30. Bay
THIRTY
bay
In all transparency, I told Levi about Reeve’s birthday party so it’d keep me on his radar. And he’s still having a hard time accepting the fact that I’m a vital part in keeping South Shore safe from any future movements from Emilio and the Forsaken Crew.
In Wharf Bay, which is supposed to be undivided territory for all of us, I’m standing on an insanely decorated beach with Japanese lanterns hung overhead, a giant bonfire in the middle of white canopy tents, a DJ setup off the side, and a million and one people in bathing suits and colorful string bikinis.
While I’m dressed in shorts and flip-flops because of the sand.
Grabbing a beer from one of the many coolers lined up along several tables of food, I study the crowd and look for the birthday boy. I should get on his ass about not telling me the dress code, but it should’ve been obvious since it was at a beach.
Finding Reeve isn’t hard. All I had to do was follow the group of girls with barely anything on surrounding him. His quick and easy smile graces his face as a girl touches his arm, flirting and trying to gain his attention from someone else who’s speaking to him. It also gives me time to examine his hard chest scattered with black tattoos over tanned skin that I can’t make out from back here. A white bathing suit hugs his waist, displaying a muscular stomach and bulging arms. His sandy blond hair is carelessly styled, I swear it’s like he just woke up and came to this party but it just always looks so damn good on him.
He stands out like a bright beacon, not because he’s part of the Forsaken Crew—you wouldn’t know by him just standing there with his shirt off and a beer in his hand—but because of his vibe that draws you in. That calm aura like the ocean behind him that centers me to him, even though the water scares the absolute crap out of me.
Just like him.
It’s the easiest thing to get lost in Reeve’s hazel eyes and take his words for bible. Nothing about him screams bullshit and lies.
Which makes staying out of my feelings during the course of this co-op operation.
Cracking open my beer, I take a giant gulp and demand the small twinge of jealousy to stop coursing through my veins and the fact that I’m sinking into a black hole.
This is his world.
I had every intention of telling Reeve to just let me go, but that’s never going to happen. He won’t listen anyway, and he might be my in. I could tell him all day to consider the fact and the history between South Shore and The Landings because fights break out all the time between the two towns.
Just three days ago, a group of guys were fighting in the hallway at my school, and I recognized some being from my own neighborhood. Oceanview College is becoming a breeding ground for set-ups, drug deals, and initiations, not education. And it seems like in every other class, it’s someone starting shit.
Hence, why this whole occupational therapy bullshit isn’t going to work. I can’t even get through a lecture or an assignment without security being called in, and I’m just wasting time being here when my family could be somewhere else.
“You should go claim your man, Wildfire. He’s been waiting for you all night.”
And speaking of feelings…
Torin’s deep octave licks up my spine and causes my body to still in tandem with his newly added presence. Everything about this boy makes me stand to attention. Those tawny gold eyes and those boyish features always make me fucking swoon like an idiot.
“I just got here,” I claim, taking another well-needed drink of my beer.
“I know.” He steps out in front of me, black-rimmed glasses resting on his nose and making him look sophisticated, smart, and fucking delicious in this nerdy, rip my clothes off right now kinda way. “You’re hard to miss.”
Same.
I fail miserably at not taking in his body, finding the maroon tee that molds to his lean muscles, and I dare myself not to allow my eyes to drift any lower.
“You should’ve been here earlier,” he muses. “I had my shirt off.”
Slicing my focus back up to him, those golden ebbs of his get me all sorts of fucked up again. “I’m surprised you put it back on.”
“If I knew for sure that you were going to be here, I wouldn’t have. However, I’m not looking to get too much sun and die of skin cancer. I’m leaving the honors to you when you said you were going to off me.”
I roll my eyes and slip with a smirk. “You’re dramatic as fuck. You should go into acting.”
“I don’t like people telling me what to do.”
“Well, since you’re so good at telling other people what to do, you should be drilling it into Reeve’s head that I’m bad news.”
“That’s yet to be decided.” He shrugs slightly and steps forward. “You keep telling us you’re not part of The Nameless. That you’re not looking to dethrone me.” His chest brushes mine and my next inhale catches. “You wanna be treated with respect, remember?”
