The weekend rolled around. Heather, Aroha, Elena, and Titus went off in the limo with Madame Usher and Master Radcliffe, which meant it was just Dorien, Ivan, and me for dinner.
While I was chopping vegetables I got a call from the police about Mom’s case. They had security footage of the homeless guy standing with someone at an ATM two hours after the incident. They couldn’t see the figure’s face or even if they were male or female. It couldn’t be Dorien, because he’d been with me.
He could have hired someone, or it could have been one of the others, but… I just didn’t believe it. And then there was all that stuff Dorien was trying to say in the library, about Madame Usher and… the $400 doughnut delivery didn’t lie. Just like I didn’t believe Dorien capable of murdering Clare in cold blood, I couldn’t see Broken Muse orchestrating this.
But if not them, who?
Feeling villainous, I cooked the hottest, spiciest chili I knew how to make – with my mom’s classicmolesauce – and piled spoonfuls on top of two heaped mounds of rice. I served a much more reasonable portion to myself and took the three bowls out to the table, where the guys were involved in a deep and meaningful conversation about hard house music, with Ivan being for it and Dorien against.
“What’s this?” Dorien stared at his mountain in unveiled disgust.
“You’re talking to me now?” I winked at him from the end of the table.
“Only to tell you that this food looks like dog shit. It’s inedible. Get me something else.”
Ivan was already eating, his eyes flicking between Dorien and I. He made no reaction as the chili hit his mouth.Is that guy made of stone or something?
“This is what I cooked,” I said. “If you don’t want to eat it, you’re welcome to go to the kitchen and make yourself something. Otherwise, eat up.”
Dorien picked up his fork, letting chili and guacamole splatter on the table. “It looks like someone already did.”
“It’s nice.” Ivan shoveled in another mouthful. My mouth burned justwatchinghim.
“It’s not even proper Mexican food. It’s an abomination. I’ve eaten at Aarón Sánchez’s restaurant, and he wouldn’t deem this fit to feed the peasants who shine his shoes.”
“You wouldn’t know proper Mexican food if it bit you on the ass, and you’re not getting anything else, so eat up.” I crunched a corn chip extra loudly. “You could have gone to the fancy gala dinner with the others if you’d begged Madame. You’re not in the dog house with her like me and Ivan.”
“You know I couldn’t.”
I choked on my chili. “What do you mean?”
The room sizzled with tension.
“I opened my account to find the last of my money has been donated to a charity.” Dorien shoved back his chair. “I don’t know how you did it, but that’s harsh.”
Ivan set down his fork and glared at his friend, but Dorien ignored him. As I watched his face for a reaction, I realized what he meant when we confronted each other in the hallway. He didn’t have the money to pay anyone to hurt my mother. I’d have seen it when I was trawling through his funds. Relief washed over me with a force I wasn’t prepared for.Why did I want Dorien to be innocent so badly?
“I would never do such a thing,” I said sweetly. “ButifI did, I might’ve been surprised to discover just how little money was there. Seems at odds with the rich asshole image you’ve created for yourself. I wonder how the press would feel if they knew the Bad Boy of Baroque was really the Bad Boy of Broke?”
Dorien stiffened. Something in his eyes glinted at me. Something like… admiration.
“Well played.” Dorien drummed his fingers on the table. “Ivan, you got plans tonight?”
Although he spoke to his friend, his eyes never left my face. Ivan answered with the same intense attention – those sapphire shards cutting slivers from my skin. Once again, I longed to know what Ivan was thinking behind that icy stare.
“We’ve got this whole house to ourselves,” he answered without emotion.
“And I have a key to the liquor cabinet,” Dorien grinned. “What do you say, Faye? Titus isn’t here, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a proper Muse party.”
For a moment I didn’t register what they were getting at. “You’re asking me to hang out with you?”
“C’mon. It’s Friday night, and Dorien needs a distraction from worrying about his sister. You should let your hair down, Sprite.” Dorien reached across the table, his fingers brushing my cheek as he curled a strand of my hair around his fingers.
For a moment, time stopped. All that existed was the warmth of Dorien’s fingers on my cheek, and the slight tug on my hair that made fire plunge through my body to pool between my legs, and Ivan’s eyes tugging at me, a flicker on the edges of his ice that promisedsomething…
I collected myself, just barely, and slapped his hand away. I slid my chair back, doing my best to ignore the crackle of fire across my skin from where he touched me.
“I’ve got dishes to do.”
