17. Bay
SEVENTEEN
bay
“Are you alright?” Levi’s large hands pat my arms, my biceps, and swivels my head from side to side before he lands on the spot where Cairo bite me.
Fucking asshole.
It hurt until it didn’t. And I can’t say that the man isn’t hot as fuck, because he is. He’s also someone I would love to inflict permanent damage on.
“What the fuck is going on?” he clips out, meeting my eyes with his hazels. His brows are knitted together in confusion, and I need to tell him.
I’m just choking on my own words right now.
“Did you know they were going to get this pissed off after we stole their guns?” I ask instead, because I got nothing else to work with. “Because I didn’t.”
Levi hooks his arm underneath mine, and we continue to stride toward his old black Malibu. “He’s dead.”
“It’s fine, Lev,” I claim, even though it’s not. This is all going to get worse, I can feel it. “I’ll be more careful.”
“I’m going to be sending Juice and Hot Rod with you everywhere you go.”
“No,” I retort slowly. “We’re not doing all that.”
Levi spins me to face him and towers over me. His expression placid of any emotion, and I can’t read him right now when I normally can. “Why does Black want to meet?”
“Umm…” I stare into his broad chest. “He mentioned he didn’t want to start World War III. That he had some things he’d like to talk out and he knows I’m with you. So I think he believed I was the gateway to grab your attention.”
“Not to sound like a prick, but I think I need to put my claim on you.”
Okay, what the hell.
“I’m sorry…what?”
“If I publicly say that we’re dating,” he states, “then they’ll fuck off.”
Not entirely.
Because they already believe that we are.
“How do we get out of this entirely?” I ask instead. “This can’t go on forever, right?”
Levi tsks through his teeth. “Have you met Torin Wildes?”
Only way too many times and I’d like not to relive them.
“Let’s go home,” I reply, just wanting to get away from school and so that we don’t have to talk about this anymore. “I’m over today.”
“Yeah…okay.” He wraps his muscled arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. “You hungry?”
I bob my head because I could always eat.
“Hamburgers and milkshakes.”
I smile because that’s literally a favorite pastime with Levi. “Yes, please.”
My best friend chuckles. “Anything for my woman.”
And that comment makes a million and one things skate through my head.
Levi and I have been through so much that it’s a little crazy that he and I never dated. That we never made a move to take our friendship to another level.
However, that means a possible break up, which would sever what we have now. And that’s something I would never want to test the theory on.
“Don’t start getting mushy on me, man,” I chide lightly. “But I’ll keep the special treatment.”
Arriving at Levi’s car, he opens the passenger door for me. “I’m always giving you special treatment. I don’t buy shit for Rod or Juice.”
“Really? Because they get me stuff.”
Levi’s large palm lands on the top of my head to shove me inside his car and shut me up. “Don’t remind me that they’re trying to win you over as bestie. I’ll have to smash their heads in.”
“Ow, he’s already possessive.” My ass plops down against the black leather seats of his car.
“Possessive, my ass,” he retorts as I glance over at him with his tatted arm propped against the door. “I’ve got the years in.”
“They’re not far behind.”
Levi straightens his spine to its full height with a lifted brow. “Yeah? Well, let’s have them try to get past me and win that spot, huh?”
Then he closes the door in my face and rounds the front end to get inside. My cheeks actually heat from his words and I run a palm down one to chill out. If we weren’t friends, I’d say he was maybe flirting with my ass and how no one is ever going to get in the way of what we have.
I’m the same.
Levi might fuck someone else in South Shore, but he’s going always going to be mine. There will never be another human being who will step between what he and I are together.
Even if that’s always in the friend’s zone.