“Mhm…” He lifts a brow at my lack of answer, so I give him one. “I don’t completely buy it.”
“Which part?” He flicks his unfaltering gaze to my lips and my stomach flips. Especially when he holds it there. “The one where I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt to see if you fuck me over? Or the literal fucking you part? Let’s not forget that Reeve has a massive crush on you.”
“You’re playin’ me like one of your whores.”
“I technically don’t have any beef with South Shore, other than the fact that they tried to murder me when I was eight. Notice how I haven’t invaded your borders. That I haven’t kidnapped your ass and made you mine by force. It’s entered my mind a few times, but I’m not looking for more beef with Wallace.”
I stare at him, the nonchalant confession he just blurted out and said like it was nothing. “You wouldn’t?”
He cocks a brow. “Wouldn’t I, Wildfire? You obviously don’t know how deep my little obsession ran for you. C’mon, Bay…” His fingers cup my waist, and he drags me even closer. “Can’t you admit that you like me a little? That I make your heart race and you’re just secretly wanting to get underneath me?”
Yes.
“No.” The word isn’t hard to fake when I put him higher than Reeve and Cairo on the do not touch list. He’s the son of Emilio Wildes, the antagonist of my town, and the spawn of everything dangerous. Torin is no moron. He’s smart and calculated, and what he wants is information just like I do. We’ll be at a stalemate forever.
“Always thought you were a beautiful liar, Wildfire. But, we’ll keep playin’ it your way.” This time, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and guides me forward. “Let’s go see the birthday boy.”
I follow without a fight toward Reeve, whose lifted chin shows off his throat as he chugs down a beer, half-ass listening to whatever the blonde in front of him is jabbering about. His gaze slices our way, as if sensing my arrival, and that’s when he removes the bottle from his mouth and straightens his face. The smile that illuminates his features makes me mindlessly return it, and when he shifts his body to face mine, the blonde notices where his new attention lies.
“Bay Bay McQueen,” he coos, shaking his head and doing what he always does, appreciating my body with one smooth and lavish look. “You’ve officially made this the best day ever.”
The blonde’s face wrinkles in what I think to be an insult, but Reeve doesn’t notice.
I, on the other hand, can feel every petty, jealous, and pissed-off look sent my way.
“Happy Birthday, Reevie,” I reply, keeping my distance, because the last thing I want to do is break up Reeve’s party for an assault charge.
“Reevie?” the blonde blurts, propping her hand on the drawstring of her hot pink bikini bottom. “What is he, twelve?”
“Shut the fuck up, Betty No Tits,” Reeve drones, keeping his focus locked on me. “You can leave now.”
“But—”
“ Leave .”
Betty No Tits scoffs and pivots around, her long golden hair smacking her in the face as she does, and with her, takes the crew of lanky bitches striding away like a squad of mean girls.
“Two-Way Mirror” by Loathe begins to play over the beach and Reeve takes a step closer. “Wanna dance?”
I lift a brow. “To this?”
“Yeah.” He holds out his hand, and I hesitate. “You wouldn’t deny me on my birthday, right?”
My lips curl into an exasperated but easy smile, and Reeve takes that as his cue to take possession of my hand, immediately lacing his fingers with mine.
It’s intimate and him and dangerous.
Every time I tell myself that this isn’t such a good idea to get too deep, I’m roped back in with his effortless demeanor of making my heart flutter wildly in my chest. I practically wait in anticipation to see him smile.
Reeve hands over his beer to Torin and walks us over by the raging bonfire a few yards away that a few people are already standing around to stay warm. The breeze off the ocean holds a chill and the fire feels nice along my skin before a strong arm wraps around my waist, pulling me right against Reeve’s hard and naked chest.
“Will you take a selfie with me?”
His hazel eyes glimmer against the flames and I begin romanticizing this moment.
Stop it.
I give him a curt nod in response, and Reeve fishes out his cell, holding it over our heads and snapping a few shots. Then he kisses my cheek and takes a few more.
Reeve takes my hand again as he loses his phone and lays it on his chest right above his heart. He gathers up my other one, lacing our fingers together as he begins to sway us back and forth to this unconventional heavy metal band. But this song is slow, and the tempo is mellowed out, just like Reeve, which makes this so not weird when it’s him.
