you since I worked back at the agency.”

She pursed her lips. “Yes, but no one can know that I’m sending things to her at all. I have been disowned by my family. I won’t have the same thing happen to her.”

I opened my mouth to say Sebastian wouldn’t tell anyone, but did I know that for sure? Maybe someday he would have a reason to blackmail Seraphina, and Iwould have given him exactly what he needed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through. He’s been helping me with some stuff, and he just wanted to come to watch my back.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “Something about your words is not entirely true.”

Oh the joys of dealing with magical creatures. Sometimes they could sense lies, or even half-truths, but you never knew which ones would have the skill.

“It’s all true,” I sighed. “I just left out the part where he’s a devil and I have a contract with him. That’s why you’re sensing that I’m nervous.” I didn’t really owe her an explanation, but she was an old client, and an easy delivery. I didn’t want to lose her.

Her eyes flew wide. “You brought adevilon my delivery?”

“You couldn’t tell what he was?”

“How could I?” She seemed offended. “They hide what they are very well until they want you to know.”

Funny, because I had figured out what Sebastian was pretty quickly. Of course, he had used his powers on me from the start. Bastard.

“Do you want me to come back for the delivery tomorrow?”

Her eyes flicked toward the closed door. “No,” she breathed. “It has to be tonight.” She met my gaze. “You have a contract with him. Can you not add an addendum?”

I wrinkled my brow. “You mean like add a clause that he can’t tell anyone about tonight?”

She nodded sharply.

---