Page 175 of Falling in Reverse

My brows knit a bit because that’s not what I was expecting. “What?”

“I need you all to be safe. I can’t eat or sleep with thoughts of you, the girls, and Roger being in the middle of this. I should’ve never have taken the seat.”

“I understand why you did it,” I mutter, squeezing his hand. “It sucks, but I get it.”

“And it’s done the exact opposite. You being linked to me and my being the King of South Shore has done nothing but pull you in. Now, I have the Forsaken fucks following you around. And now Matteo is starting to get big-dick energy about grabbing Wharf Bay’s seat and?—”

“Hold on,” I assert gently. “You don’t have to do this alone. We can figure this out and what comes will come. I’ll have Juice and Hot Rod at my side at all times of the day and night if you want me to.”

“I don’t want you to be a hostage, Bay.”

I shake my head even though he’s right. “I won’t be. Let’s see if Matteo even gets the seat first. Then, if he does?—”

“He won’t,” my best friend vouches. “Cairo will get him.”

“Are you afraid of what Cairo is going to do?”

“No.” He brings the top of my hand up to his face and rubs his stubble against it as he thinks. “According to his father, I have nothing to worry about.”

“But you still are.”

“Because I don’t trust them.”

“Can you trust anybody?”

“You.”

I exhale heavily because he shouldn’t. I haven’t been truthful to him this far and maybe he’s right.

However, I’m not sure if I can get out of Emilio’s clutches by just leaving town. What if he comes to find me and tries to drag me back kicking and screaming?

Levi won’t have the Titan seat and nothing to back him up while it’ll be us versus a whole gang.

“Let’s just…take this one day at a time. What can I do to help?”

“Nothing,” he mutters. “Just order me a pizza.”

I roll my eyes. “I thought you just said nothing.”

“You didn’t eat dinner either.”

Observant as all hell.

“I’m not that hungry.”

“Yeah, but you’re going to eat,” he half-ass orders. “And we’re going to eat together when we do.”

“Whatever you want.”

He winks at me and gently drops my hand. “And that’s what I love about you, Bay.”

FORTY-FOUR

bay

The streets are flooded with neighbors for the annual block party in my subdivision.

There are well over a dozen grills going, a DJ blasting age-appropriate tunes, small pools filled with ice and canned beers, and a bunch of games for the kids and adults to play.

---