“What kind?”
“A kind you won’t be able to pronounce.” He still has that look in his eye like he’s about to pounce on me at any second. But he remains cool and collected as we continue to stand here in a silent challenge of who’s going to break first.
“What’s your gameplay here, Sinatra?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Vague answers, my favorite.
Yet, Cairo wants an alliance and a so-called friend.
He has some of those.
I’m not good with being one unless it’s Levi.
“You’re the one I trust the least. With the other two, at least I knew?—”
“I would’ve fucked you first if I would have known it was gonna be this hard to break through that barrier, Little T. Trust your gut on me. I’m not placing a hand on you, Ellie, Mae, or even your precious Wallace. There is no hidden agenda. Just the shit I told you. And if I do come up with something, I’ll let you know.”
“While you get the video of Judah.”
He bows his head. “Like I said, I’d still get it for you.”
“Are you still coming out with me when I race?” I don’t know why I want him to come out so bad. Maybe I do want to smash this war and see if it’s possible to start making changes before Levi starts talking about a moving date.
“I am. Do I still get to hold your hand?”
A smile breaks through my lips because there’s no fucking way he’d hold my damn hand. However, I like that he remembered. “Sure. I’d like you to princess kiss it, too—all nice and prince-like.”
“I’m not a prince anymore, Little T. I’m a king.”
“And what do kings do?”
“They fuck who they want to own.”
A violent eruption of goosebumps line my skin, before I hear the front door open and heavy boot-like footsteps enter the space we’re in.
“Cairo Black,” I hear Levi ground out, receiving my full attention as I step back from Cairo and turn to look at him. “I can’t think of one good reason for you to be here right now.”
His light green eyes lock on Cairo. A glower already set along his features before he glances over at me, giving me a once-over to make sure I’m fine, before setting his pissed-off stance back to the King of Wharf Bay.
“Just came by to talk to Bay about our plans to find the video,” he replies flatly.
“A text would’ve been sufficient. Or a postcard,” Levi counters in a clipped tone. His muscles tighten along his white tee. “It’s a dying art form.”
“Then should I have one of your bitches deliver it? Or is there a special way to do that, too?”
Levi’s lips curl into a shitty smile. “If it even got that far.”
“Oh my gosh,Levi?” I crane my head to the sound of Luisa’s and find a giant grin plastered along her face. She fearlesslycloses the distance between them, but I don’t miss Levi’s deliberate analysis of her.
His gaze descends the length of her body and takes his time doing so as she continues forward.
It immediately pisses me the fuck off.
This is not a family reunion. We’re not friends. There are too many damn people in this house. And now, we have cats.
“Luisa Black,” Levi finally greets, his tone taking a dip in octave as he pilots his eyes back up to hers. “You’ve grown up.”