40. Bay
FORTY
bay
“Stop causing problems for me, Little Terror.”
The warning is all grounded out, stamped in all gauged ears, sharp jawline, dark hair, and tan skin.
There’s only one person who calls me that, one person who is stupid enough to show up in South Shore without a shit in the world besides Torin and Reeve because they believe they own the fucking world.
I flick my eyes up to meet Ozzy across the kitchen island from me, sipping on a fucking juice box while my back is to the door.
No reaction, no cares, not one fuck given.
“This isn’t an open house where you fuckers can just walk in,” I rebuke as I nail my glare on my husband even though the comment is meant for Cairo. “I’m going to buy a dog.”
I should’ve done that months ago.
“Make sure it’s several,” Cairo conveys with ire in his tone, matching my irritation.
“Done.” I jerk my thumb over my shoulder with my sole focus still on Ozzy. “Get him out, now.”
I hear the strain of my hardwoods whine as Cairo approaches me, strangling my composure to not lose my entire shit and pluck up the cookie sheet in front of me and bash him upside the head with it.
Ozzy has been sitting here with me for about twenty minutes while my cell on the countertop plays random rock bands, filling in the void of silence—that comes from him.
“happier than ever” by Loveless currently plays, and all I want to do is hook it up to a huge Bluetooth speaker and blare it so loud I can’t hear or see anything.
“I know what you’re doing, Bay.” The smell of leather and mint wafts around me, warning me of his impending distance in my direction. “And if I have to keep warning you, I’m going to have Ozzy lock you up in a basement.”
Ozzy’s full lips wrap around the white straw of his Juicy Juice, and I hope he’s enjoying the show because it’s about to turn into an action flick if he doesn’t get his friend to fuck all the way off me right now.
“We don’t have a basement,” I deadpan. “And I think Levi, who is going to be home soon, by the way, will be very disappointed in my husband if he allows you to touch me.”
Cairo gives me this arrogant little smirk that immediately doesn’t sit well with me. “Oz, will you give us five?”
The faithful scraping of wood-on-wood sounds, and I’m instantly irritated.
So much for having a husband. What good are they anyway?
Cairo rounds the island and stands in front of me, staring down at me with his normal air of annoyance.
He looks like he could be in a rock band because he’s got that pained vibe about him. A dude with only so much to say before he throws his emotions into something else.
“Are you trying to get my attention?”
My eyebrows clash at his question while I release a scoff. “Why would I want to do that?”
He bends over, palms falling onto the countertop behind me and boxing me in. “Little bird told me that you were going to seek me out and fuck me. Gotta say”—his dark eyes descend to my lips, and I freeze—“I was half wondering if you were actually going to pull through.”
I snort because that's a line of bullshit. “You’re like two days late to bitch at me about Vivian. And you don’t care about me. You got what you wanted the other night and?—”
“I’m trying to protect you, aren’t I?” Yes. Have I listened? Sorta, maybe, no. “I’ve warned you to stay in your lane. I have a leash on Torin because of you. I got Reeve spiraling into a shitshow of emotions I can’t even begin to sort out. There’s only so fucking much a man can take before I teach you a lesson, Little Terror.”
“Are you going to burn this place down, too?”
His fingers wrap around my jaw so fast and tight I don’t even get past a blink before I’m in his hold and he’s in my face.
Strands of long hair draped over his equally dark eyes, those thick brows pressed together in pure annoyance with me. “I’ve told you several fucking times that I didn’t burn down that bar with you in it. What’s it gonna take for you to believe me?”
“Nothing,” I mutter, my voice barely audible to my own ears. “I’m never going to believe you.”
“Don’t tell me you’re all talk, Little Terror? I think you need some realigning.”
“I don’t want anything you’re willing to offer.”
“You forget he’s my brother. He belongs with my family. You think your sweet little pussy is going to sway Ozzy to be a hundred percent committed to you? You’re not going to dig your claws into him like you did with the others. He’s not built like that.”
Vivian.
I contemplated several times about asking him when he showed up a little bit ago, but I didn’t know how to approach it.
But with Cairo, I’ll approach it all day.
“How are Vivian and Ozzy linked together?”
