Page 86 of Pretty Little Lies

“Please.” Torin’s hand lands openly on my thigh and gains almost every pair of eyes for only the briefest of seconds.

It’s a power move.

But it’s also protective action. One that proclaims he’s here with me and there isn’t going to be anything but respect handed my way.

Maybe it’ll help me with the cheater across the way.

“Guy in the maroon suit repeatedly blinks when he has shit,” Ramsey whispers at my side, ignoring the fact that I’m in Reeve’s lap. At least he doesn’t openly give me shit no matter his opinion of the man underneath me. “Stanton, are you trying to make her more uncomfortable, or do you want me to stab you underneath this table?”

Or not.

“You’re not my type,” Reeve deadpans, and I turn my head to hide my smile. Only to be met with Torin’s placid expression. I give him a wink, which gets a soft brush of his thumb across my skin.

I’m not worried about Ramsey harming me.

It’s Torin who poses the most danger, because he’s already dug flesh deep and is only going deeper.

TWENTY-SIX

bay

“B-b-bay! Baaay! B-b—”My eyes fly open in the midst of dad’s frantic screaming. The prominent fear evident as I jump from my mattress and sprint through my open door. The bottom of my feet stick to the old hardwood floors as I round the hall and find Dad in his La-Z-Boy like he always his, blue eyes wide and filled with alarm.

“What’s wrong?” I press, closing the distance between us. “What happened?” Slowly, he lifts his arm, and I notice it shaking more than it normally does. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

I follow his finger and see nothing, but the inside of our kitchen. But a car drives by outside and alludes that the front door might be open.

The frontdoormight be open.

Slowly, I move toward it, noticing the small gap when I reach for the knob and wonder why the screen door didn’t slam shut like it always does.

It’s because whoever shoved it open, broke it or did it so hard that it’s stuck. Darkness greets me outside. No movement comes to my attention and my nerves set on high alert. Levi set up thosesecurity cameras, so I can look back at the footage, not that I want to, but it’s there.

What ever happened to that security Levi told me about?

Closing the door and locking it, I remember that’s my first mistake. I don’t remember ever securing it closed and fell asleep early tonight.

I chastise myself because this could’ve gone really bad. I don’t have room to make these sorts of mistakes. I could’ve just gotten my family really hurt, very fast.

Getting back into the living room, Dad is also on high alert, watching my every move as I approach him.

“Are you alright?” I ask, my voice trembling as I take the fold up chair next to his plush leather one. “Did they hurt you?”

“N-n-n-n-n-no.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.” Tears burn my eyes, but I deny them the right to fall. He’ll get upset, and he won’t be able to get his words out. He won’t be able to defend my apology because he’s recovering. “I fell asleep and?—”

“M-m-ma…t-t—” I open my mouth to keep my jaw from allowing a sob to break through my throat as he struggles to speak to me yet again. I’ve gotten used to his speech being impaired, but when he’s desperate to tell me something, it seems as though he has a harder time.

“I’ll stay out here with you tonight,” I offer, reaching for the remote on his side table and looking for something to watch other than infomercials.

“B-b-bay.” I steer my focus back to him and his jaw trembles. “Wh...what…is hap-hap…hap-p?—”

“What is happening?” I finish for him, and he bobs his head. “I…I’m not sure.”

“Levi.” He says that name perfect which I should be proud of, but he just hinted that Levi has been talking to my dad about me which immediately pisses me off.

“Did he tell you that we were gonna get some extra help?” He bobs his head.

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