Page 17 of No Merciful Corruption

“Still in surgery. She’s on her second blood transfusion so Gael is upstairs donating.” Lyss pulls out the seat next to Karina and plops down before pinching the bridge of her nose. “Does anyone else feel like they’re going to collapse?”

I glance at my watch. “It’s almost four in the morning. Why don’t you go home and get some sleep? I’ll call you if anything changes.”

She’s already shaking her head. “No. I’m not going anywhere until she wakes up.”

“Alyssa,” I say.

“I’m not going.”

“Maybe you should.” Karina touches her shoulder. “Tio forgot his medication at my grandparents’ house and I was going to drive back to get it. I can drop you off on the way.”

“I don’t live with my parents anymore. Dahlia and I⁠—”

“Live on 92nd Street,” I interject.

Karina and Lyss turn in my direction, both confused for different reasons.

“Oh...” Karina frowns then looks at the girl beside her. “Since when were you living with Alex and Dahlia?”

Lyss glances in my direction, a question in her eyes as she carefully crafts a response. “Um…a while now, actually.”

Karina addresses me next. “I’ve been meaning to ask. What made you guys move to New York?”

“New York will always be home for Dahlia. She fell in love with a townhouse on the Upper East Side.” I give a light shrug. “When have you ever known me to tell your cousin no?”

She sighs. “Fair point.”

Lyss makes eye contact and quirks a brow at me but I give a firm shake of the head.

“I’m going to go check on my uncle. He can hold his own but I’d still prefer it if I was there to translate for him if he needs it.” She gets up from her seat. “What floor is he on?”

“The eighth. Just follow the signs, it’s easy to find.” Lyss replies.

She gives us both a tight-lipped smile and leaves the cafeteria. As soon as she’s gone, Lyss turns to me.

“What was that about?”

“Karina thinks Dahlia and I are still together.”

“And you weren’t keen on telling her the truth?”

“You tell me. Dahlia regularly visits her grandparents and has bumped into Karina on at least one occasion.” I say. “Why didn’t she tell anyone we were broken up?”

The corner of her mouth tugs upward as she resists the urge to roll her eyes. “Ask her yourself when she wakes up.”

“I will.”

Her expression sinks and the air around us grows heavy.

“Lyss, is there something about Gael I should know?”

“Like what?”

“Like his relationship with Dahlia.”

She rubs her forehead in a gesture betraying her thoughts. “I told you it was a mistake to call him…”

“Legally, I didn’t exactly have a choice.”