Chapter 101


    I ignored thatment. “Now that he knows, maybe we can include him in our investigation into the


    underworld.”


    Julian hummed like he was considering it, but his ‘no‘ came out very definitive. Like he’d only


    pretended to think about it for my sake. Had he thought about this before? If so, he’d likely have a good


    reason.


    “Why not?” I asked.


    Sighing. Julian gave his head a slight shake. “My perfect older brother is too strict with the rules for the


    kind of work we need to do. If we followed everything by the book, like he would want to, we’d only


    continue to chase our own tails around.”


    Nichs had always been an upright citizen. It had been part of the reason I hadn’t wanted


    I had done something illegal, when I’d traded away my wolf.


    him to know


    “What we’re doing, Piper, will require us to bend some rules, and maybe tantly disregard others.


    Could you imagine Nichs turning a blind eye to all that?”


    I couldn’t.


    I wished I could say otherwise. If Nichs were involved in the investigation, I would feel much more.


    secure about it. Julian was effective, but not exactly reliable. Nichs, meanwhile, was the definition of


    dependable.


    “Even so, I’d like to tell him someday,” I said. “Maybe when we get closer to the end.”


    “Maybe.” Jul gave away nothing, as per usuall. He might never acquiesce. When the time came, it


    would likely rest on my shoulders alone if and when to include Nichs. I would include him though.


    Eventually.


    “Speaking of, I have another lead. We could go on another date to investigate.”


    “That didn’t work out so well for usst time.” I had not forgotten the Luna’s lecture toward me, where


    she had basically used me of being more irresponsible than Julian simply for not stopping his


    reckless behavior.


    1 learned several valuable lessonsst time,” Julian said. This time will go much smoother.


    And just how exactly, do you n on sneaking away from the cameras for a second time, without


    incurring the wrath of your entire family??


    shrugged Easy. We just don’t tell them.”


    His quick, deadpan response startled me intoughing. I quickly recovered when I realized he was


    dead


    serious.


    “Come on, Piper. Live a little.”


    “And where exactly would we be going this time? Hopefully somewhere as nice as an abandoned


    warehouse?”


    I couldn’t believe I was leaning toward actually doing this. But then, I was desperate to feel my wolf


    again. Plus, it had been nice to be away from the cameras for a while, even with the trouble caused


    afterwards.


    “I’m wounded you would think so low of me.” Julian smiled wide. “Of course I have somewhere much


    fancier set up for us this time.”


    “Fancier? The sewers this time, then?”


    Heughed. “Actually, no. We’ve already checked there. We’re were hoping that they meant


    ‘underground


    ‘in the literal sense. Unfortunately, no such luck.”


    I tried to imagine Julian trudging through the muck of the sewers and couldn’t quite manage it. “Surely


    you yourself didn’t go into the sewers.”


    “And why not? If they were there, should I let someone else take the credit?”


    Huh. Sometimes I struggled to piece together the puzzle that was Julian. I thought he’d care more for


    vanity. In a way he did, I supposed, as he was selfish enough to want to take full credit of the potential


    find.


    Yet nothing he ever said to me really felt like the full truth. I wondered if the only person who truly knew


    the real Julian, was Julian himself.


    “So, what do you say? Join me on a secret rendezvous, and we’ll see what we can uncover.”


    have no desire to join you in the sewers,” I said.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    His eyes were alight with mischief.


    “Piper, this time I’m taking you to a mansion.”