I hate putting it there. He doesn’t deserve it. He obviously gives a damn about what happens to me.
Unfortunately for him, however, I can’t get Levi’s vengeance out of my damn head.
It’s all I can think about. All Idreamabout because it’ll be the last one before the nightmares set in and they completely victimize me. I won’t have anything else to do but grieve his loss and be reminded he’snothere.
“What’s it gonna take, huh?” he poses, running his rough thumb along the edge of my cheek. “How does this work, exactly?”
It works when Levi’s alive.
I let out a small sigh instead. “How does what work?”
“How do I get you to listen to me?” Poor guy. Even Levi had a hard time with that. But even then, I still listened to him more than anyone else. “You’ve broken my trust. There are so many people who are going to want to take you down?—”
“There’s only one asshole?—”
“You’re the nextheirof South Shore,” he flings out angrily, pressing the digit against my cheek into it. “You’re Roger’s daughter. And unless Levi changed some shit and left it to one of those stupid assholes of his, you’reit.”
“No,” I grind out immediately because that was a nice hard slap to the face. One I haven’t thought about, nor do I need to think… Fuck, we nevertalkedabout it, let alone alluded it’d happen one day.
He wouldn’t.
I was solely against joining up with anything since we were kids. Levi would never leave me The Nameless, right?
I hate this shit.
I don’t want to bea partof this shit.
“Didn’t think of that, did you?” he mutters a bit more softly. “There are so many fucking people who are gonna want you dead when news breaks out all over the place about Levi.”
The mention of my best friend’s name again has me squirming from underneath him and deeper into the middle of my bed.
I’m done talking about this.
It’s one thing to be pissed. It’s another that I could give a shit about otherpeopleright now.
Too many responsibilities, too much bullshit, and way too many problems.
Then there’s the whole assassination thing.
“You’re on a suicide mission,” Cairo continues through my silence. “And you’re going to destroy more lives if you die.”
“I’m not gonna die,” I retort, even though we both know that’s not for certain. That’s not set in stone. I can’t predict that in any way, shape, or form.
“You’re so fuckin’ confident about that, aren’t you, Little T?” He threads those long fingers in my hair, still locking me in place to gaze up at those dark brown eyes. “Well, let me tell you what I’m secure in believing.” He lowers his face, his lips only one more exhale away. The smell of mint fills my nostrils and settles comfortably in my chest. “I’m going to fuck you into remembering what you gave me, what you promised, and what you can expect in return if you keep playing with me. I’m a patient man, but I’m reaching my limit with you. And I’m about to lose myentireshit if you don’t give me something to hold on to.Something that shows me you’re not totally gone and I’m not losing you.”
Oh, for the love of God…
He’s fucking me up.
Cairo isn’t like Torin, with how he throws rationality out the window and becomes reckless and uncalculated.
No, he’ll latch on to those two things, think about the pros and cons, then act.
He reaches in unexpectedly and gives you his vulnerability. And when a strong man who wasn’t a fan of you before hands out his feelings, you’d be a dumbass to ignore them.
In fact, you can’t.
Because Cairo Black fastens himself to you, and you’re his breakfast, lunch, and dinner whenever he sees fit.
