Free The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed Page A

table. “The detectives say it appears Lucien chose to end his own life, but as you know, they’re conducting a thorough investigation and will leave no stone unturned.”
    Adrian stared at his plate, all too aware of the instant attention focused on him. The authorities had done more than interrogate and humiliate him in the last few days, more than break valuables in his condominium during a brief, careless search “for the suicide note.” When they found none, they’d dragged Adrian through the mud, concurrently inserting suspicion into the minds of his fellow companions.
    A spear of indignation lodged in his center, shoved aside his grief, twisted. He was innocent, and yet he was not.
    43

    Shelby Reed
    “As a result,” Azure went on at last, “I trust that each and every one of you will be as helpful and forthcoming as the detectives demand.”
    Her fingers fluttered down on Adrian’s shoulder as she spoke, more accusation than comfort, and his fists clenched against the urge to shove aside her condescending touch. Burning under the rapier stares of his coworkers, he reached instead for his cup.
    The tremble in his hand sloshed the coffee in umber splotches on the pristine table linen.
    Joe, the tall, blond companion sitting across from Adrian, and one of Lucien’s drug buddies, stood and held up his wine goblet. “I propose that from now on, we leave Lucien’s place at our table empty, so we can be reminded of what we’ve lost, what Lucien lost, every time we gather here.” His pale blue eyes were despicably mournful, full mouth turned down at the corners.
    What we lost…what Lucien lost…
    It was all Adrian could stand. Something inside him snapped, like bones splintering in his soul, and he shot to his feet, the chair legs screeching on the marble floor behind him.
    “You self-righteous bastard! Stand here and own up to shame, to regret, to your guilt. But don’t you dare add to his disgrace with your so-called anguish.”
    “How would you know the level of my grief?” Joe said calmly. “Or anyone’s here?
    You make no effort to know any of us, Adrian. How do you know I’m not torn up over Lucien’s death?”
    Adrian’s fists clenched at his sides, a mirror of the frustration and outrage knotted in his throat. “You have no idea what anguish is, you son of a bitch! All you had to do was ask Lucien. He knew it forward and backward, no thanks to you.”
    “That sounds like an accusation.” A chilled smile twisted Joe’s lips. “Exactly what are you getting at?”
    Azure caught Adrian’s sleeve to restrain his rebuttal, but he jerked free from her grasp. “You know what I’m talking about. You—all of you who shot up and coked up and partied him right into his grave—this is on your heads, too. You helped push him off my balcony. Hell, you gave him the wings to fly. Pat yourself on the back, Joe. He wouldn’t have jumped without you.”
    The feigned humor fled the blond companion’s features and he lunged at Adrian over the table’s expanse. His fist caught Adrian’s collar, shaking the dishes hard enough to overturn a goblet of wine. “Fighting words, Ad. You have proof to back that up?
    Seems to me you’re the only one around here the cops are looking at.”
    Rage swept through Adrian anew, sizzling through his veins and blocking out everyone around them as he dislodged the other man’s grip and grabbed at Joe’s shirt to close fingers like a vise around his throat.
    “Gentlemen—please!” Azure said, and for a moment no one moved. Then Adrian relaxed his hold, stepped back. With a snarl, Joe seated himself, brushing off placations from the men on either side of him.
    44

    The Fifth Favor
    “Take a look at yourself, Adrian,” he spat, smoothing his hair back from his reddened face. “It wasn’t my balcony Lucien jumped from.”
    “Be quiet, Joe,” Azure said tightly. “Adrian, please. Go upstairs and gather yourself.
    Take this no further. There’s no sense to