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Another nod that looked painful.
“Is he human?”
Piper’s entire body tensed, unable to move.
“You can relax, Piper,” Daphne said, empathy bleeding into her voice even with someone who had poisoned her. I wasn’t sure what would make that empathy snap.
She bent her head toward me. “I don’t think we are going to get much more from her about his identity.”
I brushed her hair over her shoulder. “I know.”
She cast a side-long glance at Piper. “All of her answers fit…”
They all fit Lorenzo, I finished silently.
“Is there anyone else involved?” I barked at Piper, not as concerned about her comfort as Daphne was.
“Yes,” Piper said. “I think quite a few.”
“Any gods?” I clarified, trying to see if she knew anything about Claudia Juno. But Piper’s body locked up again.
“That’s as good an answer as any,” I told Daphne.
“She could have just said no,” she agreed. But then her eyes started bouncing around the room again, her mind taking off. “Or maybe not. I don’t know.”
I smoothed my hand down her arm, trying to help her relax. Then I asked Piper, “Do you know why they targeted Daphne?”
Piper looked away from my hand, wrapped around Daphne’s wrist. “They had a reason. I just can’t say it.”
I scoffed. Lorenzo was clearly one crafty motherfucker. “Great.”
“Why?” Daphne’s eyes had turned assessing, staring at Piper like she was a code to break.
Piper’s nose scrunched in a sneer. “Why, what?”
“Why did you do it?” Daphne’s arms crossed. “What did they offer you?”
I was curious about the same thing. Piper had money and status. What more could she want?
Piper’s cheeks visibly heated. “When everyone realized you were the problem and you got kicked out, who do you think would take your place?”
Irritation flared. Not this shit again. “I told you years ago that would never fucking happen.”
She and Nikolas had a strictly platonic agreement, and clearly, she hadn’t gotten over the fact that she was never going to lead. But if Daphne wasn’t in the picture, I sure as shit wouldn’t have picked her.
It was such a non-starter, I’d never even told Daphne that Piper had made a pass at me.
Daphne shot up to stand, before turning to me. Her voice was low, gravelly as she said, “You deal with her before I break her fucking nose.” She rounded the table, pouring herself a glass of water. “I presume this is fine to drink or did you poison this too?”
“Just the cream,” Piper said, her voice tensing at the venom in Daphne’s. Whatever empathy she had for Piper before had been squashed under jealous rage. Piper rightly blanched at it.
I, however, was trying to shove away satisfaction, but I could feel a grin breaking through. Daphne came back with the glass in hand, and I took it from her, taking a long sip from the very spot her lipstick had smudged on the glass.
Piper’s eyes narrowed. I didn’t give a fuck what she thought. I’d done it to remind Daphne there was no getting rid of me. When I handed her back the glass, her wildfire in her eyes had shrunk.
“Now, you, Avery,” I said, turning toward him. He was sweating, likely in pain. “How did you get involved?”
“Money,” he said softly. “My mother can’t work anymore and I’m trying to put my little brother through university.”
