it.”
“Your friend
lied to you. Her name is Laris , and she is wanted for
attempted murder.” Zeke studied her surprised reaction to his blunt statement.
“Your
overbearing lug-head told me she was dangerous, too. I didn’t believe him, and
I sure as hell don’t believe you. If that child hurt someone, then it was
self-defense pure and simple. Lori doesn’t have a violent bone in her body, and
you can’t convince me otherwise.” She snapped back, her chin firmed with
defiance.
Interesting.
He looked up at
Tegan, a small smile lifting his lips. “Overbearing lug-head? It kind of fits,
you know?”
Tegan gave him
the bird before turning his attention back toward Cici .
“Tell him what you told me at the club, Cici .”
She shrugged her
narrow shoulders and gave a large sigh. “It’s like I said, I found her in the
alley covered in blood and wearing a fancy nightgown. I took her in and helped
her get on her feet. She has no memory of her life before I came across her.”
Zeke’s stomach
dropped to his feet, his head lifting to meet Tegan’s dark scowl. “So Laris is telling the truth. She really has no memory of the
events leading to the stabbing?”
“So it appears.
That is, if you believe what this woman is saying.”
Cici’s spine
stiffened, indignation coming off her in waves. “Why would I lie?”
“Because
someone paid you to?” Zeke snapped back.
She snorted in
disgust at the accusation. “Oh, right, and I’m living above a strip club
because I like the neighborhood? Please.”
Put that way
Zeke did feel a bit foolish for thinking it, but what other reason could there
be? “Are you being threatened? We can see to your protection if you tell us the
truth.”
“Boy, you’re
desperate to believe the worst. What’s so hard to accept here? Lori has no
memory of anything beyond the last seven months. It’s just that simple.”
“ Nothing is just that simple,” Zeke bit
out, throwing her words back at her. He rubbed at the scar on his chest, his
fingers tracing the small irregular pucker of skin, a reminder of Laris’s treachery and his misplaced trust. “Put her in the
bedroom on the right and lock her in, Tegan.”
“Whoa, now are
you kidnapping me, too?”
“I can’t have
you running around right now, knowing where I live, now can I? I’ll let you go
once I know what is really going on here.” Zeke dismissed her, nodding at
Tegan, who with a growl of annoyance led Cici to the
bedroom and locked her in.
“Are you out of
your mind?” Tegan demanded with more than a bite of anger. “What the hell are
you thinking, keeping Laris and her friend hostage?
Marcus will go ballistic when he finds out.”
“Thank you for
your help, Tegan, but I’ve got it from here.” Zeke moved to the window, turning
his back on his friend.
“You got shit.
You’re losing it, Zeke. You need to take Laris back
to Atlantis to stand trial. If what Cici said is true
and Laris really has no idea of who she is and what
she did, your lawmakers are the ones who can determine that. Not you, and
certainly not this way. Take Cici back, and I’ll take Laris myself. Listen to reason before you do
something stupid you’ll regret later.”
Zeke spun to
face Tegan, and the air crackled with Zeke’s barely leashed anger. “I am aware
of the fucking consequences of my actions. If and that’s a big if, Laris had her memory wiped,
whether against her will or not, we need to find out who and why. Releasing
them could make them a target by whoever is behind this. Whether
it’s an accomplice or not. Guilty or innocent is beside the point if I
can’t find out who was behind the attempt on my life. Not to mention the
assassins on her tail. What do you think will happen if they catch up with her?
Think they will care if she has no memory of the crime she committed?”
Tegan’s dark
brows arched high in surprise. “So you believe Cici then?”
“Let’s just say
her arguments are very convincing.” Zeke
“Your friend
lied to you. Her name is Laris , and she is wanted for
attempted murder.” Zeke studied her surprised reaction to his blunt statement.
“Your
overbearing lug-head told me she was dangerous, too. I didn’t believe him, and
I sure as hell don’t believe you. If that child hurt someone, then it was
self-defense pure and simple. Lori doesn’t have a violent bone in her body, and
you can’t convince me otherwise.” She snapped back, her chin firmed with
defiance.
Interesting.
He looked up at
Tegan, a small smile lifting his lips. “Overbearing lug-head? It kind of fits,
you know?”
Tegan gave him
the bird before turning his attention back toward Cici .
“Tell him what you told me at the club, Cici .”
She shrugged her
narrow shoulders and gave a large sigh. “It’s like I said, I found her in the
alley covered in blood and wearing a fancy nightgown. I took her in and helped
her get on her feet. She has no memory of her life before I came across her.”
Zeke’s stomach
dropped to his feet, his head lifting to meet Tegan’s dark scowl. “So Laris is telling the truth. She really has no memory of the
events leading to the stabbing?”
“So it appears.
That is, if you believe what this woman is saying.”
Cici’s spine
stiffened, indignation coming off her in waves. “Why would I lie?”
“Because
someone paid you to?” Zeke snapped back.
She snorted in
disgust at the accusation. “Oh, right, and I’m living above a strip club
because I like the neighborhood? Please.”
Put that way
Zeke did feel a bit foolish for thinking it, but what other reason could there
be? “Are you being threatened? We can see to your protection if you tell us the
truth.”
“Boy, you’re
desperate to believe the worst. What’s so hard to accept here? Lori has no
memory of anything beyond the last seven months. It’s just that simple.”
“ Nothing is just that simple,” Zeke bit
out, throwing her words back at her. He rubbed at the scar on his chest, his
fingers tracing the small irregular pucker of skin, a reminder of Laris’s treachery and his misplaced trust. “Put her in the
bedroom on the right and lock her in, Tegan.”
“Whoa, now are
you kidnapping me, too?”
“I can’t have
you running around right now, knowing where I live, now can I? I’ll let you go
once I know what is really going on here.” Zeke dismissed her, nodding at
Tegan, who with a growl of annoyance led Cici to the
bedroom and locked her in.
“Are you out of
your mind?” Tegan demanded with more than a bite of anger. “What the hell are
you thinking, keeping Laris and her friend hostage?
Marcus will go ballistic when he finds out.”
“Thank you for
your help, Tegan, but I’ve got it from here.” Zeke moved to the window, turning
his back on his friend.
“You got shit.
You’re losing it, Zeke. You need to take Laris back
to Atlantis to stand trial. If what Cici said is true
and Laris really has no idea of who she is and what
she did, your lawmakers are the ones who can determine that. Not you, and
certainly not this way. Take Cici back, and I’ll take Laris myself. Listen to reason before you do
something stupid you’ll regret later.”
Zeke spun to
face Tegan, and the air crackled with Zeke’s barely leashed anger. “I am aware
of the fucking consequences of my actions. If and that’s a big if, Laris had her memory wiped,
whether against her will or not, we need to find out who and why. Releasing
them could make them a target by whoever is behind this. Whether
it’s an accomplice or not. Guilty or innocent is beside the point if I
can’t find out who was behind the attempt on my life. Not to mention the
assassins on her tail. What do you think will happen if they catch up with her?
Think they will care if she has no memory of the crime she committed?”
Tegan’s dark
brows arched high in surprise. “So you believe Cici then?”
“Let’s just say
her arguments are very convincing.” Zeke
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