Page 29 of Dance of Ruin

Mario clears his throat. “It’s a sex tape.”

“OfNaomi Kim?”

He nods. “That’s what they told me.”

What thefuck.

I don’t really know Naomi. She's just "Bianca and Lyra’s friend". But literally everything I’ve ever heard about her makes it almost impossible that this is true.

She's a good girl. So good that even Lyra and Bianca, who are pretty good themselves, make fun of her for it. The committed dancer. Daughter of a well-liked, powerful Congressman.

And she made asex tape?

My brows furrow as I glare at Mario. “You’ve watched it?”

He shakes his head. “No way. I dunno, I figured someone might be tracking it or something.”

I roll my eyes. “It says Best Buy on the fucking side of the thumb drive, Mario,” I mutter. “I doubt we’re talking CIA encryption.” I think for a moment, staring at the USB key. “Come with me.”

Mario lurches to his feet and follows me as I grab the drive and march out of the bar to where my bike is parked. I unlock the seat cover, pulling it up to get to the lockbox underneath, and haul out my laptop. I set that down on top of a newspaper stand next to us, boot it up, and connect the USB key.

A folder opens.

There’s only one file in it—a movie file labeled “Naomi”.

Something claws at me as I double click on it, opening it.

Holy fuck.

It’s actually her.

She’s lying on a bed—oddly, wearing a tutu and tights. My brows furrow as two men climb onto the bed with her. Her eyes open, glancing at them with a strange, sloppy smile on her face, like maybe she’s been drinking.

“Ready to have a good time, Naomi?” one of the men, an older guy, chuckles.

“Yeaaaah….” Naomi sighs, her eyes closing.

One of them starts to pull her tutu down. The other peels off her leotard straps.

I yank the USB stick out and slam the laptop shut, something strange clawing inside me.

“I’m keeping this,” I snarl in Mario’s general direction, pocketing the thumb drive.

“Oh, yeah, no, for sure, Mr. Barone,” he mumbles, shuffling away. He coughs delicately. “So, uh, about your brother-in-law?—”

“Start running.”

Mario stares at me. “Wait. What?”

“Start.Running.”

His eyes go wide. “Why?!”

“Because at some point, my brother-in-law is going to call me and ask if I have anything new.” I lift my shoulders. “And I make it a point never to lie to family.”

His face goes white. “Hang on! But?—”

“So, if I were you, I would start running, and I wouldn’t stop until New York, Kratos, and any dealings you had with Congressman Kim and this Obsidian Syndicate werewellbehind you. Are. We. Clear.”

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