Page 122 of Pretty Little Lies

“Besides the fact that I’m deaf in one ear and he thinks I’m an idiot?” I just stare at him. My brain is going backward on every single encounter with him in it and why I’ve never picked up on that fact.

Reeve was motioning with his hands. He’s asked me to repeat myself several times when I’m speaking under my breath.

“Add on the fact that Emilio was always wanting more,” Torin continues through my silence. “That my brother is dead, and my mom can’t stay off her pills on some random island she’s living on. I’m not someone he believes he can rely on.”

“Just because…you have trouble hearing doesn’t mean?—”

“He wanted more substance in a child. Ramsey and I obviously didn’t know that he had literal walking DNA so close to him. There always seemed to be that missing element. Like healways knew you were out there somewhere. When Lennox died, that was one son out. He would’ve taken the Titan seat.”

“You don’t want it?”

“I was never offered it.”

“But…you’d take it?”

“Maybe.”

I bob my head because he should. I mean…I know it’s not what Levi wanted, but Torin doesn’t seem to want to continue Emilio’s reign.

Or maybe that’s what he wants me to believe.

“Technically, that goes to you,” Torin professes. “And Emilio is getting impatient.”

“With what?”

“Your relationship not taking off as he hoped.”

My brows clash. “I’ve only known he’s existed for two seconds.”

“And that’s all it takes for him to lose his temper. But, you’re in a bind. You leave, he’ll find you. You keep pushing him, he’ll find a way to sway you.”Mae and Ellie.“You act like daughter of the year, and he won’t believe you.”

My stomach clenches andnotin a good way. “I…don’t see a way out of this. He found me and I’m trapped.”

Torin reaches down and grabs one of my hands, lacing his fingers with mine in a gentle and meaningful gesture to tell me that I’m not alone. “Ask him for things. Make him feel wanted. It’ll buy you some time until we find another alternative.”

“We?” I can’t help the one-word question from spilling from my lips, but Torin doesn’t hold back on how we’re a team.

“Why are you here?”

“He invited me over to show me off to his friends.”

“Which means he’s openly and publicly stating that he’s moving forward with you. That may not be what you wanted, butit’s the best sign you could wish for. It means that he hopes this will work.”

“But I don’t want?—”

“Ithasto work, Wildfire,” Torin digresses. “Keep the wordskillingandwaste of timeout of his head and you’ll be alright. If he mentions the seat, tell him that you don’t think you can handle it. Show weakness. He’ll only want to help.”

My nose scrunches. “Do I look like someone who could handle a Titan seat? I can’t even keep up with bills.”

“That’s beside the point. South Shore has ports to use and that could?—”

“That costs money. Have you ever rented a barge before?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

“Add on that The Landings is literally blocking us into the ocean, and we can barely get through to do anything. Emilio has such a locked hold on us that we’re choking to death. And I’ve just been hustling since Dad stroked out. A nine-to-five job isn’t going to cut it for me and holding down a Titan seat is the last thing I can handle right now.”

“And you’re really going to school?”

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