“Sorry. Guess it’s a defense mechanism,” I retorted. “Like when a skunk gets cornered, and it sprays. You got skunked. Or Vin’d. Just be glad I didn’t piss on you.”
“You’re so gross,” she muttered as we reached the back of the dip house. I released her hand and leaned against a tree, waiting for B to arrive.
“So what’s the information?” Stella pressed. “I need to return with something.”
“Tell him we’re dealing with Dom’s dad. That there isn’t a price on anyone’s heads yet. Tell him we’re ramping up our production of weed, and Dom just hired on a bunch of new pushers and got a new processing facility.”
“Did he?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Not any of your damn business,” I said. “You can also say some shit about the horsemen breathing up our asses and how we’re watching our backs with them. That I was just a drunk, rambling idiot because I’d fought with B tonight.”
“Hail will like that,” she mused.
A stick cracked behind us. I turned to look and saw Dom and Levin with B heading toward us.
“Cute performance,” Dom said. “I almost believed it, and you both almost died.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think you’d want to play, Dom,” Stella said. “Or I’d have asked you to feel me up instead of Vincent.”
Levin wound his arm around B’s waist as she glowered at Stella.
“Just for the record, he didn’t kiss me back,” Stella said, her comment clearly directed to B. “He spit on me instead.”
“Better than piss,” Levin shot back.
“That’s what I told her,” I said. “See? You’re being ungrateful, honestly.”
She gave me the finger.
“What’s going on?” Dom asked, ignoring the banter.
Stella quickly launched into what she’d told me.
“She’s going to try to be with Fallon. She can’t guarantee it though,” I added, glancing at B who looked like she was going to be sick.
“B, it’s going to suck, baby, but unless Dom lets him back in right this second and declares it to everyone, he has to do this,” I said gently.
“We were trying to stop this from happening,” she whispered, her voice cracking. Levin gave her a gentle squeeze.
“Dominic, please,” she choked out, breaking away from Levin and going to him. He stared down at her, unmoving. “Don’t let this happen. I’m begging you to just let him come back. Just tell everyone he’s a king. Please!” She dropped to her knees and clung to his hands as she stared up at him, tears on her cheeks.
My heart broke for her.
I really thought Dom would cave. A look of pain even crossed his face before he schooled it.
“Our world isn’t the kind you’re used to, wasp. If he’s required to do it to prove his worth, then so be it.”
She was on her feet in an instant. And damn was she fast. She raced off before I could grab her.
“Fuck,” Levin snarled, tearing after her, Dom and I on his heels.
She disappeared into the dark forest, and I suddenly cursed myself for dressing her in all black.
We ran until we were out of breath but couldn’t find her. I had no idea how she got lost that fast, but she did.
“Check the dorm,” Dom snapped at me. I nodded and ran off, praying she had the sense to just go home. But I knew baby B.
This was shaping up to be a real shit night.