Page 129 of Falling in Reverse

“H-h-h-he’s n-n-n-n-ot go-g-g-go-o-ing to h-hurt -h-i-m-m-m, B-b-b-bay,” Dad says, supporting, of course, Levi in this endeavor.

“Daddy,” Ellie whines at my side before pointing to the front door. “He’s going to scare Peter away.”

“Peter?” Levi repeats, sounding unimpressed. “The fuck kind of name?—”

“The one his parents gave to him,” I retort through narrowed eyes. “So unless you want that bat shoved somewhere…”

“Speaking of somewhere…” He eyes me suspiciously and he’s smart.

Really smart.

He noticed me gone last night—at Emilio’s famous Friday night dinner—and I’ve been evading an answer to my whereabouts ever since.

“Yes?” I press innocently. “You wanted to go somewhere when Ellie leaves?”

He glowers at me. “You’re not going anywhere without me, Juice, or Hot Rod.”

Thankfully, Juice was up my ass last night and, when I told him I was going to hang out with Nessa, he was quick to allow me freedom.

“I’d love to. However, I’m meeting up with Trav.”

“I’ll go with you.”

I nod to Dad. “I’m hangin’ out with Pops, too.”

“Great”—he leans back in his wooden chair with his paranoid stare still on me—“I got nowhere else to be tonight.”

The doorbell rings on cue, alluding to Ellie’s date’s arrival, and I immediately feel her nervousness as she rounds to face me.

“Bay…I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be.” I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her to me. “He’s lucky you said yes and decided to waste your time on him.”

Her face falls. “Bay…”

“What? He’s not your future husband, is he?”

“No,” she mumbles. “I’m fifteen.”

“Which is why she shouldn’t be dating,” Levi interjects with his two cents from behind us. “How about we order pizza and I get rid of the loser?”

Instead of responding to him, I guide Ellie to the door, ignoring Levi’s alternate change of plans. “Just have fun. You have minutes on your phone, so text me if things aren’t going well. I’ll get you out of there without looking suspicious.”

“Isn’t texting you suspicious?”

I lift a brow. “Aren’t you kids always on your phones?”

“You’re not supposed to be on a date. It’s rude.”

“That’s my girl.” My palm hovers over the doorknob. “Ready?”

She inhales a deep breath and holds it. “I think so.”

Twisting the knob, I open the door to find a little blond asshole standing there with a rose in his hand.

Damn it.

Because it’s actually kinda sweet.

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