“I meant what I said,” he says before leaning forward. The smell of him, the ocean, and sage fills my nostrils and relaxes my body. “You made my night, McQueen.”
“Then you must not have much to look forward to,” I jeer, meeting his hazel eyes mixed with orange and bits of red from the fire.
“Not lately.” He presses his forehead to mine, and I melt into his hold.
No one has ever affected me like Reeve does. I’ve never felt so safe and scared at the same time before while knowing still that he wouldn’t hurt me.
With Matteo, it was all fear.
With Torin it’s all skepticism.
But with Reeve, all functions of my body fail to yield and protect myself, but wanting to just sink into him and never let go.
“Not until I saw you beat the shit out of the mayor’s son, and I was hooked, baby.”
“You shouldn’t like violent chicks,” I whisper through a grin. “They’re bad for you.”
“Not when they’re powerful enough to keep me in line.”
“You want someone to beat your ass if you step out?” I tease, his closeness taunting me to accept everything he has to offer and fuck everything else floating around in our path.
His lips curl. “Would that include you nursing me back to health when it’s done?
“Reeve…”
“Mhm?” He closes his eyes and continues to move us in a steady motion. My words become lodged in my throat because this, him, I like it. It feels nice and welcoming, and so normal. Ever since Dad stroked out, everything took a shit. Then Mom’s confession to Emilio, his finding me and I’ve felt trapped ever since.
“What’s wrong, McQueen?” He nestles my nose once with his to get me to talk and openly tell him what is so simple for him to do. “Who do I need to kill?”
A broken scoff leaves my lips and I wish I was someone else.
Never thought I’d ever say that.
I love my family. I love my town.
I just despise that this man doesn’t live in it.
“No one,” I finally say after a beat. “I’m…glad I’m here with you.”
“Are you? You don’t have to lie to me. I conned you into coming like an asshole.”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.”
And I mean that.
I’m losing focus and drive when it comes to keeping on my mission and not to where I want to be without feeling like I’m stabbing Reeve in the back.
“Sometimes I wonder if you do like me, McQueen. Or if this is all something else that I don’t wanna say for you to get upset with me. But I don’t want to get any deeper into this without hearing you say it.”
I know exactly what he wants me to divulge to him, and it’d be a lie if I told him what he desired to hear. Because at the end of the day, if he’s planning to go to war with South Shore, I’m going to take care of mine before him.
No matter how he makes me feel.
No matter how I feel calm and safe with him.
No matter what title he holds.
“Are you looking for me to say if I’m actively looking to hurt you?” I ask through a whisper. He bobs his head twice without a second thought and doesn’t pry his skin off mine. “I’m not. I don’t wanna hurt you, Reeve.”
And I don’t.
Reeve’s lips gently press into mine before they clasp possessively over my bottom lip. He pulls on it a tad, getting my mouth to separate before he plunges his tongue needily inside my mouth.
Reeve doesn’t change his speed, taking our kiss in slow and steady movements as a guttural moan forms from my throat and empties into his.
His fingers dig slightly into my back as he eats me alive, gradually taking all the stress of everything around me and replacing it with just him and I.
Just him and I.
Fuck, it’s not even possible, of course, because I feel something coming around the horizon. Whether he’s part of it or not.
However, I can’t help but be selfish, to want all of this. I like the way I feel against him. I enjoy his kisses and the way I feel linked to him. My little crush is developing into something more, and as much as I try to shove it away, the damn thing pushes back.
Reeve suddenly breaks the kiss, his heavy exhales brushing along my lips as he keeps himself snug and close to me. “You’re the best kinda high I’ve ever fucking had.”
My heart skips, and my body only wants to be closer to his safety. “You’re nuts.”
“Gettin’ there. But I don’t mind it. In fact”—his fingers splay around my back—“I’m not the only one getting there.”
I pull a little from him. “What do you mean?”
“A close asshole wants to fight off his feelings for you, but you’re growing on him.”
My brows clash together before Reeve spins me around, pulling my spine into his chest before I can even focus on what’s in front of me.
Torin.
My long hair is pulled from my shoulder, exposing the side of my neck before Reeve’s sinful mouth falls to the sensitive skin there.
