Page 176 of Pretty Little Lies

Levi’s face doesn’t change, still unamused by the conversation. “Torin Wildes.”

I can’t help the way my eyes bulge in surprise because—um, Pretty Boy hasn’t mentioned a motherfuckin’ thing about it.

“Boy has balls,” my best friend continues lightly. “But that’s about it. He almost got me.”

“Lev—”

“My front tires hit the edge of that cliff and everything.”

My elbow thrusts into his ribs, but Levi doesn’t flinch. “Youmoron,you don’t get the seat if youdie.”

“I wasn’t gonna die,” Levi vouches confidently. “And even if I did…” He leans in, his bulky body putting weight onto mine, and whispers in my ear, “He’d be dead right along with me. The boys were going to throw him over the edge with me to make it look like we both took off over it. No Wildes wasevergoing to rule over South Shore.”

“What did he say?” Nessa solicits excitedly, gripping my arm and shaking me to answer.

“He was still…” Levi’s green eyes lock onto mine, and I see the first sign of amusement in them.Dick.“Levi was going to have Torin thrown over the side if he lost.”

And that bothers me.

It bothers me because, if Levi was gone, I would’ve spiraled. If Torin wasn’t here, I feel as though no one would fully understand how I tick and operate.

“Damn,” Nessa mutters before straightening her spine. “That’s savage.”

As fuck.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening.” My focus sprints to the ring to find a young dude standing in the middle with a microphone in his palm and blue spiked hair. “Welcome…to another eventful night where two men will go head-to-head for the prestigious honor of our exclusive organization and win the Wharf Bay Titan seat.” He holds out his left arm. “The challenger…from Shoreline Peaks, Matteo De Leon.”

The crowd roars in excitement as Levi straightens his spine against the presence of my ex and the possibilities of what he could do if he won the Titan seat.

It could go either way.

Matteo could side with us and keep his word because he wants to get back at Emilio for not believing in him fully or decide to go with the man who’s never had a real beef with him. Levi beat the shit out of Matteo when we were younger, and he found out everything my ex did to me. It would be the perfect revenge.

Matteo enters the ring in all black at one corner and patiently waits like a snack waiting to attack.

“And to my right—” the announcer holds up his opposite arm. “—the heir to the Wharf Bay kingdom and the son of Lorenzo Black…ladies and gentlemen, Cairo Black.”

The place erupts louder in cheers and banging of any surface people can reach, alluding to the crowd’s favorite in the match.

Cairo enters in a white tee that lines his shoulders and biceps, with gray sweatpants, standing on the other side while the announcer blabs on about the rules of the game and how things will end.

Pretty much death, someone getting knocked out or tapping out.

But it’s not just any punching match without gloves, but random weapons being presented to each fighter. Pipes, bottles, knives, and a hammer. However, as those things are being handed out on Matteo’s side, nothing is happening on Cairo’s.

“What’s happening?”

Levi shakes his head. “That stupid motherfucker is only fighting with his hands.”

“What the fuck?” I watch the two idiots stride toward each other in the ring and the announcer gestures for them to shake hands.

They do, and no sooner do they do that and back up a few steps, a bell rings to start the fight.

Both men circle each other, studying hidden secrets about each other’s stances, demeanor, dick sizes, whatever before Matteo rushes Cairo and receives a jab to the ribs. Cairo quickly follows it up with a left hook and thrusts Matteo’s head down to knee him in the face.

My ex stumbles back and right next to his corner of cheating goodies. And the first thing I see him pick up is a knife, pocketing the hammer in his back jean pocket.

Matteo circles Cairo again and this time Cairo makes the first move, faking a punch with his left again before landing with hisright. He tries to knock the sharp blade out of Matteo’s hand, but my ex took a second weapon for a reason and quickly swings it horizontally to get Cairo’s chest.

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