"No, it's too fast, and you hate everyone," I accuse.
"Didn't look like he hated you when I woke him up," Ford says laughing.
"Okay, you're both acting really weird."
Shane strolls in, shirtless, and rolls his eyes. "They've got some bromance thing going on. I think they've bonded over the fact they are the two moodiest fuckers I've ever met."
"It's no big deal. I was telling Jackson that he can make some money in erasing some things on social media. Some of the people we go to school with are there because of some dumb shit they did and now they've got to rebuild their reputations before they can move on to a university."
"Erasing what exactly?" I ask. I only remember bits and pieces from what I overheard them talking about this morning, but I don't know if their definition of erasing people is the same.
"Pictures of wild parties, nudes, sex tapes, that sort of thing," Sin replies.
"Ah, so you can really make that go away? I thought once it was on the internet it was there forever."
"Usually, but I can write a program to search for an image or still and destroy it every time it pops up. If I can trace back the original message and write a worm to follow every time those images were shared I can eventually erase all of the hard copies. If it is on a jump drive or was copied from the internet that will be harder, but as soon as it is viewed on a computer connected to wifi I can make sure it erases itself."
"Wow, I didn't realize you were that good with computers."
"I have more skills than killing someone," he says.
"I know, but there are people who are working in the government who aren't that capable," I tell him.
He looks away, and I'm surprised to see him blush. "Sin, are you a genius?"
"Don't be ridiculous," he retorts.
"Did you teach yourself how to do this?" I ask.
He nods. "Do you really think your father sent me to school?"
"No, I don't think he paid much attention to you at all. I bet even Lucien doesn't know what you're capable of, does he?"
His dark eyes hold mine, and I know I'm right. "Lucien knows what he needs to know. We might be as close as I've ever been to anyone, but growing up in that house, I learned not to trust anyone with all my secrets."
"And yet you're sharing this one with us, why?"
He shoves his hand through his hair. "I don't know."
"Trust is earned. I'm guessing he trusted your brother out of necessity, but when someone needs you for something they are motivated not to screw you over."
"I need him to keep me safe. Doesn't that put me in the same boat as my brother?"
"No," Ford answers. He's very perceptive, and Sin sits listening as if he's telling him the answer to a difficult math problem he's been working on.
"It isn't the same thing at all. In order for him to keep you safe, you have to place your trust in him. Answer me this, since you've been with the two of them, which of them do you turn to if you need something?"
My eyes move to Sin.
"That's my answer," he says smugly.
"Ignore him, he's a psych major," Shane hollers.
"So he knows too?" I ask Sin.
"Ford didn't feel right putting him in danger without him knowing what was going on. You needed help, and I was useless."
Really, it's only fair. Getting involved with us is a risk. Sooner or later something would happen and my father would send someone here. They shouldn't be in the line of fire without at least knowing there's a danger.