Page 75 of Stabby Little

"Well, it says it's private," Finn snaps, tapping his screen. "It wouldn't say that if it wasn't true."

I shake my head in disappointment. "It's so your wife doesn't catch you watching gay porn. It doesn't keep a record of your search history. That's all."

"What's Tor?" Finn issues me a thankful look. "I've never heard of that."

"It's an anonymous Internet browser that encrypts your data. It routes it through various ping outlets around the world and makes it extremely difficult to track."

"I assume someone can still track it," Finn says, "if they try hard enough."

"Of course. But you need to be an FBI agent or a member of another government agency to pull it off. Even for a professional hacker, it's extremely difficult."

"Okay. I'll use Tor."

"Use my laptop. I already have it installed."

Finn grits his teeth. "Will it give you a virus?" He stares at the unique browser on Sparrow's computer. "This doesn't seem safe."

"It's the only option we have. We can't afford for the Diavolos to find out we visited the prosthetics shop."

Finn sniffles. "I hate this. I just want to cuddle in bed with my stuffy from Little Land. I don't want to run around the city looking for disguises to keep me safe from Mafia hitmen."

I climb out of my seat and hug Finn. "We'll get through this. After we take out the Diavolos, we can be ourselves."

Sparrow, Finn, and I hug each other. We squeeze each other tight, refusing to let one another go. This is exactly what we did in the warehouse to get through many scary nights.

When the guards hurt us, we comforted each other. We didn't regress to a dark mental place because we had one another to rely on.

"Are you going to see Crystal again?" Sparrow turns to face me when we finish our hug.

I shake my head. "She's been texting me nonstop, but no. She thinks I'm in LA for a comic book artists' retreat and she wants to visit me. I have zero interest in seeing her."

That's when a memory flashes through my mind. I place my hand on Sparrow's.

"I have to tell you something," I blurt out.

"Go for it."

"Right before I left, I saw someone."

"Who?" Finn asks.

"I don't know." The side profile of a chiseled jaw and firm Romanesque nose course through my mind. "I only caught a glimpse of him returning to the party."

"What did he look like?"

"He looked… familiar. Sexy. Dangerous. He had dark hair. I think he was a hitman for the Diavolos. Or a bodyguard."

"Maybe you can meet him," Sparrow drawls. "He can replace Grant."

Fury twists into my being. I stare dead into Sparrow's eyes. "No one can replace Grant."

"You think you'll visit Grant and not run away?" Finn queries. "He might want to see you."

I bite my lower lip. “I haven't considered it."

"He might've been looking for you this entire time." Finn shrugs. "You should let him know you're still alive."

My friends are the only people who know how deep my obsession with Grant runs.

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