36. Bay
THIRTY-SIX
bay
Standing in front of a bunch of random men who were supposed to follow me after I took The Landing’s seat is one of the last things I wanted to do today.
In fact, I believe it’s a tremendous waste of time.
The Void isn’t going to follow me anywhere but over a cliff, where I’m the person tumbling to my death. But according to Hot Rod and Juice, Levi gave the green light to do this.
I just wish he would’ve been able to tell me himself.
The way we’ve left things is on my damn nerves. We’ve barely been able to talk about what happened, what it means and most importantly, where his head is at.
Not that it would spew out of his mouth like that and vice versa, but it’s been stabbing at my last nerve that we’re so open-ended right now I’ve had a hard time sleeping.
Didn’t stop you from fucking Cairo either.
Yeah, about that… I’m going to need another open conversation with Levi that I don’t want to have. If he orders me to cut ties and not touch him again, I’m going to have a hard time.
I’m going to hate that.
“I appreciate you meeting me, Haven. It’s time we go over a few things.”
I stare up at Ramsey, tucked a few safe yards away, with his little ghetto group of boys behind him. And the only thing that enters my mine isn’t the way we’re standing at The Landings-South Shore border, both of us on our correct sides, but the way he called me Haven.
Haven.
Fuck me, that name needs to die.
“It’s Bay, dude,” I correct flatly, then motion with one hand for him to hurry up and say what the hell he’s got to say. That his black suit that he’s wearing was such a waste of time. “What did you need?”
“I buried Emilio yesterday. You didn’t show.”
“I didn’t get an invite.”
“And you didn’t ask ,” he retorts, the last word sharp and alluding to the idea that he might be upset about what his brother did.
That he’s more than likely blaming me for it.
“If you’re going to bitch about where she was and wasn’t,” Hot Rod chimes in somewhere on my left. “We’re ending this fuckin’ conversation.”
Thank you.
With The Nameless ever present, Hot Rod and Juice on my left, Ozzy is the closest. I’m within arm’s length at all times, which makes me observant of our surroundings.
Of every man standing behind Torin and Judah’s brother.
Ramsey doesn’t spare him a glance, still openly gaping at me like he’s bored. “How did you plan on doing this?”
One of my eyebrows lifts. “Do what?”
“Take The Landing’s seat. You obviously haven’t done a good job winning anyone over here.”
You take it.
That’s what I want to say, but I know better. I’ve heard talks about how crazy he is, and the dude is off his rocker. However, I haven’t seen shit-all about it.
Don’t believe I want to, either.
“I am the heir, aren’t I?” I shoot back, calm and collected. “Unless you’re going to give me a problem.”
“Everyone knows I’m going to give you a problem.” His quick response sends an immediate wave of unease across my chest. I knew it was never going to be easy. And Levi hasn’t mentioned shit about me taking it. He just said to stay put and out of trouble. “You’re pregnant.” Another kick to the damn gut, and it twists violently to the point where every single nerve in my body tells me I’m about to enter some fucked up war with my head on a spike. “And that’s a problem.”
It’s another heir to the throne. Another threat to kicking Ramsey out of the equation.
Also, something Hot Rod and Juice didn’t know about yet.
I can feel every pair of eyes on me, and I want to cower back into some dark and deep hole. It wasn’t supposed to come out this way, if at all, and I wish I had a sniper on command to blow Ramsey’s head off.
“I’m challenging you for the Titan seat.”
Of all the things that’ve spewed out of his mouth over the last two minutes, this is the least shocking.
It doesn’t take a brain scientist to have seen this coming. And I don’t think I have a choice in the matter.
“You?” I mock back, my voice flat and indifferent from what I’m feeling the more I think about it. “I’m unimpressed that you’re so predictable, Ramsey.”
His lips quirk because he might think I’m a little South Shore bitch, but he knows I’m not that stupid. “Then, I’m sure, your boys gave you the lowdown of what’s to come, then.”
Not entirely.
But I feel Ozzy from my right shift closer, his presence lingering and grounding, which springs a bit of confidence in me.
“When?” I ask, knowing I shouldn’t, but what other choice do I have?
I’m the Queen of South Shore. I’m heir to The Landing’s throne.
Which means, he can’t call me out.
No one person can have two seats.
“You tell me,” Ramsey emits. “I’m assuming you’re giving one of these dickwads the South Shore seat? However?—”
“I’m not.”
Ramsey quirks an eyebrow once more. “Then The Landings is up for grabs. Which means?—”
“Your janky ass isn’t sitting on my seat,” I grind out with narrowed eyes. “Whose to stop me from taking it?”
“It’s the rules.”
“And you’ve broken plenty of those, I’m sure.”
“It’s not the way things are done .” His dark eyes descend the length of me and halt right at my stomach. “But your bastard child can call me out later.”
That’s not going to fucking happen.
Never in a million and one years.
“Bay,” I hear Hot Rod suddenly mutter within a few feet of me. “Name an heir. You have to take The Landings.”
Is he fucking serious?
Hot Rod’s name is on the tip of my tongue because he’s Levi’s right-hand man, after all. He’s more adept at the runnings and dealings of The Nameless and shit.
But to my utter fucking amazement, he has another order to issue out to me.
“Not us.”
I hate everything about this conversation. I knew I should’ve stayed the fuck home.
“Are you done talking about your next moves?” Ramsey emits flatly, appearing unimpressed by our lack of readiness. “Because if there’s no answer to your dilemma, I’m stepping on the fucking thing today.”
He can’t.
It’ll be another reign of Emilio Wildes but more unhinged.
The point was to stop the war.
It was to finally unite with the boys.
Yeah, good job, that’s been working out splendidly.
“What’s your rush?” I taunt with a small smirk that has me questioning a bit of my sanity right now. “Are you excited to redecorate?”
