Heartless People

EIGHTEEN

Sex and violence: the greatest duo since the Three Stooges.

—Jarod Kintz

LUCY.

"Hello, Chris?" I answered my phone at the top of the stairs.

"Lucy" he said with a drawn out sigh.

"Chris, whats wrong?"

"Everything, Lu," he snorted just before laughing.

Walking into the nearest sitting room, I moved as far from the door as possible and found myself standing near Clara's Piet Mondrian painting over the fireplace.

"Chris, are you drunk?"

"Im Irish love, I don't get drunk."

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. "What happened, Chris?"

"You know, when Vero told us she was going to marry you, I was shit faced. I couldn't believe it. You were so different from all the other girls she'd
dated before. I gave you both a year."

"Well, I didn't like your ass either and Im tempted to hang up now."

"No! Please don't," he sighed, and I heard him take another swig of whatever it was that he was drowning himself in. "You're the only person in this
family that-that treats me normally. Vero is Lauren's bestfriend. Dads favorite is Lauren. Mom loves me, but she would never pick. I just need someone for a
goddamn second to be in my bloody corner! Just one person."

"Chris, were family. Im always in your corner. And Vero, she cares about you, and you know it."

"Vero killed our uncle for Lauren. Rule fifteen, Lucy, if family ever betrays family, show no mercy, no forgiveness and put them in the earth. Im next; I knew it since the day I was born. One of them is going to kill me."

"Chris, my wife is sitting in the dining room waiting for me to join her for dinner. But you called me and you sound like you need my help. So instead
of eating with her, I am huddled in a corner of one of your mothers drawings rooms. Now, tell me what is wrong."

"Mina is the mole," he said.

I waited for the shock to hit me. I wanted to feel surprised, but I only felt stupid for not realizing it earlier.

"She played me like a fool and I just let her. I overlooked things she said and did because I loved her. I still love her. Im fucked. Shes fucked. Both of us —"

"Do Mila and Lauren know?"

"Lauren told me and I didn't believe her. I didn't want to believe her. But I had to know the truth."

"Chris, what did you do?"

"I slipped information to Mina. I told her that Lauren was taking Mila to the opera. They'd called my phone number instead of Lauren to confirm her reservation. I gave them Lauren's number and Mina was just there so I thought I would slip it to her and see what would happen."

"And Avian tried to kill them. Thats what happened," I finished for him.

He sighed. "They are going to kill us both. Lauren is still fuming. I wasn't even thinking, I just needed to make sure. But I need to tell—"

"Chris, you will not tell them."

"Lucy—"

"Shut up, Chris . We didn't have this conversation and you will not tell them that you slipped up. None of us can afford to slip up, not you, not me, not even
Vero. Were at war. Have you chosen your side?"

He was silent and I held my breath in panic.

"Chris, were family through and through. This is your moment. You will rise from this, but you gotta be smart."