Page 18 of Born into Madness
I’m not sure what to say, so I settle on a “Thanks, Dad,” and take another bite.
“If it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen,” he says. “I sure as hell wasn’t looking for it when your mom knocked me straight onto my ass. I’d never wanted anything to do with relationships until she started stalking me at my fights.” He grins at the memory. “Then all of a sudden I’m daydreaming about my ring on her finger and lots of babies.”
He shakes his head and laughs. “Like I said, if it’s supposed to happen it will, and there won’t be a goddamn thing you can do to stop it.”
I think about what he’s said while we finish eating and he pays for the check. When he sees that the waitress has written her number on the receipt, he just laughs and slides it over to me. I ignore it and leave it on the table. If what he said is true, it’s not her. I definitely don’t feel knocked on my ass.
I’m not the only one getting looked at today. I notice several women glancing at my dad as we leave the restaurant, but he ignores every single one of them, just like I’d done to the waitress. If they’re not my mom, then he’s not interested. I may not understand the sexual kind of love they share, but loyalty is something I do understand, and I respect the hell out of my dad for not being a cheating bastard.
Once we’re outside, we stop by our bikes, and he quickly pulls me in for a hug. I’ve learned over the years that affectionis not something you grow out of in my family. You never reach a certain age where you don’t get hugged and told that you’re loved.
“Be careful, son,” he tells me while he claps me on the back before stepping back. “Keep me updated on what you find out and watch your back. Don’t let the douchey frat-boy act fool you. I fought a lot of them when I was younger. They’re arrogant as fuck, but as soon as they realize they’re about to lose, they’re as violent as any criminal on the streets. They’ll do just about anything to save face and keep daddy from knowing they’ve gotten their asses into trouble again.”
“I’m always careful,” I tell him, “and I never underestimate anyone.”
He grins and gives the back of my neck a squeeze before letting me go. “I’m proud of you, son, your mom and I both are, and we love you.”
I can’t help but laugh. “You’re the only parents on the planet who would say that to me.”
He grins and grabs his helmet. “I guess that’s why you’re ours then.” Before he starts his bike, he says, “Don’t forget we’re having supper on Sunday at Dominic’s. I think your sisters want to rub it in my face that they both married Italians.”
“You haven’t warmed up to Dario yet?”
“I liked him just fine before he married my youngest.”
I grab my own helmet and ask, “And now?”
My dad groans. “He’s tolerable.”
I grin, knowing my dad loves both his sons-in-law, even if they are both Italian. “I’ll be there,” I tell him.
He nods and starts his bike, waiting for me to do the same before we both pull out together. At the first light, I head back to my place while he goes in the opposite direction. I need to check on Chort before he decides it’s necessary to destroy something, and I also need to fill Niki and Mia in on today’scampus visit, although there’s not much to say about that. Niki’s still continuing to work his magic and trying to figure out who the fuck Cupid is. Once we know that, we can dismantle the operation and kill all the major key players, and hopefully some of the lower-level ones as well.
By the time Friday night comes around, I’m loading Chort into my Jeep and I’m more than ready to get some answers. Mia had begged to come along tonight, but we’d had a meeting and decided it’s best if I go in alone. She and Damien will be needed in the next stage, but for right now, it’s just Chort and I doing a bit of surveillance. I’ll also be planting new cameras for Niki. He wants better access, and none of the bedrooms have cameras in them, so I’ll be planting quite a few tonight, and he’s also hooked me up with a USB stick that’s loaded with malware. We’re going to know every fucking thing these frat boys do. I’m sure it’ll make for some riveting entertainment.
“Ready to work?” I ask Chort.
He looks over at me and licks his lips.
“Good boy,” I tell him and then roll down the window so he can stick his head out.
I park several streets from the Alpha house, and we cover the rest of the distance on foot, sticking to the shadows until we’re close enough to hear the deep, rhythmic pounding of their music. Whatever it is, it’s fast and loud enough for me to feel it vibrating up the soles of my feet. The neighbors must fucking love this.
A group of guys come walking up the sidewalk, and as soon as they see a few Kappas crossing the lawn on their way over, they start cheering while one of them gives a sharp whistle to get their attention. Chort’s ears perk up even more when he hears it, but even though his attention is on them, he doesn’t even budge an inch.
“Good boy,” I tell him, giving him a scratch behind his ears. He leans into my touch and gives a soft whine at my praise. “I need you to stay here while I go in.”
He grunts, but I know he’ll keep himself hidden until I come back out. It’ll be way too obvious if I walk in there with him, and every drunk woman in that house will want to pet him. Chort doesn’t do so great with strangers crowding his space. The safest option is for him to be my eyes out here.
“Stay,” I tell him, and as soon as he hears the Russian command, he sits his ass down by the bushes so he’s hidden from view.
God, he really is the best fucking dog in the world.
Walking to the edge of the house, I wait and watch as the crowd grows. I keep an eye out for Tom Sullivan, but he’s either inside or decided to skip tonight’s party. People yell to each other over the music, and there’s a constant stream of bodies coming and going from the front door. LED strips are lit along the porch, looking every bit like a beacon to anyone looking for a good time. Judging by how busy the place is, I’d say it’s working.
Keeping my head down, I follow a group of guys as they make their way inside. I’d thought the outside was busy, but it’s nothing compared to inside. The music is at earsplitting levels, the lights are low, and bodies are everywhere. Pushing my way through the living room, I scoot around a group of girls who have decided to use the coffee table as a stage. I’m tall enough to be at tit level to the nearest girl, and when I look up at her, she smiles down at me and lifts her top, baring her breasts to me as she throws back her head and laughs.
I ignore her and keep walking, searching until I find what I’m looking for. In the corner of the room near the couch, there’s a phone charger plugged into an outlet. The room is dark enough, and everyone in it is drunk or high enough to not notice or care when I quickly remove the one that’s already in there andreplace it with the one from Niki. It’ll work just like the other one did, but this one has a camera hidden inside. Niki’s already hacked into their network, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he’s already streaming the footage. Just to check, I face the outlet and grin while flipping him off.
