Chapter 19

Primrose

Zachary was one of the people I least wanted to see, and one of the first to show up. Funny how that worked. I folded my arms, leaning back against the kitchen table and giving him a look.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to even be here for the party if Giselle is going to show,” I said. He turned to the kitchen counter, picking up the bottle of Fireball.

“This all you’re going with for a party? Gotta say, you’re at least doing college right.”

“Ava’s out grabbing stuff right now. That’s just the only one she keeps on hand, because—you know, of course it is.”

He set it down with a clink and pushed away from the counter, dropping onto the end of the couch. Matthew, who had been sitting quietly at the other end of the couch with his nose in his phone, looked up.

“As much as I love you, Zachy-poo, Prim’s right,” he said. Zachary put a hand up.

“I’m not sticking around. Just wanted to check in.”

I pursed my lips. “You’ll be happy to know I made contact with the family.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Already? Not bad.”

“Prim’s the expert,” Matthew said lightly. I looked away.

“Still didn’t get anything of note, but… got her father to like me.”

Mostly I didn’t get anything of note because I’d done nothing looking for it. I didn’t know how it happened, but it was witheringly embarrassing looking back. Somehow I just… lost myself. Stopped paying attention.

I think I was enjoying the high too much of getting Giselle to like me. I was just reveling in the attention, the ego boost, when I knew I needed to get down to business.

Or maybe I was bullshitting to myself because I didn’t want to admit it, even though I’d already written it in my journal earlier, in shaky handwriting.

Think I’m fucking the mission up. Felt genuinely proud of her when I heard she’d cut off her annoying friend. Caught myself actually wanting to make her feel better.

Messed me up learning Zachary put her and Andrea together. Keep asking myself if Giselle’s actually all the shit Zach said she is or if he’s after something.

I thought she was an insufferable suck-up, savvy with political maneuvering. But she just… cares. She’s nice. Tells me things that fuck me up because of how much I want to hear them.

I had set down the pen, looking up at the ceiling and just breathing for a while, before I’d gotten back to it with a cold, renewed determination.

Feelings do what they do. None of us have direct control over what we feel. If I’m in denial, I’ll just be more vulnerable.

I admit that I like her. Not romantically, obviously, but you don’t daydream of pulling off an axel and going to Switzerland with somebody you dislike.

But feelings follow action. Once I finish the case and end things, I’ll move on. It’ll hurt for me too, but that’s the price for fucking up.

I’d finished writing just as the door cracked and Ava let in Matthew and Tan, the two of them chattering away, and I’d snapped the book shut like it was a guilty secret and set it aside. I’d hoped I could have hidden from it for a while longer, but… not fifteen minutes and here I was, dealing with it in front of Zachary. Of all people.

“Still, getting the father to like you is an impressive start when we’re only a week in,” Zachary said, and I sighed.

“You don’t compliment me for nothing. Tell me what you want and scoot.”

He slumped against the back of the couch, kicking his dirty-ass boots up on the coffee table. “I wanted to apologize… for Lighthouse. Lost my temper on you. It wasn’t your fuckup that was stressing me. Sorry for beating your ass over nothing.”

I chewed my cheek, looking away, a feeling I couldn’t name tangling in my chest. “Well… thanks. While I’ve got you at a disadvantage, I’m going to ask you something.”

“Ruthless. Guess that’s what we keep you around for, though. Hit me.”

“Why’d you set up Giselle and Andrea? After the Walsh thing?”

The room went as quiet as if the air had just been sucked out. Matthew looked up from his phone, and Zachary raised his eyebrows, looking at me in the long quiet before he set his boots back on the floor, leaning forward. “What, digging into every part of Giselle’s past?”

“It’s a part of the job, Zach. Answer the question. What gives?”

“I had my reasons.”

“Nuh-uh. Denied.” I dropped my arms by my sides, taking a confrontational step forward. “You’re getting me involved in something I don’t know the details of. I don’t like that much, Zax. Fill me in.”

He sighed, raking his hair back. “Prim… you’ve gotta understand. Kent is a huge windfall. And the Lawsons have it coming.”

“Was all this just a way to get to Giselle’s family?”

“Figured Andrea might be able to get some dirt on them. Thought we should let the one who’s into girls take the job, but apparently you’re better than her at that too.”

I swallowed a sick feeling. “So all that about doing this in retaliation for Andrea—that was bullshit?”

“Half bullshit. More a lie by omission if anything. Far as I’m aware, Andrea really did like her and wanted to stay in the relationship. So I dropped the Lawson thing—figured I wouldn’t hurt Giselle while one of our own was invested. Then she insulted Andrea with a breakup.”

Matthew set down his phone. “Dude, you set Primrose on the case without telling her anything? That’s not a good enough justification.”

I shook my head. “And Veronica? Lie of omission in there, too?”

Zachary tightened his expression. “I’m deathly serious. Direct work of her closest friend since childhood, Cassandra Meyers. We’re taking some worse action against her.”

I stopped, my stomach sinking. “So that was Cass…”

“Guess you’re acquainted.”

