AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Butch Fatale,” Gibby said.
“God of Wikipedia and Most Other Things,” Nick said.
They all looked at Seth, who folded his arms with a grumpy expression on his face.
“Say it,” Gibby told him.
“No. It’s stupid.”
“Oh no,” Nick whispered. “Are you Patricia Burke? Did I give Patricia Burke ablow job? My innocence! Ack! Gross! I trusted you! How dare you seduce me posing as my boyfriend!”
Seth sighed and mumbled something under his breath.
“Louder,” Jazz said. “Don’t make me get a spork. It’s for stabbingandscooping out your eyes.”
Seth said, “Sexy Sex Beast Who Looks Good in Pretty Much Everything.”
“Oh, thank god,” Nick said, relieved. “Our special moment in the basement means something again. I love you, dude.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Seth muttered, though he was smiling.
“Guys,” Gibby said. “Maybe we should focus on the fact that Rebecca Firestone told us Nick is about to be blamed for attempted murder? Seems important.” Then, almost as an afterthought, “Also, she said she knew Nick was Guardian.”
Nick startled out of a daydream where he was objectifying Seth’s ass. “Crap. You’re right. We can’t trust anything she says. For all we know, it’s part of Burke’s plan to bring us out of hiding.”
“We’re sitting in a kitchen,” Jazz said. “I don’t think we’re very good at hiding.”
“Listen to her,” Seth said. “But take everything she says with a grain of salt.”
Nick nodded and unmuted the phone. “You still there, bane of my existence?”
“Screw you!”
“Back at you, dumbass. What’s this about Guardian? Why, I’ve never heard such a name before.” There. That should do it.
That did not do it. “You can’t be serious. You’re Guardian. That everyone hasn’t figured it out is ridiculous. The people of this city are morons who—Stop distracting me.” Her voice crackled through whatever she was using to modify it. “Did you hear what I said? Burke is going to—”
“Yeah, we got that,” Seth said. “But that doesn’t explain why you’re telling us. You work for him. Everything you’ve done has been to help him or yourself. Why should we trust you or anything you’re saying?”
“Because it’s the truth!” she shouted. “Don’t you get it? He plans foreverything.If Patricia Burke as Jennifer Bell failed, he already had a backup plan in the works. If he couldn’t tear you apart from the inside, then he’s going to make sure you’re persona non grata.”
“We don’t speak Italian,” Nick said.
“Jesus, Nicky,” Gibby said. “It’s not Italian. It’s Latin. It means people will be gunning for you.”
“And notjustyou, Bell,” Rebecca Firestone said. “Your stupid little team, including that drag queen. Your parents. The Grays. Hell, even Officer Morton. He’s going to say all of you conspired against him, and that you were working together with Owen Burke in order to kill him. Every cop in the city will be coming for you.”
Nick’s spine turned to ice. “What?” he whispered.
“Oh, now I’ve got your attention? No pithy retorts?”
“Not helping, Firestone,” Seth warned her. “Why should we believe this?” He looked thoughtfully at the phone. “What changed?”
“Nothing,” she said. “Everything. I work for him, yes. Andyes,I hate you just as much as you hate me, but…” She huffed out a breath. “I have my reasons. You don’t get to ask what those are.”
“Bullshit,” Gibby snapped. “If you expect us to believe you,you gotta give us more. We’re not stupid enough to just take you at your word after everything you’ve done.”
“No,” she said.
