Imperial Bedrooms - By Bret Easton Ellis Page 0,49

you? I'll be there. I'll be with you."

I find Rip's contact info and send him a blank e-mail.

Julian looks at me. He's changing his mind about something. "You've become friends with him? A month ago you told me he was a freak."

The only thing I can do is counter with: "Why did you go to Rip when you needed the money to pay back Blair?"

"I didn't go to Rip," Julian says. "Rip came to me. Because of Rain he came to me and offered to help me out in exchange for ... " Julian pauses. "I was trying to figure out another way to pay back Blair, but when Rip came to me it just seemed easier ... But I didn't go to Rip. He came to me. I didn't go to him."

"Wait, Julian. Hold on."

"What are you doing?"

I'm looking at the response I just received. Is he with you now?

I text back: Give me the address.

I wait, pretending to read something on the screen.

"Clay," Julian asks, walking toward me. "What are you doing?"

And then: You'll bring him here?

An address in Los Feliz appears on the screen barely a second after I text back: yes.

Julian calls Rain and I only hear his side of the conversation. It lasts a minute as he tries to calm her down. "We don't know it was him," Julian says. "Hey, chill out ... We don't know if he took the money." He pauses while pacing the room. "Clay said - " and then he has to stop. "Calm down," he says, almost stunned by the ferocity of the voice coming over the phone. "If you're so worried then confirm it with Rip," he says softly. "Make sure it's happening." Finally Julian looks over at me and says, "No, you don't need to talk to him" and that's my cue to nod. "He's helping us out," Julian says. Once Julian hangs up, my phone immediately starts vibrating in the pocket of the robe I'm wearing and it's Rain and I ignore it.

Julian stands in the bedroom doorway, drinking a bottle of water, watching as I get dressed. I'm pulling on jeans, a T-shirt, a black hoodie. I'm debating whether to give him another chance.

"Rip loaned you the money to pay Blair back?" I ask. "And then what happened?"

"He only loaned part of it," Julian says. "But this has nothing to do with the money. Rip's just using that as an excuse. It's not about the money." He sounds almost scornful.

"You lied to me when you told me you hadn't talked to Blair," I say. "You lied when you said you hadn't talked to her since June and I believed you."

"I know. It was awkward. I felt bad about that. I'm sorry."

I move to the bathroom. I try to brush my hair. My hand is shaking so hard I can't hold the brush.

"I didn't mean to fuck with you," he says.

"I just want to know one thing," I say. "It keeps bothering me."

"What is it?"

"Why did you set me up with Rain if - "
Chapter 14
Julian cuts me off as if he knows the rest of the question. "You've been around a long time. You know how this town works. You've been through it before." And then his voice softens. "I just didn't know how fucked up you got over Meghan Reynolds until it was too late."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that but what I can't understand is that if you knew Rip was so crazy about Rain why did you ... " I stand in front of Julian, my arms at my sides, but I can't look at him until I force myself to. "Why did you put me in danger?" I ask. "You pushed her onto me even after you knew how Rip felt? You pushed her onto me even though you thought he maybe had something to do with Kelly?"

"Clay, I never thought that he had anything to do with Kelly," Julian says. "Those were just rumors that - "

"You wanted me to help her and I tried, Julian, but now I realize you didn't care whether I got hurt or not."

This moves something in Julian and his face tightens and his voice begins to rise. "Look, it's really cool you're trying to help me out here, but why do you keep thinking Rip was involved with Kelly's death? Do you know something? Do you have any proof? Or are you just making shit up like you always do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Stop