37. Bay
THIRTY-SEVEN
bay
Through the hammering outside and Mae sprinting into my bedroom to tell me that Ozzy was attacking our tree with a hammer, I was surprised to find Ozzy building a treehouse. He has loads of wood all neatly stacked in the yard, and I silently watched him through the window as Mae tried to speak with him.
I didn’t think I would do any better.
However, Mae can be too much for anybody. She can outrun the Energizer bunny with her constant energy and talking, so I decided to save him and cut into her pushing nature.
Not that I was any better of a diversion. Ozzy seems to still be upset with me after learning the news of our departure from South Shore. I’m not entirely sure how to have that conversation with him since he’s so anti-social and would rather be left alone.
Still, unless he needs something from me, it shouldn’t mean anything to him. The prospect of getting married to me—a stranger, no less—is still beyond me and how he believed it was going to go down.
I can’t fully get a read on him yet, but Levi trusts him like no other. An outsider who popped up out of nowhere. I get the whole cousin thing, obviously, but he hasn’t been around.
Regardless, it’s something to deal with later because, when I step back inside the house to start prepping dinner, the other main character asshole is standing in the middle of the living room with my two sisters.
And one of his.
“Can I keep them all? Pleaseeee.” Mae is on her knees, holding a small and fluffy kitten who’s currently curled up in her arms with zero cares in the world.
“Oh, sweetie,” Luisa coos, reaching out to pet the animal as she sits next to my sister. “I don’t think you have room for all of them. I picked out the two I thought you and Ellie would love.”
My eyes flick to Ellie, and she’s currently doing the same damn thing. However, she’s standing and petting something just as fluffy but gray.
What the fuck is going on here?
“Bay! Bay!” Mae shoots up from the floor and sprints over to me as the kitten jostles around in her grip. “I got a kitten!”
No.
I have enough mouths to feed, how the hell am I going to take care of cats?
“Oh, Bay,” I hear Luisa say, but I can’t find the strength to look up at her because I’m too busy getting guilt-tripped by two pairs of blue eyes. Ones belonging to my sister and the other from the little intruder that got brought in. “I hope you don’t mind. My best friend had kittens, and I thought the girls would love one.”
Girl, why the fuck didn’t you call me and ask?
Flicking my focus to Luisa, she’s absolutely stunning in a cute floral skirt that shows off her legs and a white long-sleeve sweater. Not only is she perfectly put-together, but I suddenly feel self-conscious about wearing the same damn sweatpants for the last two days.
“I missed you at the party the other night. Did something come up?”
Shit, you have no idea.
I’m still fucking rocked from that kiss I laid on Cairo and that he reciprocated in back. So much so I haven’t been able to look at him since I saw him in my front room because I think I’ll blush.
“Yeah,” I force from my lips. “I’m sorry. I meant to call.”
I’d never call. Maybe text.
She reaches out and lightly grips my bicep. “No worries. There will be more opportunities like that. I’m always out and about.”
Good to know.
Next time, I’ll be sure not to go into any stray rooms. I tried to cockblock Reeve’s words after he fucked me, but I can’t help that they stung. That he doesn’t want anything to do with me.
I would’ve done the same.
I think.
If Reeve had married some other chick, I would’ve wreaked havoc. There would be no way I’d ever let that sit.
Never.
But he doesn’t seek me out, that’s the thing with Reeve. There is no petty, just distractions and whatever the hell he’s taking to forget.
Me.
“I’m makin’ dinner, Little T.”
Okay, seriously, no.
Flicking my attention—finally—over to Cairo, he’s given me something I can work with.
Irritation.
But when I find him with a tight, white button-up shirt rolled at the forearms to expose all his tan skin, it starts to evaporate a bit.
Like a lot a bit.
“I got it,” I deadpan. “You can…” Get the fuck out. And take the kittens? “Um, these cats, I can’t?—”
“Nooooo,” Mae drones, already sensing where I’m going with this. “I already named him.” I glance down at her, and she pulls the kitten back slightly as if I’m going to snatch it from her. “His name is Pumpkin.”
“Aw, that’s such a cute name,” Luisa says, reaching back out again to pet it. “I love it.”
Okay, she needs to go now.
“Luisa,” Cairo starts as he starts for the kitchen. “Why don’t you have the girls set up the cats in their rooms, and I’ll get the groceries started.”
Alrighty, no one is reading the room right now.
