18. Bay
EIGHTEEN
bay
The concert is lit as all shit.
The bands are amazing, the undeniable hype intoxicating as people rock out, dancing and smoke outside this World War II looking bunker-dome that’s jammed packed with people.
Gray clouds linger ahead, making the purple, blue and green lights behind the stage misty and pretty. My ears have adjusted to the excessive volume, a coat of fresh sweat layering my skin and sticking to the fabric of my tight dress as I try to remember all the names of the bands that have already played so I can Spotify them later.
I’ve danced, smoked, drank, and made a friend with this really cute girl who sometimes comes out of the mob of fans to get another beer or cocktail. She’ll spend a song with me as we dance and grind before she goes back to her friends.
I’ve had too much Jack Daniels to care and a beautiful buzz that I soon need to shake so that I can drive home.
Torin and Cairo have been gone for God knows how long, but I’ve been preoccupied with my new concert friend, and Reeve has been letting me do whatever I want while keeping me within his constant sights. He’s is sitting along the edge of a small, bricked wall that leads to the concession stands as I randomly swing my hips in tandem to the drums or intermission music.
And then a delicate hand lands on my hip, and I instantly know whose coming up to see me again.
“Blondie,” I coo, using her simple nickname and slowly pivoting around, finding her pretty blue eyes already glimmering with mischief.
“Hey, girl,” she greets back. “Miss me?”
“Of course, I did.” I prop my arm over her shoulder. “Where’re your friends?”
She jerks a thumb behind her. “Flirting with some dudes with mohawks and, hopefully, big dicks. However, your friend is giving me the impression that he’s ready to shoot me or something.”
I fawn an easy chuckle, even though, it’s not outside his day job. The only thing that doesn’t get me to advise her to maybe go back to her friends is that Reeve isn’t one to show out and start waving a gun around.
“Is he your boyfriend?”
“No. Just a friend.”
Ish.
Blondie steps closer and begins rolling her hips, gluing her eyes to mine. “I think there’s more to that. I’m theorizing that he likes you.”
I shrug my shoulders dismissively. I’m over denying that.
Blondie leans in, red-painted lips inching closer to mine. Her golden hair is plastered to her forehead, but it doesn’t hide how pretty she is or the playful hazel eyes behind it.
“Are you trying to convince me of that or you?” I open my mouth to tell her I’m undecided, but she speaks instead. “I’m up for a little fun if you are.”
I quirk a knowing brow. “We’re gonna play that game?”
“Why not?” She steals another look, at what I’m assuming is Reeve, behind me. “If you’re not attached, I don’t see why I can’t kiss you. Besides, I’m really curious to test out the theory.”
Okay, so, she’s hot.
Nonetheless, I’m not looking for Reeve to test my theory on the whole showing off his Glock bit.
“He’s a little territorial, Blondie.” I pat her shoulder as if it were a good idea, but no. I’m here to have a good time, not prove that I can make Reeve jealous. “I don’t want your night ruined over male pride.”
And for my buzz to be ruined.
Except Blondie doesn’t heed my warning, closing in on me instead. Sweat and strawberries waft around me when she inches her blood-stained lips toward mine and presses them to my mouth.
Cupping my waist, she pulls me closer. Our bodies press together as she licks at my mouth, coaxing her way in.
Buzz and high meet bad decisions.
My fingers rake through her hair out of sheer pride that I can rock her world, even though I didn’t want her to do this. Yet it’s easy to settle into the kiss because she’s soft and not anything or anyone who’s going to be the demise of my family’s takedown. Blondie moves in perfect tandem with me, our breaths quickly becoming heavy and my body humming with the bass of the music and the way she’s licking at my tongue.
I’ve made out with girls before, found them attractive, and never outwardly called myself out for being straight or bi—we know lesbian is out because I love dick—but I’m open to giving Blondie a go and some girl-on-girl action, when she’s suddenly yanked away from me as soon as my legs clench in need.
