In the kitchen, I start quickly to pull out the supplies for the coffee, half of my ear over at the cluster of boys who continue to argue, their tones not so hushed now as each of them start to lose their tempers. I’m completely distracted, though, when Lucy starts to spoon coffee directly into th

My eyes go wide and I stare at Tony, this young man who looks so much like Christian but who is clearly far, far more brazen. Christian, to his credit, simply leans back against the arm of the couch and stares his brother down. “What makes you think I’m going to do that, Tony?” Tony scoffs. “I’m

I watch in complete awe as Lucy says the words – so similar to the ones that Nico said yesterday, her eyes locked on Christian’s. She promises him her fealty, her life in his service. Swears never to betray him, begs God to strike her down if she should. The room is completely silent and solemn as L

“It was a little bit chaotic,” Nico says, taking a sip of his coffee and giving a sharp nod. “But I think we got away with it.” He begins, then, to lay out the details. I hesitate, starting to get up so I can leave them alone, but Christian holds out a hand to me – stopping me in my tracks. Nico w

But there’s no time to think on it because Christian heaves a sigh and swings his feet away from me, off the couch, planting them on the floor as he looks seriously between Nico and Frankie. “All right,” he says, nodding like he’s made a decision. “We move forward then, but…with some changes. The fi