Page 81 of Pretty Little Lies

And here comes the lovesick puppy.

Bay doesn’t move to greet Reeve, staring up at me with challenge that if I don’t do what she says, she’s going to attempt to make me. I’m curious to see how she’s going to make that happen.

However, Reeve plops down at her side, grips her jaw softly and twists her face toward him. “You okay, baby?” He shoves back some of the hair away from her ears. “He’s fuckingdead.”

She hands him a sweet smile and rocks her head, displaying how she got him to fall head over heels in lust for her. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Fuck that,” he clips out. “He touched what’s mine. He’s fucking dead.”

“Reeve—”

“He’s right,” Torin announces, coming to my side and looking her over. “A little lesson needs to be taught.”

“A little lesson that we’re not going to get around to in the near future because we don’t have the time,” I mutter, half-ass signing with my hands so he doesn’t miss what I’m saying. “However, we’re gonna keep her close.”

Bay’s head snaps up to me. “Excuse me? I’m not remaining close toyou,when all you do is glower at me with your attitude problem and?—”

“I’ll watch you,” Reeve retorts. “Don’t sweat it, McQueen. You’re safe with us.”

“I’m not.” She pulls her face from his grip. “Reeve, Levi is going to?—”

My best friend actually rolls his eyes at her. “Baby, you’d already be dead. And that means we’d rain on him.”

Bay just stares at him like he’s insane over him wanting to go to bat for her. Except, what she doesn’t know, is that he’s the most loyal ass clown she’ll ever meet.

The clanking of dog collars, followed by panting filling the room, and Kona and Koda nudge their way between Reeve and his damsel in distress to seize her ultimate attention and she freezes.

“What the fuck is that?” she solicits, her hands in the air as she squeezes her eyes shut. “Just slit my throat if you want to kill me.”

“What are you talkin’ about?” Torin drones. “They’re not going to attack you unless told to.” That does nothing to have her open her eyes and I nudge Torin to get his pets off the fucking couch. “Koda, Kona, down.”

The Rots follow his direction immediately, but they sit right at her knees, vicious dogs that have their pink tongues out and begging for her notice.

“Baby, the dogs aren’t going to hurt you.”

“I can’t,” she whispers, fear etched in her tone. “Please, take them away.”

Reeve steals a look at me, brows furrowed because we’re thinking the same thing.

Matteo De Leon.

“Come,” Torin instructs, removing the dogs from her feet, but not the room. He’s going to force her to come to terms with what we said. That they’re not going to harm her in any way and get over her fear.

I check out Reeve, staring at her as if she’s going to shatter into a million pieces right before his eyes and then Torin who’s fixedly looking at her like he doesn’t know what to do with himself.

And I never thought I would say this but I’m so glad I have a mission of my own with the Titan seat because if I looked half as desperate and lost as these two dumbasses I’d off my damn self.

“Why do they both act like you don’t get any attention?” she asks, pulling her chin up to look over at Torin with her eyes finally open. “Do you lock them in a kennel all day or something?”

“No,” he deadpans.

“They have too much energy,” she points out as if the dogs are lacking anything. They’re not, they eat better than most people. “They act like they’re locked up all day.”

“They only go running with me every morning.”

Bay perks a doubtful brow at him before Kona slowly moves forward, still panting away and demanding satisfaction in attention.

“Will they bite me?”

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