Page 174 of Chaos Kills

Vivian scoffs. “What are you getting at, Wallace? We don’t talk or hang out?—”

“You can thank Cairo for that.”

A break in her expression shows how shocked she is by what he just said and oh boy. Now I get to see him work his charm on Vivian Muncy.

Hard pass.

“Levi,” I call out because I’m about to drop this damn thing, ruin it, and beat this bitch for what she’s done.

If she didn’t take our house, CPS may have not been able to take my sisters. There would have been no signs of so-called child abuse or abandonment issues.

Nothing unless Torin paid them off, but still.

I’d still have Dad’s house.

I’d still be able to sit in his chair and pretend.

“You need help?” he asks me, stepping away from Viv, and if he isn’t reading me now, he better. When he’s within inches of me and sliding his fingers underneath the cake, he mutters, “One hit, Astor. Then, Juice is taking off, and we’ve gotta go.”

“Start for the car,” I answer, stepping around his frame. “I’ll be there?—”

“Why are you in mycar?!” Vivian hollers out, prompting me to buy Juice a few more seconds while I start for her.

The Lexus starts with a sexy little rumble as I pound the pavement for the blonde bitch who assisted with taking down my life.

Pointing to the left, Juice must notice because he peels out the next second, and Vivian is already digging into her purse for her phone.

Which I just happen to rip out of her hands.

It flies behind me, contents scattering everywhere, but it’s my fist I’m more concerned about that connects with her stupid face.

Vivian squeals out in pain, shuffling away from me as I fist the front of her purple dress and yank her toward me.

I’m met with olive green eyes slitted in surprise and pretty curls like she just hit the salon to get a test run on her hair for the fun of it.

Every piece is perfectly framed and pinned back into half a ponytail as though she doesn’t have a fucking care in the world while mine was crumbling around me.

“Oh hey, Viv,” I greet finally, suddenly not giving a shit I’m going to ruin her day versus her fucking up my life. “How’s it going?”

She shoves at my shoulders, but I don’t let up on her dress. “Get off me, bitch!”

“Oh, you mean like how you got off when you had my family kicked out?” I retort. “Like that kind of get off?”

“Yes,” she seethes before the corners of her lips quirk. “Like that.”

I chuckle and push the issue. I shouldn’t because I know it’ll piss her off to no end. “How about I get off and go fuck your man on my way back home?”

Her hand flies across my face, proving my previous point, and I don’t make a means to stop her.

It stings, I can feel my face burning from the hit, but I still don’t make a move to leave.

“Ouch,” I deadpan flatly.

“You think he’s going to fall for you, hoe? He knows what’s good for him. And it’s notyou.”

“He doesn’t need me to be good to him,” I counter. “He just needs me to take care of his needs.”

“He won’t touch you.” A slow smile forms over my face, and she frowns. “Do you want me to take more from you?”

---