Page 140 of Falling in Reverse

“Don’t sell yourself short.” She ducks underneath one of my arms, but I’m not ready for her to go just yet.

My palm falls to her chest as I wedge her against the wall again. “Wildfire…I’ve told you a million times already. Stop doing whatever you’re doing. Find a way out of this.”

“What would you suggest?” One of her brows flies to the ceiling. “You wouldn’t happen to have his schedule, would you? Somewhere I could have him jumped then disappear?”

“I don’t.”

“Mhm.” She lifts her shoulders. “Then I don’t know what way I can find out of this, Pretty Boy.”

“Just stay away from Emilio.”

She rolls her eyes. “I told you, he’s threatening my family. I’m not sure how much more descriptive I can be about that.”

“He’s not going to hurt the people you love if he wants to gain yours.”

“I’m not willing to risk that.” Her fingers curl around the waistband of my gym shorts. “And you need to stop fucking around with Levi. He’s starting to lose his patience.”

“Is that what he said?”

“It’s what I’ve seen.”

“Don’t allow him to use you as a pawn, baby. You’re better than that.”

Bay holds her gaze on me for a moment before reaching down and grabbing her bags. “Which one?”

“Both. I don’t want to see what happened to you like I did with Matteo.”

Her nostrils flare, but she doesn't look up at me again. I hit a nerve. A memory. I’m betting a pretty bad one, too.

I drop my hand to give her space and watch as she whips open the restroom door to leave.

Hitting me in the face with the reality that having her do this was a very bad idea. Because I’m chasing down a dream that almost stays with me but never stays within my grasp when I wake up.

THIRTY-SIX

reeve

I normally don’t do shit like this, but I need to let out some steam. I’m starting to feel that dark, draped existence of mine creeping over me, and when I get down in it, it’s a bitch to get out. It’s when I start fucking up and becoming numb. It’s where my demons, the ones that used to taunt and mock me, begin to crawl out from out of their holes and start messing with me.

I don’t like my alter-ego. I broke up and told him to fuck off years ago. Especially since the weight of my family is starting to fall on me and my fucking mother figure has been up my ass about marrying and taking over my father’s business.

A father who disappeared out of thin air and hasn’t fucking returned when I was fucking fourteen.

That woman has been working in his name for years, acting like he’s still involved with the gun game when he’s obviously not. The smart fucker never signed a predecessor other than me when I turn twenty-one and when I do, I’m shipping her off the edge of hell where she’s put me my whole life.

Meanwhile, a dark-haired South Shore girl has been on my mind for over a week now, and it’s been the best distraction I could hope for while counting down the days of my birthday. However, I haven’t heard from Bay since I plucked her phone out and grabbed her number.

That chick is fucking inferno, and I wanna play in it.

Her swagger is completely badass and the way that she holds herself, fierce and unwavering in who she is—bruh, I want that.

I want her.

A female who acts like a queen in her own right because Bay doesn’t need a crown. It’s in her attitude and pride. I’ve had to quietly watch as Torin warns her away from Emilio, believing that his threats that work on everyday people are going to work.

They’re not.

Especially since Emilio is craving a blood connection and, unfortunately for ol’ boy, he ain’t it.

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