Page 56 of Fracture

The cafe is brimming with people, all the wealthy Bellford Heights families sipping juice from champagne glasses,tastefully dressed in beige and white. Their diamonds glint in the bright sunshine, and Levi and I look like two serpents slithering amongst the masses in our black t-shirts and arms sleeved in tattoos. Eyes follow us, tables falling silent as we pass, stares and glares meeting us at every turn.

Then, like a ray of sunshine, I spot her. Sitting at the banister, mimosa in hand, her hair swept up on top of her head. Her bright pink sundress stands out amongst the sea of beige.

Our girl.

Is it weird that those words sent an unnamed desire through me? I really am sick. I should be consumed by guilt after what Levi and I just did.

Lilly spots us before Stella does, her mouth falling open with a scoff.

“What aretheydoing here?” She announces loudly enough for the whole cafe to hear, and all eyes at the family table turn to us.

Stella’s face is filled with joy and confusion. Her cousins and aunt all stare daggers. Levi laughs jovially, and suddenly I’m filled with the same level of contemptible swagger he is. Fuck these people, all these people who left Stella to Gloria fucking Fenton when she needed them. We might be the criminals - at least we’re nothing like these people.

“Morning!” Levi says brightly, leaning over Lilly to drop a kiss on Stella’s cheek. She smiles, her cheeks flushing pink as her eyes drop to the table. Levi plucks the mimosa from her hand, downing the rest of it, and casts his smile over the table of glowering faces. “How is everyone today?”

“Fine until you showed up.” Lilly throws her napkin on the table, crossing her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here, Levi?”

“Why, I’m here to see myfamily.” His lethal grin lands on Stella’s mother, who looks like she’s already drunk as she holdsonto her champagne glass with two hands. “Hey, Molly. How’s things?”

Molly’s head wobbles on her skinny neck as she turns to look up at Levi. “Who the fuck are you?” She slurs, and all eyes at the table drop.

They might act like they’re better than us, but Molly Hartmann is the one embarrassment they can’t cover up.

Stella leans over and puts a hand on her mother’s arm. “Mom, this is Levi. Gloria’s son. Remember?”

Molly narrows her eyes at Levi as he extends a hand to her, taking in his tattooed knuckles. “You look like you just got out of jail.”

Levi meets my eyes and we both laugh.

“It’s notfunny,” Lilly snaps, and Levi drops down to plant a kiss on her cheek, making her flinch and frantically wipe the kiss away like he’s going to give her a disease.

“Lighten up, Lil. Is Colin Bates still hitting that?”

Lilly’s cheeks flush bright red as her mother turns to her with a stern look. “Oh my god, will you both just go away?”

“We just got here,” I say, rounding the table to stand beside Stella, who gazes up at me with a soft smile. “Hey,guera.” I stroke a finger along her jaw. “You look real pretty.”

“Thank you.”

“I was sad you weren’t there when I woke up.”

She stiffens, and gasps go up from the table. I lean down and press a gentle kiss to her lips, and she suppresses a smile.

“Can I borrow you for a minute?” I ask quietly, and she nods.

“Stella, tell me you are not going somewhere with these assholes?” Lilly asks loudly.

“Guess y’all don’t know we’re living with her, huh?” Levi laughs loudly as horrified eyes turn to him. “Oh yeah, it’s a regular little love nest we got ourselves there.”

Stella’s aunt, whose name I can’t remember, rises to her feet. “This is a family function. Neither of you are invited. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave.”

Levi snatches a grape from the table, putting it between his teeth and turning from the table with a shrug. “No problem, I’ll meet you back at the car, pretty boy.”

I pull Stella up from her chair, and we round the table. “Y’all can have her back in just a second.”

More eyes follow us as I drag Stella through the cafe, to the building housing the kitchen, down a narrow path and out the back towards the river. Once I know we’re alone, I round on her and pull her against me. She squeaks a smothered protest as my mouth claims hers, one hand grabbing her ass hard.

“What are you doing?” She gasps as she frees her mouth from mine. “What the fuck-”

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