Page 34 of Girl Like Me

“We were blindfolded by then but I thought you’d want to know. I deserved the black eye, my dick slipped into his daughter but B didn’t deserve that.”

“You know I hate snitches but I’ll let it slide this time because it’s my niece. I will call two more men to take you back to your cars. I’ll be in touch.”

With that he leaves the room and I finally have a chance to look at my guys.

"I have some good news." I beam. "My father agreed to drop the charges."

"Are you serious? That's amazing." Rocky says rushing towards me. He picks me up and spinsme in a circle.

"Your uncle agreed to get the restraining orders taken care of too." Rory adds.

"You didn't ask him to do that...what does he want you to do in return? You all can't be involved with him."

Rory steps forward and Rocky puts me to the ground. "Not them, just me and don't worry about it. It's nothing I can't handle."

"I…" I go to protest when Echo walks back in the room. I give Rory a look that sayswe’ll talk about this another time.It's done now and there isn't much I can do about it. I just hope Rory knows what he’s getting himself into. I'm still unsure if we can even trust my uncle. I'm pretty sure my father is on my side though, he seemed genuine when we had talked.

I know the guys have missed school today to be here and I don't want that either.

“I hate to break up this friendship circle but before you all start singing kumbaya we need to leave.” Echo chimes in. I take Maximus’s hand in mine and we all head down to the parking garage where two vans are waiting. The men from earlier are nowhere to be seen.

“We’ll get this sorted out, don’t worry about us. We will do whatever it takes to get you back with us.”

One of the white vans pulls forward and I smile at my boys as they are loaded in.

“You really love them, huh?”

“I do. I don’t know how to explain it. We just fit.”

With that we both jump into the back of the other van. I don’t know what to think, I don’t want my guys mixed up in this world but I also can’t stop them from doing whatever they just agreed to.

As promised my uncle had a car delivered, a cute little cherry red sports car. Echo dangles the keys from his finger while he leans against it in a baggy pair of chinos and a white singlet top, his tattoos and bling on full display. His megawatt smile enough to draw in any girl is contagious. I bounce down the steps and smile back.

“Let's take this baby for a spin.” He says throwing the keys my way. I catch them and jog over to the drivers side jumping in and turning her on, the stereo assaults my ears as Eminem blasts through the speakers. I turn the volume down as we peel out of the driveway and out to the main road. Echo raps along to the music as I take him closer to his side of town to drop him off. I know what I have to do and I’m prepared to get it done and over with.

A party is in full swing as I pull up to the curb and Echo jumps out. “Wanna come party?”

“Nah, I have to uphold my end of the deal if I want to get rid of Sebastian.”

“I could accidentally kill him, then you could come party with me.”

“With the amount of money his family has, you would be dead and buried before you got out of prison.”

He shrugs. “Pretty sure that's what my life has mapped out for me and I would do it for you.”

“Thanks, but I have it under control. If you want to do anything, have Carter followed, so I know his movements.”

“Sure thing B.” He says with a wink, patting the car roof before I pull away. I have a few hours drive to get to Levi’s and I need to get there before he finishes basketball, I have to talk to Lissa alone.

***

Pulling into their driveway Lissa’s car is there and I sigh a breath of relief that Levi isn’t home. I open the glovebox and take out the large yellow envelope wondering what’s inside. Deciding it’s none of my business I make my way to the door and press the doorbell. Lissa answers the door in her work out gear, she must’ve just gotten back from a run.

“J...Bristol.”

“You can call me JD, it’s okay.” She steps aside to let me in.

“You shouldn’t be here.” She says leading us into the kitchen and flicking on the lights. We both take a seat at the dining room table and I slide the envelope across the table.

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