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She pursed her lips. “I don’t believe he personally attacked her. After all, he’d know we’d question him; he’d look to get himself a solid alibi in advance so he could prove he wasn’t at the deli. Spending that time with a woman who may lie about his whereabouts to hide their affair from her boyfriend would therefore be stupid.”
Levi gave a slow nod as they began walking along the strip. “I had the same thought. So if he did attack Piper, he didn’t plan it well. And that doesn’t fit with someone who owns a business. He could have hired someone, sure. But, much like Piper, I don’t see why he’d want her dead.”
“Same here,” said Larkin. “He could have still been responsible for the vandalism, but my gut says that those acts were committed by the same person who tried to kill her.”
“My gut agrees with yours. The only thing I believe he lied about was his claim that he’s not hosting the green-eyed monster.”
“He wasn’t as good at hiding his jealousy as he seems to think.” Larkin slid Levi a sideways glance. “You’re much better at it.”
Levi rolled his shoulders. “I fucking loathe feeling jealous of that pathetic little prick, but the thought of him with Piper makes my damn skin crawl.”
“The intensity of your territorialism will fade over time. It might not seem like it now, but look at Teague and Khloë. He wasn’t a jealous asshole when she mated Keenan.”
“Yeah, but I’m pretty sure that was because he was relieved to have some help keeping Khloë out of trouble.”
Larkin inclined her head. “Probably. On another note, you up for visiting the harbinger to see if Kelvin’s alibi checks out just on the off-chance that our guts are wrong?”
“That was my plan.”
“Do I get to play with her if she needs a little motivation to talk?”
“If you mean can you and your demon scare the living shit out of her, yes. But not to the point where she’s too terrified to do anything but curl up in a ball and disappear into her own mind. We need answers.”
Larkin frowned. “What do you take me for, an amateur?”
“No, but your bratty demon doesn’t like to stop playing when told.” He shook his head. “It’s like dealing with a sadistic, psychopathic child. And its giggles creep me the fuck out.”
She grinned. “Which absolutely delights it.”
His demon thought her entity was a fucking blast. There was a reason the staff at the orphanage had very rarely provoked Larkin, and it wasn’t solely because she’d essentially had four honorary protective brothers. It was because her inner demon was one scary, callous motherfucker that wasn’t bothered by threats, punishments, or displays of authority. But if you were respectful or, at the very least, let Larkin be, it wouldn’t concern itself with you. The staff had been mindful of that.
“Just don’t let your demon go too far—that’s all I ask,” he said.
“It’ll be on its best behavior.”
Levi grunted, not as reassured as she seemed to think he’d be. But her entity was cooperative enough during the visit they paid to the harbinger, so they managed to make the woman part with her truths—those being that she was in fact sleeping with Kelvin and he had in fact spent the previous day with her.
Leaving the harbinger’s house, Larkin said, “Well I’d say the guy’s no longer a suspect. Which means you have some good news to give Piper. Of course, any such news you give her would be overshadowed by hearing another of our lair was murdered, but still.”
Levi nodded. “It doesn’t help that I’ll have to tell her about Celeste’s earlier stunt.”
Larkin winced. “Yeah, that ain’t gonna go down well.”
At Levi’s words, Piper jerked to a halt right in the middle of her living room. Slanting her head, she slowly turned, irritation fluttering through her. “She did what?”
Levi raised his hands. “It’s not worth getting worked up over.”
“I’ll be the judge of that when I know why she was lingering near Knox’s office like a weirdo. What did she say?”
“She claimed she’s sorry for how she reacted to our announcement—as if I’d ever believe there was a drop of sincerity in the apology.”
“And?”
He hesitated. “And that she hopes she and I can ‘try again.’”
Piper felt her gut roll. “What did you tell her?”
“That her hopes will come to nothing, of course. I also made it clear that I could see through all the bullshit she was spewing, and I warned her that I wouldn’t allow her to use you as her whipping girl anymore.”
Piper folded her arms. “I did tell you that she’d try to win you back.”
“And I knew you were probably right. Anyone else would think they didn’t stand a chance, given the crap she pulled after the fling ended, but Celeste … she’s convinced herself that I cared for her, so she therefore concludes that the post-relationship drama won’t matter to me.”
