Page 65 of Falling in Reverse

And that comment makes a million and one things skate through my head.

Levi and I have been through so much that it’s a little crazy that he and I never dated. That we never made a move to take our friendship to another level.

However, that means a possible break up, which would sever what we have now. And that’s something I would never want to test the theory on.

“Don’t start getting mushy on me, man,” I chide lightly. “But I’ll keep the special treatment.”

Arriving at Levi’s car, he opens the passenger door for me. “I’m always giving you special treatment. I don’t buy shit for Rod or Juice.”

“Really? Because they get me stuff.”

Levi’s large palm lands on the top of my head to shove me inside his car and shut me up. “Don’t remind me that they’re trying to win you over as bestie. I’ll have to smash their heads in.”

“Ow, he’s already possessive.” My ass plops down against the black leather seats of his car.

“Possessive, my ass,” he retorts as I glance over at him with his tatted arm propped against the door. “I’ve got the years in.”

“They’re not far behind.”

Levi straightens his spine to its full height with a lifted brow. “Yeah? Well, let’s have them try to get past me and win that spot, huh?”

Then he closes the door in my face and rounds the front end to get inside. My cheeks actually heat from his words and I run a palm down one to chill out. If we weren’t friends, I’d say he was maybe flirting with my ass and how no one is ever going to get in the way of what we have.

I’m the same.

Levi might fuck someone else in South Shore, but he’s going always going to be mine. There will never be another human being who will step between what he and I are together.

Even if that’s always in the friend’s zone.

EIGHTEEN

bay

“Country Grammar” by Nelly is vibrating through the air on another successful and packed night at The Stowaway. I had stopped wiping the sweat off my forehead hours ago to keep myself from looking presentable and less like a drowned rat, but by closing time, I was just happy to close up and clean up.

Jake left me the keys like he does almost every night I close for him. He’s got two little kids at home, and since he’s here all the time, I give him a break for doing me a favor by letting me work here.

The bell to the door chimes as I’m wiping down the opposite side of the bar, and I’m immediately gritting my teeth at some asshole who didn’t bother to read the closed sign.

“We’re closed, dude,” I call out, turning to meet the idiot head-on, but it’s not just any idiot. It’s a well-dressed and powerful Emilio Wildes who strides into the bar with the one dickhead from the other night who bit the shit out of me and three other beefed-up guys with leather jackets and wandering eyes.

That’s a huge problem.

Because not only are they here, but Levi has dudes outside for my protection. Ever since the thing with Cairo at Oceanview College, he’s been on edge.

Though, I haven’t seen him.

I’m entertaining the idea that he’s looking for the man who now has a faded cut and those dark pools of brown eyes that currently don’t pay me any mind as he browses the liquor bottles behind me and allows his elder to speak.

“Haven,” Emilio coos, taking it upon himself to pull an upside-down stool off the bar top and place it down so he can sit. “You’re a hard girl to get ahold of.”

“We’re closed for the night, gentlemen.”

“I’ll only be taking five minutes of your time,” he replies smoothly, then nods at the boy with gauged ears and that faint scar along his cheek. I wondered the other day where he got that from.

Although, I’d have to care.

Because without another word, Cairo rounds the bar to grab his boss—or whatever he is to him—a drink, when I step directly and petty in his way.

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