I looked away, hiding my expression. “Not surprised. The girl’s a piece of work. What’s the worse action? You gave her test answers.”

“And someone’s getting tipped off.”

I snapped back to him. “Seriously? Setting her up to get caught for cheating?”

He crossed one foot up in a figure-four, reclining with a satisfied smile. “My only regret is that it’s taken this long to get action for Veronica. But it’s better late than never. Not like she didn’t know the risks already, buying off test answers.”

“Ugh.” I sank back against the table, hearing Ava’s and Tan’s voices chattering from outside, coming up the stairs. “Just tell me whatever else you’ve been hiding.”

“Nothing. That’s it. Honest.” He put his hands up, before he clapped them on his knees and stood up. “I’ll bail now before the party gets started and the target shows. Take it easy, Prim. Let me know once you find something out from the Lawsons.”

I didn’t give him a response, just staring out the window as he left the apartment, shutting the door behind him. Matthew crossed his legs, leaning against the sofa back with a heavy sigh.

“Sneaky son of a bitch,” he said.

“It’s Zach. Sneaky’s his job.” My voice came out tart, though, my head spinning. If it had been Cassandra behind bullying Veronica out of everything, there was no way Giselle was a willing participant if she was even a part. And was it really something to hit Giselle over if she’d cut off Cass now?

Jesus Christ. I was bargaining. I wasn’t supposed to do this. Wasn’t supposed to argue and ask questions, I was supposed to get a target and get it done. What the fuck was I doing? Giselle was an enemy of FIRE. I was FIRE’s attack dog. That wasn’t a setup for friendship, and definitely not more.

Well—more wasn’t in the cards anyway. I didn’t know what had prompted that thought. Ava was wearing off on me with all her comments.

The door swung open, and Ava and Tan coming in with bags of food and booze, arguing about something, pulled me out of my head and back into the real world. We had work to do. And by work I meant a party.

We got fully set up right before the last of our FIRE guests showed up, and surprise surprise, it was Ethan bringing up the rear, showing up a full five minutes after I’d told everyone to be here by. And only because I’d given him a time ten minutes earlier than I’d given everyone else. The apartment was bustling and chattering, a dozen people squeezed into the common space laughing and bickering, with Ava’s voice being the loudest in the room—and then getting louder when Sooyeon used the distraction to steal Ava’s drink—when I got the text from Giselle.

I’m at your complex! Got a gift because I’m not an animal.

Something jumped in my chest, a treacherous spark of excitement. Fuck me, I was a mess. “Target’s here,” I said, raising my voice over the din and quieting the crowd. “Going to go down and pick her up. Remember, she’s your new best friend. And Zachary’s and Andrea’s names stay out of your damn mouths.”

Sooyeon elbowed Tan. “That’s you, big mouth.”

Tan put his hands up. “I’m not a big mouth!”

I pointed at him. “You’re a big mouth. Watch it. I’m going.”

They were all chattering again as I stepped out the door and hurried down the stairs, my heart beating faster. I tried to settle down, tried to look cool and casual, but my body wasn’t listening. Whatever. Giselle could think I was excited to see her. That wouldn’t hurt.

I pulled open the complex door to where the sight of Giselle stirred up a nervous tangle in my gut. She looked gorgeous in a slim turtleneck sweater and high-waisted pants, her hair pulled up into a messy bun, leaning against the doorframe with a flower bouquet in her hands. She swallowed at the sight of me, a nervous smile on her lips, and I caught her gaze flick down to give me a once-over before meeting mine again.

“Hi,” she said, handing the flowers over. “For the host. Er—well, hosts.”

She was trying to woo me with flowers and everything. I had her solidly suckered in. I took the flowers, smiling softly at her through my lashes.

“You didn’t need to do that. Thank you, Giselle. I love them.”

“I almost got chocolates as a gift instead, but I was pretty sure Ava would eat them all before you could, so… it wouldn’t really be a fair gift.”

I laughed, taking the flowers, and I paused before I stepped out and gave her a hug, squeezing softly, lingering there for just a half-second too long. “You’re the very best.”

“I’m nothing that special.”

I stepped back, gesturing her towards the stairs. “You’d have been wrong, though. You want to hear the strangest thing in the world?”

“I absolutely do.” She fell in step next to me, heading up the stairs.

“Ava doesn’t like chocolate.”

“Doesn’t like chocolate?” She gave me a sidelong look. “Like… any chocolate at all? How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. She’s a vacuum cleaner when it comes to snacks normally, but she just does not eat chocolate, point-blank, period.”

“Is she from another planet?”

“I mean…” I shrugged. “I’m not ruling it out.”

“Guess I could have gotten you chocolates.” She relaxed as we stopped at the top floor and I got my keycard from my pocket. “Well. Next time.”

So much for it being a gift for the hosts. She just wanted to give me flowers and chocolates. Not that I minded.

Ugh—dammit. I did mind. I was supposed to mind, anyway. I was trying my best to mind.

Jesus.