Page 28 of Bitter Discord

We got out of the car, ready to face our last meeting of the day.

“We’re going to keep this short, right? I’m tired of running around. I want to sit down and call my husband.”

“As short as humanly possible,” I promised. “You know why we have to do this.”

“I remember being the one who recommended it,” she said, walking to the front door. I quickly followed, the image of a younger sister always racing to keep up with her older, smarter sister.

11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Government staff watched us carefully as we walked to the door. Some were cautious, giving us worried looks before turning back to their conversation. A handful of them had open contempt. The majority were curious.

With no reason to think otherwise, I knew every single person in this building knew who I was. Every single one of them. It was my first time here, but I was the only werecat they had ever confirmed.

Today was the day I would officially lose the title. I wouldn’t need to tell them. They would see Zuri walking beside me, and while there were a few idiots in the BSA, at least one person in the crowd would realize the truth.

Inside, the building was beautiful. It was the cleanest and prettiest government building I had ever been in, with white tile floors and industrial architecture. There were no DMV-like windows. Not here. This wasn’t a place for the general populous to visit and wait in eternally long lines. There was a front desk with two guards and two receptionists. I went straight for it, not bothering to look around to see if I could find Bethany Kirk, my liaison with the BSA. She had to be somewhere in the building, preparing to meet me.

“I’m Jacky Leon. I’m here to see Bethany Kirk. We have a meeting scheduled,” I explained to the receptionist, who looked up when I reached the desk, Zuri hovering a few steps behind me.

“You and your guest will need to sign in. I didn’t catch your guest’s name,” she said, grabbing two clipboards and pens. She put paperwork on them, then put them in front of me.

I didn’t pick them up. Paperwork wasn’t part of the plan when Bethany told me the protocol. I stared at the receptionist as she grew uncomfortable.

“Miss Leon, please. It’s very simple information. We’ll also need to secure your ID—”

“Do they think they’re sly?” Zuri asked me. “Or funny?”

“Normally, they just think they’re in charge,” I answered, annoyed with the requests. We were supernaturals dancing around a powerful human government. We weren’t going to give them a damn thing, and they knew it.

Yet the clipboards weren’t removed.

“I didn’t catch your name,” the receptionist repeated.

“You won’t,” Zuri replied with a smile.

Surprised by that response, the receptionist looked at her desk mate, who shook his head slowly.

“Jacky Leon! Here to darken the halls of the BSA Texas Main Headquarters, huh?”

I know who that is…

Growling softly, I turned to see Agent Mahoney.

“Oh, Agent Mahoney. The asshole who wanted to take Heath’s daughter without cause. Tried any other families recently?”

“I don’t appreciate that. I’ll remind you there were over thirty dead werewolves on his property at the end,” he snapped.

And clearly continuing to lack any sort of composure.

“I know. I killed nearly half of them,” I reminded him. “And look at me now, fit as a fiddle. Great being immortal.”

“It’s not nice to brag,” Zuri whispered in my ear, the words loud enough for others to hear.

“I don’t know who you are, but I’m well acquainted with Jacky’s belief that she rules the world,” Agent Mahoney said rudely. “I don’t think your sarcastic attempt to teach her manners will help anything.”

I shivered at the smell of Zuri’s fury at someone talking to her like that.

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