Page 190 of Chaos Kills

“Bay.”

I can hear the desperation in Ozzy’s voice, and it’s mixed with abandonment. I turn toward his room and see her halfway out the door, slowly backing out of it like she’s afraid he’s going to stab her in the back.

“I’m just going to get something to drink,” she replies, but she almost sounds terrified.

What the fuck did he do?

Slowly and quietly, I approach as she takes another step back.

“I’ll be right back…with snacks.” She slides down the hall, not seeing me because her head is down, and she runs right into my chest with half a yelp as my hand covers her mouth to keep my brother from knowing how closely I’m monitoring him.

With my free hand, I place an index finger over my lips and jerk my head for her to follow me.

She comes easily enough as I guide her down a bit from the hall to where we can speak more privately. We need to get on the same page with him because she really can’t fuck with his mental state.

Her chest is falling rapidly up and down, out from a black sweatshirt she wasn’t wearing before, contrasting beautifully against the slight frizziness of her hair from fighting with Vivian.

“What’s wrong, Bay? What happened?” My voice is soft, and she stares at me with tears brimming the edges of those crystal blues.

I fight the urge to wrap her in my arms and comfort her because we’re strictly and always will be just like we are now. I may have jerked my cock off to the sound of her sweet moans and sharp breaths, but I can’t do anything more.

“Bay—” Her hand crashes across my face so fucking hard that it not only jerks it to the side, but I’m shocked I just got pelted for no apparent reason.

Then her chest bumps mine in warning that she’s severely pissed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she grinds out, chin lifted to glower up at me. “Why was he watching me fortwoyears?”

“Bay—”

“You’re all shady as fuck,” she clips out. “And I’m?—”

“Lower yourvoice,” I demand sharply. “I don’t want him hearing you?—”

“Fuck you. I’m done with this let’s-be-friends bullshit. There’s nothing I want from you, Sinatra. Do you hear me? I’m out.”

“Stop it?—”

“No,youstop it. You could’ve warned me.”

“How?” I challenge back. “When the hell was I supposed to bring up the amount of time my brother has been protecting you, Little T?”

“Protectingme?” Her blue eyes tighten. “You could’ve figured it out. You’re creative, right?” She points down at the room. “You had me walk in there?—”

“Youmarriedhim, Bay. He’s not gonna hurt you.”

“I don’t know that.” She takes a well-needed step back. “You can’t expect me to be so fuckin’ naive as to think he won’t hurt me, too.”

“Too…” I repeat, laser-focused on that one singular word. “Who else?”

The anger on her face softens a bit, but she doesn’t stop looking at me like I’m the biggest fucktard of her life. “Nice change of subject. I’m leaving.”

“You’re not,” I retort evenly. “Because you just told that asshole you’re grabbing snacks. You dip out of here, he won’t trust you.”

“I don’t need him to trust me. I don’t trust him.”

“You want him on your side, Little T.”

Bay begins to move around me, clearly not buying into it. “Bye, Sinatra.”

---