“I went to her club last night,” Robert said, making it an accusation—a whiny one at that. He jerked his thumb toward Bijou but still didn’t look at her. “She’s still as hoity-toity as she always was. She passed right by me without sayin’ a word.”

Bijou gave a little sniff. “I’m so like that.”

Saria coughed, holding her hand over her mouth. Dion glanced at Bijou and then away. Faint color crept up his neck. Bijou wasn’t certain what that was all about. He’d insulted her the moment he’d seen her and yet he refused to look at her for more than a second or two. Each time he did, he looked red and uncomfortable.

Robert glared at her. “I told my friends I knew you, that you grew up here, but they didn’t believe me. They took bets.”

“What friends?” Saria asked. “We all grew up in the same lair . . .”

“Not leopard,” Robert snarled. “I don’ hang out with just leopards like the rest of you. I have a life and lots of other friends.”

Dion snorted. “They aren’t friends when they’re gettin’ you in trouble all the time, Robert. You get stinkin’ drunk with them and they put you up to all sorts of things.”

“You’re just jealous because I have friends,” Robert countered. “You think you’re so high and mighty, Dion, but you slave away in that stupid office of yours and you’re jealous because I don’ have to.”

“You might not work, but you always have money, don’ you, Robert,” Dion accused. “Wherever you’re gettin’ it, you certainly don’ want to admit where it comes from, which means you’re ashamed. You know damn well you shouldn’t be doin’ whatever it is you are.”

“It’s none of your business,” Robert whined. “I don’ have to tell you how I make my money.”

Saria heaved a very loud sigh. “Robert, focus. I need to know what you did when you came here last night.”

Robert ducked his head again, his defiant gaze sliding away quickly. “It was Remy’s fault.” He lifted his head and glared at Bijou. “And hers. They got my leopard riled up and I couldn’t control him last night. First he went after her, and when Remy went so crazy, hitting me from behind when I wasn’t even doin’ anything, my leopard just lost it.”

“I see. None of this is your responsibility at all,” Saria said.