Page 45 of Born into Madness

“Sure you aren’t,” Damien says while he pats her hand. “I’m sure you’ll find information before the genius hacker in our family. You betcha.”

“Dario is going to love this,” I tell her. “I’ll make sure everyone in the family is here for it.”

“It’s not happening,” she says again. “This is going to end with a ring in Niki’s nose and not a mic in my hand.”

“I gotta be honest,” I tell her. “I’m kind of hoping you lose, because I would really like to hear you belting out that incredibly slow, sentimental song. I’m assuming you’ll dedicate it to Dario.” I laugh and look over at Damien. “He’s the only one on the planet who would actually consider it a gift.”

“Laugh it up while you can,” she tells us. “I’m coming here tomorrow night and getting some information. Dario’s coming with me to hang out in the corner and watch me because apparently his willingness to let me put myself in danger only goes so far.” She rolls her eyes at the same time as she gives a big smile. “Marriage is all about compromise, right?”

“That’s what they say,” I tell her.

Damien gets up to leave, but before he goes, he tells Mia, “I look forward to your performance. I’m wearing ear plugs, but I’m still looking forward to it.” He looks over at me and adds, “I’m going to go keep Niki company while he works. You know how he gets. He’ll forget to eat and drink if someone isn’t there to hand him food and water.”

“Call me if you hear anything,” I tell him.

He nods and leaves me alone with Mia. It doesn’t take her long at all before she’s pointing at my Band-Aids and asking, “What the fuck is that about?”

“I got cut,” I say. “Don’t worry. It’s not deep.”

“I’m not worried about the cut. I mean, a tiny, pink Band-Aid is keeping it in check, so I’m not too concerned about you bleeding out. What I’m wondering is who the hell gave you the polka-dot bandages.”

I think about ignoring her, but Mia and I have always been close, and it’s painfully obvious that I’m going to need some help navigating this very new terrain. Looking over at my sister, I say, “I met someone.”

The shocked look on her face is pretty much what I expected and so is the whispered, “Holy shit,” she gives. She shakes her head, making her pink-dyed hair brush her shoulders. I run my thumb over Cyn’s braid one last time before I explain how I found her.

“She saw you kill three guys?”

“I was wearing my mask,” I tell her. “It’s fine. She hasn’t said anything, and she’s not going to.”

“I’m just stunned she’s still breathing.” Mia still looks shocked, and when she sees the look I’m giving her, she laughs and says, “Come on, you have to see how this is a surprise to me. Not only did younotkill her, but you saved her, Sasha. You saved her and you made sure she got back to her dorm safely. And Chort likes her? What the hell is going on here?”

“I have no fucking clue.”

“So who is she? Do you have a picture?”

Mia leans forward, curiosity taking the lead as I show her the photo I stole from her dorm room, the one of her with one of the shelter dogs that she’d had tacked to her bulletin board. Cyn has a huge smile on her face while the beagle pup leans in to lick her cheek.

“She’s really pretty,” Mia says with a grin. “And looks very sweet and not at all like she’d be into murder.”

I ignore the obvious word of caution and grab my phone so I can pull up the feed to her dorm. I check it first, and when I seeCyn bent over one of her textbooks, I take a few seconds to drink in the sight of her before I hand my phone over.

“Please tell me this isn’t a hidden camera you put in her room.”

“Is that wrong?” I ask. “How else am I supposed to know if she’s okay?”

“You call her or you go there to see her. You can’t watch her through a camera like a perv, Sasha.”

I think about what she’s said and then shake my head. “I asked Niki to give me the private link and make sure no one else sees it, and it’s not like I have a camera in the bathroom or anything. This just lets me see her while she studies.”

“And sleeps,” Mia says.

I grin. “I break into her room at night for that.”

“Jesus Christ,” Mia whispers.

“I don’t think she minds, if that makes it any better.”

Mia stares at my phone. “So what’s she like?”