Rite of Submission - Rite 1

37: Humble Pie

Sophie asked to help me make the food for our scandalous lunch plan, obsessed with the reaction she'd gotten from Nathan when she told him she'd helped make the cinnamon rolls from yesterday. The staff had gotten used to seeing us down in the smaller kitchen over the last few days and kept my list of staples in stock, happy to stand back and let us have free reign. We made Blake promise not to tattle on us, promising him some time off to visit his mate while we had lunch with Dmitri and Nathan.

I frowned at the list the chef had handed me that was supposed to be their lunch order. It didn't seem fair to me that he restricted Sophie's cereal choices, sugar rush aside, while he and his Beta were going to have a basic pub order. I stared at the bowl of ground chuck, making faces as I decided what to do with it.

Throwing together some flour, sugar and salt, I decided to make dough to fry the beef in, mixing in some water, oil and even vodka. I let Sophie knead it and roll it out while I minced an onion to mix into the beef with some other spices. We cut the dough into circles, putting a thin layer of the meat mixture on one half and folding the dough over to pinch it closed. I'd fry them up after we'd boiled the potatoes that had been sliced into fries already, frying them as well when they'd cooked through enough to be soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. It felt like a lot of fried food, but the Tzatziki sauce I made to go with it should make it feel a little less greasy.

I felt bad leaving a mess behind, but the cook had insisted, shooing us out with a beaming smile. Blake helped carry the food and dishes, while Sophie and I each carried two beers, to make a grand entrance. The guys weren't going to be all that surprised to see us, since we had to have Blake at least check with Nathan to make sure it was safe for us to be there. I had to stuff down my anxiety as we neared the small office that I still had problems stepping into.

"Who's hungry?" Sophie and I sing-songed together as we stepped into the office, surprising Dmitri and Candy.

"I was just headed to the kitchen to collect our lunch," Candy frowned at us, her face already turning pink.

"Luna," I frowned back at her.

"Excuse me?" She choked out, like I'd shoved the word down her throat.

I looked at Sophie who was grinning at me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "Has she always been this slow?" She shrugged, trying to hold back a giggle. I looked back at Candy, "Your Luna and Luna Vicaria have brought lunch instead. I assume that you understand the meanings of each of those words, or do I need to say them slower?" Her face was quickly going from pink to red, and I thought I even saw Nathan crack a smile.

I pushed past her, hopping up to sit on the edge of the desk next to Dmitri, "Hiya handsome. Fancy running into you in a place like this," I gave him my best flirty wink, "Beer?" I held out one of the bottles to him. Instead of grabbing the bottle, his fingers wrapped around my wrist. With a grin he pulled me into his lap without spilling either beer, and brought my hand up to his lips to take a sip. I leaned in, whispering none to quietly, "We didn't make enough for her. I was planning to let Blake visit with Kelly for an hour or so, maybe she'd like a little break too."

This time I heard Nathan laugh, quickly silenced by the beer Sophie shoved in his face. She'd joined him on the other side of the desk to watch; Candy's face now bright red. Everyone was waiting on Dmitri to say something, and I did my best to stick out my lower lip the way Sophie did when she pouted. He eyed my lips, "I'm sure that she'll be able to find herself some lunch. Are you sure you just want to let her go with just a reprimand?" he arched an eyebrow at me.