Vicious Minds: Part 2 (Children of Vice 5)

“I hope you don’t mind, we only have Earl Grey,” Chloe said, carefully wheeling the cart of tea into the room.

“Thank you, that’s perfect,” I said, walking by her and taking a seat down on their tacky floral couch.

She smiled and turned, lifting the teacup to me…well, to the side of me. The fact that she had gotten this far without letting show how much of her sight was now completely gone was impressive. Shifting over a bit, I took the cup from her hand. Nodding to herself, she proceeded to move the small snacks she had onto their wooden coffee table—the top of which was covered in many markings and words. When Chloe Tillio was my age, she was a girly girl with long, pretty brown hair, smooth olive skin, and bright hazel eyes. She loved sundresses and always had her nails done. She was short but not too short, the perfect height for girls, but now, her long brown hair was cut into a buzz cut, her ivory skin was rough and covered in aged scars from her face to her legs. Her eyes were still hazel but with this white film overlaid on them. She wore torn jeans and an oversized shirt. She was only a few years younger than Coraline, and yet she looked much older.

“You didn’t really have to go all out. I feel bad coming unannounced like this,” I said when she finished setting the table and pushed the cart away.

“Of course, I did. You are a Callahan now.” She took a seat beside me. “A Callahan…” she repeated slowly.

“When you say it like that, it sounds ominous,” I replied, lifting the tea to my lips, and her lips formed a tight line. “Out with it, Chloe. You know you can say anything to me.”

She just shook her head. “How did you get mixed up with them, Calli? You might be from Chicago, but you grew up in Italy. Barely anyone knows anything more than trite gossip of you here. And yet, not only do you have a child with him, but you are now with him and living here?”

“You make it seem like we have no ties. My grandfather used to work for his grandfather,” I reminded her, taking a sip of tea.

“You mean to tell me, he went to visit Fiorello?” She snorted, not even daring to believe it was a possibility.

“Why the snort?”

“I’ve met your grandfather, Calli. He’s not a fan of your new family.”

“He’s not a fan of the Juventus football team, either, and yet, every year, he goes to at least one of their matches screaming at the top of his lungs.”

She made a face. “Are you really comparing the Callahan family to a soccer team?”

I shrugged, even though she couldn’t see it. “What? If you think about it, isn’t life just one big soccer match?”

“Oh, I’m not even going to touch on that. The last thing I need is to get sucked into a philosophical debate with you. You drove me crazy when you were younger!”

I grinned. “That proves I’m just a good student, and you taught me well.”

“Your grandparents didn’t pay me enough,” she muttered.

“What? Are you telling me you didn’t enjoy tutoring me?”

She didn’t reply, taking a sip of her tea instead.

“Wow,” I said loudly, shaking my head. “You and Big Tillio really know how to hurt my feelings.”

“Now we are getting to what brought you here, finally.” She lifted her head to the sky and shifted her head to tur

n to me. “What is it, Calli? Why are you talking to me instead of Frankie?”

“Frankie is being difficult,” I replied.

“And you’re hoping I’ll tell him to be less difficult?” she questioned, putting her cup down. “Calliope, since you’re married now, I’ll give you some advice. Never go against your husband for someone else. You’re either a team or you’re nothing. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not going to get involved.”

“I didn’t ask you to get involved, Chloe.”

“So, you just came to eat stale cookies and drink old tea?”

“They weren’t that bad,” I said, putting down my cup. “But you’re right, I didn’t come for tea. I came because being a Callahan means I have access to information I didn’t have before.”

“And this relates to me how?”

“Well, doesn’t your hatred for the Callahans come from the fact that Melody and Liam poisoned your gas lines, which caused a fire in your neighborhood? They killed your whole family and left you blind, sick, and nearly crippled…allegedly.”

Her jaw clenched almost as tightly as her fist. She inhaled through her nose. “Are you confessing for their crimes now?”