Page 52 of Pretty Little Lies

To top it all off, I’m sitting between Ramsey and Cairo, both equally socially weird in their own way. Although, it’s like Emilio purposely kept the peace by spreading the table so that no one was comfortable.

Vivian sits on the other side, glaring at me through appetizers and sipping on her ruby red wine while she mightbe considering all the ways she could stab me with the different pieces of glassware on the table. I’d ask her to trade seats so she’d fuck all the way off, except that would mean I’d have to sit between Torin and Reeve and that’snotgoing to make me more comfortable.

And speaking of Torin, he’s sitting at her side, doingliterallythe same thing. Every time Ramsey asks me a simple question, it’s like his glower amps up a few degrees and sweat begins to form along my neck and palms.

This is so fucking stupid.

Meanwhile, Emilio keeps yapping away at shit no one seems to care about like we’re all some happy family of misfits. The weather, a new golf course he’s thinking about investing in, the change in the governor seat and the stock market.

I fight the urge to glance at Reeve who has been eye-fucking me every five minutes. And the boys, minus Ramsey, all share something in common.

Not one of them has spoken to me.

Keeping myself busy on the menu, I think everything is in Italian. And why the fuck would someone spend a hundred dollars on a plate of pasta? I’m half-tempted to google half of these dishes, when the last person I thought would come to my rescue does.

“Do you like creamy sauces or red?” Cairo solicits, and I dare not look over at him in fear of a knife flying in my direction.

I measure up the edge of my menu to slightly pass my lips to answer, “Creamy.”

“There’s a dish on here that you’ll never be able to pronounce that’s to die for.” My thumb taps along the plastic covering. “And you don’t have to be so secretive when talking to me. I can handle myself with her just fine.”

I smooth down the menu, feeling like an idiot, but not wanting to cause any trouble while I’m here. I’ve had enough excitement for a hot minute. “Sorry.”

“For which thing?”

“I think the only thing you’d be concerned about is how hot your boys think I am. But, all I want to be is justbe. That’s all.”

A brief tick of silence drapes between us, not that it bothers me. Emilio is busy rambling, and I have a menu that’s currently blocking half the table, when Cairo replies, “Join the club.”

My gaze stirs to him, and his does the same. Those mysterious and murky brown eyes that are always menacingly boring down on me appear a tad lighter this evening.

However, there’s still a pair at this table.

“I think you need to tell your biggest fan that I’m not going to make a move on you. She doesn’t have any knives next to her, does she?” I pose, completely serious. These boys might have their own vices, that I’m privy to, but not hers. That entitled bitch vibe—even though she grew up in the same shitty neighborhoods as I did—might have a little more petty built in her.

Wouldn’t that be something?

I mean, shit, she might know some crime techniques from her dad and ask the waiter to poison me.

“She does,” Cairo confirms. “However, she has terrible aim. Tried to throw a vase at me once, and it went a whole two feet. She releases too late.”

Oh.

I bob my head. “Huh.”

Cairo gives a little jerk of his head toward my menu. “Would you like me to order for you?”

“Um…would you taste test it for me?” A line appears on his forehead as his face pinches in question. “Is she diabolical? I haven’t been around her in years.”

He stares at me, bringing about the inclination that the dude thinks I’m crazy.

Or imaginative.

I push my lips out. “I’d rather die and have a cooler story than your girl trying to contaminate my food.”

“And it’s amazing how Wallace broke up with you.” He shreds his focus from me and back to his menu, then mutters, “You’re something else.”

“Something you wouldn’t be able to handle,” Ramsey interjects, thrusting himself into our conversation. “Bay would probably give you a run for your money…and then some.”

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