Except Ellie, who comes strolling up to me while Mae and Luisa make their way to the bedrooms. Her kitten is still in her arms as it sleeps peacefully.
“Levi isn’t gonna like this,” she mutters, watching in the direction Luisa and Mae disappeared to. “He’s going to be home soon.”
“I know,” I reply under my breath. “But how am I going to pry that kitten out of Mae’s hands?”
“Who said anything about giving them back?” She gives me a nice try look, set on keeping her new pet, too before striding for her bedroom.
“Wanna help, Little T?”
This man.
He must have a death wish.
Because I didn’t think I needed to point it out, but he’s in South Shore and not behind his borders.
This isn’t going to go well.
He gestures to one of the stools behind the kitchen island before his attention lands down the length of me. “When’s the last time you showered?”
Wow.
Talk about charming and blunt.
“Why would I want to do that?” I press, erasing the space between me and the kitchen. “Especially since you made my panties wet the other night. I didn’t want to take them off.”
Okay, so I have showered.
Cairo has his timeline wrong because I’ve been wearing these exact pants for two days, and the last time he saw me, it was three.
Dipshit.
“Come here.” His tone is hard as he remains frozen in his spot as he gives the order, but he’s got me fucked up.
Several times before and now.
“No.”
His eyes narrow before he strides around the island, showing he’s annoyed I’d say something so scandalous and not follow his direct order.
“Say that again,” he commands, stopping within inches of my body and forcing my chin upward to face him head-on.
“Say what again?” I challenge. “Did you want them? Because I can go take them off?—”
“Shut up.”
“I think you’d like that.” I inch forward, a breath away from him because—stupid me—I want him to fuck me up against something nice and hard. “And I’d like to hear that you stroked your cock and wiped your cum all over them.”
His dark eyes go even darker, and I know I hit a nerve.
He’s hit several of mine, too. However, despite my attraction to him, it’s not in my best interest to involve another player.
One who wants me to take a Titan seat so he can sleep better at night.
“Would you do that for me, Little T? Slip your panties off for me so I can call you later while I’m doing it?”
Holy shit.
That would be fuckin’ hot.
“Depends if you brought me anything,” I manage to say without croaking. “You brought my sisters kittens without asking me. What did you bring me?”
“Dinner.”
I want so much more than dinner.
Calm your damn ass down, sis.
“Mhm,” I hum, acting as though I’m considering that. “What is it?”
“Pasta.”
“What kind?”
“A kind you won’t be able to pronounce.” He still has that look in his eye like he’s about to pounce on me at any second. But he remains cool and collected as we continue to stand here in a silent challenge of who’s going to break first.
“What’s your gameplay here, Sinatra?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Vague answers, my favorite.
Yet, Cairo wants an alliance and a so-called friend.
He has some of those.
I’m not good with being one unless it’s Levi.
“You’re the one I trust the least. With the other two, at least I knew?—”
“I would’ve fucked you first if I would have known it was gonna be this hard to break through that barrier, Little T. Trust your gut on me. I’m not placing a hand on you, Ellie, Mae, or even your precious Wallace. There is no hidden agenda. Just the shit I told you. And if I do come up with something, I’ll let you know.”
“While you get the video of Judah.”
He bows his head. “Like I said, I’d still get it for you.”
“Are you still coming out with me when I race?” I don’t know why I want him to come out so bad. Maybe I do want to smash this war and see if it’s possible to start making changes before Levi starts talking about a moving date.
“I am. Do I still get to hold your hand?”
A smile breaks through my lips because there’s no fucking way he’d hold my damn hand. However, I like that he remembered. “Sure. I’d like you to princess kiss it, too—all nice and prince-like.”
“I’m not a prince anymore, Little T. I’m a king.”
“And what do kings do?”
“They fuck who they want to own.”
A violent eruption of goosebumps line my skin, before I hear the front door open and heavy boot-like footsteps enter the space we’re in.
“Cairo Black,” I hear Levi ground out, receiving my full attention as I step back from Cairo and turn to look at him. “I can’t think of one good reason for you to be here right now.”
His light green eyes lock on Cairo. A glower already set along his features before he glances over at me, giving me a once-over to make sure I’m fine, before setting his pissed-off stance back to the King of Wharf Bay.
“Just came by to talk to Bay about our plans to find the video,” he replies flatly.
“A text would’ve been sufficient. Or a postcard,” Levi counters in a clipped tone. His muscles tighten along his white tee. “It’s a dying art form.”
