Page 29 of Pretty Little Lies

I do my normal check-up, observing to see if anything’s leaking, or burning, got moved around, and also the oil and coolant levels. I easily get lost in my routine when a pair of hands clutch onto the top of the Nova’s frame, caging me between the vehicle and another body.

I’m unable to react yet before it speaks and my heart plummets deep into my gut.

“I think you got it, McQueen.”

My body stills at the sound of his voice before I slowly turn around, my ass pressed into the black paint of Dad’s ride before I come face to face with the confident, sexy, and calm as fuck Reeve Stanton standing behind me.

He doesn’t move back, still slightly leaning over my car and in my face as if he didn’t endure what he did at the hands ofmy best friend. The smell of sea salt fills my nostrils, but I can’t break my stare off his glimmering hazel eyes and the sexy smirk that forms off his lips.

“Reevie.” His nickname is barely a whisper, but I need to outwardly confirm that he’s here.

That, after all this time worrying about him, he’s safe and sound.

“Hey, baby,” he returns, confirming that he is, in fact, standing in front of me. “I missed the absolute shit out of you.”

I soak him in for another few seconds. He has a backward baseball cap on, strands of his sandy blond hair coming through the back and my anxiety ramps up.

If Levi sees him, he’s dead.

“You shouldn’t be here.” It was supposed to come out more of an annoyed observation than it did. Instead, it was a low dip of appreciation for the white tee that hugs his muscles and then displays an array of black tattoos down his left arm.

And even with what happened between us, I still feel safe with him. That I’d only want it to be him if I had to relive that situation over again.

“I know,” he surmises softly. His hazel eyes a murky depth because it’s dark out but I can still make out the attraction that fuses between us. The crack of electricity that forms and bolts because this man…he’s obviously a bit of a weakness for me. And I don’t know how that’s possible. “But I had to see you.”

“Levi is here.”

“I saw him.”

I shake my head against his stupid defiance and decision-making. It’s hard to believe that his charming smile, that body that I’ve had the pleasure of eye-fucking, and his alluring attitude make it extremely hard for him to find attention in The Landings.

It’s the chase.

However, it’s been two weeks since Levi caught him at the side of my house, and I’m not that hot of a commodity.

“Reeve, please, you have to go. I don’t want him—” He reaches out and tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear, ignoring my request and the imposing danger that’s somewhere looking at a video of my not jumping the light on my last race.

It’s hard to find the strength to knock his hand away. To be mean and proclaim for him to fuck all the way off. Especially when he’s been nothing but forthright from the gate.

“It’s fine, McQueen,” he argues lightly. “I won’t get alone in any dark places with him.”

“He finds me with you and you’re dead.”

“Then you better kiss me before he does.” I open my mouth to say something, but I’m quick to forget what it is when he says, “I’m sorry for what happened. I’m sorry for hitting you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t save you.”

My whole face skews up because he did. He did save me. He kept that guy off me and shot him dead in the middle of the street. He wouldn’t allow anyone else to put their hands on me.

“Reeve, what are you talking about? You protected me.” I reach for his hand and lace our fingers together. “Fuck, I’m so grateful for you. There’s no way I’d ever?—”

“Hey!” My body jolts, bumping into Reeve’s front as Green Mohawk’s maddening voice enters my headspace again. “You fucking cheating bitch!”

Reeve steps to the side and pivots, giving me a clear shot of the asshole getting mowed down by Levi’s marching behind him. His large hand jerks Mohawk by the shoulder and immediately gets in his face.

“I just showed you the fucking video,” my best friend leers through his clenched jaw, towering over him as if he’s seconds from pounding him into the ground. “She didn’t jump shit.”

The sight of how pissed off Levi is mindlessly has me stepping out in front of Reeve as a protective shield against my best friend.

They haven’t seen each other yet.

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