Page 50 of Sinner
“Dew helped Juri. What if Beck knew what they were doing?” Nix suggested.
“It’s possible.”
“Then we need to know. Beck could have had more to do with this than we first believed, and both West and June trust him.”
“That’s why I’m hesitant,” Lake admitted. “That’s why I want to be sure we’re on the same page. I want to know exactly what you’re thinking and how deep you think his involvement goes. June is still sensitive. I don’t want him to have to face another betrayal if he doesn’t have to.”
And if all Beck was guilty of was having a secret relationship with Dew, it wasn’t worth telling Yejun about it now. Nix understood where Lake was coming from. That was also why he was here, doing this.
If he could gather evidence proving that Beck had merely been sleeping with the wrong person, he could put these doubts to bed and focus on the upcoming festivities and rebuilding with his Demons.
There were things about this whole situation that Nix believed purely out of instinct.
Juri had been tricked by Dew into swapping the paintings at the gallery showing.
Dew had given Juri the Serendipity account, but hadn’t been the one getting close to Branwen.
Beck might be hardcore in love with West, and had panicked and claimed he had feelings for Yejun simply to deflect when West seemed like he might be on to him.
Nix didn’t have proof to back up any of these theories, only the word of others and his own logic skills. Which was to say, he was basically taking random guesses in the dark for his own peace of mind. Ironic that he could put up with a lot, but that there were still certain lines in the sand he couldn’t handle.
Juri had used him in his own ways, but Nix didn’t want to believe their friendship had been entirely fake. He never wouldhave helped Dew humiliate him. There wasn’t even a reason for it.
But if Dew was dating Beck? Beck, who clearly was in love with West? Nix could kind of see the beginnings of a full picture coming to fruition there.
“You don’t think he faked his animosity with his dad, do you?” Nix had to ask it, if only to put it out there so they could sweep the theory off to the side.
Lake pursed his lips, not answering right away. “I don’t think so, but I haven’t spent nearly as much time with him as the others. He’s always taken my side whenever there was a threat to my rule, whether that threat came from the High Council or the Order. However…”
“However?”
“The wise thing is always to distrust everyone. My cousin happens to be in a great position for double-crossing. He’s close enough to both Hendrix and Demitrious to be under their influence, and if he really was with Dew? Would you let your boyfriend bully someone for no reason?”
“What if Beck was the reason?” Nix glanced through the empty space above a row of books, catching sight of the professor a dozen tables away. “Even geniuses can be blinded by emotion.”
Lake quirked a brow. “Are you referring to Dew or my cousin? Either way, I feel you’re being too kind.”
“I was talking about you,” he corrected. “And West and Yejun. I’m fairly new to this whole having to watch my back anytime anyone tries to get close to me thing. The three of you grew up that way. I bet, even if there were obvious signs, none of you would have picked up on them, for fear of losing the one person you thought you could rely on.”
“While that’s certainly better than trying to paint Dew Seaborn as above average in the intelligence department, I’m still insulted by your lack of faith in me.”
“It’s got nothing to do with that.” Nix rested a hand on his arm. “Lake, it’s okay to have feelings.”
“Doubtful.”
“You have them for me, don’t you?”
“That isn’t the same, and you know it.”
“So, you won’t care if we find out that Beck tried to murder West?”
His nose scrunched in obvious displeasure. “He wouldn’t—” He swore. “Fine. All right. You might be onto something. Perhaps we did overlook something where my cousin is concerned. But maybe not.”
“Here’s to hoping.” Nix was past holding his breath, but he kept that to himself. “Let’s get this over with. I need you to distract him and get him to walk away from his computer.”
“Not exactly easy.”
“If it was, I wouldn’t be asking you, would I?” He gave him a reassuring smile. “The only other option is we break into his home later.”