“Then should I have one of your bitches deliver it? Or is there a special way to do that, too?”
Levi’s lips curl into a shitty smile. “If it even got that far.”
“Oh my gosh, Levi ?” I crane my head to the sound of Luisa’s and find a giant grin plastered along her face. She fearlessly closes the distance between them, but I don’t miss Levi’s deliberate analysis of her.
His gaze descends the length of her body and takes his time doing so as she continues forward.
It immediately pisses me the fuck off.
This is not a family reunion. We’re not friends. There are too many damn people in this house. And now, we have cats.
“Luisa Black,” Levi finally greets, his tone taking a dip in octave as he pilots his eyes back up to hers. “You’ve grown up.”
“So have you,” she beams. “I see we’re all beefed up for the occasion.”
“I’ve gone through puberty, yes.”
She chuckles lightly. “I’ll let Carina know. She’d be happy to hear that you’re not a skinny asshole anymore, but a big one.”
Levi smirks, as if forgetting Cairo is in the room and all he gives a shit about is the new chick.
The really pretty chick.
“She married yet?”
My nose wrinkles at the question because, alright, they know each other. That’s new to me.
I also don’t like it.
“No,” Luisa replies. “No one can handle my sister for longer than a week still.”
“She has standards. I can’t say I blame her.”
“She’ll be at Cairo’s christening. You should come.”
Levi slices his gaze over to him and lifts an eyebrow. “Am I invited? Apparently, we just show up at each other’s places and hang out now.”
“I’ve got no problem with you coming,” Cairo states flatly, and if he noticed Levi eye-fucking his sister, he doesn’t say anything. “You’re the one with an issue with playing nice with others.”
“It’s never gotten me anywhere,” my best friend dismisses, then steers his attention back to Luisa. “Looks like I’ll be there.”
“Wonderful.” Cairo’s sister glances over at me. “Do I need to ask you, too? Or has my brother learned some manners and already invited you?”
“He hasn’t.”
“I have,” Cairo argues. “But, apparently, she hasn’t asked her babysitter yet.”
I roll my eyes as Levi chuckles. “We’re an item,” he says. “What can I say?”
“Wait, you’re dating Bay?” Luisa solicits, not able to hide her disbelief and curiosity before she steals a look at me. “Aren’t you with Ozzy?”
For the love of fucking God…
“She’s not with anyone,” Levi replies evenly. “Unless I say she is.”
Cairo scoffs in response, and Luisa looks hella confused.
I can’t say I blame her.
It’s a fucking soap opera with more cliffhangers than so-called big dick energy around here.
A small grin splits her lips as though telling me job well done. However, I don’t think we’re on the same page here.
“Damn,” I hear her mutter before I receive Levi’s light-green gaze—completely and utterly proud of his damn self.
“Besides,” my best friend tacks on for good measure. “She’s my fuckin’ soulmate.”
I silently shake my head because, for one, I need the lowdown on if he fucked Carina Black. I met that girl, and she’s equally as beautiful as Luisa.
Then, I’ll have to deal with that.
Levi extends an arm, and I faithfully go to him because I just do. He wraps it around me, pulling me into his large, warm frame, and I meet Luisa’s stare because if she thought she was breaking a piece off my best friend, she’ll have to go through me first.
And I’ll win that fight with one hand behind my back.
However, Luisa gives nothing to that effect away. In fact, she never wipes the pretty smile off her face.
“Wonderful,” she beams. “I’ll let Mama know.” She glimpses over her shoulder expectantly at Cairo. “Are you gonna start making dinner or what because I’m starving.”
“I didn’t bring enough. Wallace eats for about forty.”
Levi lets out a mirthless laugh as he continues to keep me locked into the nook of his shoulder. “I’ll order a pizza. Besides, I’d love to see you cook like my bitch in my girl’s house.”
I smack his ass in warning to shut up before striding toward the kitchen to get something to drink and get away from all the king energy shit.
Opening the fridge, I feel Cairo without having to turn around. His vibe is so different from Levi’s that it’s hard to explain how I can tell.
Leaning up against the counter, he faces me as I fish out a beer for Levi and whatever Luisa wants.
“I still want those panties in my pocket by the time I leave here, Little Terror,” he says just above a whisper. “Then, you’re gonna wait for me to call.”
He pushes off then and goes to do whatever the fuck as a ghost of a blush creeps along my face.
He’s not going to do it.
Cairo Black is into missionary sex and strokes his dick while listening to himself talk.