Page 41 of Depraved

Finally, he looked down at the bowl of macaroni and cheese in front of him. “Take a seat, Alyx. The meaner brother won’t be back for the next hour.” The sarcasm in his voice wasn’t lost.

I eased into a chair across from him.

He tilted his bowl so I could see the food in it. “Want some?” He smirked, two dimples flanking his top lip. It was easy to see he was younger than his brother. He seemed different too. Lighter, somehow. Like there was more than just ice running through his veins.

Voices came from down the hall, and Neon yelled, “Make that room all sparkly-clean, boys.” The grin on her face told me she was having fun at their expense.

I cleared my throat. “What are prospects?”

Neon placed a glass of water in front of me. “They’re like little babies, and it’s our job to raise them right.”

Onyx snickered. “What Neon is trying to say, if you want to join our club, you need to prove yourself first. Hence why prospects are cleaning up your vomit right now.”

I bit my lip, my gaze sweeping across the kitchen.

“So,” Neon sat next to me, “what’s the deal? Why don’t you like eating? You anorexic? Bulimia? What is it?”

“Jesus, Neon,” Onyx muttered.

“What? I’m asking a straight question.”

I rubbed my hands together nervously. “It’s not that. I just need to watch my weight.”

Neon took a sip from her coffee. “Because you’re a ballerina?”

“Yeah.”

“So, you’re saying when you have curves, you can’t dance?”

“No. That’s not what I’m saying.” I reached for the glass of water. “Being a ballerina is all about balance and technique. If you’re overweight, it makes it difficult.”

“So you starve yourself?” Neon looked at me all serious, like her question wasn’t intended to take a hit at me and my eating habits.

“Every career has its sacrifices,” I replied simply.

“Sure,” Neon shrugged, “but yours is, like…unhealthy.”

“Leave the woman alone, Neon.” Onyx got up and placed his bowl in the sink.

Neon lifted her feet, putting them on the table as she leaned back in her seat. “Why the fuck are you so uptight?”

“I’m not.” He turned to face her. “I just don’t get why everyone is so fucking obsessed with her and her eating habits.”

“We’re not obsessed with her eating habits, we’re just concerned.”

Onyx snickered. “Yeah, her being here is all about our concern over her eating habits.”

Neon frowned. “Just because she’s here under these circumstances doesn’t mean I can’t show a little compassion for her situation.”

“A situation we put her in.”

Neon sat up straight. “Because we had no other fucking choice.”

“I fucking know that. But that doesn’t mean we have to have so much fucking fun while we keep her here against her will. God, you’re like a little girl who got a baby doll for Christmas, and all you want to do is play fucking dress-up.”

“Fuck you, Onyx.”

“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? Show some goddamn respect.”