Page 109 of Pretty Little Lies

Torin takes a long step toward me, towering over my frame and allowing the smell of fresh cedar and mint to fill my chest. It’s like the cherry on the top with him, seriously. It’s disgusting. “Let me in, baby. I just wanna spend some time with you.”

“Bullshit,” I retort flatly, balling my hands into fists because just saying it makes me sick to my stomach. “And you know if Levihearsabout you being in South Shore?—”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not afraid of Wallace? Him and I have been going at it for years.”

I recognized that Torin had balls. I mean, he runs a crew, shows zero mercy to those two people he offed over a damn cliff, and he’s only managed to make my life somewhat of a living hell, but this right here…he’s damn near blinded with power. This isn’t a game. If Levi and I were together, and this wasn’t the plan, Torin wouldn’t be leaving here alive.

Torin doesn’t wait for my response, lifting my chin up by the crook of his index finger and leaning in to press a sweet and chaste kiss to my lips. It’s slow and deliberate, like Prince Charming kissing his princess for the first time and wanting her to fall in love with him.

And before I know it, he transforms back into the dickhead he is, because he used the distraction to weasel his ass between me and the doorway, leaving me standing on the porch like a mind-struck idiot.

“Bay, who’s at—” Mae’s voice suddenly stops from behind me as I whip my head around to locate her standing in the foyer and studying Torin’s body like he’s a foreign object.

He is.

I never brought boys home besides Trav and Levi.

Her sweet blue eyes flick to me before she points at Torin. “Who’s that?”

I force an easy smile and hope it sticks. “This is Torin.”

He bends over, getting on her eye level before crouching down. “Hey, what’s your name?”

My sister steals another glance at me, looking for permission, and I hesitantly nod. If she doesn’t tell him now, he’ll just go find out if his little heart desires.

And that’s if he doesn’t already know that information.

“Mae.”

“Mae,” Torin repeats. “I like that name.”

“Your name is weird.”

Torin chuckles. “Yeah…well, I am a little bit. Ask your sister.”

Mae observes him again, looking for any physical possibility of weirdness before huffing. “I’m hungry.”

The Prince of The Landings opens up one of his bags. “I brought candy.”

“I can’t take candy from strangers.”

“Well, if your sister says it’s okay, do you want some?”

Mae steals a peek in his bag and pushes out her bottom lip. “You don’t have suckers.” Torin actually fucking frowns like it’s the most disappointing thing he’s ever done before her face lights up. “Bay, he has Reese’s. That’s your favorite.”

Torin glimpses over his shoulder at me. “Is it?”

“Anything with peanut butter.” I shrug. “I’ll eat it.”

“So, if I put it on my hard—” My glower gets him to put an end to his inappropriate comment, and he smiles at me. “I was going to say hard-packed ice cream.”

I push off the still opened door and close it. “Sure you were, creep.” I jerk my head for Mae to get away from said sicko. “Go finish up your game with Ellie. We’re eating soon.”

“Okiee…” She pivots and runs off, not interested in Torin’s candy, to my utter amusement, because she’s not so easily swayed either.

Taught them well.

Bows.

---