Maybe it’s the sleep deprivation talking, but I’m pretty sure he’s lost it.
“Those are Cedar Orlog’s bank statements. The guy owes some dodgy people a lot of money.”
“Oka-ay.” I stare at him blankly. I have absolutely no fucking clue what’s happening in this conversation. “How do you have this guy's bank statements? And why do you have them?”
“I’ve been looking into him ever since Sin explained about how he had her doing for him. He’s been off-grid for the past couple of years. Probably because he owes money to the wrong people that he can’t pay back. But he’s still been making videos, still begging for cash from people who can’t afford it.”
“So... you decided to start catfishing him?” I’m really not getting what he’s throwing out here. I swear this conversation is wrinkling my brain.
“I want to lure him out. I figured what better way than to offer him cold, hard cash?”
I rub my brow and the tension headache currently forming. “And what are you planning to do if you lure him out?”
“My lure isn’t working. That’s what I wanted your help with.” He taps impatiently at the laptop screen. “So, any suggestions?”
I stare at him, dumbfounded. “Does Sin know you’re doing this? How do you think she’s going to react if she finds out you’ve been going behind her back contacting this guy?”
He waves a hand, like these are needless concerns. “She doesn’t need to know until he’s out of the picture and she’s finally free of him.”
All righty then.
His intentions might be good, no matter how creepy and intrusive Iri’s methods are. But that’s the kind of guy he is.
I also know there’s no way he’s going to leave my room until I give him an answer.
“From what we know about him,” I say slowly, aware that Iri seems to know a lot more than the rest of us from his million hours of research into Sin’s life. “All this guy seems to care about is his reputation and money. If you can use both things, he’ll come running.”
Iri stares thoughtfully at the screen for a moment before snapping the laptop shut. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
I grunt. “Just don’t tell Sin I had anything to do with it when she finds out what you’re doing and reams you out.”
He grins at me and ruffles my hair like a fucker before heading out of my room, whistling a jaunty tune.
It’s not until he’s gone, I realize he never told me what he plans to do if he manages to lure Orlog out.
On second thoughts, it's probably better I don’t know.
AN HOUR LATER AND I’Mstill in the same position on my bed. I’m not quite napping, but I also can’t be bothered to be conscious right now. Maybe I’ll manage a couple of hours shut-eye before sneaking out to grab something for dinner.
Ugh. Even when I was a loser teenager, I was never this much of a saddo. I pull off my shades and shove them on the bedside table, massaging my ears where they’ve dug in.
“Hey, Dorian, I wanted to see if you—”
As if my thoughts have conjured her, Sin flings open the door and steps into my room. I must be half asleep as I jerk up, my eyes widening in horror as hers snap to my face.
My bare fucking face.
Oh shit. Oh, my holy shitballs on a stick.
I guess I never warned her not to come into my room without warning. Everyone else knows better. Hell, she should know better. She knows what I am.
“Shit!” I snatch up my glasses and grab them, ready to shove them onto my face. Dreading what comes next, where Sin goes full human statue and has to wait out the effects of my bare gaze on her.
Although... instead of freezing in place like I expect, she blinks at me and raises an eyebrow.
“What—”
“You’re naked,” she says.