My eyes mindlessly flutter as his tongue sweeps across my already warmed flesh, his strong forearm wrapped around my middle to keep me grounded to him, and that’s when Pretty Boy takes a step in my direction.
His long fingers curl around my cheek and chin, raising my face to meet his tawny brown irises filled with lust and hesitation.
I mean, shit, I’ve tried headbutting him twice already, so I can see why he wouldn’t want to get too close to me.
Except it doesn’t stop him as he bends forward, making my heart thrash in my chest and my breathing hitch.
“You got us both fucked up,” he accuses gently. “The little girl from South Shore.”
“I’d say fuck you,” I reply with no hardness to my tone, because I got the devil at my back, keeping me tightly within his grasp and draining all energy to want to fight. “But I’m proud to be South Shore.”
“As you should be.” Torin’s mouth hovers over mine, teasing, or thinking about what his next move is going to be.
And I can’t help but want him to close to the distance. I’ve already made one fucked-up mistake on coming here, so why not make anymore?
“Don’t screw with me, Pretty Boy,” I utter. “The consequences are brutal.”
“I already did, and I liked the aftermath.” Then his mouth clashes into mine, so off beat from Reeve’s previous kiss, lapsing my lips like he’s dying inside and I’m the antidote.
His teeth dig warningly into my lip, as if to silently tell me to not do anything he believed I was doing before. As if he has something to prove to the both of us.
This attraction toward him isn’t all one-sided because I don’t have a type. While Reeve and Torin are both pretty boys with their own personalities, Torin is a passionate asshole and Reeve is a sweetheart with a constant hard-on.
Torin’s hand finds one of my hips and kneads, imploring me to leave everything behind. I desperately want to, more than anything. To say fuck this line that divides us and these rival gangs and just live our best lives.
Torin’s tongue mangles with mine, coaxing the thought further through my brain, and I’m thankful that Reeve is holding me. I’d collapse if he wasn’t. Nothing but desire courses throughout my body and between my legs, and I squeeze them together to give myself some sort of relief from this sweet torment.
It does nothing.
Especially when Reeve felt me do it and slides his arm down, slipping his fingers between my legs. He doesn’t touch me where I ache to be touched. We’re still on the beach with “Without Me” by Fame on Fire playing, and there’s no need to put on a free show.
“Torin, your shipment arrived.”
Pretty Boy reluctantly pries his lips from mine and looks over his shoulder, giving someone a curt nod that he heard what was said.
“Looks like fate wants us to chill,” Torin grinds out, running his palm down my thigh one more time before disappearing. “We’ll finish this later.”
Reeve pulls from me then, allowing his fingers to linger on me another few seconds on my hips as he rounds my body to stand next to Torin.
I demand my lungs to catch a placid breath, but fail when they both regard me with both hunger and lust in their different colored eyes.
“Definitely going to finish this later,” Reeve agrees with a cocky smirk. “And T-Minus ten seconds.”
“What?” I exhale off a pant, which only makes Torin smile like a douchebag and Reeve to bite down on his lower lip in amusement.
“Bay.”
I instantly cringe outwardly at the sound of that voice. And I never said I was that good of an actress.
Ramsey.
That and I can’t pace my breathing like I wasn’t just mauled by Torin and Reeve and on the road of coming.
Forcing myself to glimpse over, Ramsey is in a black dress-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up his forearms and his medium-brown hair styled to the side like he just left a business meeting or something.
“Enjoying the party?” he solicits, as if he gives a shit. And why he’s here at Reeve’s birthday party…
“Yeah,” I force from my throat, curling my lips in a weak smile. “Torin and Reeve have been keeping me company.”
He flicks an irritated look at them, and they’re not helping when they haven’t wiped off their arrogant expressions. “I’m sure they have. There’s a card game that a bunch of idiots are starting up. I thought you might want in.”
I immediately bob my head. More money means food on the table and bills to catch up on. “Absolutely.”
“Perfect.” He gestures for me to lead the way to a spot I don’t know, and I really don’t want to leave with him, but I need the distraction to bring me back down.
And like the good little spy I am, I play along and stride off. Feeling Torin and Reeve’s eyes on me the whole fucking time.
Promising that what they said is true.