23. Bay
TWENTY-THREE
bay
I couldn’t think of another place to meet besides a coffee shop where Nessa couldn’t start her shit, even though she still could anyway.
A steaming hot cup of medium brew sits in front of me, but I can’t bring myself to drink it. I’m anxious for our meeting, and it took me several pleas and text messages for her to give up on being a stubborn-ass and hear me out.
This isn’t going to go well.
It doesn’t matter that I’m butted up in the corner and away from patrons enjoying their drinks and working on their laptops. Nessa is never going to buy that she can go with us after we get settled in. Her abandonment issues run deep. She already believes it’s exactly what Levi and I are doing, but she doesn’t quite understand the shit we’re in.
The shit I’m in.
Yes, she knows I’ve fucked Torin seven different ways to Sunday. That I also fell for Reeve and permitted him to fuck me without wrapping up, but she’s never going to fully grasp the shit or the way these boys hate me. She doesn’t have a full scope of what’s at stake and how more shit could rearrange our lives.
Things we can’t bring back.
The bells at the front door of the coffee shop chime in welcome, and Nessa waltzes in, immediately scanning the place for me.
She has a black beanie on top of her long blonde hair. Gold hoop earrings drape from underneath it as her eyes find me, and I give her a small, pathetic wave.
This shit isn’t going to go well, Astor.
The bitch is gonna flip this table on you.
My stomach aches as she strides closer. A look of pure irritation illuminating her face,even over her pristine makeup.
She’s in a baggy white sweatshirt that teases her waistline and black leggings that hug her curves. Her body gracelessly drops into the bench seat across from me, huffing once as a reminder that I begged her to come here and to make it quick.
“You still like mochas, Nes?—”
“Say what you gotta say,” she clips out their knitted brows. “And let’s be done with this.”
Fuck me. This is gonna be impossible.
“This isn’t forever, dude,” I disclose evenly, picking at the napkin underneath my coffee. “I need you to understand that.”
“Seems like long enough to me.”
I shake my head and lean back against the plush padding. “It’s not like that. I need to get Ellie and Mae in a safe spot.”
“Isn’t that what The Nameless is for?”
I give her an unimpressed scowl at her suggestion. “You want me to hang out in the middle of a war with my sisters and pray for the best? I just lost Dad, Nessa. I’m not losing them, too.”
“You’re over-exaggerating,” she rebuffs, crossing her arms along her chest. “Those boys aren’t gonna do shit to you unless you didn’t use your pussy right.”
This bitch.
I understand why I did this.
That I didn’t want to leave South Shore on bad terms, but this is like asking Torin to forget about Judah.
It’s not gonna happen.
“This isn’t a game,” I reply cautiously, choosing careful words so I don’t tip her more over the edge. “I’m not just dealing with horny fuckboys. There are Titan seats in the mix, and I’m being accused of murdering Torin’s brother.”
“You didn’t.”
“And you think he believes that? Matteo has him all twisted up in the head with that video, and he’s not thinkin’ right. I’m not sitting back and waiting for him to come up with another plan that might get me killed this time.”
“What do you mean this time?” she hedges with narrowed eyes. “He hasn’t lifted a finger against you yet.”
I will possibly die on the hill of never ratting Torin Wildes out.
And I’m not about to tell my best friend with the hope she’ll never expose my secret to Levi because she will.
She will because I know I would do the same thing.
“I need at least two months, Nes. Let me find a place big enough for all of us, and I’ll send for you. All you need to do is keep your ass out of trouble and let me handle the rest.”
“Levi doesn’t want me there,” she imparts. “He’s made that shit perfectly clear.”
“No,” I counter with another shake of my head. “If he said it, he was mad. He’s been under a lot of stress lately and?—”
“We don’t need to do this.” She shifts in her spot, alluding that she’s getting antsy. “I don’t need your broken vows and silly-ass ideas to make me feel better about it. I know what this is, and you don’t need to lie to me.”
“I’m not lying ,” I rebuke sharply. “My God, what the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?”
“Like what ?” she shoots back with an even shitty tone. “You’re not for me. You’ve never been here for me.”
“Are you fuckin’ craz?—”
“It’s always been Levi. He has always come before me. I was just the third wheel when he wasn’t around. You come when you need girl time and when you can’t tell Levi something because he’ll lose his shit.”
“Nessa—”
“ No ,” she carps out. “Just admit it, Bay. I’m second place. You need to leave, and I get to stay. When you get settled, you’re not gonna need me.”
“Of course, I’m going to need you,” I argue. “You’re my best friend.”
She glowers at me. “No, I’m not. You have your best friend, and he’s gonna be there. And then you’re gonna live happily ever after?—”
“Stop being like this. You’re being a bitch, and you know damn well how I am. I’m loyal to a fault. I’ve always had your fuckin’ back.”
