“Youcan’t.”
“Why? Just because I got fuckin’ pregnant? Newsflash, I’m not anymore.”
“Astor—”
“You canbemad,” I retort, making sure to keep my voice low. “But you made this call. Now, we have to finish it out. This was a speed bump.”
“You were almostmurderedat Mae’s fuckin’ school. That’s not a fuckin’ speed bump. That’seternity.”
“Then maybe you should speak to The Nameless because how did hegetthere? I didn’t purposely walk into a room knowing myexwas in there.”
“He got there way beforeyoufuckin’ did,” he carps back angrily. “I’ve already laid into Rod and Juice. You don’t go anywhere?—”
“Oh, fuck that,” I leer between clenched teeth. “I can’t stay in this room another minute.”
“Youdoknow that being Queen of South Shore means—Oh, wait. You gave my shit to Torinfuckin’Wildes!”
Welp. I knew that shit was coming.
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” he grinds out in this low voice that has goosebumps crawlingawayfrom the sound of it. “Of all motherfuckin’ people, Bay…you gave away the shitIgave you?—”
“One person can’t have two seats.”
“Then Ramsey couldn’t have called youout.”
“He can’t take The Landings,” I retort evenly. “We both know that.”
“I would’ve handled it.”
“You’re nothere.”
“Do you honestly think I’m going to let you do this?” he rebukes sharply. “That I’m going to let you play Russian fuckin’ Roulette like this it’s some sort of make-believe game? Mendiein this bullshit, and Roger would fucking kill me if something happened to you.”
It’s done.
However, I don’t say that.
No need to add more fuel to the fire that’s already consuming my best friend.
“Bay…” My name is called out in a softer tone, but I can still feel his irritation on the other side. “Don’t think I haven’t already beaten myself up over what happened. There can’t be any weak spots. I can’t function when I know you’re with a target on your head. When I’m healing from this bullshit, and you just lost?—”
“Calm down,” I cut in softly. “You didn’t ask for this. You can’t change it.”
“This was a bad idea. Without me, he’s getting more reckless.”
I know.
But he can’t do anything about it now. The best thing is for him to lay low and be what he was supposed to be.
A ghost who comes back to kill.
“Lay low,” I order. “This was a fluke.”
“Flukes get you killed.”
“You’re not God, Levi.”
“I will be when I smite Baby Wildes off my damn chair.”
