Page 36 of Pretty Little Lies

Bay just stares back at me, and I’m starting to read that the thoughts in her head are that I’m a fucking nutjob with a few screws loose. That all might be true and dandy, I never once said I was normal. I have a dark past and some pretty shitty things happen to me, but I refuse to let them own me.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” I impart softly. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making that night up to you. It killed me to do that to you. But seeing Wallace touch you like that drove me crazy and I don’t regret hitting that motherfucker.”

“He’s going to try to kill you one day.”

My lips coil into a smirk because he almost did. However, I have a dark guardian angel on my side. “And here you are, thinking that you don’t like me.”

“I never said I didn’t like you,” she retorts evenly. “It’s that it won’t work. That it’s too much of a hassle. That, now, I have the King of South Shore wanting to kill me and?—”

“That’snotgonna happen, baby. I understand why he got my ass that night for what he saw and believed happened. But he’s not gonna disrespect you like that in front of me.”

“Don’t sweat it. I’m okay.”

She’s not.

But I’m not going to defend the dickhead when Wallace is the last thing or person I’m interested in.

“I’ll start listening to you when you begin hearing me. And that nasty bruise and black eye I landed you that night says different. I’m over here contradicting myself and shit.”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She lifts her shoulders as if it’s nothing. As if, maybe, it’s happened before.

I ever find that out, I’ve officially gained a bone to pick with the King ofHe’s Going to Fucking Die.

“It hurts me,” I retort gently because I’ve kept replaying it over and over in my head for weeks now. “I will never lay another hand on you like that again. I promise.”

She lets out an unsteady exhale, and I’m sure it’s hard to accept the fact that her opposing side legit wants something nice for her. That we’re—I—am not in this for some bullshit bragging points and a few high fives.

“I need you to believe me,” I tell her. “If there was anything I’ve ever said to you, this is the time?—”

“I’m glad it was you,” she declares, anchoring those arresting blues back at me and setting the sudden ramping pace of my heartbeat. “I trusted that you’d keep me safe. I wouldn’t have wanted it to be anyone else. I wasn’t mad at you afterward, and I’m not now. I was a wreck when I found out Levi carted you off to the shipping yard, and I…”

I wait on bated breath for her to continue, but she doesn’t. “You, what?” She averts her gaze and tries to find something else to occupy her time. “McQueen…”

Her famous nickname has her returning to look back at me before she sighs. “I sent someone out to get you.”

My brows clench. “What?”

“I’m not telling you who it was,” she retorts, crossing her arms over her chest as to keep the secret safe. “But…I was being watched, and I couldn’t stand the thought of you being out there.” She lets go of a shaky sigh. “He told me you weren’t there…and I thought the worst.”

“He?” I repeat, earning a glare at my prodding of who it may be. I honestly don’t care. I’m just breaking through some of the tension. “I had my ownhethat night, baby. But the thought of you wanting to save me…yeah, you’re gonna marry me one day.”

Bay rolls her eyes, and my fingers itch to reach out and touch her, but I remain suspended in my spot. She’s had a hell of anight and the last thing she needs is for me to get handsy. “I’ll text you to make sure you got home safe.”

She bobs her head. “Yeah, okay.”

Then she turns and leaves me watching her stride to her car. Those hips swaying with each step, and the weight of my cock grows heavy in my pants.

I really am fucked up.

TWELVE

bay

“They buy it?”

With my hand firmly placed on the wheel, I drive home, taking my time and slowly filtering through all my emotions.

That was intense. And so not planned.

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