Page 42 of Chaos Kills

We’re going to fight, and I’m going to need her to see reason. It’s not forever.

“I might try Emilio one more time before we go, too.”

“No,” I leer, glowering at my bestie. “Let’s not. Let’s just go.”

“Bay—”

“No.”

I see the inner battle in his head to just do what he wants, but it’s not because I want Emilio alive. It’s because I want Levi to still bealiveto go with me. Obviously, I don’t know the plan for the assassination of my sperm donor, but it’s too risky.

“We need to lay low,” I tell him. “Promise me, Levi. No more reckless shit. We need to get the fuck out of here unscathed, or it defeats the purpose of this conversation. If you want to go, I’ll go. I’ll follow you anywhere. But I can’t…if you’re not…justdon’t.”

Levi reaches for one of my hands resting in my lap and laces his thick fingers with mine, placing them in a heap against my thighs. He squeezes once, reaffirming that he’ll stay on his best behavior, and I believe him.

He’ll do this for me.

“How about we throw a huge blowout for Roger for the funeral party?”

“The reception?”

“Yeah.”

I give him a weak smile. “Yeah. He’d like that.”

“Good.” The pad of his thumb hypnotically brushes back and forth against my skin. My body finally relaxes, and everything is going to be okay. “When we do this…everything needs to be done methodically. We can’t fuck it up. Nothing changes for now. You still have to pretend you’re giving Emilio a chance. We can’t let on to a thing.”

“I understand.”

“But can you pretend?” He steals a glance at me. The stubble around his lips when he sets them in a fine line only makes them look more plush. As though he’s pouting, but he’s completely serious.

I understand the importance of us getting out of South Shore without being found. Without being caught. And Levi knows more than anyone about how dangerous it could be if the wrong person found out.

We could be kidnapped, killed, or worse.

Emilio could use all three of them against me to do anything he needs or wants.

And I would.

“You can count on me,” I mutter with a small smile, even though my nerves are shriveling up in anxious knots. “I won’t let you down.”

ELEVEN

cairo

“You feelin’good, brother?” It’s the morning, and I’m a little surprised to see Ozzy here, sitting at the dining room table with his phone in his hands.

Watching something.

Ozzy glances over his screen at me, giving me a curt nod as I start my espresso machine. Then he promptly continues what he was doing as though my existence is nothing.

It’s not personal. It’s just how he is.

However, we need to talk about Bay. We need to speak about how he went solo without so much as a word to imply what he was about to do.

Bay Astor is no fucking joke.

“You gonna stay here for a while?” I pull out the chair across from him and take a seat. “I could use some sanity around here.” Ozzy grunts, but a ghost of a smile appears on his face before it’s quick to fade. “You see Torin today?”

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