Page 60 of Pretty Little Lies

“I don’t believe you,” I deadpan, not offering up much else, because there are no holes in the reasons why. If anything, he can relate to me the most.

He nods. “I know.”

I’d ask him why it matters, but he’d never tell me. So, I give him what he wants.

Dropping my cell into his possession, neither of us says a word as Torin glances down at my phone. I hear the sound of the crowd gearing up for the next band, the air sizzling with excitement as the oxygen around me condenses.

Then I’m paired with gold eyes again.

“You really think my dick is that big you wouldn’t be able to talk?”

My face scrunched in irritation becausethat’sthe thing he wants to mention after all the crap Levi has spoken to me.

So, I rip my phone out of his hand and he laughs merrily at me.

Emilio might be a rat prick, Ramsey a weirdly classified psycho, but Torin’s the bastard who’s always going to be butting heads with me.

NINETEEN

bay

The charred remnantsof The Stowaway are a not-so friendly reminder of what’s keeping me to follow along with the plan and rid the planet of Emilio Wildes.

Or at least outcast the asshole.

The structure remains standing on three and a half walls, the pipes are visible, electrical wires hang depressingly from the charred ceiling, and some of the furniture sits like it had that night, but it still requires love…and a lot of money.

There’s a collection going around South Shore to help him with supporting his small family. My next drug run this weekend will go to it while some goes to my debt I owe the bank. As for the rest of the bills, I’m depending on Levi and I to nab up a few rides to get some of them off my back, at the least the bare minimum payment if I can manage.

But the past-due balance of our mortgage has been taunting me severely and they won’t help me with a modification or forbearance plan.

“I swear, it doesn’t matter the backdrop,” Reeve’s voice mutters, causing me to whip around and find him standing there, staring at me. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, McQueen.”

His kind hazel eyes hold mine, casually waiting for me as if I summoned him here, but heshouldn’tbe here—again.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t stop me from taking in his ripped blue jeans and the loosely fitted white tee he’s wearing.

“Reeve, how many times do I need to bitch at you to stay onyourside of the line?” I scan the area on instinct, even though he’s in no trouble here. It’s early enough in the morning that there aren’t very many people out along the strip where the bar sits. And obviously, Levi isn’t going to kill him.

He might get his ass kicked, though.

“I don’t like that rule,” he replies as if it’s just as simple as that. As if South Shore and The Landings aren’t going at it any chance they get. “That means I don’t get to see you.”

Do not, I repeat do not, fucking react to that.

“Next time, call,” I scold, the moment he steps closer.

“And be disappointed that you don’t answer?” Reeve tsks and shakes his head. “Not on your life, baby.”

“Well,yourlife is gonna be a hell of a lot of trouble if someone sees you here.”

“The Nameless?” Reeve narrows his hazels at me suspiciously. “You know…you’re always awfully worried about me getting caught and shit.” He smiles at me, that easy, mellowed curl of his lips that I find myself liking too much. “I wanna take you somewhere.” My brows lift. “Somewhere I think you’ll really enjoy, because watching Torin getting his ass handed to him is probably gonna be the highlight of my week.”

Sold.

Oceanview College was goals when I was in high school.

Now it’s just a reminder of shit I don’t have time to do after Dad’s stroke.

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