“I think there was a lot of evidence?—”
“Plantedevidence.”
“—implicating you.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed. “You believed King.”
“I did not,” I said a little louder than expected. “I came to you. I askedyourside of the story. I asked you why at every turn.”
“And doubted me every step of the way.”
It was clear that nothing I said tonight was going to get through to him. He was too angry, too far into the bottle, to talk with any sense. I could see it in the stubborn set of his jaw, the irritated angle of his chin, the volatile emotions swirling in his eyes.
The best thing I could do was walk away.
I turned away from him, and as I walked back to the food, I felt something warm and wet hit my back.
No…
There is no way he just?—
“What’s the matter, America?”
I turned back to see the paper plate I’d given him on the floor at my feet. Half of the noodles all over the hardwood, and the other half…
“Did you just throw your fucking food at me?”
Theo ran his eyes down over me to the mess at my feet. “So what if I did?”
Oh, so that was how he wanted to play, was it?Someonehad some aggression he wanted to get out, but he was a little too beat up to go a few rounds physically.
Well, two could play at that little game.
I bent and reached for the lo mein piled high on my plate, and felt a distinct sense of satisfaction when Theo’s eyes widened a fraction.
Yeah, that’s right. You’re not the only one who can act a fool.
“There’s no way you’re going to throw that,” he said, eyeing the long, thick noodles between my fingers.
“What makes you think that?”
Theo drained the rest of his drink as though he didn’t have a handful of noodles with his name on it aimed his way. “Because you’re Shepard O’Neil Winchester the third. Mr. Perf?—”
He ducked, but was off by half a second, as slippery noodles caught his cheek before splattering on the window behind him.
Theo whipped his head around to stare at the saucy mess as it slid down the pane to the hardwood floor.
“I can’tbelieveyou just fucking did that.”
Then he really wasn’t going to believe what I did next. As he turned back to face me, a second handful was launched, and this time I got him square in the chest.
“Putain!Tus es cinglé.”
I knew the first half of that but not the second. But if I were a betting man, I’d think it was something like,You’re crazy,judging by the shocked look on Theo’s face.
“You seriously want to do this?”
“This?” I eyed him with no remorse. “Didn’t youstartthis?”