Cracking my eyes open, Blondie is gone and unsurprisingly replaced with Reeve. And, since I’m surrounded by assholes with glowers and suggestions about what I should or shouldn’t be doing, he’s got those mind-blowing hazels gazing down at me with a fuck around some more and find out expression.
“Baby, if you wanted someone to kiss you, I was standing right there.”
I push my lips out because no words fully form in my brain—Blondie can actually kiss—when Reeve fills in the blanks for me.
Fisting my shirt, he drags me into him, showing off a bit of annoyance when he bends over, taunting me all over again with his mouth now.
“I don’t share. Unless I’m fucking involved, got me?”
I bob my head, eyes falling to his lips, and that’s when he uses his powers against me.
I’m not even a next inhale in before they hurl into mine, his mouth prying into my lusted-filled high as he kisses me as though he’s claiming me.
His palm lands on my waist before sliding over to my ass and squeezing the flesh there. My body involuntarily grinds against his from the strength of it, feeling his hard cock protrude and hit the top of my thigh.
I can’t help the moan that forms in my throat. Especially because Reeve hasn’t let go of my shirt, forcing me to remember what he said and that I’m not going anywhere to deny my attraction for him.
He’s everything I could ever want in a guy.
And that alone is hard to swallow when you tack on the fact of who he’s involved with and the power he yields.
Reeve grinds his rigid length against me, giving me another taste of how I make him feel. Reminding me that it’s just best I accept this and move on.
With him.
“McQueen,” Reeve grounds out, his voice a guttural siren of lust and need. “Why do you make it so hard for me?”
His forehead presses into mine, his hot exhales brushing against my lips where I want him again.
“I prefer it hard so you can use it,” I half tease, but I’m so fucking serious. I’m feeling way too damn good to deny him a thing.
And, let’s be real, he’d be the last person I probably would.
He’s always good to me.
He allows me space.
I don’t mind the whole watching me thing either. It’s protection.
“Go grab Cairo for me before I fuck you somewhere that’s not sanitary.”
Inching even closer, I ask, “Why? I like being right here.”
“Because you tempt me too much, and I’m trying to get you alone and not somewhere where they’re pounding on a door, bitching about how they have to take a piss. Plus, you’ve already had a sex tape floating around with me on it. And I didn’t even fuck you for real yet.”
My brows pinch, not wanting to dredge up that night, before he slightly pulls from me and extends a hand, pointing to the massive crowd.
I know it still bothers him more than it does me. I just don’t understand why he hasn’t let it go yet.
Needless to say, I back out of that conversation and rummage through the thick crowd to do Reeve’s bidding.
I don’t mind the order. I get another view of the music lovers playing out in front of me.
The mosh pit is farther down next to the stage and everyone else who doesn’t want any elbow to the face is up on top of the grassy knoll to enjoy the show.
My gaze falls on a tall figure dressed in all black from earlier tonight. His sleeves to his dress shirt are rolled up his forearms, displaying the tan skin of his scatteredly inked skin and, I think it’s Cairo.
He’s dancing, which doesn’t seem to be normal Cairo Black behavior, with a redhead in a short pink dress that barely covers her ass.
I guess I just expected him to be sharpening a knife or maybe practicing his glaring at the random folks bustling around, having a good time instead of enjoying himself.
Long fingers lace through mine, making me jolt in response when I glimpse over my shoulder to find Reeve again. “Won’t look good if someone sees him with her.”
Vivian.
He doesn’t need to elaborate as I give Reeve’s hand a small squeeze before dropping it, treading the rest of the way down the tiny hill and the shallow cement stairs to the main area.
The redhead in front of Cairo is curvy, with a decent ass and tits for days . Cairo needs someone who would get down in the grove of sweaty bodies and give him a good grinding.
