“There was Oz. There was Juice and Hot Rod. Why didn’t you give it to?—”
“Are youdonehere?” she grinds out, cutting into that loop of a question I’ve been thinking about for days.
I drop my head. “For now. Rest up. You were dehydrated, and the last thing we need is Cairo getting all into his fucking feelings about your condition. Trust me, Wildfire, you don’t want that kind of attention from him, and he doesn’t know a doctor was here today. Let’s keep it that way.”
Her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t utter a single word.Good girl.
“Eat dinner and breakfast tomorrow, I’ll come pick you up. You fucking eat like a bird, and I’m not pulling up to shit. You’ll wait.”
“You’re a bitch.”
I smile. “Ah, well…at least I’myourbitch, baby. I still wouldn’t do this for anyone else.”
“And if you’re thinking Matteo didn’t possibly set this so-called kidnapping as a ruse to get you killed, you’re a dumbass.”
It’s crossed my mind.
Several times.
Thing is, no one has come for him. No one knows where he is.
I have the Forsaken Crew scouting The Landings, making sure anyone who doesn’t belong can’t enter.
All and all, it’s not a foolproof plan. Kidnappings go sideways, he could have a knife up his ass to stab me with later, I don’t know.
Regardless, what I am confident about, is he doesn’t last the week.
“You want to see him, Wildfire, or not?” I hedge, holding her stare. “I can handle him myself without you getting involved.”
She blinks, easily remaining in my gaze, when she says, “I want to do it with no strings attached.”
“There are always strings attached when it comes to us. In fact, I have chains. You’re never leaving me. And I’m never leaving you. We’re bonded, mated, and fucking in this bitch together. You don’t go near him without me.”
“I don’t need you.”
A small scoff leaves my throat because maybe she’s right.
Maybe she doesn’t need me and can carry on herself without my meddling and possessive ways.
Will she have the opportunity to?
No.
“That’s beside the point,” I emit evenly. “I need you. I want you. And, fuck me, if I have to die to get it, I will. Each and every single time.”
FORTY-FOUR
bay
My skin crawlsas I enter the abandoned building Torin led us to.
It’s not because I believe Pretty Boy is going to off me. He was too busy eye-fucking my cut-off shorts and rolled-up tee for me to second-guess what I’m doing by going with himanywhere. But because I know he’s aware he fucked up.
Haven’t we all?
It’s not at the top of my priority list to forgive him. Nor even think about it.
With The Nameless on my heels, we step over spray cans and endure the smell of mold on something—or someone—rotting away.
