Page 132 of Falling in Reverse

Passing a park, I shoot Levi a text that I’ll be home soon and not to forget to pick Mae up from school. Ellie has been taking the bus home with a few of her friends, but Mae’s school is a bit further to where the bus route doesn’t extend out our way.

I just hit the send button when I’m directly halted mid-step.

“Bay!” I steer my focus in the direction I think I hear the voice, but find no one there. “McQueen.”

Oh, no.

Ignoring the nickname, since I have no doubt of who that is, I pick up my pace, passing a bunch of guys playing a game of basketball out of my peripheral.

Shoving my cell into the back pocket of my jeans, that’s when an orange ball shoots out in front of me, hitting the cracked concrete and causing me to stop on a dime from getting hit.

Craning my head in the direction of the basketball court that’s surrounded by more graffitied walls on two sides to keep it separate from the janky playground, I see a few guys already looking at me.

However, the movement toward me at my right seizes all my attention.

Reeve.

“Bay Bay, motherfuckin’ McQueen.” He smiles at me, big and wide and appearing hella excited to see me. His sandy blonde hair is damp around the edges from sweat, but those hazel eyes…damn they’re pretty. “What brings you out to this neck of the woods?”

Nope. Can’t do this.

Pivoting around to continue back to my car, he only stops me with his next words.

“I’ll just have them carry you back to me. It doesn’t matter.” My nostrils flare as I come face to face with him again. His attention flicks down to my hands holding a few bags and extends his to take them from me. “Stay for a bit.”

“I’ve got things to do.” I pull back on my shit so he can’t pry them from my hands.

“Are we back at that again? You runnin’ away from me?”

“Like you did for me in that library? Yeah, thanks for that.”

Reeve quirks a brow. “He didn’t make you come?’

What the fuck?

“I’m actually going to take your boys’ advice,” I vouch, “and stay away. I’ve been told over a dozen times?—”

“But not from me.” He closes the span of oxygen between us with two steps. “I said to stay away from Emilio and Torin. I’d love nothing more than for you to be around me.”

“Are you insane?” It’s an honest and placid question that just leaks from my lips without a second thought. “I’ve only had several run-ins with your boys, and each one hasn’t been a pleasant way to go.”

Reeve smiles at me. “I knew Torin fucked like shit. The selfish bastard.”

Blowing out a heavy exhale, I try to stay calm and collected. “Listen, Reevie, you’re cute and everything…” His whole face lifts as though he knows exactly what I’m doing today. “But, I really don’t want any trouble as much as your friends might not like to believe I am.”

“I believe you.”

God, seriously? What is up with this dude? I’m not sure if he’ll just agree to everything I say just to fuck me or if he’s dead-ass serious.

“Um…thanks, but just for the sake of not having to keep going back and forth, I should?—”

“Wildfire.”

God, noooooo.

I know when to fight and when to stand my ground, but these boys are only going to take their little posse and chase me down.

I glower at Reeve because he’s the reason why I’m still standing on this sidewalk right now. “You’re such a dickhead.”

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