I carefully watch Cairo’s expression, but he doesn’t flinch a bit at the question. “That’s not my story.”
“But you wanna team up. No secrets.”
“Not this one, Little T,” he mutters. “That’s on him.”
I don’t like that answer one bit. It’s too damn vague, and I’m not enjoying the surprises that have been coming toward me lately.
“You can leave now,” I deadpan, holding his intense stare as his thumb gently brushes my throat. The marks from Victor the other night are still a bit tender, but I got away with hiding them under sweatshirts for a few days while the marks faded, and Levi didn’t think any better to ask if I got hurt.
“I won’t be around this weekend,” he claims, not moving an inch from his spot. “Luisa bought a bunch of shit for your sisters for those damn cats. Can you come over and grab them?”
“Why didn’t you bring them yourself?”
“Because I was too busy calming Vivian down and making sure she didn’t tell her daddy that you stole her fuckin’ car. I didn’t think jail time was on your list of shit to do this week.”
“Can’t say it was.” A flutter of butterflies knock around in my gut at how he swung in and came to the rescue.
Again.
“Now, I’m stuck with the bitch this weekend, so thank you.”
My face twists. “What do you mean?”
“I’m taking her out on a romantic getaway of her choosing so you?—”
“No,” I clip out, forming a glower at his head. “What’s up with you and that chick? Why do you fuck with her like that?”
“Sheriff Muncy hates me, Bay. I don’t have his loyalty in anything.”
Fuck.
I really did it this time. Even though it wasn’t my idea, I didn’t put a full stop to it. However, I’m not a huge fan of Cairo fucking Vivian to keep her quiet either.
“Why don’t you just make her disappear?”
“You think that’s going to bode well for either of us?”
No.
But I still like the idea.
“Her time is coming, Little T,” Cairo assures me, stepping closer and sandwiching my body between his hard frame and the cabinets. “Meanwhile, you owe me for the bullshit I’m going to have to endure with this silly bitch.”
“What do you want?”
“I’ll think about it.”
The intensity in his stare makes me want to squirm, but I fight back the urge. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you, though?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take the high road and accept your apology, but stay away from Vivian.” His free hand comes up to tilt my chin higher as our chests slightly brush. The burnt smell of smoky leather fills my nose, and he’s not even wearing a jacket. It’s just in his fucking skin as his mouth lowers over mine. “We good?”
I bob my head. Any resemblance of words caught deep in my throat and refusing to come out.
I understand he can’t do certain things to Muncy’s daughter, but I still can’t help but want him to do it anyway.
“Why do you have murder in your eyes, Little T? Is that for me or her?”
I scowl. “You know it’s for her.”
He smirks, and I fight against my sprinting heartbeat. Every second makes it quicken, and my breathing follows. “I’m glad to hear that. I wouldn’t want you to think the only time I’ve ever come in my life was listening to your breathy little moans over the phone.”
A furious blush takes over my cheeks, and I’m instantly mortified and irritated. “You can think about that while Vivian is trying to suck your dick.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Shoving at his chest, Cairo doesn’t go lightly. He doesn’t fucking go at all. “Get out,” I order gruffly. “You’re bugging me, and my sisters will be home soon.”
“You gonna come get their shit tomorrow?”
“Fine,” I ground out. “Keep the firing squad down when I arrive.”
“They already know who you are,” he assures me. “No one is to lay a hand on you. Victor was a prime example of that.”
Something clunks against Cairo’s head then, ricocheting and falling to the floor beside us. I glance down to see a discarded green container of Ozzy’s juice box.
Hubby had enough.
Cairo backs off me a bit, and I’m surprised a kid’s beverage is what does it. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Call me if you’re starting to feel petty. I’ll loosen you up.”
I glower at him. “I can’t stand you.”
He hums as he takes a well-needed step back for the both of us, and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from asking him for details on what that would include. My blood warms in unflawed interest, while my pussy contracts a little at how I could get him to go down there and relieve some of the pent-up aggression I have in my body.
Cairo pries his attention from me and directs it at Ozzy. “Clean up your mess and be good.”
Then he pivots and begins to leave toward the front door, while I’m left with the complex and dark gaze at the back of my fucking head by yours truly—Mr. My Lips Are Sealed.