Her voice rose, sharp enough to cut clean through the noise of the lobby. Heads turned one by one, the air shifting as attention snapped toward us like a current finding its direction. The receptionist had no choice but to face her, forcing a polite tone that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm not hiding anything from you. Mr. Fuller sees many people every day, but all of them make appointments first. Without one, I simply cannot let you in."
Mrs. Eriksen's grip on my arm tightened, her irritation radiating off her in waves. "How busy can he possibly be? Does his own mate need an appointment just to see him?"
The word hung in the air between us, heavy and deliberate.
