Page 63 of Chaos Kills

“I guess…you’ve shown a sign of good faith,” Bay replies. “Maybe. You could’ve kept her.”

My nose wrinkles up a bit before I fix my expression. Again, what am I supposed to do with her?

“She’s a good kid.”

I lift my shoulders because I wouldn’t expect anything else. Roger Astor was a good man. He took care of his kids. He was a good leader of South Shore.

It’s one of the reasons why I didn’t kill him.

“She has a boyfriend.” I continue to stare at Bay, waiting for any more information she wants to drop on me because she’s looking for what Wallace was and that’s a reaction.

But I don’t care about Ellie’s relationships that have nothing to do with Bay.

I’m confident that she’ll handle it.

“I need to be able to trust you,” she deadpans, still holding my gaze, and I nod again to allude that she can count on me.

I’m never going to let her down.

Bay Astor is always going to be safe with me.

SIXTEEN

bay

“Mid-semester finals are coming up!”my professor yells over the bell as the rustling of students get out of their seats and grab their things off the floor. “Study, study, study! Email me with any questions.”

With my backpack in hand, I pivot to leave the room. My morning coffee isn’t doing a thing to wake me up for my other two classes.

I don’t want to be here, but I figured I paid for the courses so I might as well finish them up. Dad didn’t raise a quitter. He wanted me to do this, so I’m doing it for him. When Levi and I leave South Shore, I’ll pick up where I left off, apply for financial aid and maybe focus more than I have been able to recently.

“Bay.” My feet come to a halt as Professor Parker calls out for me. “Can you come up here for a moment?”

I want to say no.

I’m not in the mood. I know I’m behind, and I have zero clue how the hell I’m going to pass this class. However, I’m not going to ignore the man and continue to waltz out of class.

Whipping around, I march up to his desk. His concerned gaze falls on me as he throws his pen onto his desk beforeflicking his attention to the rest of the room, waiting for it to empty so he can speak freely.

“Do you mind if I ask how things are going?” he mutters as I string my arm through the other strap of my backpack.

Yep. I do. Don’t wanna talk about it.

He must pick up that I’m not in the mood when he adds, “I’m concerned about your grades. I know you’ve submitted quite a few things to me, but this class is hard, Miss Astor. And cramming isn’t going to help you.”

He’s not wrong.

Professional Ethics is no joke when you can’t focus or be in class more than half the time.

“I don’t have a choice,” I reply honestly. “I’m doing the best I can.”

He bobs his head. He’s tried to get me to drop out of this class twice already, but I said no because of Dad. I’m definitely not doing it now.

“Was there anything else?” I ask, anxious to get out of this conversation and into my car. I have about forty minutes until my next class which gives me enough time to check in with Levi—because it just makes me feel better—and some space to chill.

“No, thank you, Miss Astor.”

I exit the room and stride down the hallway of the school, passing lockers and windows that stream warm rays of sunlight inside.

---