“No,” he sneers on the other end. “I could’ve found another way. Not you. I fucked you up. I did all this to you, Astor. Open your fucking eyes?—”
“I would’ve fallen for them, regardless,” I clip back, frustration filling every nerve end in me. “Torin was around before. Reeve…it’s hard not to like him. Cairo, don’t fucking get me started, and…” I stop at Ozzy because I think the man has me wrapped around his damn finger, and I’m not ready to dissect that yet. “Levi…not one day has gone by when I blamed you. Don’t do it to yourself. I’m not your whore. I’m not even your side piece. I’m your best friend and the best thing you’ve ever had.”
His chuckle starts but breaks midway. It won’t be an overnight thing, but I need him to stop blaming himself for things that have been done.
“I’m going to try to end this as soon as I can. You’ve already lost enough… I don’t want you to lose anymore.”
“It’s not your fault, Levi.”
“It feels like it.”
“It’s not,” I retort softly. “I should’ve told you about the baby…”
“When?” he emits. “We’ve barely gotten to speak other than South Shore shit and what I’ve needed you to do for me. Then I…” He clears his throat, almost sounding nervous. “I need you to come see me.”
“Tell me how and when. I’ll be there.”
“You would, wouldn’t you, Astor?” he mumbles. “You’re too good for me.”
I scoff lightly with a roll of my eyes. “I’m a pain in the ass to you. Always have been. Always will be.”
“I happen to like your ass. Hence the cheeseburgers.”
“Was that your plan?”
“It worked, didn’t it? Maybe you should keep a nice distance from me. I can’t touch you the way I want to.”
My heart rate accelerates. “Why?”
“Because you just lost a child. Isn’t there a rule on fucking?”
I can feel heat flush across my face, and I’m so thankful he’s not in the same room. “I haven’t looked.”
“Please don’t. I might break it.” My lips part, but I don’t have a chance to say anything when Levi says, “Did Baby Wildes tell you what he has?”
I shake my head with a shaky breath because weird change of subject. “No.”
“Good, I can ruin something for him. They have him. In a warehouse off Whitebeard Pointe.”
“Who?”
“Matteo.”
There’s no fucking way.
Zero.
Matteo does not get caught.
“All locked up and imprisoned, Astor,” Levi confirms matter-of-factly. “I’m debating on just coming out of the dark and handling?—”
“Torinhas him?” My gaze flies to my bedroom door because I know he’s out there.
Believe it or not, he’s the quietest.
Cairo lightly bangs pots and pans in the kitchen, making meals and fuck knows what else.
Ozzy paces the hallway.
