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The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 110 из 234I had questions that I needed answers to, but Louie was Richard's friend before he was mine. Loyalty and all that. But who the hell else could I ask? Irving? He was in enough trouble with Richard.
"I've heard Richard and Rafael talk about controlling their beasts. Does that mean the change?"
He nodded. "Yes." He looked at me, eyes narrowing. "If you've heard Richard talk about his beast, you must have seen him close to changing. What happened last night?"
"If Richard didn't tell you, Louie, I don't think I can."
"The grapevine says you killed Alfred. Is that true?"
"Yes."
He looked at me as if waiting for more, then shrugged. "Raina won't like that."
"Marcus didn't seem too pleased, either."
"But he won't jump you in a dark alley. She will."
"Why didn't Richard tell me that?"
"Richard is one of the best friends I have. He's loyal, honest, caring, sort of the world's furriest boy scout. If he has a flaw, it's that he expects other people to be loyal, honest, and caring."
"Surely after what he's seen from Marcus and Raina, he doesn't still think they're nice people?"
"He knows they aren't nice, but he has trouble seeing them as evil. When all is said and done, Anita, Marcus is his alpha male. Richard respects authority. He's been trying to work out some sort of compromise with Marcus for months. He doesn't want to kill him. Marcus doesn't have the same qualms about Richard."
"Irving told me Richard defeated Marcus, could have killed him, and didn't. Is that true?"
" 'Fraid so."
"Shit."
"Yeah, I told Richard he should have done it, but he's never killed anyone. He believes all life is precious."
"All life is precious," I said.
"Some life is just more precious than others," Louie said.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Did Richard change for you last night?"
"God, you are relentless."
"You said it was one of my better qualities."
"It is normally." It was like being picked at by Ronnie. She never gave up, either.
"Did he change for you?"
"Sort of," I said.
"And you couldn't handle it." It was a flat statement.
"I'm not sure, Louie. I'm just not sure."
"Better to find out now," he said.
"I guess so."
"Do you love him?"
"None of your damn business."
"I love Richard like a brother. If you're going to slice his heart up and serve it on a platter, I'd like to know now. If you leave, I'll be the one helping him pick up the pieces.
"I've heard Richard and Rafael talk about controlling their beasts. Does that mean the change?"
He nodded. "Yes." He looked at me, eyes narrowing. "If you've heard Richard talk about his beast, you must have seen him close to changing. What happened last night?"
"If Richard didn't tell you, Louie, I don't think I can."
"The grapevine says you killed Alfred. Is that true?"
"Yes."
He looked at me as if waiting for more, then shrugged. "Raina won't like that."
"Marcus didn't seem too pleased, either."
"But he won't jump you in a dark alley. She will."
"Why didn't Richard tell me that?"
"Richard is one of the best friends I have. He's loyal, honest, caring, sort of the world's furriest boy scout. If he has a flaw, it's that he expects other people to be loyal, honest, and caring."
"Surely after what he's seen from Marcus and Raina, he doesn't still think they're nice people?"
"He knows they aren't nice, but he has trouble seeing them as evil. When all is said and done, Anita, Marcus is his alpha male. Richard respects authority. He's been trying to work out some sort of compromise with Marcus for months. He doesn't want to kill him. Marcus doesn't have the same qualms about Richard."
"Irving told me Richard defeated Marcus, could have killed him, and didn't. Is that true?"
" 'Fraid so."
"Shit."
"Yeah, I told Richard he should have done it, but he's never killed anyone. He believes all life is precious."
"All life is precious," I said.
"Some life is just more precious than others," Louie said.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Did Richard change for you last night?"
"God, you are relentless."
"You said it was one of my better qualities."
"It is normally." It was like being picked at by Ronnie. She never gave up, either.
"Did he change for you?"
"Sort of," I said.
"And you couldn't handle it." It was a flat statement.
"I'm not sure, Louie. I'm just not sure."
"Better to find out now," he said.
"I guess so."
"Do you love him?"
"None of your damn business."
"I love Richard like a brother. If you're going to slice his heart up and serve it on a platter, I'd like to know now. If you leave, I'll be the one helping him pick up the pieces.