Page 17 of Dance of Madness

“Yep, nice theory, but no dice. The convent awaits, baby girl.”

Evelina rolls her eyes as she escapes from under Val’s arm.

“Whatever,” she mutters, still blushing.

“Aww, c’mere,” I grin, pulling her close and wrapping an arm protectively around her. “Leave my Evie alone, Val,” I say with dramatic bravado. “Welikeher sweet and innocent.”

“I amnot?—”

“You one thousand percent are,” I correct her with a sharp brow and a grin. “But…again… It’s why we love you.”

She pouts. “I still didn’t tell them youbroke in.”

“Hmm. Entering a locked building that isn’t yours is, you know, by most definitions…” Brooklyn eyes me significantly.

I roll my eyes. “It was a stupid dare.”

“So we heard.” She scowls. “HowisCunty McCunt-face, anyway?”

Needless to say, not many tears were shed with Alicia announced she’d be quitting the company. More like boo-fucking-hoo, and good riddance. Alicia and her equally shitty friend Irina, who left at the same time, were bothverytalented, but they lacked that thing that all great dancers need, even more than practiced, precise movement:heart.

“Eh, still a walking yeast infection,” I shrug.

Brooklyn snorts. Val tosses his head back and hoots out a loud laugh.

“So youdidbreak into Greymoor Manor?”

I sigh. “Guys, I didn’tbreak in. Alicia gave me the front door lock combo.”

Val frowns. “How'd she get that?”

“No fucking clue.”

Brooklyn smirks. “So…any monsters or ghosts?”

For a second, my voice fails me. My entire body shivers, and my heart and lungs constrict.

“Oddly—no,” I finally toss out, as sarcastically as I can.

Brooklyn arches a brow. “What was the dare, anyway?”

“She had to take something, leave something, and record herself saying ‘there’s no such thing as monsters’,” Evie blurts out. “InLady Greymoor’s oldbedroom,” she adds with a tremble.

Val snickers. “Wow,craaaazydare. I’m so sad I missed this rager of a party, Evie.”

Evelina rolls her eyes. “Hey, it wasfun.” She frowns. “Well, except for Irina showing up with Alicia.” Her lips purse. “And Roman gettingwastedlater on.”

I turn to her, my brow furrowing. “He all right?”

She shrugs. “I guess. He didn’t black out in the pool like he did that other time. But…jeez. It’s like there’s no off switch sometimes with him. And I can’t babysit him. I mean, he’s a grown man.”

Val’s lips curl up at the corners salaciously and he clears his throat.

“Maybe he just needs another grown man to babysit him.”

Evie frowns. “What does that mean?”

Brooklyn sighs, shooting Val a look. “It means he wants to bang your brother.”

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