Page 51 of White Little Lies

She leaned forward, picking up the other cup and handing it to me as I sat. “I might have a crush, but I can still appreciate fine artwork, Eva.”

Braxton came out of his room at the sound of our voices. He walked toward the kitchen. “Don’t hate me, Eva. She wanted to see who you would come home with if you didn’t have any warning.”

Of course she did. “You know, you don’t have to do what she says.”

He opened the fridge, taking out a carton of milk. “Hey, she paid me twenty bucks.”

“I will wait in your bedroom,” Gabriel sighed, clearly tired of the conversation.

As soon as my bedroom door was open, Ringo made a run for it. Drinking straight out of the carton, Braxton returned to his room, and suddenly Dawn and I were alone.

I took a sip of the fresh latte. I’d had plenty of coffee, but damn, those gargoyles could really brew a nice cup. “I have my friend looking into Rian, if that’s why you’re here.”

Dawn angled her impressively long legs toward mine. Her pantsuit today was a saturated dark purple. She looked great in jewel tones, and she knew it. “How long will that take?”

I shrugged. “Not long, but I’ll let you know.” I studied her expression, from her small smile to the glint in her dark eyes. “You’ve learned something new.”

Her smile kicked up a notch, and she nodded.

“And you’re trying to figure out what you can get from me in return.” I didn’t say it like it was a question.

She smiled broad enough to show her perfect white teeth. “Yes, that was my intention, but my curiosity is getting the better of me. Tell me what you were doing all night with your very large, very handsome goblin, and I’ll give you my information for free.”

I glared at her. “If I have to tell you something in exchange, then it’s not free.”

“But it’s also not terribly expensive, especially given what I’ve learned.”

I glanced at my closed bedroom door, then shook my head in defeat. “We’re… seeing each other.”

“Wellobviously. I’ll need a little more than that.”

“Fine,” I huffed. “We’re sleeping together.”

“And what about the high goblin of the Citadel?” She asked slyly.

My mouth gaped and I almost spilled my coffee. “How do you even know about that!”

Her eyes sparkled. “So it’s true then. Honestly, when my goblin contacts mentioned it, I thought theyhad to be mistaken. My little Eva, dating not just one goblin, but two?”

I glared at her. “It’s complicated.”

“I’m sure it is,” she laughed. “And that look on your face is worth far more than anything else I could have gotten out of you.” She leaned forward. “Now would you like to hear the little tidbit I brought for you?”

“Yes,” I grumbled, lifting my coffee for another sip.

She sipped her coffee too, her eyes still shining with laughter. “I’ve been tipping heavily at Lapis Brews,” she lifted her cup, “and in exchange the gargoyles have been speaking more freely around me. Word is, the angelic Lucas is on a warpath.”

I sputtered on my coffee. Gods, not Lucas. After not running into him for the past week, I’d been hoping he’d finally given up on interfering with my search for my mom.

Dawn lifted a brow. “Interesting. You’ve gone two shades paler just at the mention of his name.”

“Just tell me what you know.”

She wrinkled her nose at my tone, but continued, “He believes he’s been betrayed. Someone called in a favor, presenting him with one of his feathers, but now he believes the feather was stolen. The favor he was doing wasn’t for the person he thought.”

“His feather?” I asked.

“Yes, something else I learned from the gargoyles. When an angelic owes someone a debt, they will give that person one of the feathers from their wings. Whenthat person would like to settle their debt, they present the feather.”

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