“No,” he replies with no emotion. “I’m excited to kill you.”
God, he is psycho.
And I’m hoping, with everything in me, my next decision does not bite me in the ass. That I’m not putting my faith in something that’s never going to fully pan out and have my death sentence written in the stars.
“That’s cute,” I hedge, lifting my chin slightly to show him how much I give a flying shit about his threat. Even though I should. “I look forward to seeing the look on your face when you’re disappointed.”
“Then it’s agreed, then.” He shoves his hands nonchalantly into his black slacks. “But like I said, you still haven’t announced your heir. And if you’re not planning on doing so, I’ll opt for Plan B.”
“What’s Plan?—”
“ Fuck !”
I’m suddenly shoved forward; arm outstretched to catch my fall, when a body slithers between me and the cement, breaking my fall.
I have to blink a few times to realize it’s Ozzy. His forearm wrapped around my waist before he gently but quickly puts us both to the side with his frame covering mine.
Then I hear a laugh.
An amused chuckle that sends the hair on my arms on end.
“He shot one of your men,” Ozzy whispers. “There’re two snipers. Five men with AKs, and the rest have pistols.”
Two snipers, five men with AKs, and ? —
I underestimated the fuck out of Ramsey, like he was expecting. I walked right into this shit and thought I was going to play his ass like anyone else.
“You can stand up,” the eldest Wildes fucker announces, like a dick. “I can’t kill you if you’re claiming The Landing’s seat.”
“Is that true?” I blurt out under my breath to Oz. “I don’t understand the?—”
“Yes,” Ozzy replies, pulling me up to sit before getting to his feet. “Name an heir.”
My eyes narrow, wondering if he bumped his head, when Ozzy pulls me to my feet, and I need to yank up my big-girl panties.
“ Well ?” Ramsey presses, earning my attention again before I flick it over to The Nameless.
Several of them are crowded around the dude who got shot. He’s babying his shoulder while he glowers at the man who summoned me here.
“You think that shit was funny?” I hedge, feeling immense empathy for the dude who just took a bullet because I didn’t give Ramsey an answer quickly enough. “I outta have you slaughtered out here.”
“Please do. It’ll keep the anticipation and my impatience at an all-time low.”
I steer my focus back to him with my famous resting-bitch face. “I accept your fucking offer.”
Ramsey’s lips coil into a shitty smirk. “And your South Shore heir?”
He means his next victim. The person who’s about to become number one on his hit list over me.
Or not, maybe.
“Torin Wildes.”
Ramsey’s entire expression drops. Gone is his smart-ass confidence and replaced with dumbstruck nonchalance.
Oops.
“Hey, Rams.”
I watch Big Brother Wildes pivot on his heels, revealing Pretty Boy standing there with a full-on glare directed at his brother.
Right before he cocks back and punches him in the fucking face.
Ramsey stumbles back two steps before Torin leaps and uses the forces of his fall to deliver another hard blow to his brother.
I obviously picked the right guy to fill in the space.
Except I might not be alive for Ramsey to murder because he’d have to get to me before Levi does.
Blowing out an unsteady exhale, Ramsey rips a knife out from somewhere and holds it up in front of Torin and him.
Pussy move.
Except he tosses it at Pretty Boy to take while he fights him with…nothing.
“Go ahead,” Ramsey taunts, stretching his jaw, which I’m sure is throbbing. “Kill me, little brother.”
“Call off the snipers, and you’ll get what you want.” Ramsey glowers at him but doesn’t make a move. “That’s what I fuckin’ thought. You’ve got me fucked up if you think I’m skipping around with you after you kill the mother of my child. One stab, and you’ll blow her fuckin’ head off.”
Ramsey scoffs haughtily. “Please…we’re not over this yet? She murdered Judah. ”
Torin slowly shakes his head. “You know damn well she didn’t. And here you were, filling my head with lies and bullshit. Retract the callout, Ramsey, and get the fuck out of here.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Ramsey starts to turn his back on Pretty Boy when Torin moves forward again.
And that’s when every weapon carried by The Void is cocked back in joining succession and ready to shoot in his direction.
“Fall back, Torin. I won’t fall victim to you, of all people. I’d rather be taken out by our sister, if I’m being honest.” Ramsey readjusts his suit jacket meticulously, yanking a bit at his cuffs before settling into it being enough. Then he lifts his face to me. “Are you ready for my terms, Haven?”
My nostrils flare, but I nod. “Go for it.”
“An old-fashioned duel?—”
“No.”
He rolls his eyes and then gestures for me. “And you’d want…”
Shit, I don’t know.
“A race,” Torin calls out and for the first time since seeing him, he looks over at me. “Eighth of a mile, best two out of three.”
Done.
Ramsey pushes his cheek out, pondering the idea before he dismisses with, “Not interesting enough.”
I feel Ozzy loom closer, and I’m suddenly nervous because of it. Because it would mean he senses something he doesn’t like.
“Russian Roulette.”
My eyes widen. “ What ?”
“Five bullets, one opportunity to live. It’s quick, easy, and less strenuous for your child.”
Torin tenses at his brother’s side, but he doesn’t say a word.
He doesn’t because he’s not going to get through to him.
And it’s the rules.
“Touch me, Torin,” Ramsey continues over his shoulder. “And you’ll wage more war than has already been had. I can see all your little ideas running through your head. You won’t bring me down before this begins.”
“You kill her, I kill you,” Torin grinds out. “I don’t give a fuck about a war.”
“Then so be it.” He slaps his brother’s shoulder. “I can’t say I’d ever see you as king of anything. But damn…you’re the King of South Shore.” His dark brown eyes slice over to me, dazzling with excitement. “How the tables have turned.”