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“You tell me. Why would they have showed up at my house last night looking for her?”
He set the glass down. “Whoa, hold on. The police came looking for her last night?”
“That’s what I just said, idiot.”
He pressed his hand into his chest, feigning innocence. “I had nothing to do with that.”
“Cut the shit, man.”
“What makes you think it was me?”
“No one else knows Pearl even exists.”
“Uh, Bones?” he snapped. “You know, our mortal enemy.”
“He doesn’t know where I live. And even if he did, he wouldn’t get the police involved. He would ambush the property and kill everyone.”
“You’re right. But it still wasn’t me. What would I get out of that?”
“Payback for me beating your ass.”
He rolled his eyes. “I let you fuck me up. That was to even the score. As far as I’m concerned you and I are square. So no, I wouldn’t have done that. We need Pearl to get what we want. What would getting rid of her accomplish?”
Pissing me off.
Cane watched me with heated eyes. He was a firecracker about to explode. “You still don’t believe me?”
It was hard to trust anything he said. After he went behind my back and hurt Button I could never look at him the same way. He used to be my brother, my accomplice. But now I couldn’t tell whether he was a friend or foe. That trust was gone.
“Wow. You don’t believe me.” He sat back in the chair, his shoulders tense. “Look, if I did something I would own up to it. When have I ever lied to you? Yeah, I broke into your house and beat your girlfriend. I never hid my hatred for that woman. I never lied about what I wanted to do to her. So stop calling me a liar when I didn’t do anything to deserve the title.” He put his feet on the table, resting near his glass.
“I don’t know what to believe, Cane. If it wasn’t you I have no idea who it could be.”
“Maybe one of her family members. Maybe one of her friends. Did you think of that?”
“She doesn’t have any.”
“Well, it wasn’t me. I swear it.”
Cane had never lied to me in the past. When he had beef with me he always said it to my face. He never snuck around behind my back and hid his distaste. He was honest—even when I didn’t want to hear it.
“Pull your head out of your ass and start thinking clearly.”
“I’ll pull mine out when you pull yours.” Cane was emotional and angry. Words and actions bothered him more than they bothered me.
“You believe me now?”
“I believe you more than I did before.”
He sighed and snatched his drink off the table. “Whatever, man. Instead of interrogating me we should put our heads together and find a solution.”
“A solution to what?”
“Who’s looking for her?”
“How would we figure that out?” I already asked and didn’t get an answer.
“We know people on the force. We could ask around.”
“Might draw more attention to ourselves.” To me, specifically.
“A bribe would keep them private.”
“I suppose.”
“I’ll see what I can dig up.”
His enthusiasm increased my suspicion.
Cane caught onto my thoughts even though I didn’t voice my paranoia. “The sooner I clear my name, the sooner we get to move on.”
I poured myself a glass of scotch and eyed the black TV. The room still smelled like sex but I ignored her. My bedroom started to smell that way since Button and I were always at it.
“So, have you married her yet?”
I ignored the jab.
“Seriously, what is it with her? Maybe if I fucked her I’d understand. Both you and Bones seemed to have fallen under her spell.”
I didn’t like picturing her with anyone, but especially with him. “Don’t say that shit ever again.”
“What?”
“You know what.” I downed the liquid and felt the fire in my belly.
“Crow, I’m being serious right now.”
“You’re always being serious.” The guy couldn’t take a joke if his life depended on it.
“What is this thing you have with her? When I was over there last month I saw you together. She’s not there against her will. She wants to be there. She’s just as obsessed with you are you with her.”
“Because I make my women come.”
Cane didn’t absorb the jab. “Don’t ignore the question. Talk to me.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because if you’re in love with her then I really am a dick. I shouldn’t have hurt her. I never would have broken into your house and beat her bloody if there was something more between you. Come on, I would never do that to a woman you love.”
“I don’t love her.” Love wasn’t possible for me. Every time I felt something for someone they ended up dead. Cane was the only person I had left, and I suspected he would disappear like all the others. It was only a matter of time. That was the last blow I could handle. There was no room in my heart to accept someone else.
