Page 66 of Villainous Intent

His obvious discomfort only made me cry harder.

“Stop,” he demanded.

“Real fucking helpful, Cipher,” I sniffed. “I can’t just stop. Havoc thinks I need rest even though I told him I don’t! He’s locked me out of the Alliance’s system because he’s worried about me, so I can’t do any research on the League. And I’m just trying to be useful so I don’t jeopardize what we’re doing but I can’t if I don’t have access to the information. Do you know how frustrating that is?”

Cipher blinked, clearly not expecting this outburst.

“And the League websites are absolute shit!” I continued, the words pouring out now. “They’re impossible to navigate, and half the information is outdated or just plain wrong. How am I supposed to do my job when I can’t access any reliable information?”

“You could just ask⁠—”

“And because you’re an asshole, I have to get stitches in my forehead because I was stupid enough to headbutt you,” I plowed on, ignoring his attempt to speak. “While you stand there with your stupid, handsome face without even a scratch! And Havoc’s going to have to take me to the hospital and he’ll know I fucked up!”

“Look at me,” he commanded.

I glared at him as I wiped furiously at my tears with the back of my hand, waiting for the inevitable mocking comment about my emotional breakdown.

“Tears are a waste of hydration, Bishop. They solve nothing.” His thumb swept across my cheek, wiping away the wetness. He looked at the moisture on his thumb, then back to my eyes. “You want the League intel? Is that what stops this? Fine. I’ll give it to you.”

I blinked. “What?”

His gaze shifted up, landing on the gash on my forehead.

“But first, let me take you to my physician. He’s discreet. Havoc won’t ever have to find out.”

“Why would you do that?”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Havoc locks you out. I let you in. Remember that.”

I swatted his hand away.

“I don’t want your doctor. And I don’t want your access. I want to know what your problem was last night.”

Cipher looked at me for a long moment.

“You,” he said finally.

“Me?” I stared at him, incredulous. “I was the only one trying to keep the situation from exploding.”

“And that is exactly why you were the problem.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You walked into a pit of vipers acting like a Keeper. You saw a conflict and you tried to de-escalate. You tried to apply rules where there were no rules.”

“I was trying to help.”

“You were trying to get yourself killed. You don’t understand what you are dealing with, Annie. You think because you work with Havoc, that you’re exposed to the League on occasion, that you know us. You don’t.”

The dismissal in his tone cut deep. It hit every insecurity I harbored about my place in this world.

“Right. I’m just a pathetic Keeper.”

Cipher stepped between my legs and dropped to his knees right in front of me. The shift in height put his face level with mine and I had nowhere to look but directly into his eyes.

“When you try to apply Alliance logic to the League? Yes, it’s pathetic.” He reached up, brushing his fingers against my temple. When he pulled them away, they were covered in blood. “But you fucking headbutt a Super to protect your secrets, Annie. That woman isn’t pathetic. Stupid, maybe,” the corner of his mouth ticked up when I scowled at him. “But not pathetic.”

He gestured to the tablet abandoned on the bed, the screen still glowing with the Alliance’s login portal.

“Do you think you can rely on the Alliance’s sanitized reports? All they do is protect you from the truth, and that protection is going to get you killed. I’m offering you the jagged edges.”

I stared at the tablet, then back at his face. I hated him. I hated his arrogance and his casual cruelty.