Page 62 of Chaos Kills

“I’m about to make you part of the floor, Ryland,” he threatens. “If you don’t?—”

“Go take a walk,” Bay orders, her voice almost emotionlessly low and empty. It sounds as though she’s in a trance. That everything is slowly latching onto her and sucking away all her energy.

I don’t like this Bay.

I don’t know this Bay well.

“I’m not—” Wallace stops himself before pushing off the kitchen counter. He glowers at me, unhappy that I won’t give him what he needs.

Shit he hasn’t been getting lately.

I have no doubt in my mind Wallace will attempt to kill me if I ever betrayed Bay. But he needn’t worry about such things. I’d never be unfaithful to her.

Levi catches the bottom of Bay’s chin and forces her to look up at him. My fingers tighten around the cardboard contents of my juice box, waiting for her to react in a negative way. To showme she doesn’t want to be touched or bothered, but she does none of that.

She’s too…out of it.

“Five minutes, Astor,” he announces. “That’s all.” She bobs her head, which must be good enough for Wallace before he releases her and strides for the front door. But not before he says to me, “Remember what the fuck I said, Ryland.”

I do.

I don’t need the friendly reminder.

The door clicks shut moments later, and I’m left within the throngs of tension that lie between Bay and I.

It’s almost suffocating.

Especially when she’s observing me like I’m something to be studied. It’s almost unreal sometimes to be finally sitting in front of her like this. I never thought the moment would happen, but I’ve dwelled upon it before.

“You do understand why we’re not into you being around, right?”

My jaw locks because she may not be used to me yet, but I’m doing my best. Cairo highly suggests I stay away as much as possible, but I can’t seem to do that.

As unnerving to be in the same room with her as it is, I have to be around her.

I nod my understanding, but Bay doesn’t lighten up. I’m not sure what more I can do in this moment to show her what I’m here for, but only time will assist in that venture.

“What are you planning to do with Ellie?”

My eyebrows pinch together before my focus flicks to her impassive stare. Those blue eyes are haunting, almost hypnotic in their state. They suck me in and demand I deal with the inner turmoil caused by being this close.

She controlled me even from afar. I’ve always been her soldier in the shadows and made sure she was safe.

“That comment, I’ll definitely need a response to,” she mumbles, and I give her the best response I can.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” she repeats. “She’s your sister.”

Ellie, indeed, is my blood. She is my sibling inside and out, but I don’t know her. I haven’t been around her in over a decade. I don’t know the first thing about sisters, let alone being a brother to one. Women are complicated on their own, and Ellie doesn’t need me.

She has Bay.

I’m a million percent confident Ellie will be well taken care of, still, with all the facts that have been laid out. It’ll do no good for her to have a relationship with me, of all people.

“She’s your sister,” I force from my throat, feeling it close up because I don’t want to talk.

I just want to sit here and listen to her breathe.

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