“That’s a problem, isn’t it?” I deadpan flatly.
“Never had issues with my men before.”
“I don’ttrustyour men.”
“That seems like a personal problem.”
“Not mine,” I retort simply. “It’s yours. How did you end up getting taken by Vivian Muncy again?”
His face skews into an immediate glower, but he doesn’t answer me on that feat. “My father isn’t moving around so well. Shot three times and all. Meanwhile, Ellie and Mae will stay with us.”
That has Bay rigid and suddenly sliding her hand out of mine. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t stutter, Little T.”
“You must’ve,” she carps back, clutching her fingers together. “Because I thought I heard you say my sisters were leaving South Shore.”
“It’s safer.”
“It’s not.”
“We have two fuckin’ men running around, trying to take us all out. And you’re worried about your South Shore bullshit and where you belong?”
“You’re not mykeeper.” Her cheeks brighten with irritation, and I revel in the fact she still doesn’t back down from any of them.
Cairo steers those dark and dangerous eyes to her, clearly unaffected by her attitude. At least he picked that up quickly. “I am your keeper. I’m also the one who takes care of all those needs of yours, too. We made a pact; you don’t break one of those. Until one of us dies, of course. So, if you want to get a jump start on that, you know what room I’m in. Unless you want to kill me another way.”
My nostrils flare at his innuendo. The way he wants to rub it in my face and broadcast it to the world he finally fucked my girl, too.
“Alright, stop,” Torin interjects, sounding exhausted, fingers rubbing at his temple, and he appears weak as fuck right now or like he hasn’t been getting any sleep. “We get it, Cairo. You’ve claimed South Shore.”
Didn’t need that fuckin’ reminder.
Using my palms, I slowly push myself up. Every single one of my stitches begging me not to fucking move. Good news is I wasn’t bleeding after I fucked the shit out of Astor.
Bad news, I’m sore as fuck, and I felt lightheaded.
“She stays in South Shore,” Ozzy states before I can say anything, putting his foot down through this whole conversation as he stands behind myself and Bay. “So do the girls and Wallace.”
“That’s cute, cuz,” I grind out. “But I’m not looking to bekept,and this ismyfucking town.”
“Calm your shit down,” Torin orders, as if that’s going to hold any weight. “No one’s concerned about you. And since you don’t have a pot to piss in right now, I suggest you let the grown-ups figure shit out.”
I glance over at him.Mypower must’ve gone to his damn head. “Are you looking for another assassination attempt on your ass? You’re not supposed to be sitting on anything.”
“Levi,” Bay mutters and reaches for my hand again. “Cool it. We need to figure shit out and we need to do it together.”
“Before or after Baby Wildes’s death?” She squeezes my hand again, prompting another plea for me to focus on what’s important and not my beef with the Forsaken fucktards. “Matteo is down, obviously, and with one less arm thanks to yourhusband.” I spit out the last word because, even though I agreed, it’s still slightly annoying. “You need to be what I always told you to be, and that’s careful. When he’s back up and running, he’s going to be desperate. His first pick is going to be Ozzy.” Said man scoffs a bit at that, and I slice my focus over to him. “You’re not a dumbass, or are you? You know he has your number now.”
“I can handle my own,” he replies nonchalantly, and I don’t doubt him. However, I don’t know all the plays here on their end.
“Cairo or Baby Wildes is next,” I continue. “I’m throwing my money on the latter because no one believes he will last in South Shore for more than a month.”
“Should I correct him, Wildfire?” he prompts evenly. “Or did you want to do that?”
“Shut up, Torin,” she launches out with zero emotion, still staring at me and whatever it is I have to say.
“You’re not doing the Titan fight,” I state. “You don’t leave without someone with you.”
