Page 176 of Chaos Kills

So much for having a husband. What good are they anyway?

Cairo rounds the island and stands in front of me, staring down at me with his normal air of annoyance.

He looks like he could be in a rock band because he’s got that pained vibe about him. A dude with only so much to say before he throws his emotions into something else.

“Are you trying to get my attention?”

My eyebrows clash at his question while I release a scoff. “Why would I want to do that?”

He bends over, palms falling onto the countertop behind me and boxing me in. “Little bird told me that you were going to seek me out and fuck me. Gotta say”—his dark eyes descend to my lips, and I freeze—“I was half wondering if you were actually going to pull through.”

I snort because that's a line of bullshit. “You’re like two days late to bitch at me about Vivian. And you don’t care about me. You got what you wanted the other night and?—”

“I’m trying to protect you, aren’t I?”Yes. Have I listened? Sorta, maybe, no.“I’ve warned you to stay in your lane. I have a leash on Torin because of you. I got Reeve spiraling into a shitshow of emotions I can’t even begin to sort out. There’s only so fucking much a man can take before I teach you a lesson, Little Terror.”

“Are you going to burn this place down, too?”

His fingers wrap around my jaw so fast and tight I don’t even get past a blink before I’m in his hold and he’s in my face.

Strands of long hair draped over his equally dark eyes, those thick brows pressed together in pure annoyance with me. “I’ve told you several fucking times that I didn’t burn down that bar with you in it. What’s it gonna take for you to believe me?”

“Nothing,” I mutter, my voice barely audible to my own ears. “I’m never going to believe you.”

“Don’t tell me you’re all talk, Little Terror? I think you need some realigning.”

“I don’t want anything you’re willing to offer.”

“You forget he’s my brother. He belongs with my family. You think your sweet little pussy is going to sway Ozzy to be a hundred percent committed to you? You’re not going to dig your claws into him like you did with the others. He’s not built like that.”

Vivian.

I contemplated several times about asking him when he showed up a little bit ago, but I didn’t know how to approach it.

But with Cairo, I’ll approach it all day.

“How are Vivian and Ozzy linked together?”

I carefully watch Cairo’s expression, but he doesn’t flinch a bit at the question. “That’s not my story.”

“But you wanna team up. No secrets.”

“Not this one, Little T,” he mutters. “That’s on him.”

I don’t like that answer one bit. It’s too damn vague, and I’m not enjoying the surprises that have been coming toward me lately.

“You can leave now,” I deadpan, holding his intense stare as his thumb gently brushes my throat. The marks from Victor the other night are still a bit tender, but I got away with hiding them under sweatshirts for a few days while the marks faded, and Levi didn’t think any better to ask if I got hurt.

“I won’t be around this weekend,” he claims, not moving an inch from his spot. “Luisa bought a bunch of shit for your sisters for those damn cats. Can you come over and grab them?”

“Why didn’t you bring them yourself?”

“Because I was too busy calming Vivian down and making sure she didn’t tell her daddy that you stole her fuckin’ car. I didn’t think jail time was on your list of shit to do this week.”

“Can’t say it was.” A flutter of butterflies knock around in my gut at how he swung in and came to the rescue.

Again.

“Now, I’m stuck with the bitch this weekend, so thank you.”

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