Page 16 of Chaos Crown

“Dante,” I repeated, lips twisting. “He is one of them, and he took your father.” I reached for him. “Cairo, say something.”

Nothing.

I read the letter again, then again. “We need a sheriff whose loyalty is without question.He didn’t bother to sugarcoat. Davidson—the evil, corrupt piece of shit—will be put in charge.” I paused for Cairo’s reaction. He gazed at the mat like the letter was still there. “I... I don’t even want to think about what this means. Even if we report your father’s disappearance, he’ll make sure the investigation goes nowhere. And as for everything else these guys plan to do...”

I stared at him. “Cairo? Cairo, say something.”

“Okay.”

It took me a moment to realize the word came from him. His lips barely moved.

“Okay? Okay, what?”

“Okay,” he repeated, finally turning to me. Finally letting me see his eyes.

I lurched back.

“They want a war.” Cairo snatched the letter. “They’ve got one.”

Chapter Two

Cairo did drive meto Paris’s place. And he did lift me bodily out of the car and carry me thrashing to the gate where Paris yawned on the other side.

My argument that he needed help with the search for his father fell on uncaring ears. My comment that none of us should be out alone right then earned a laugh. In the end, I fought him a fraction less hard than I wanted to. He lost Rainey and his father in the span of two days. Some space wasn’t an unreasonable request. As long as he accepted at some point while we were apart... that he was mine.

“Are you okay?”

I shook myself, returning to reality and the breakfast tray Paris carried inside.

“You’ve been quiet all morning.”

“I’m fine.” I gazed down at the scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, and sliced avocado. Tears pricked behind my lids.

These were all Rainey’s favorites. Gran’s breakfast plates for me had fried eggs, fried bacon, and no green in sight.

We’ve always been so different, baby sister. That didn’t stop you from being my best friend. Of course my mind went so far to hold on to you. I couldn’t stand for everything you were and everything you loved to disappear with you.

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