Page 31 of Falling in Reverse

“You think we can get some money from the Bronco?”

Dad rocks his head slowly back and forth. His green eyes are still crystal clear under the slight slag of his left from the stroke and the wrinkles that have formed over time. “I-I-I w-w-w-a-a-a-nt it.”

My lips curl into a smile because, fuck me, man.

I was supposed to sell the Mustang for bills and shit, while Dad over here is trying to gain a new ride.

“Stop slacking on your physical therapy,” I negotiate. “And I’ll give it to you.”

His eyes narrow, when Levi adds in, “He doesn’t like the chick who comes in to do it. Says she’s fucking cranky and bossy.”

“She’s not bossy,” I retort, propping a hand on my hip. “Dad just doesn’t like people tellin’ him what to do.” My father actually fucking scoffs at me. “Am I wrong?”

Pops looks heavenward and doesn’t respond, which makes me smile.

He will get better. I’ll run every ounce of weed, and glip every single car worth shit to make it happen. My family isn’t going to fail.

I’ll go into full-mode war on that shit.

EIGHT

bay

“Need a ten millimeter.” Levi extends his hand out of my peripheral, but I’m too busy texting Ellie back about being home by seven so that I can feed everyone dinner at the same time. “Bay.”

“Yeah?”

“Woman, are you listening to me?” He pivots and turns to face me, those green eyes narrowed and annoyed that I’m obviously not paying attention.

“Sorry. I was texting Ellie to be home?—”

“Hey”—he rocks his head back and forth at me—“you don’t have to play mom, too, Astor.”

I know.

However, I can’t seem to help it. Ever since Mom committed suicide like the selfish ass she was, I don’t want my sister to lack in anything.

In someone who gives a viable shit about them. Someone they can come to when they’re having issues or feeling down. Mom was never those things for me, Levi was, and I just want to make sure that Ellie and Mae know I’m readily available for them whenever they need me.

That I’m not going anywhere like Mom did.

“You need to stop,” my best friend lightly chides, pushing the phone downward to get it out of my face. “You’re going to run yourself into the ground, and I’m gonna need to scrape you up. It’s going to be a thing…”

I sigh, trying to exhale all the negative energy that seems to consume me lately because, I’ll admit, I do have a huge load on my plate, and I’m overwhelmed.

“How are we with the bills?”

“Doing okay,” I mutter. “I still have the electricity and water.”

“Mortgage paid?” I nod. “How many months are we behind?”

“Levi—” He cups the back of my head and pulls me to him. My chest meets his as he pulls me in for a hug.

And, normally, I like hugging him. It’s safe and my peace, but not when he’s trying to calm me down and attempting to make me forget every lingering thing that hovers over my head.

“Listen,” he starts, about to go on his soap box. “I’m here. We got this shit. Stop worrying about it all the time, because you’re starting to make me anxious.”

“Shut up,” I grind out, pushing off his hard torso to get him to let me go.

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