“But not this time, right? Not when you’re leaving with Levi. When you two come up with a plan to leave me behind?—”
“This isn’t us cutting you out.” I glower at her. “Damn, Nessa, I knew you were a needy bitch, but this takes the cake. I wouldn’t be havin’ this conversation to blow smoke up your ass, just to waste time. I have other things to do?—”
“Then go ahead and do them,” she concludes, sliding out of her seat and to her feet. “I’m done with this shit.”
I mock her actions because I am famous for having the last word. “Don’t go walkin’ away when I’m not done settlin’ this.”
She waves her hot pink manicured nails at me, and I’m surprised she doesn’t use them to claw my eyes out. “Nah, sis, we’re done. Don’t fuckin’ bother reachin’ out to me anymore.”
I honestly can’t believe this.
After everything we’ve been through together, this is how it ends? Nessa throwing a hissy fit and not, at least, trying to understand what I’m saying?
It’s not rocket science, and I know I’m not being over the top here. Ellie’s and Mae’s safety has to be my top priority at all times. I would never be able to live with myself if I let Dad down and didn’t take care of them.
“Go cool off,” I rebuke, following her out of the coffee shop. “You obviously didn’t put your big girl panties on when you decided to come talk to me.”
Nessa rounds on me and immediately gets into my personal space. She’s about an inch and a half taller than me, but it doesn’t mean anything. I’d still knock her shit out.
“I will drop you right here, bitch, if you keep taunting me. I’m not the one.”
“I’m not the one throwin’ a fuckin’ fit like a little bitch, right now. You are.”
“Fuck you , Bay,” Nessa spits out through clenched teeth. “You’re such a selfish cunt. Go have fun wherever you’re going. Don’t write.”
Pressing my lips together, I don’t get that last word.
I freely give it up, because any more out of me is going to have the two of us throwing punches. I’d rather not ruin everyone else’s afternoon here.
It won’t be pretty.
And there’ll be damages to pay for that I can’t afford to spend.
Nessa turns on her heel and shoves the door to the coffee shop wide open while making her exit, making it protest with a squeak as it begins to close itself.
Levi warned me before I left this was going to be a shitshow. I just had hoped she would’ve had some more time to chill out about it, so I decided to risk it.
Returning to my booth to clean up, I bathe in my disappointment that Nessa won’t permit this shit to go when I’m smacked in the back of the head with a familiar voice that creeps up my spine and has dealt me my fair share of clapbacks over the last several weeks.
“You alright, Little Terror?”
Oh, hell no.
Slowly, I turn and find Cairo standing about two feet behind me in this tight-as-sin black sweater that hugs every muscle, dip, and crevice of his muscles. The stubble on his chin and cheeks is impeccably neat and trimmed as his dark brown eyes inspect me silently.
“Damn,” I mutter, the first thought coming to mind being, “You really are a coffee snob.”
He quickly rolls his eyes and gives a small shake of his head. “You good?”
“Fine.”
His thumb hitches over his shoulder. “Isn’t that your girl?”
I lift my shoulders noncommittally. “Not anymore, apparently.”
Cairo bows his head but doesn’t push anymore. Instead, he surprises me when he says, “I’m sorry about your dad. I sent flowers.”
Huh?
I gape at him for a second because I wasn’t expecting that. To be honest, I never checked to see who the floral arrangements were from. I do have the cards I made Mae gather up for me, which means I’m late on the thank you cards.
“Then you can expect a gratitude postcard in the mail, I guess.”
“You can keep the stamp. A verbal will do.”
Okay…
Shifting my weight, I’m not a fan of how Cairo is looking at me. He has this haughty countenance about him that doesn’t come off like he’s better than anyone else but that his time is spent on more important matters. “Thanks. That was…nice of you to do.”
“You’re welcome.”
Alright then.
I turn to grab my coffee and toss Nessa’s, when he stops me with his next comment. “Do you mind if I introduce you to someone?”
I glimpse over my shoulder and hit him with a look of indifference even though I don’t feel that way. “Why would I want to meet anyone that you know?”
“Because it might do you some good.”
The tsk that leaves my lips isn’t voluntary, but it still makes its way to Cairo’s ears. “Doubtful.”
He shrugs. “Then consider it an option.”
“To say no?”
“You can do whatever you want,” Cairo replies matter-of-factly. “However, you are at my coffee shop. So, the least you could do is allow me to introduce you to my father.”
I know my damn eyes widen and give away my shock for the briefest of seconds because the asshole in front of me smirks like he won something. “You want me to meet your father ?”
“Why not?”
“Because that sounds like you’re trying to rope me into some shit.”
“I’m not. You do a good enough job doing that all by yourself.”
I’m not a fan of the accusation, but it’s a stone-cold fact I’m sure he couldn’t wait to throw out there. “I’m not looking for another boyfriend.”
