Page 211 of Pretty Little Lies

“Do you think…” I can’t ask Reeve if he’s capable because I’m terrified of his answer. If Torin tries it, I’ll have to take him out, too, and Ireallydon’t want to be put in that scenario again. Torin confessed that he was falling in love with me, is he able to descend out of it that quickly?

“I don’t know,” Reeve mutters. “But I don’t want to find out. Yet, the thing I don’t get is why would Judah want to murder you?”

I quickly tell him the story that I tried to explain to Torin, and he listens intently without interruption, waiting for me to finish before asking, “So you…you murdered Judah?”

“I…stabbed him.” My gut twists remembering that night and the sheer horror I felt. That I believed I was going to die. “Matteo shot him. I don’t know what happened to Judah after that.”

“Torin didn’t listen to that, I’m sure.”

I shake my head. “Honestly, I don’t even know if I said that part. Everything happened so fast.” Reeve nods and pushes his bottom lip out with his tongue. “I didn’t go out and stage a premeditated murder.”

Silence.

And I can’t help but fear that Reeve is shutting down on me, too.

“You don’t believe me.”

His hazel eyes cut right back to me and soften. “I didn’t say that.”

“But youlookit. I know it doesn’t make sense, but that would make two of us. I didn’t understand why Judah pushed the subject so fucking bad about me leaving with him. He was Matteo’s right-hand man. He didn’t need me.”

“Sounds like you being Penn Northcott’s granddaughter was the issue.”

Rendered speechless yet again.

I shift my weight and demand my words to flee my lips. “What are you talking about?”

“Are you?”

I cock my head to the side. “Am I, what?”

“Bay…” The way he says my name sounds like he’s already done fucking around with the back and forth. “I already did the research. I know who you are.”

I don’t.

No one has ever mentioned to me that I’m Penn Northcott’s granddaughterever.

“What kind of research? My dad has never mentioned anything about me being linked to?—”

“You can’t tell me that no one’s told you.” I blink at him because, obviously. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Reevie…I just found out that Roger is Levi’s dad. That’s why he keeps coming to the hospital. Research that if you don’t believe me.”

He stares at me for a split second, then racks his fingers through his hair. “Fuck…how the hell did you live your life?”

“I…I had a dad and a mom. That’s what they called themselves. That’s what I’ve known. Why would I question?—”

“Don’t fuck with me, McQueen.” He takes an aggressive step forward, and I flinch a bit. “I need to know everything. Even if it’s bad. I need you to be honest with me. This isn’t a joke.”

“I’m not lying.”

“I didn’t say that you were?—”

“But you think I am. Matteo is setting me up, and I need to know why. The only thing I can think of is that, if Emilio believes I murdered Judah in cold blood, that he might take me out, too. I’m a threat for The Landing’s seat.”

“And if he got rid of you, then what?”

“Then…if what you’re telling me is true…” I haven’t even been able to swallow that cold fact down yet. “That leaves that one seat open. The fifth one. The one Levi said no one knows who sits on it.”

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