Page 19

She twists her lips and wafts her hand. “I know. But you know what he’s like. A fun sponge.”

I snort. A fun sponge? That’s a new one.

“I take it Thea finished working on Miko’s branding?” I ask, referring to the kink-based dating app Miko has developed. He had Thea—Massio’s wife—working on branding his product, and from what the guys have been saying, it’s epic.

“Yeah, and guess what I did?” She chews her bottom lip and tilts her head as she eyes me. There’s no way I’m going to allow her to hold back. We tell each other almost everything.

“Share.” I nudge at her arm.

“I stole her login details so I can set up an account.”

My eyes widen.

Holy shit. Fern is a badass. An underdog, for sure.

“What do you plan on doing, exactly?”

She tilts her head, then twists her lips. “I’m going to get rid of my V-card in an unusual way. I want it to be memorable, ya know?” She shrugs, and my eyes grow wider.

“Fern.” I shake my head. I’m truly worried about my best friend. “Please be careful.”

She sits taller and beams at me. “I will.”

“How’s things going with Aunt Amanda?” Fern’s lips twitch at the side as she nods toward me, veiling her face with her hair again. She never calls her aunt, ever, but when we’re sharing secrets, we let down our guards and the insanity riots. Calling Amanda aunt is like pouring petrol on the fire, knowing it will create an inferno but reveling in it anyway. If the outside world could hear us talk, we’d appear like a pair of lunatics planning her demise.

“She’s her usual appealing self.” I smile back. I half expected Amanda to become the perfect mother figure on Jensen’s return. She normally attempts to be nice for at least a few days while he’s around, but this time, she’s really struggling to control herself, thanks to the abundance of alcohol, among other things.

I should write Jack Daniels a letter, thanking him for his service to all the bitches who deserve their husbands thinking of their adopted offspring while they fuck them.

“You look creepy when you smile like that. What are you thinking?”

“I don’t think you want to know.”

“Try me.” Fern shrugs.

“I’m thinking I want to fuck him while she’s sleeping next to him.”

Her eyes go as wide as saucers, and her mouth falls open. Then she clears her throat. “Okay.” She glances down at her pretty pink bedding, and I look around her bedroom, taking it in again as if it’s the first time I entered.

Fern is an amazing ballerina. She has trophies and medals hanging from shelves and a huge vanity dresser with photos of her in certain poses. Her bedroom is immaculate, just like she appears, but I see the turmoil inside her, the struggle to hide behind the perfectly crafted prima ballerina, and the only other person who sees that is Miko.

My gaze lands back on her, and her cheeks heat, and she clears her throat again. “Have you met Fen’s girlfriend?” Her eyebrows dance.

“No. What’s she like?”

“Amazing. She’s taken me under her wing at school.” Her voice becomes solemn. It’s no secret Fern struggles with school and connecting with her peers. Her small stature and quiet, odd demeanor make her an easy target for school bullies. Thankfully, wherever she goes, so does her very popular twin brother.

“But my father is going to flip his shit.” She smirks.

“Why?”

She shakes her head. “She’s everything he wouldn’t want for Fen.”

I giggle. “Like what?”

“Well, she’s a scholarship student.” A smile plays on her lips as we remain silent for a moment. That’s a definite no-no in our society; you normally marry into money, or at least someone of equal standing in La Familia. Besides, Zane has always made it clear he has a marriage contract lined up for Fen. “She’s covered in tattoos.” My eyebrows rise. Women in the Mafia very rarely have tattoos. “And she has piercings.” Fern’s eyes widen, but I don’t see the issue with piercings, since we both have our ears pierced. Her eyes drill into me. “In other places,” she tacks on, causing me to choke.

“No way!”