Blunt between his lips, he sways with her, hand stapled to her body as “Hot Demon Bitches Near U” by Corpse blares through the impressive sound system as everyone waits for the next act.
I actually feel bad prying him away from her. Red is doing a really good job, and I bet this is his first boner this year.
At dinner, Vivian would only speak to Emilio, not that the boys bothered to talk to her either, and then she’d silently send messages to me every time our eyes would connect.
Most awkward meal of all time.
Cairo lifts his head, blowing smoke from his lips and into the sky, when he comes down and locks eyes with me.
He doesn’t look pissed, irritated, or unhappy to see me…but he doesn’t look ecstatic either.
Just bored.
Works for me.
“Hey, Reeve needed you,” I announce, jerking my thumb in his direction. “He asked me to come get you.”
“For what?” he yells over the music. His grip still on his dance partner, alluding that he’s not particularly concerned about moving from his spot.
I shrug. “That’s above my pay grade.”
“So is being his bitch,” he retorts like a fucking class-A douchebag. He reaches my buzz a little bit with his shitty attitude, but I send his dancing partner an apologetic grin instead.
Cairo leans over her shoulder then, blocking me from her face and he stays there for an annoyingly long moment before straightening his spine and smacking her ass. She ambles away, not bothering to glance at me while Cairo turns to face me again.
However, he doesn’t move.
Okay.
Pivoting, my goal has been reached level has been completed, and I begin to make my way back to the dude that doesn’t spew his asshole shit to me before Cairo opens that big-ass mouth again.
“You gonna be around for a while or what?”
Navigating my focus back to him, I’m not going to do it again. I need another beer from the dowsing he’s throwing on my once-tipsy state. “Or what?”
“Here…with my boys.” I heave my shoulders dismissively because more than likely. I’m not about to get into why and what I need to do about shit. Tonight is my freebie, my relaxing night, my fucking break. “That’s how they’re talking.”
“Talk about me a lot?”
“Not particularly. I wish you’d disappear.” He whirls his index finger around, and I notice symbols on his knuckles that I never noticed before. “You’re no good for anyone around here.”
“Thanks for your two cents. I’ll use them to buy a fuck.” He stares at me evenly tempered, and I give. I understand his worry, how he’d want to protect his friends from a South Shore girl. It’s not exactly a secret how we feel about each other. “You’re afraid I’m going to break Reeve’s heart?”
“No.”
“Torin’s?”
He scoffs through his nose, wrinkling it as if that’d never be an unpenetrable feat I’d ever conquer. “Definitely not.”
“Then yours.”
“Oh, yeah, Little Terror, terrified.” He steps closer, and I smell the leather of his coat, along with the weed and rosemary coming off his skin and clothes. The faded cut on the sides of his head gives him that edgy effect paired with his gauged ears. However, he’s the most boring of the three. “I’ll be so bent out of shape when you’re gone.”
“Gosh.” I force a sigh, even though it’s more like a swoon so it sounds real. “With words like that, how will we ever tell Vivian that you’re secretly in love with me?” I narrow my eyes. “I mean, being in your presence is as exciting as watching the fucking grass grow.”
Cairo’s facial expression still doesn’t crack, remaining stoic and placid as all hell. It’s insanely impressive. “Guess we’ll have to figure that out.”
“Yeah, well…I’ll be sure not to hold my breath while that phenomenon takes place. Might be dead by then. And you should smile sometimes, Car. It might look good on you. Maybe it’d even take the stick out of your ass.”
“It might. If there was something to fucking smile about.” His chest bumps mine, and it takes me a second longer to regain my footing. The dick. “Stay the fuck out of my way. Stay the fuck away from Matteo De Leon. He’s in mine , and you don’t want to get there either.”
He bumps me again with his hard biceps when he walks away, leaving me to stare at the stage crew setting up for the next gig.
My phone buzzes in my small clutch hanging at my hip as I fish it out, watching the stage crew set up the show’s next set. And what’s awaiting me, couldn’t come at a better time.
