Page 83 of Property of Necro
“We could play twenty questions,” Rot offers, and before any of us can ask him why we’d want to do that, he explains, “It’ll give Sola a chance to get to know us better and maybe the same on our end. We’re all on the samepage now, right? We’re keepin’ her, keepin’ her. Like the way he talked when we were kids.”
“She’s not a dog, brother,” Coffin rumbles.
“No. But she’s good for us, and we’re good for her.”
With my back planted against the wall, I slowly raise my hand. “What if I don’t want to be kept? What if I want to choose what’s best for me? What if this is as much my choice as it is yours? I don’t know any of you very well. Today’s the first day I’ve had a real conversation with Coffin. I’ve never had one with Necro.”
Rot frowns as if my words upset him. “But I know you.”
“Maybe. A little. But up until today, you didn’t know I could sign or understand sign.” Which was my plan. To let them know as little as possible. The story I shared with Mama was a silly fluke on my part. Sure, Rot knows the basics. Beyond that, we’re strangers. Truth be told, I’m a stranger to most people. I’ve never been an oversharer and keep everything locked down. It’s nothing against anyone. I prefer to keep it that way. The less I connect, the less it hurts in the long run. Everything ultimately ends up in pain, one way or another. So, what’s the point?
"True," Rot hums.
“You also have a lab I’m just hearing about, and Necro kills people on live streams,” I add, just to put that out in the ether, because… wild.
“Most of us do that,” Coffin throws out. “Except Rot and a few of the others.”
“Because he works behind the scenes,” I guess.
Coffin tucks his knife back inside his boot. “Pretty much.”
“It’s been three months of sex and…” I stare pointedly at the blond in the chair. “Hate.”
“I’ve never hated you, Sweet Cheeks. I hated the idea of you,” Coffin returns.
“Because I have a vagina.”
“And that you’re hot,” Rot inserts, grinning like a lunatic.
Rolling his eyes, Coffin flips Rot the bird. “Shut up, asshole.”
“What?” He shrugs, his voice higher than usual. “It’s true. Don’t pretend you’re not thinkin’ of Sola when you’re fuckin’ Tabitha.”
“It’s Tiffany,” Coffin drones.
“Whatever.” The word rolls off Rot’s tongue like a valley girl. “You know what I mean. Why else would you fuck her every morning in front of Sola? Other than to get under her skin and so you can…” Rot bats his thick eyelashes. “Dream it was her you were fucking,” he finishes, his voice wistful.
“Shut up.”
“Am I wrong?” the dark-haired hottie challenges.
Coffin rips his knife out of his boot and points the tip at his brother. “Do you want another scar?”
“See. I’m right. I’m always right.” He waves Coffin off with a huff as if the threat doesn’t mean a damn thing to him. “So, anyway, let’s start by lettin’ Sola ask each of us a question, and then we can each ask her one. Does that work for you, Red?” Rot asks, arching his brows in question.
I shrug. “Sure.” I don’t see what it could hurt.
A grin pulls at the corner of Rot’s sumptuous mouth. “Good girl. Now you’ve got one minute to pick your first victim.”
Turning to Necro, I don’t need a minute to decide when I blurt the question I’ve been dying to know since I arrived. “Why do you wear the mask?”
Why doI wear the mask?
Fuck.
This is not the place or time to talk about any of this. I’m not ready and don’t know if I’ll ever be. Most of the brothers don’t even know the history, and none of them, besides Mama, Rot, Coffin, and Creature, have seen my entire face.
“Coffin showed Sola his trophies today and took her to his barn,” Rot explains, and my eyes damn near pop outta their sockets as I swing my head to look at said brother.
