"God, he set my teeth on edge," Riley muttered once they'd gotten around the corner and the Inn was out of sight.? She shivered again, violently.? "Ugh.? I feel like I need a shower from the inside out."

"Yeah...what was all that about?? I've never seen you react that strongly to him before."? David pulled her a little closer, rubbing his hand up and down her back slowly, trying to get her to relax a bit.

She did relax, slowly, by scant inches.? "I don't know really.? Maybe...maybe more freaky sh*t he brought back from the grave again.? I don't really care, so long as he keeps it far away from me."

"Amen to that."? He glanced back over his shoulder as though he expected Bishop to be running after them with a knife, ala Norman Bates.

She shivered once more and hugged herself tightly.? "So...? I suppose I'd better explain why Mesteno was giving me the hairy eyeball, huh?"

He nodded slowly.? "Yeah...I think you should.? That look he was giving you...? Is our truce about to end?"

She made a thoughtful face and then at length, shook her head.? "No, he has every right to be angry with me.? I betrayed a trust."? She sighed and was silent for a moment as she ordered her thoughts. That wasn't what he expected to hear.? He tilted his head a bit, studying her as they walked slowly down the street, giving her the time to speak on her own terms. She tucked an errant tendril of sun-kissed sable hair behind her ear and then started in.? "If you've heard any of this before, tell me to skip ahead, okay?" He nodded, waiting.

"So, like a month or so ago, Mesteno came bolting out of the Inn just as I was going in.? He was chasing a guy.? He caught me, asked me to help keep an eye on the guy.? I said yes, because Mesteno looked frantic. The guy disappeared and Mesteno went after him.? I didn't see either of them again that day, but the next day, I saw the guy again at the Inn.? I introduced myself.? He told me his name was Leo Christos.? I memorised his scent, his walk, everything about him so I would have an easier time tracking him.? Christos went on to introduce himself to Gigi and Laura Granger as Leo Christos."

He put the pieces together, the way she called Bjorn Leo-Bjorn, and the strange behavior with Fenner the other night.? Another nod for her to continue. She glanced at David to make sure he was following before continuing.? "So, Christos disappeared for awhile, right?? But then like a week ago, he came back...only he tried to tell me that his name was Bjorn Andrews and that Leo Christos was some relative of his and that I was mistaken in thinking they were the same guy."

"Which is ridiculous, with your nose," he said.

"Exactly!? And for a while, I seriously started doubting myself.? He was that f*cking adamant about it!? But then I overheard Gigi and Laura both call him Leo, and then that night we saw Darien, I asked him if he saw Leo Christos in the bar and he looked straight at the guy!? Then he introduced himself to Fenner as Bjorn Andrews."

"And that's why you were pissed off at him."? He could understand that; no one liked being lied to, especially when the lie was transparent.

"Right.? So I called him on it and Andrews...Christos...whatever the hell he's saying his name is this week told me to mind my own business.? Then I guess he must have tattled on me to Mesteno, because he came to me a few days ago and asked me to stop inquiring after Leo-Bjorn."

He saw where this was going.? "You didn't, though."? She was a tiny bit stubborn, his Riley was.

"No, I didn't.? He lied to me.? He tried to make me...? No, there was no 'try' about it.? He made me doubt myself!"

He nodded once more.? "So you pushed him about it, and he got mad.? Went to Mesteno again.? Who is he to Mesteno?"

"No, not exactly.? I...uh...confronted him again, that night we had the tickle war in the Inn."? She wouldn't meet David's eyes then; she kept her face firmly forward.

"What?? When?"

"Before I came inside.? I was following you, playing hide-and-go-seek.? And Bjorn was on the porch, remember? You apologised to him about Gigi and he was an assh*le to you."

His lips curved in an involuntary little grin at her admission.? "Sneaky."

She smiled a little at that.? "So, yeah.? I was pissed at him.? He was an assh*le to you, he said something to Mesteno to hurt him, and he'd caused me to lose face.? And I'm Japanese enough that that matters to me.? I got in his face, yelled at him, called him a liar, blah blah blah.? He basically ignored me."

"Uh oh."

She gave him a slightly sheepish little smile.? "No, I didn't hit him, though lord knows I wanted to.? I switched tactics.? Went for the touchy-feely, softer side of Riley."

"What happened?"

"I...I recounted a conversation that Mesteno and I had earlier this summer.? Remember when I went to see him to bury the hatchet?"

"Yeah.? Not likely to forget."

"Mesteno and I traded our deepest, darkest regrets and Bjorn happened to be his.? I told Bjorn that I knew about his brother, how his brother had turned out to be a major tool and how Mesteno finally had to kill him because Bjorn wouldn't.? I tried..."? She shrugged.? "I tried to be a friend to him.? And he basically told me to get stuffed."

"Nice."? He was curious, though, now.? "What was your regret?"

"Andy.? Rhys.? Patrick."

He nodded, leaving that alone.? "So Bjorn probably went to Mesteno all pissed off that he'd told you about his brother, right?"

She nodded.? "Yep, the f*cking tattle tale went and told on me.? Now Mesteno's pissed off at me - and rightfully so, I guess."? She sighed deeply and raised a long, elegant hand to rub at her temple.? "F*ck.? It's just a god damned mess.? If he'd just f*cking told me the truth to begin with, all of this nonsense could have been avoided."? She looked up at David, her caramel eyes pleading with him to understand.? "I don't give a sh*t who he is or even what he is.? I understand the necessity of having secrets!? I just...? I hate being lied to."

"Who doesn't?? Maybe he's ashamed of what happened with his brother.? He struck me as that type; the kind who prides himself on his code of honor and his duty.? Probably eats at him to know he didn't live up to it with his brother."

She shrugged.? "Whatever.? I don't care about that.? Besides which, he's a f*cking hypocrite with his stupid code and his honour and duty.? He can get all up in someone else's business, stick his nose where it's not wanted, but then acts like you've dealt him the most grievous wound by daring to be curious about him.? F*ck that noise."

"Agreed.? So what are you going to say to Mesteno?"

"What can I say?? I betrayed his trust in me.? I'm gonna have to eat a lot of crow and say a lot of mea culpas."? She groaned softly in frustration.? "I wish I could unmeet Leo Andrews Bjorn Christos."