Page 222 of Chaos Kills

“Soon,” he replies. “I’m picking you up pizza.”

My lips heave. “God, I love you. You know exactly how to cheer me up.”

“I know plenty of ways that will cheer you up, Astor. The advantages of knowing your crazy ass.”

“Lucky you.” I begin to pivot for the house. “However, if you didn’t—” A dark figure suddenly forms in my way, and I suck in a breath, my heart slamming into my chest as my brain quickly catches up to itself.

The back flood light barely catches him, but he’s there, nonetheless.

“Motherfuck—Ozzy.” I’d ask him why he’s lingering there, but I’m never going to get an answer out of him.

“I’ll see you in a bit,” Levi says. “You two talk and?—”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

Levi laughs because, yeah, what the fuck does he think this is? “Alright, well, you talk, and I’ll be home soon for you to make heart-eyes at me.”

“I can’t wait,” I drone, pulling the phone away from my ear and hanging up while Ozzy slowly pulls himself into some of the light. “Sometimes I think you’re the smartest of them all. Keep giving me heart attacks, and maybe, you’ll succeed with one of them taking me out.”

No apology is offered as he stops within a few feet of me, all tattoos and a baggy black shirt that doesn’t show off a spec of anything.

“Are you okay?”

As he stares at me, it’s unnerving as all hell.

I can never fully read what’s going through his mind. I don’t know if he hates me, believes I’m a pain in the ass, or frankly doesn’t give a shit.

All I know is that he’s good at being quiet.

“You are capable of one-word answers, aren’t you?”

A beat goes by before he answers, “Yes.”

“Good, so then I’ll ask you again, are you okay?”

“Yes.”

That makes me feel better as I pocket my phone into my jeans and clasp my hands together.

“I heard you didn’t get anything.” Ozzy adverts his gaze, appearing unhappy about that prospect. “It’s okay. I’m not looking to prove my innocence anymore. It’s over.”

His dark blues slice back to me.

“I need you to understand,” I tell him. “As much as I… I don’t know the right move here. My father stayed in South Shore andprotected it. He ruled over it or whatever. I’m not a leader. I don’t want it to fall to Emilio. But I can’t lose anyone else.”

Ozzy dark eyes continue to burrow into me, but I feel at peace and oddly satisfied that he came to see me.

That he cared enough to come find out what I wanted.

“I’m scared,” I admit, and it’ll be the last time I say it out loud. “There are too many people with my head in the middle of a target. And I wouldn’t care so much about it if I didn’t have the girls. Levi can take care of himself. As much as I don’t want him where he is…I understand it’s his place.”

Crickets chirp around us, and I’m not sure if he wants more or if he’s soaking everything in right now.

However, there are some answers I need, because if he and I are going to team up as good ol’ husband and wife, I require him to be open and honest with me. Even if it’s only with a few words.

Slowly descending to the ground, I sit on my butt in the middle of the yard and cross my legs together. It seems to be some sort of safe requirement where it shows Ozzy I’m not trying to get a one-up on him, and when I’m in a vulnerable position, he seems to speak a little more to me.

“I fear we’ll never get that tape from Matteo,” I continue. “And, in turn, Torin is never going to forgive me. Reeve loathes me, and he has every right. I just don’t want him to kill himself over me or any stupid decisions that I made.” I glance up at him, finding him already peering down at me. “I don’t think I can pull this Emilio shit off either.”

---