Page 24 of Vicious Addictions

“I understand perfectly.”

Mina grins. “Family, right? Can’t live with them, can’t kill them either.”

I blink at her casual tone, caught between amusement and alarm.

“I’ve never met a kid… I mean a woman,” I quickly rectify, “that talks about murder as casually as you do.”

“Must be the Crane blood in my veins, I guess.” She shrugs, unbothered. “Death is part of life, is it not?”

“Death, yes. Not murder.”

Her sharp eyes settle on me, looking even more enthralled.

“You look baffled,” she teases, still eyeing me intriguingly while she castles kingside, securing her king’s safety.

“I guess I’m not used to girls that talk the way you do,” I retort, moving my knight to attack her pawn.

“I could say the same about you. I don’t think I’ve ever met amafiosowith a conscience.”

“Then you’ve never been to Chicago.” I chuckle. “I could introduce you to two or three that would blow your mind.”

“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose, though?” She leans forward, sounding genuinely curious. “Why be raised with a sense of right and wrong when your entire life is built on only doing the wrong thing?”

“It’s not wrong if you do it for the right reasons.”

“And these conscientiouscaposyou mentioned—what are their reasons?”

“Family. Honor. Duty. It’s in their blood to protect these things.” I pause, meeting her gaze. “It’s in mine too.”

Mina goes quiet, absorbing my words. Then, softly says, “Family is important to you.”

“It’s all that matters,” I say truthfully.

Again, she hesitates as if choosing her next words carefully.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Go on.”

“Why did you leave Chicago in the first place? If family means so much to you, why are you here?”

I lean back in my chair, pausing our game. “Because I wanted to get my business degree.”

“You could’ve gone to university anywhere in the States, closer to home. But you picked King’s College.” She continues to study me. “Why?”

When I don’t answer, she sighs.

“You asked me to be your friend,” she starts, moving another pawn to protect the center. “Well, friends share their worries. Friends try to make things better.”

I lean back into the table, sliding a pawn forward to mirror her move.

“It’s your turn.”

Mina exhales, shifting her focus back to the board since it’s apparent she won’t get me talking.

We go like this for a while, moving chess pieces across the board in utter silence.

“My Aunt Pippa thinks a woman’s only purpose is to marry rich and have babies,” Mina says out of the blue. “That’s it. That’s all we’re good for—to wear designer dresses and look pretty on a man’s arm.”

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