Page 93 of Pretty Little Lies

And this only further proved my point that Matteo De Leon needs to be put down. Not only because he’s a shady piece of shit, but because my girl’s terrified of him.

The question is, what the hell all did he fucking do?

Bay’s body slams into mine, not losing the momentum she had until she’s safely in my arms.

I like that I’m a safe haven for her.

That she had certainty in me that I wasn’t going to give her shit and let her down. It’s the beginning of what I wanted from the first moment I saw her. I wish for nothing other than for her to be mine and to give myself to something that was going to need me back.

And right now, I have it.

It has sky-blue eyes and fuckable lips. The way she tightly squeezes me only proves that I’m something more than an enemy and an entity that she can rely on. It feels like fucking heaven with curves and places I want to lick.

“I got you,” I mutter, tucking her head underneath my chin and holding her close. “You did good, baby.”

She doesn’t utter a word, the slight tremble still affecting her body and how Matteo De Leon has done shit that I’ll strangle him for.

And I’ll get those fucking answers eventually.

But right now, my girl needs me and I’m going to lay all my concentration on her.

“Let me take you home,” I croon, rubbing my palm up and down the length of her spine. “We’ll talk more?—”

“I want ice cream,” she mumbles into my chest. “And…I don’t want to go home just yet.”

“I can do ice cream.” I wait for her to break from my hold but, apparently, she’s not done yet.

“You shot at him.”

“Yeah.” And I’m not sorry. I never would’ve taken the shot if I knew I was going to hit her. “He was getting too close.”

She tucks her face closer to my chest. “I just want him to leave me alone, Reevie.”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

“Reeve…” She peers up at me. The darkness covering all her features from the trees above, but I’ve memorized them all. “Thank you for coming with me.”

I give her a smile, even though she probably can’t see it. “I got you, McQueen. I’m never gonna let anything happen to you.”

A few seconds tick by before she asks, “You really mean that, don’t you?”

A small chuckle forms in my chest. “I’ve been trying to tell you, girl. If you’d let me fuck it into you, you’d probably learn faster.”

“Why are you waiting?”

“Because…” I feel stupid for my next words, vulnerable even. Which normally isn’t a problem for me, but Bay isn’t just any girl.

This woman I want to marry one day. I want to put a million kids in her and I’d build her a house from scratch if she really wanted it.

Bay squeezes me, urging me to go on when I don’t respond. And I bite the bullet and my pride all at the same time.

“Because I want it to be real,” I mutter honestly. “Not just some random person to get off.”

“You’re the most honest or stupidest dude I’ve met.”

Story of the fucking year, apparently.

“Let’s not think about the latter, eh?”