“And I’m not looking to be one.”
Cute.
Fucker.
Gathering back the here and now, there are more important things here that I’m not going to let slide either.
“How do you own a coffee shop in South Shore?”
“Technically, I’m bordering South Shore and Wharf Bay. Half of my building is in one city and the other?—”
“You don’t have two different addresses.”
“No shit. But technically, the line goes right through here.”
I cock my head in disbelief. “And why on earth would you want to do that?”
“My family is from South Shore, Little T. Didn’t you know?” No. However, it’s not like I’ve asked this guy for all of his personal beliefs and back story. “My father took Wharf Bay’s seat when yours took South Shore. My mother is originally from Wharf Bay, so my father made the position to improve the economy while making it part of the Titans back in the day.”
“To use against South Shore?”
He shakes his head. “No. That was before Emilio and his bullshit.”
“But your father sided up with?—”
“That’s a long story, Little T,” Cairo retorts softly. “One I’ll be more than happy to tell you when you’re not looking to bolt out of here like I’m about to kill you.”
I scoff, because he could try.
He’s not going to succeed.
He motions for someone, and I freeze. If he’s bringing father over here, I’m going to jump out the damn window next to the booth.
A tall blonde comes over, dressed in black and white, the uniform for the people who work here, and waits for Cairo’s order.
“Can you please lose the other drink? Miss Astor will be taking hers to go.”
She nods immediately and gives me a small smile. And it’s then I notice the black mark on the left side of her neck.
The girl winks at me, and I must be gaping at her because Cairo asks, “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing,” I quickly emit, clearing my throat and grabbing my coffee from the table. “I have somewhere to be.”
Cairo isn’t buying my brand of bullshit, but he lets me off. “If that’s what you want.”
Grabbing my drink, I ignore him still in my way and round his body when I’m forced to come face-to-face with a man who has no other reason to stand here but to meet me.
Cairo’s father.
He’s mid-fifties with tan skin, but his eyes don’t match the asshole who got me into this happy meeting. There are wrinkles along his hazel orbs and his forehead shows he’s had some stressful years. His grayish stubble, mixed with dark hair, only alludes that he’s one man and one man only.
Lorenzo fuckin’ Black.
“It’s finally good to see you again, Miss Astor.”
His voice is gravelly like he smoked too many cigars in his lifetime, but he looks kind. There’s no malice in the way his gaze descends on me, and he genuinely looks pleased to see me.
“I’m Lorenzo Black.” He places a hand between us, and even though Dad did teach me some manners, I don’t return it.“You don’t remember me, but I remember you vividly.”
Creepy.
I stare at him, but don’t return the handshake or his subtle kindness. “I’m not sure if the pleasure is mine yet.”
He chuckles lightly then drops his hand because he must have a knack for reading the room properly. Apparently, he could teach Emilio a few things. “I wouldn’t think so. I’m not on the best terms with South Shore.”
“I wonder why.”
He bows his head. “I’m sure you have a million questions?—”
Yeah, fuck this.
“I’ve got to go,” I divulge right into his politeness because this isn’t happening. I’m done with Emilio’s generation of assholes, and I’m not getting involved with anymore. “Thanks for stopping by and saying hi.”
Lorenzo isn’t put off by my blunt retreat, making no effort to stop me when I walk by him.
But I’m only three steps toward the door when I see Ozzy standing there, already gaping at me like he always does.
What is this? An ambush?
“Oz,” Lorenzo calls out. “Thank you for stopping by, son. I have everything you need in Cairo’s office.”
Okay, maybe not.
Ozzy bows his head, but his dark blues don’t leave me.
They never do.
We still haven’t talked about me leaving South Shore, and I’ve left that one for last. I feel as though I need a gun with me when I do.
“Miss Astor, I’d love to invite you and Ozzy to dinner. My wife has been dying to meet you.”
“Can’t,” I deadpan as I continue to hold Ozzy’s gaze. “I’m unavail?—”
“Thank you,” Ozzy cuts in, his voice barely audible if I wasn’t already paying attention to him. “We’ll be there.”
I quirk an eyebrow at him because, for one, he pushed me somewhere I don’t want to go for the first time, so color me confused. And two, this isn’t a real anything.
There is no me and Ozzy.
“Wonderful,” Lorenzo beams from behind me. “I’ll expect you Saturday at six.”
“I didn’t agree,” I rebuke as calmly as I can. “And things don’t work out well when I’m conned into something.”
“No one is trying to make you do what you don’t want to do,” Lorenzo replies simply. “Feel free to change your mind, if you want. The place setting will be there for you if you decide to come.”
This guy.
Striding toward the exit, I send Ozzy a glare before passing him and almost pulling a Nessa by taking the door off its hinges.
The fuck is happening right now?