Maybe two.
King Collins lowered his menu after placing his order with the waitress. “Mr and Mrs Damon, I would like to introduce you to my Prodigy, Caro Jules.”
Mr Damon grinned, flashing white teeth. “I actually met your charming Prodigy out in the lobby, and I believe my wife has already met her, too.” He dipped his head to me.
I returned the action before telling the waitress what I wanted to eat.
Leric caught my eye, raising a silent eyebrow in question.
I waved a hand at his dad. “I thought Tristan was attacking him.” My lips quirked when I felt Tristan, hearing me talk about him, move under my legs where he was lying under the table. “Anyway, I came to your dad’s defense, which he apparently didn’t need.”
King Collins peered at me, his blue eyebrows rising. “When did you previously meet Mrs Damon?” His tone clearly indicated he wasn’t thrilled I hadn’t told him about our meetings.
My mouth opened. Shut. “We…uh…” Damn Shifters at the table. “She…that is…” Oh yes. “She arrived unexpectedly while I was speaking with Leric.”
Elder Merrick, sitting two people down from me, quietly cleared his throat.
I glanced in his direction, but he was only taking a sip of his drink.
Definitely a gorgeous oddball that one.
“I actually spoke with her before that on the phone.” There. Damn good not-lying.
Leric choked on his drink, his eyes widening marginally on his empty plate. His dad thumped him hard on his back, earning a glare from his son in return.
But Mrs Damon nodded affably to King Collins, ignoring their actions. “Yes, we did speak on the phone.” Her lips twitched and she winked at King Collins. “She thought I was prank calling.”
The entire table went mute, utterly still.
She waved an arrogant wrist. “While I may have learned a few new phrases to add to my vocabulary, it was nothing compared to her publicly aired conversation with the President of the United States.”
Uh-oh.
She was not only a frightening woman, but she also did her damn homework.
Cheeks flushing, I glanced at King Collins, properly humbled. “I did apologize.”
King Collins ran a hand over his face, giving me a glance under his lashes—conveying that we would be talking later. “Mrs Damon, I’m truly sorry for anything disrespectful she may have said—”
Another flick of her wrist, cutting him off instantly. His mouth snapped shut like a schoolboy’s. “She did apologize, as she just told you, so another apology is unnecessary. I was informed by my son that with the timing of the call and my own influence on the conversation, her assumption of the situation could have been accurate and therefore her actions justified.” Her lips pinched, a quick finger flicking back and forth between her and King Collins. “Do you understand me, young man?”
I stared. I couldn’t help it.
Especially when King Collins quickly nodded, mumbling, “Yes, ma’am.”
A curt nod. “Good.” She gave her order to the waitress while the table was more than quiet, no one wanting to anger this woman by saying something wrong. While handing over her menu, she leaned back casually on her chair. Her attention jumped to Leric. “I stopped by your room after dinner. You weren’t there.”
Leric’s eyebrows rose. “I was still hungry, so I left for a little more to eat.”
Her short fingernails clicked on the table, like a warning for all to run. “I came by an hour later, and you still weren’t there.”
Leric sipped at his water, stating simply, “I was eating the food.”
Fingernails clicking faster. “I then stopped by two hours after that and there was still no answer at your door.”
“I was sleeping.”
“I called your room.”
“I would have answered had I realized that.”
“Well, I guess that’s understandable,” she purred. Her attention swung around the table, everyone—all the scary-as-hell, ruthless individuals—instantly dropping their heads or glancing away. Her gaze landed on me. I followed everyone else’s lead, studying my water glass, spinning it idly, but she still stated, “Ms Jules, you were absent most of yesterday. Were you participating in different activities than everyone else?”
I cleared my throat, still spinning my water glass and eyeing the condensation on the white tablecloth. “No, I spent most of the day resting in my room.”
Her fingernails started clicking again. “Were you not feeling well?”
My jaw clenched, and I automatically started rubbing my feet on Tristan’s side, focusing on his softness. “Something like that.” I peered up to her and let a small part of me, the part that was a truly cold-hearted bitch, shine out. “I would rather not speak of this anymore, if you don’t mind?”