LEVI: Why do you look upset?
My lips heave, he’s here—somewhere.
BAY: Just suffered some severe whiplash from Black. The dude’s a real peach.
LEVI: You got two of the three in the palm of your hand, don’t sweat him. He’ll be overruled in time.
BAY: I think he might be more of a problem.
LEVI: Well, you wanted to spare them so badly. We need to find out where their headspace is going to be when we get rid of Emilio. Are we fleeing the country or can we kick it and chill?
BAY: This is a lot of socializing.
LEVI: LOL.
LEVI: My little troll.
LEVI: They say anything yet about the Beach Fair?
BAY: No. However, I think that’s why Torin mentioned coming here.
LEVI: He’s up behind you with Cairo and Reeve. He’s going to move. Flip over to the other thread.
This is why Levi and I were always meant to be best friends—we’re extra. He has another number, made and intended for an additional push of our fake breakup. My best friend believes Torin would do better with the small added details that might happen on a day to day.
Our goal, if Torin happens to ask or be around, I have proof that Levi’s a bitch ex-boyfriend.
It sounds—it is —shitty. However, I can’t get into Torin’s head far enough to know what’s the truth and what he’s attempting to feed me.
I’m not going to spare his feelings if he’s playing me.
But I want to.
And I’m praying that he’s true to what he says. That he’s not like Emilio. That he’s going to surprise me.
LEVI: You think I’m playin’ when I said I’d kill your ass?
LEVI: You want to make me look like a fucking fool, Bay?
BAY: Leave me alone, dude.
LEVI: You wanna play the victim now? I heard you’re out with those Forsaken motherfuckers now. Admit it, you fucked them.
BAY: I don’t owe you a damn thing nor an explanation to make you sleep better at night. Get off my fucking phone.
LEVI: The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. They’re going to use you up and spit you out. Good thing you don’t know shit or you’d probably spew out when you sucked their dicks.
BAY: Not sure I’d be able to do that since they’re so big.
“Why are you standing out here alone, Wildfire?” The moment I raise my head from my phone, Torin is orbiting my side, eyes glassed and face slightly pink from drinking.
“Just wanted a moment alone.”
His eyes descend to the phone in my hand, but he’s hesitant at first when he asks me, “You alright?”
“Mhm.” I give him a feeble grin and play the part of not wanting to talk about it. Because the truth might just disappoint me.
“He bothering you?”
“Who?”
Torin lifts a brow, but I force him to say it. “Wallace.”
“He’s not something I can’t handle,” I quickly vouch.
“I’m sorry, but you do know who he is, right?” I meet his stare dead on. I know him better than anyone. I also know he’s watching me right now from somewhere to ensure I’m safe. “What does he want?”
“Let it go,” I order, turning to go back to Reeve, but Torin outstretches his hand, and I’m not sure if it’s an order or a request.
Eyes locked, I don’t budge, and he doesn’t either. However, he does speak.
“I just want to know what you’re up against so I can protect you.” My eyes tighten mechanically over his comment.
Bullshit or true? Bullshit or true?
“I don’t believe you,” I deadpan, not offering up much else, because there are no holes in the reasons why. If anything, he can relate to me the most.
He nods. “I know.”
I’d ask him why it matters, but he’d never tell me. So, I give him what he wants.
Dropping my cell into his possession, neither of us says a word as Torin glances down at my phone. I hear the sound of the crowd gearing up for the next band, the air sizzling with excitement as the oxygen around me condenses.
Then I’m paired with gold eyes again.
“You really think my dick is that big you wouldn’t be able to talk?”
My face scrunched in irritation because that’s the thing he wants to mention after all the crap Levi has spoken to me.
So, I rip my phone out of his hand and he laughs merrily at me.
Emilio might be a rat prick, Ramsey a weirdly classified psycho, but Torin’s the bastard who’s always going to be butting heads with me.