Page 291 of Chaos Kills

My jaw clenches, but I keep my words to myself. There’s no point in explaining a fucking thing when he’s seen it all explode into a million and one pieces. How I’ll never ever be able to trust him again for what he’s done to me. For taking my vulnerabilities and literally drowning me with them.

“Listen to me,” Cairo’s fingers splay over my stomach, sending a rippling feeling of uncertainty and security all wrapped together in a confusing bow, “I’m not going to watch you fall. Wallace wouldn’t either. If anyone could do this, it’s you.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You’re the missing piece, Astor. I need you.”

“Don’t.” I shake my head against my pillow. “Don’t rely on me.”

“I already do,” he admits. “You’ll become a queen. And I will protect you at all costs.”

“I just said not to rely on me.”

“It’s the term and responsibility, isn’t it? You already have enough. But you’re not going to do this alone. It’s only until Emilio and Ramsey are dealt with.”

I pop an eyebrow. “Oh, so now you’ve added Ramsey to the mix.”

Cairo narrows his gaze a bit. “You knew he was. You can’t just chop off an arm, you have to kill the whole thing.”

“You do it.”

“I plan on it.”

“And leave me out of it.”

He smiles at me, but it’s not some sweet lift of his lips that gives me any sort of comfort. “I knew you were a fuckin’ asshole, but not delusional.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

The fingers that were just resting on my gut fly up to my throat. Cairo’s classic move, I see.

“Tell me you’re not,” he challenges me, a bit of malice to his tone. “Why Matteo would allow his men to use you in front of him only proves he’s a fucking twat without a brain. You’ve seen the dark side of men. You’ve endured shit at a young age, and while you had a wannabe king at your side, Bay, I am one. I earned my seat against your ex and kept it. You’ve had a prince who turned his back on you, and that’s his cross to bear. But I want you… and you need someone to keep that attitude of yours in check while encouraging you to rise.” His thumb glides down the column of my throat. “I’m that fucking man.”

I don’t even know what to say to that. All his words sound like he’s had some epiphany to the madness that always seems to make up our premise.

I don’t think I’ve come to that just yet.

“I need to talk to Levi.”

“Bay, I need you to do something for me.”

“Save it.” I kick at my comforter and feel the mattress shift with Cairo’s weight. His grip on my neck getting firmer and silently telling meI’m not going anywhere. “I will kick you in the balls and scream if you don’t let me go.”

“And what do you think that’s going to do?” I send my elbow back, nailing Cairo just underneath his ribs, and he repositions me to my back, getting in my face with his next words. “Tell me, I’m curious.”

“It’ll get Ozzy in here.”

“Ozzy took a walk.”

“Get the fuck off me,” I leer, kicking at his legs. “You’re so confused and delusional that you don’t know if you’re coming or going.”

“I’m hoping I’m going to be coming here really soon.”

Geezus fucking Christ.

Cairo positions himself over me, wedging his body between my legs as my palms meet his shoulders and shove.

He goes nowhere, of course, and is embarrassingly quick to grab one wrist and hover it over my head and into the pillow.

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