Utterly shocked, she didn’t fight him. Didn’t move. Then the shock gave way to anger and she drew back, ready to hiss a reprimand. But as his eyes flared with a warning, instinct stayed her hand. Tao would have no problems with causing a scene. Hugh and Duncan would no doubt intervene, which could lead to fighting.
“Hey, baby.” Tao slid in the booth beside her. “I was driving by and saw you in the window.” Taking a sip of Riley’s coffee, he flicked a glance at Lucy. “Everything okay here?”
It took all Riley’s self-control not to pour the hot liquid all over his head. “Fine.”
Tao sensed her irritation and, admittedly, felt the urge to smile. Instead he studied the female sitting opposite them. He’d watched their conversation avidly through the window, seen Riley’s conflicted expression and Lucy’s pleading one, and he’d worried she was trying to coax Riley into returning to the flock. Tao wasn’t good with that.
He also wasn’t good with the fact that two male ravens had had their hands on her, so he’d been sure to make a possessive display. She might not be his, but he didn’t want anyone else thinking she could be theirs. “Introduce us, Riley.”
Gritting her teeth, Riley tried to shift a little away from Tao, but his hand clamped on her thigh. It was her body’s reaction that made her freeze. Raw need pooled in her lower stomach. “Tao, this is a good friend of mine, Lucy. Lucy, this is Tao—he’s the Phoenix Pack’s Head Enforcer.”
“Ah, you’re the Alphas’ daughter,” said Tao. “Riley’s told me about you.” The lie fell easily from his mouth and seemed to make Riley bristle. “She said you’ve been friends a long time.”
Wide-eyed, Lucy said, “We have. Sadly, she hasn’t mentioned you to me, which is very disappointing.” Her eyes slid to Riley. “I’m assuming you haven’t mentioned him to your uncles either, because a little thing like this wouldn’t have slipped their minds.”
“And how are Ethan and Max?” asked Tao. “Bored after retiring from their enforcer roles?”
“I think they might be a little bored,” Lucy replied with a smile. “Other than that, they’re fine. Although they miss her like crazy.”
“Well, considering they raised her, I’m not surprised.”
Riley fairly goggled at him. He’d said he knew only “basic facts,” but he was reeling off plenty of details.
He put down Riley’s cup. “You’re a long way from Sedona.”
“I came to invite Riley to the surprise party we’re throwing to celebrate the anniversary of her uncles’ mating. You should come too.”
“Thanks, I’d be happy to go with her.” Tao squeezed Riley’s thigh when she opened her mouth, most likely to object. She snapped it shut, so he stroked her thigh in reward.
“Great.” She patted Riley’s hand. “Your uncles will be thrilled to hear you’ve met someone, even if he’s not a raven.”
“Lucy,” Riley drawled.
“You want them to hear it from you, I get it.” She took a long gulp of her coffee and then rose. “I’ll try to remember not to mention it, but I may just forget if you miss the party.”
“That’s mean.”
“That’s me.” Edging out of the booth, Lucy said, “The party takes place on Friday; that gives you a little time to think on it. You could arrive that day so your presence is as much of a surprise as the party. Then you could stay for the weekend. Seriously, Riley, they’d love to see you. It would make their year.” Her eyes slid to Tao. “It was good meeting you. Take care of her for me.”
Hugh and Duncan said their goodbyes to Riley as they followed Lucy out of the diner—sparing Tao only a curious, unfriendly glance. With a sigh Riley let her head fall back and rubbed her aching forehead.
“Going by the way you were so easily invited to a party that’s taking place on your flock’s territory, I’m guessing you were never banished.” Tao had suspected as much, but he’d never been able to find out for sure. “Did you officially leave the flock?” It was one thing to leave for a little while and a whole other thing to become a lone shifter.
“Check your nose, Tao, because I’m pretty sure it’s in my business.”
His mouth kicked up into a smile. “It was a simple question.”
“You seem to know plenty, so I’m surprised you have to ask.”
“I won’t apologize for looking into your background, not when I did it to be sure that you and the rest of our pack are safe.”
“Your pack, you mean.”
Tao snorted. He didn’t believe for one second that she’d leave. She’d found a place for herself there and she was also too attached to Savannah and Dexter. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Riley. Even before you were offered a place in the pack, you had no intention of returning to your flock. If you had, you wouldn’t have gone to the homeless shelter. You wouldn’t have asked Makenna to help you get a job and an apartment so you could blend in with humans. Now lower your hackles—all I’m asking is if you officially left the flock.”
Knowing he’d keep bugging her, she sighed. “No, I haven’t.”
With a tone as sensitive as he could manage, he asked, “What happened to your parents?” He hadn’t been able to uncover the cause of their deaths. “It would be best to have the details, since I’m going to this party—”
Her head snapped around to face him. “You’re not going to the party.”
“I was invited. It’ll be nice to meet your family.”
“You hate outsiders.”
“I don’t hate outsiders. I just have no time for them. They’re none of my concern. But you are. Come on, you’re not going to make me go alone, are you?”
She growled. “You’re not going. And I’m done talking about it.”
“Pity for you that I don’t give up so easily.”
“You should. My past isn’t as interesting as you seem to think it must be. And neither am I.”
Tao wrapped a strand of her gorgeous hair around his finger. He fucking loved her hair. “I think you are, but I won’t know for sure until you drop that guard of yours.” He put his mouth to her ear. “I’m getting around that wall you have up, Riley. Just letting you know so you won’t be surprised when you find me there.”
“Go floss your teeth with your itsy-bitsy cock, Fenris.”
Tao tilted his head. “You know . . . I just realized I’m not the one who’s riled for once. I feel funny.”
“You are such an asshole.”
“Yeah, I know.” He dug out some cash from his pocket, set it on the table, and got to his feet. “Come on, let’s get out of here before your head explodes.”
She pushed out of the seat, eager to get away from the scents and sounds of the diner. She didn’t bother complaining when he linked his fingers with hers as they walked to the door. There seemed little point when he wouldn’t release her hand anyway.
Outside, he guided her across the lot. Just as they neared the SUV, the doors of a black Lexus parked beside it swung open. Four humans exited the car—all big and well dressed, with hard faces. There was something very shady about them that made her raven release a low, guttural rattle.