Page 202 of Falling in Reverse

And he rocked it good.

And so did Torin and Cairo to the unknown girl from earlier. Because when I glance around the bark of the tree that’s currently upholding me into a standing position, she’s gone.

FIFTY-ONE

bay

Graffiti of all colors decorates the walls, currently being pounded on by the bass of “Bussin’” by Nicki Minaj. The basement hangout is packed with people, strobe lights ping-ponging through every inch of the large space as Nessa and I hold up our red Solo cups, dancing with half a buzz on.

Levi, Juice, and Hot Rod have also joined in Nessa’s birthday festivities, and all she wants to do is dance. Meanwhile, the boys have been flocked by any bitch in a short skirt and any liquid courage to see if they can get one of them to take them home tonight.

They’re already fucked up, doing shots of Jack before getting here, and it’s the first time I’ve seen Levi without a honing glare in the last week. He’s let himself go tonight for the first time in forever, which makes me less anxious.

Turning to Nessa, she’s shaking her ass. Long blonde hair swaying with his roll of her hips as she gains the attention of a few dudes watching her move.

My brain instantly flicks onto Reeve and Torin.

How observant and focused their eyes are when I’m around. The calculation—regardless of the difference behind that variability of why—it’s familiar.

It’s almost become routine to the point where I’m used to their stares, their touches, and how they accept as truth that they have every right to.

Things are getting distorted and, the more I reminisce about it, the more it eats at me and sends me into this parallel universe where I start thinking about a future.

A very distant one.

There are too many unknowns. There’s Emilio Wildes, who wants me to become involved to where it will affect their livelihood because I’m not loyal to them.

And they’re not loyal to me.

My family resides in South Shore, my best friend heads it, my friends need to be protected, and no amount of good dick is going to get me to purge that fact. I’ve had my life experience of praise, where I believed I was different, someone who presided over anyone else in the eyes of the man I thought to be a hundred for me.

He wasn’t.

He almost broke me to the point of no return.

I almost left behind my family because the mental aftermath was too much to bear. My heart felt as though it would never, ever beat the same again, because Matteo De Leon is my real nightmare.

Torin and Reeve—no matter how different they might react to things—they’re still part of a gang. They still need and want to preserve their power. They want a Titan seat.

They act as though they want me.

But for how fucking long?

Until they believed they’ve gotten everything out of me?

That I’m magically going to spill all of Levi’s secrets so they can storm our town. I’d never betray Levi in the sense that I’d open my mouth about anything vitally important that could hurt us.

But you’re hanging out with them behind his back. Same thing, right?

Fucking wrong.

Because maybe I can turn the tables and get something from them.

Maybe I can prove they’re not with Emilio Wildes.

Maybe I can see the truth for what it is and rid myself of them once and for all.

Regardless, there’s something that tugs us forward and, while Reeve might not mind it, Torin and I are cut from the same cloth. We don’t enjoy our power being stripped from us. We hold steadfast to our pride with tight fists.

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