Page 35 of Bear in a Bakery
“Why the hell is this woman making you her messenger?”
Dax’s fingers kneaded the tender flesh over between her neck and shoulder a little too hard. Allie shrugged him off.
The elder shifter sighed. “I suppose she thought it would be more threatening coming from me directly. She’s a pain in the ass, barely worth a second of my time. I’m only cooperating with her request because of the urgency you’re facing Dax.”
Dax’s eyes went wide in that way people do when they want someone to secretly shut up. His father must have noticed, because he closed his mouth and cleared his throat.
“In any event, I figured you’d want to know. Allie, it was nice to meet you.”
The older man gave her a warm smile, but she couldn’t return the sentiment. In the blink of an eye, things were threatening to crash down around her again. He wavered on his feet, causing both his sons to rush to steady him. Without a word, Jett and Dax assisted their father outside.
How dare Marybeth play at her emotions and her livelihood like this! Truth was, she did need Marybeth’s order, so she could make her bank loan payment this month. With the moon party being the exclusive event that it was, hundreds of guests would get a taste of Sticky Sweet’s deliciousness and it was too important of a marketing opportunity to pass up.
Staying away from Dax would keep Marybeth’s mouth shut. But for how long? Sure, she could fill the order and run into Dax’s arms after the party was over. But knowing the conniving woman at face value, Allie realized there would be a second wave consequence. Marybeth would find a way to make her suffer.
Worse, she seemed to have Blake in her back pocket.
Allie’s stomach fell. She already knew how good Blake was at making her pay.
Chapter Twelve
The bell above thefront door jingled and even from the back room, the tingle that went down Allie’s spine told her Dax had come in.
She didn’t have time to fill Becks in on what Dax’s father had said, and she was grateful. She had no desire to voice out loud that Marybeth was holding this over her.
“I’m cutting out early. You got this?” Allie gathered her purse and keys from the backroom and rushed back into the kitchen. Becks had her hands on her hips, her expression saying she was waiting for more information.
“Seriously, you’re going to leave the woman who sleeps on a stool in the corner in charge?”
Allie grinned. “Smartass.”
“Come on, tell me what’s going on.”
No. Because if she gave voice to it, she might change her mind. If she talked about it, she might not do the best thing. Impulsivity had always been front and center on the Loser Allie List. Instead of rushing into what her heart wanted, she was going to think this blackmail shit through and do the best thing, not the emotion-driven thing.
“I’ll be back tonight. I’ve got to bake MB’s shit.”
