And I’ve never felt so alone in my life as I dorightnow.
All this Emilio shit being a temporary nightmare, and the news of Levi’s drive-by—thanks to my fucking ex, who will be dead by the end of the week—is enough to make me rip this whole town apart, just to find my best friend.
Levi would do the same.
He wouldneverallow anyone to stand in the way.
Not Torin, Cairo, Reeve, or Ozzy.
Not even the two assholes standing in front of me.
And I have to be there for him.
It’s a necessity like it is to breathe. I can’t allow a wrong decision to be made while he’s not conscious. I won’t take any chances, like the ones I didn’t take when it came down to my relationship with Reeve.
I can’t permit anything to happen to him like Dad. I wasn’t in the room. I left him. I wasn’tthere.
He died alone while I was talking to Emilio fucking Wildes.
“You have twelve hours to get me to Levi,” I tell him gruffly, grounding myself into Hot Rod’s hazels. “Or I’ll do it my-fuckin’-self.”
Hot Rod steps forward, forcing his second-hand power on me, as if it will remind me who’s in charge while Levi’s gone. “You’ll see Levi when we’rereadyfor you to see Levi. Not when your selfish ass decides?—”
“I wouldn’t,” Cairo chimes in, his voice steady, but there’s a hint of warning locked into it. “Watch how you talk to her. You made your fucking point. Now, get him what he needs and stabilized so she can see him. He’s not the fuckin’ Pope.”
Hot Rod glances back at the Forsaken Boy who shouldn’t be here but is. “Shouldn’t you be worrying about your own problems?”
“Mine’s handled,” Sinatra deadpans, and I don’t know what that means. Cairo mentioned Torin being out here, but he’s gone too.
No sign of him.
Nothing.
Cairo’s cool as a cucumber. So, I’m assuming, all is well on his side. While mine is crumbling apart piece by piece.
“Then get the fuck out of here.”
Cairo’s fingers wrap gingerly around my hip, but he hasn’t made a move to get me to leave with him just yet. “You have twenty-four hours to get her inside to wherever the fuck you have Wallace, or I’ll help her find him. If your security is as lacking as your empathy, you’re screwed.”
Hot Rod scoffs, but a shitty-ass smirk lines his lips. “Good luck with that, Black.”
Cairo ignores him—something I envy him for—saying, “Let me get you home.” And when I don’t make a move, contrary to what he says, he tacks on, “It’s not safe out here, Little T.”
“I can’t stay locked in that house,” I retort without much energy in my tone. “I’m going to go crazy.”
“Twenty-four hours,” he reminds me. “De Leon is out there poppin’ off, and you’re the perfect hostage. So, as of now, you’re under what I say.”
The last part is what gets me to pivot around and face him. Promptly meeting those infamous dark, borderline black eyes.
“What are you saying?” I challenge with a small cock to my head. “If you think you’re gonna lock me up in chains, Cairo…you’ve got me fucked up.”
“Chains aren’t needed,” he replies simply. “Just Ozzy.” He eats up some distance between us, as if it’s gonna do or change anything. “And I’m also saying that you’re not going to leave my fucking sight. You’ve got to hang in there because, they’re right, this isn’t a game. I need you to play by someone else’s rules right now. You like these two assholes. They have Wallace’s best interest in mind. You’re in the way.”
He’s not wrong.
Still don’t like his answer, though.
“Fine,” I concede evenly. I’m already tired of going around in circles, and it’s apparent I’m not going to get what I want tonight. “But just know, if I don’t see him soon…I’m not responsible for what happens next.”
