Page 142 of Chaos Kills

And I lost a family but was lucky enough to find one when my father and mother adopted me.

Bay lost my brothers, minus Oz, and her father. She won’t sacrifice any more. Which is why my obligation to her suits me just fine. I can’t have my brothers severed and on the wrong path. I need them with their heads on straight because De Leon is getting antsy again. His power-hungry ass didn’t get the Titan seat he was hoping for, so he moved on to mental warfare.

“Text me if you need or think of anything.”

She smirks at me and shakes her head before heading back to her dresser. “No, thanks. I won’t need it.”

“Don’t play hard to get, Little T. If I need to pass along information?—”

“You can give it to Ozzy,” she retorts. “He can give it to me.”

Alright, fine.

Rising from my chair, I did my good deed and showed my appreciation. Now, it’s time to leave.

“We’ll be in touch.”

“Thanks for the burrito,” she replies. “It was good.”

“Anytime.”

And, as much as I’ve admitted it before, I’m glad she’s not mine.

The woman would give me a damn stroke.

THIRTY-TWO

bay

“If I getone more condolence, I think I’m going to shoot myself.”

Levi chuckles on the other end of the call, as I balance my cell on my shoulder and lift a box of crap I gathered up from Juice.

“Give me that,” Hot Rod lightly chides, ripping it from my arms and sending a withering scowl at me that has zero effect.

“People care, Astor,” Levi proclaims. “Let them take care of us.”

“It’s hard,” I reply honestly, because it’s been all morning and night. “It’s like harping on it over and over again that he’s gone.”

“I know.”

This is my first public gathering with my sisters since Dad died, and everyone has been flocking specifically over to our table to send their sympathies.

It’s been fucking nauseating, but I appreciate it all the same-ish.

Or, I did after an hour of it.

“But it won’t be for too much longer,” my best friend continues. “We’re about halfway there to our mark after I split the shit from New York with some of the guys.”

Halfway to our mark.

I swallow down some of the guilt that’s been slowly decaying our idea of leaving South Shore. Of all people, I didn’t think it’d be Cairo who would have me second-guessing everything I was so confident in days ago.

“How’s that going?” I ask.

“I’m meeting a supplier tonight. The boys scoped out the area, looks clean.”

“Did you make sure it wasn’t a sting?”

---