Page 99 of Property of Necro
“I don’t want them to interfere.” They will ask too many questions, and that’s the last thing I want to talk about.Them.Living with them. My feelings and all the other icky stuff that comes with those feelings.
She drums her fingers on the arms of her chair. “Is this about Necro?”
“Yes?” I squeak, eyes rounding in surprise. “H-how did you know?”
“You’ve been moping around here for weeks. You’ve never been a moper. Mopey?” She waves off the turn of phrase. “Anywho,” she chirps, slapping both hands on top of her thighs. “You’re not yourself. The only explanation is the biker dudes you went to live with.”
“And you talked to Kali,” I guess, because I’m pretty sure Kali’s been speaking to everyone about me. By the constant check-ins from sisters who aren’t overly social, there’s only one explanation for that—our overprotective sister.
“Of course, I have,” she sings. “We’ve been taking bets on when you’ll crack.”
“What? Since when do we place bets?”
Cell quirks a mischievous brow. “Since you came home reeking of heartbreak.” The resoundingduhshe says with her scrunched-up face, not her lips, is clear as day.
“Reeking? Really?” That’s a terrible word. I don’t reek. My hygiene is top-notch, thank you very much. “And I’m not heartbroken.”
Cell steeples her fingers under her chin. “Sure. Sure.” She nods along, with her lips pressed together like she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. Honestly, I’m not sure I believe myself either. I don’t necessarily think I’m heartbroken, but I am… sad.
“Well. Are you gonna help me or not?” I’m ready to get this over with or to walk away. I’m already embarrassed enough as is, having to ask for her help. Any help, really.
“Duh.” Cell rolls her eyes so far back in her skull that her eyes turn white. A flash of Necro’s blue-white gaze slams to the forefront of my mind.
Ugh.
Not now.
Cell taps the unused part of the L-shaped desk. “Hop up.”
Following her lead, I sit where I’m told, and she rolls back under the edge of her desk.
“Now what am I looking up?” she asks, fingers poised on the keys.
“Have you heard of Red Rooms before?”
Cell spins her chair enough to look at me and her screens at the same time. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”
Um. “Yes?” I shrug, hoping that’s the right answer.
Smirking, with her eyes trained on me sheclick, click, clickson her keyboard. Just like something you’d see in a movie, a chat room pops up with a black screen and green lettering.
“What is that?” I ask.
“My thread with Bongo. One of our Texas guys.”
“Should we be involving the Sacred Sinners?”
“They’re already involved, sister.”
Sighing, I drag a hand down my face. I know the Kings of Anarchy are friendly with the Sacred Sinners. Why else would I have been handed over to them so easily? But that doesn’t change the fact my allegiances, as fucked up as it may be, lie elsewhere. I don’t want to getthemin trouble. Or share their secrets, or whatever.
“Whose Red Room are we wanting access to?” Cell spins around and types seven hundred miles an hour.
“Necro’s?” I stammer, afraid to say his name out loud.
“Is that a question?”
I shrug, even though she’s not paying attention. “Yes. No. I mean… I don’t…”
