20. Bay
TWENTY
bay
“What else?”
Ellie and Mae are sitting on the stools at the kitchen island while I stand across from it on the other side. Ellie’s eyes are bloodshot red from crying all day, and Mae doesn’t quite get it yet.
Ellie and I have tried to explain it to her a million times, but I gave up after today. What’s the point? Levi isn’t dead, and I’m chilling with relief that he’s not, while Ellie is dying inside like I was less than forty-eight hours ago.
This can’t go on for much longer. I can’t watch her like this.
“Ice cream,” Mae pipes in, kicking her legs excitedly. “Superman.”
That’s fitting since Levi survived several gunshot wounds and earned superhero status. We’ve decided to eat all of Levi’s favorite foods in memory of him, and I’m on grocery list duty.
“That wasn’t his favorite,” Ellie mutters. “It was cookie dough.”
Mae snaps her neck defensively to our sister. “No, it wasn’t.”
“Yes, it was.” Ellie’s lack of energy shows how many times she’s had to speak or answer a question today. It’s weak and desolate, as if she doesn’t want to be anywhere but in her room alone.
“No,” Mae argues. “He wants Superman.”
“We’ll get both,” I reply to shut her up. “And pizza, right?”
Mae beams. “Right. When is he coming home?”
The million-dollar question.
Ellie’s shoulders slump a bit more—if that’s even possible—and another wave of guilt slams through me.
“Why don’t you go take a bath before dinner?” I suggest. “And then we’ll pick out a movie together, okay?”
Mae slides off the stool excitedly and chimes okay a hundred times as she scurries down the hallway to get ready.
Meanwhile, Ellie doesn’t move an inch, too stricken by grief to even breathe, and I’m on the edge of telling her the truth to give her some comfort.
Except, I’m not sure she won’t tell Peter. And with the whole Nessa thing, I don’t know if Matteo planted the kid here. This is one of the many reasons why Juice and Hot Rod won’t let him anywhere near the house.
“Have you talked to Peter today?” I ask. “I’m sure he’s worried about you.”
“Yes,” she deadpans, focusing on her folded hands.
“Did you want to clean up before?—”
“ No .”
Okay, then.
I rummage through my head to think of something else to say or another way to comfort her, but Ellie gets to her feet and begins walking toward her room.
“I’m not hungry,” she claims. “I’m going to bed.”
And, just like that, Ellie stands and vacates the space without another word or a good night.
A nice reminder and show of how I responded toward Cairo and Ozzy when I believed Levi was truly gone.
Nice. She’s just like me.
My cell buzzes along the countertop causing me to mindlessly pluck it from the surface when my own form of dread comes coursing through my veins.
UNKNOWN: How are you holding up, Haven? I’m so sorry for your loss.
The man is smart.
Even Emilio knew to give me some space after Levi’s so-called death. Yet I don’t miss that he believes the ruse, and that’s what Levi wanted everyone to think in the first place.
If I were still in a downward spiral, I’d never answer this text.
So I don’t.
And that’s when I hear some ruckus outside.
I move for the front door, hearing male voices before Hot Rod’s amps up a notch. It’s irritated and hostile, two things he’s been lately, but I can’t blame him. He has a lot on his shoulders and he and I haven’t gone head-to-head yet on his lies.
Swinging the front door open, there’s a plethora of men on and around the front porch. Most of them with white masks on, alluding to their Nameless persona, and it’s straight-up creepy, to be honest.
But my attention falls disgustingly on Sheriff Muncy being surrounded by the guys and hollering at each and every single one of them.
“What the hell is going on?” I storm out, immediately receiving all eyes on me and Muncy’s shitty-ass smirk.
“Bay,” he coos like the dickhead he is, stepping toward me before Hot Rod gets in his face to stop him from getting any farther. His extensive frame would crush Muncy into powder if that’s what he wanted to do, towering over him like the gangbanger he is, and with limited patience.
“You touch her, Muncy,” he warns with bared teeth. “And you’re not gonna live much longer.”
Muncy glimpses over his shoulder with a nonchalance that must be a God-given gift to not heed warning when he should. “Is that a threat, boy? You’re already on thin ice. I know one of you buried that body.”
My blood runs cold at the mention of a body and follows up with thoughts of Nessa.
It wouldn’t be anyone else.
“And I’m about to bury yours ,” Rod sneers with zero chill. “You wanna take that bet, old man?”
Muncy scoffs dismissively. “You think because I haven’t nailed you yet that I’m going to stop now? You can hide your illegal shit all you want, but I have solid evidence that Bay killed Nessa Cooler, and I’m taking her in.”
“Go ahead and try,” Hot Rod taunts evenly. “Let’s see how far you make it.”
Muncy moves for me again, attempting to get around the rest of Hot Rod’s body before Juice blocks his path.
“You’re in over your head, old man,” Levi’s third in command states evenly. “I don’t think you want to do this.”
“ Move ,” Muncy orders with some bite. “Or I’m taking you both in for obstructing justice. And that’ll only be the start.”
“Not if you’re dead,” Juice claims. “And we’ve been itching to do that forever now, Muncy.” He cocks his head to the side. “Where’s your backup?”
Fuck up number one on Sherriff Muncy’s part. And we’re tied because the photo I sent to Matteo got me where I am now.
I knew he’d use it against me—sorta.
I mean, why should I be slightly surprised, he is a bitch after all. I just thought he’d want to handle me himself.
“You don’t scare me, you tatted piece of shit,” Muncy carps out angrily. “Now, get the fuck out of my way before I put you in cuffs right next to her.”
Hot Rod and Juice don’t move, something Levi would be proud of. He couldn’t have picked a better pair to hold the fort down while he’s gone.
“It’s alright, guys,” I mutter through my quickening pulse, fully aware there is nothing they can do to save me from this shit unless they actually take Muncy out right here and now. They can’t. “Figure it out.”
And what I mean by that, is figure a way to get me out.
Without Hot Rod and Juice out on the streets, that leaves South Shore vulnerable, and them unable to get me out of jail.
Fuck, Mae is in the shower, and Ellie is grieving in her room.
“I need one of you to go check on the girls,” I tack on evenly. “Pizza, cookie dough, and Superman ice cream. I need one of you to get those.”
Juice turns on his heel, giving his back to Muncy, and hits me with a calm and even expression. “You sure about this?”
I bow my head once because he knows just as well as I do, unless they act and kill the sheriff—which will bring more heat down on us—this is the way it has to go down.
Juice moves, but Hot Rod remains in his spot for a few more agonizing moments before he steps away, accepting the fate that I brought literally to my doorstep.
Levi is going to be pissed, but he’s not here right now, and I’ll take the blame for everything—the shooting, obviously, the ridding of Nessa’s body—if it means the boys remain safe.
Muncy reaches behind him, retrieving a pair of cuffs from his belt, and I roll my eyes. “Bay Astor, you have the right to remain?—”
“Oh, shut the fuck up,” I ground out, stepping out from behind the glass door and onto the porch.
Squeezing between Muncy’s body and Hot Rod’s, The Nameless part for me as I stride down the sidewalk and toward Muncy’s squad car. I’m not going to be restrained and thrown in cuffs with Ellie and Mae somewhere in the house.
I reach for the door to the backseat, and it’s locked.
I sigh. “Are you going to open this thing?”
Turning, Muncy is being glowered at and purposely bumped into by every guy he passes. A silent warning Muncy is pushing a line, and he’s going to pay heavily for it.
So am I.