“Yes,” I answered, staring up at him.
“I’m sorry. I-I was upset. I lashed out when I saw the chance. I’d never put you in danger, Bianca. I fucking swear it. I regret letting shit get to me. What can I do? Tell me. I’ll do it.”
“Just promise me you’ll prove your side. I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” he said, cradling my face. “So much.” He leaned in and pressed his lips gently against mine, taking care of my sore lip. “I’ll prove what side I’m on. Then there’ll never be a question in anyone’s mind.”
“I believe you.”
“Mm, good, princess. I have to meet Hail in a few. I can’t be late.” He released me, a sad look crossing his face.
He pulled a blunt out of his blazer jacket and lit it. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as he put it to his lips and took a pull before blowing out the smoke.
“You’re getting high?” I asked, frowning.
He nodded. “I’m a lord in their eyes. So I have to behave like one. If I’m not already blitzed, I’ll end up snorting shit I don’t want to have to snort. I’d rather be able to say I’m good and wasted, so I don’t need to fight with them over it.”
“Is it sugar?” Vincent asked, glancing over his shoulder at him.
“Yeah. A stick. What did E call this?”
“I don’t know,” Vincent said. “I was concentrating on not kicking De Luca’s ass. It took all my focus.”
“I don’t remember either. I don’t even know if he gave them a name,” I said.
“He’s a smart guy. There’s a name for it.” Fallon took another hit and blew out the smoke.
“I don’t like you having to be high all the time.”
“It’s not so bad. Helps the pain my heart is in right now.” He gave me a forlorn smile then took another hit, his eyes growing glassier by the second. “Vin, you want some?”
“Yeah.” Vincent sauntered to us and took the stick from Fallon and hit it before coughing and blowing out the smoke. “Fuck. That’s good shit.”
“You’re getting high too?” I sighed.
“I took a hit, B. I’m not fucked out of my skull. Promise. I’ll still be able to keep you safe.”
“You’d better,” I muttered, my mind shifting to Tate and the ugly memory of him grinding his hard dick between my legs.
Vincent handed the stick back to Fallon.
“Come here,” Fallon grunted. He took another hit as I stepped closer to him. He blew out the smoke and tossed the stick onto the cracked pavement. “You’re so beautiful.”
“I don’t like you high.”
He smirked down at me. “I don’t like me high either, but Dom thinks I’m one of the bad guys, so I’ll play the part.”
“Or you let the part play you,” I grumbled.
His hands landed on my hips, and he tugged me forward roughly. “I love you, Bianca. Everything I do is for you. You may not like me now, but I know you’ll love me more for it later. So I’ll continue to do this until you’re on my arm in front of the entire campus.” He dropped a soft kiss on my lips. “We all do shit in this world we wish we didn’t have to do. This is just one of those shitty things.”
I sighed. I knew this.
“You won’t… with other girls, right?”
“It’ll always be you, Bianca.”
“You didn’t promise,” I whispered.