Page 275 of Chaos Kills

“Youshouldbe,” he clips back. “I’ve seen that boy go after someone for less.”

“And he’s never fucked with someone like me. However, I appreciate the insight. Apparently, your little band of boys known as The Void aren’t going to be the ones I want around me to ensure my safety.

He side-eyes me, probably lowkey insulted that his wannabe gang has yet to impress me. “You need to learn to take your feelings out of it.”

“My emotions are what keep me merciful.”

“And what will cause very ill-advised decisions.” We death-stare at each other. And I don’t know what Emilio still thinks of me, but I’m the damn champion of a stare down. “I know this isn’t easy, but any threat that lingers over your head, it’s best to exterminate now before it’s too late.”

“You’d know. It’s funny, because if I would’ve taken that advice, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Like the time you sent me a picture of my sister at school and bullied me into a relationship with you. Or the bomb you placed on Levi Wallace’s ankle.”

“I’m your father?—”

“Then act like it,” I bark, shoving my fingernails into my palm. “Because Roger would never ask me such a thing, and I’m still on the fence with this fucked-up relationship.”

“Roger isn’t me,” Emilio snaps, showing his true annoyance with me—finally. I’ve been wanting to go toe-to-toe with this motherfucker since day one for him to finally fight back. “He left you vulnerable when you could’ve been taught to be powerful. You were meant for great things, but instead, he kept you from me and treated you like a street urchin who had to run her own drugs and?—”

“He showed me love and a normal life,” I interrupt calmly. I know that will grind the shit out of Emilio’s gears. “Not one where violence stewed and you were a target for everyone who knows what you did.”

“And what was that?”

I’m blowing this, I know that.

This wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing, but Emilio is fully aware I’m not on board with him. That I still have some fight in me and I’m not willing to bow down and run into his arms for a hug because I lost my dad.

He’s stupid as fuck.

And pathetic as hell.

“Let’s cut the shit,” I grind out, feeling slightly victorious that I haven’t flipped his damn desk on top of him. “You’re known as the rat. You’re the man who turned in Penn Northcott. My grandfather.” His blues widen ever-so-slightly because—bingo—Daddy Dearest didn’t think I was smart enough to have the people around me figure it out. “Do you really think I was that fucking stupid to not figure out why you kept harping on wanting a relationship with me?”

“That’s not the reason?—”

“You touch him, and I will have youkilled. For real.” I inhale because he’s stressing me out. I need to wave this long-lost daughter card a little more wildly to get my point across because—frankly, and since the beginning of time—I don’t trust him. “You’re starting to look like a threat to me again.”

“Many have tried, Haven,” he rebuffs haughtily. “And everyone has failed. Even your precious Levi Wallace and all his friends.”

Desk.

Desk.

Desk.

I clutch my fingers tightly together and remember to just breathe. I don’t know how many men Emilio has outside this office if things turn bad. It’s only Ozzy and I, and I’m not looking for either one of us to catch a bullet today.

“Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?” I hedge evenly. “Maybe the fake persona you’ve been trying to put on to win me over?”

He gives me an exasperated look. “You’re just like your mother, Haven. Always quick to jump to conclusions.”

“Or maybe she was just smart.”

He nods. “She was. Then she was killed.”

By you.

However, despite all the stupid-ass decision-making I’ve done as of late, I know better than to blurt that fact out loud.

With my mind mentally fucked over with what Emilio is trying to do, and my green light on, I need to talk to Cairo.

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