Chapter 16
“This is…” Lake didn’t finish his sentence, but Nix knew what he was trying to say.
After finding the Imperial at practice—because the team was overworked and still had to meet during a holiday week—he’d quietly explained everything he’d learned from Grady.
He’d known he couldn’t take this to West or Yejun, not without proof to help convince them. And, honestly, he was really worried how the latter would react if it turned out Nix’s theory was right and Beck had been playing them all this time. But that was even more of a reason to be certain.
Lake had heard him out and agreed they needed more than Grady’s word to go off on, and together, they’d hatched this half-assed, last-minute plan to check Beck’s computer.
Of course, it wouldn’t be easy to do, which was how they’d ended up here, lurking between bookshelves in the library.
“Kind of childish?” Nix scoffed, in total agreement. He pushed lightly at Lake’s side. “Go on. Distract him.”
Lake had texted his cousin to find out where he was, and they’d been surprised to learn Beck was at the campus library. It was almost too perfect, but after entering, they’d quickly realized Beck wasn’t the only professor here.
Apparently, it wasn’t worth it for many of them to return home for only two or three days, since everyone on staff was required to be there to help with preparations for the festival.
Dorms and public spaces were open, but classrooms had been locked since most of those spaces would be used as the “playing fields” for the Haunt.
Thinking about the Haunt almost distracted Nix, his dick twitching traitorously between his thighs before he shook his head and got a hold of himself.
If they didn’t figure this all out before then, he might not get to enjoy the Haunt at all, let alone the rest of the party. And he really wanted to. He wanted to experience what the holiday was like with friends and lovers.
But, also, preferably without having to worry about a psychotic poisoner coming after them. Not that he was entirely convinced Beck had anything to do with that.
Although…
What if Hendrix wasn’t the one they were after? Or what if he hadn’t worked alone?
No, it still didn’t add up. Beck would never allow anything to happen to West.
But…Hadn’t the professor also successfully convinced West he was into Yejun? What if he was playing them all for fools? What an elaborate hoax that would be. One meant to distract them in the off chance a thread or two was discovered leading back to him?
What—
“Nix.” Lake pulled him away from the tall shelf they’d been hiding behind and turned him so they were facing each other, keeping his voice low so as not to be heard by anyone else. “Calm down. You’re spiraling.”
“I can’t help it.”
“I know you want to solve this, that the not knowing is driving you crazy, but you have to keep yourself together, all right? We’re close. We just need to break into his systems, that’s what you said, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” He was sure he could find something on Beck’s computer. The professor carried it around with him everywhere, and Nix doubted that was simply because he kept exams and other sensitive school materials on it.
If he’d been fucking a student, he wasn’t exactly the paragon of professionalism he’d led everyone to believe.
“What are you hoping to find?” Lake asked. He’d come all this way with him without complaint, but it was clear in his eyes he wasn’t entirely sure what they were after. “What difference will it make if we link Beck and Dew?”
“You mean, other than to prove they were more involved than your cousin let on?”
“Sure, but I wouldn’t have exactly come clean if I were in his position either. Would you?”
If Nix was in a position of authority and abused it? Probably not. But that’s not all this was about.
“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 would have 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.”
“No.”
“It could be better, actually. If you distract him at the front door, I can sneak in through the back and—”
“You aren’t allowed to be alone in another man’s house, Songbird,” he stated firmly. “That’s final.”
Nix rolled his eyes and held up his hands in surrender before waving one toward the end of the stack. “Then get a move on, your Majesty.”
Lake clicked his tongue. “Picking up bad habits from West, I see. We’ll address that later.”
“Can’t wait.”
He turned and walked off, but not before Nix caught sight of the smirk forming on the Imperial’s plush lips.