Sweet Fall

“Lev, calm down,” I said soothingly. Levi’s gray eyes were huge with adrenaline, and he indicated with a tip of his chin for me to come to him and Pix. Exhaling a pent-up breath, I dropped to the ground and, scooping her up, lifted her in my arms, sluices of rainwater pouring off her cold skin.

With a huge gasp, Lexi’s fingers gripped onto my skin and her too-white eyes fixed on mine. “Austin…” she whispered and looked down, wriggling in my arms as if she’d just realized I was holding her in the air.

“Austin, please, I’m too heavy,” she said, embarrassed.

My heart sank as she voiced her concern, and, bringing her to my lips, I whispered, “You’re no burden to me, Pix. Your weight ain’t nothing. You’re safe in my arms, where you f**kin’ belong.”

Lexi’s lip began to wobble and her eyes filled with fresh tears.

“Axe, you need to reel in your brothers before they forget who they keep f**kin’ with.” Gio was glaring over at Axel, and for once, I saw what looked like fear in Gio’s expression. He knew without Axel, his damn crew would crumble. Axel was the heavy glue that kept the Heighter boys in check. And no matter how much Axel loved the crew, I knew, no, I prayed there was one thing he loved more: us.

“Shut the f**k up, G!” Axel snapped and slowly approached Levi. “Levi, put the gun down. I ain’t gonna touch Austin’s bitch. He’s made his choice.”

Levi stiffened. “Her name’s Lexi!”

Axel’s teeth clenched and he said, “Fine. I ain’t gonna touch… Lexi.”

Levi glanced across at me, and I nodded my head for him to drop his gun. Carefully lowering his arms, Levi tucked his gun back in the waistband of his jeans, and Axel breathed a huge damn sigh of relief.

Gio stormed past us to his Challenger as the headlights approached. “Sort your f**kin’ brothers, Axe, or I’m gonna be dealing with them myself.” Ripping open the passenger-side door, Gio got in, the screeching of wet tires spraying up the mud all over our cream trailer.

The thunder echoed in the distance as the three Carillo boys stood almost at a standoff, in a downpour, with me clutching my Pix to my chest, Axel and Levi glaring at each other in contempt.

Casting a glance at me, Axel scowled as he watched me press a kiss to Lexi’s head, and he laughed without humor. “So you’re f**kin’ the bitch that saw us dealing? The only bitch who could testify to what we’re doing on campus?”

I ground my teeth together as Lexi, who was still in my arms, began shaking from the cold. Or was it fear of Axel? Probably a combination of both.

“That ain’t none of your goddamn concern! But she is mine; make no mistake about that.”

This time Axel did laugh. “Fuck, kid. You act like this over a piece of pu**y? Shit, son, what the hell’re you thinking?”

Lexi flinched as though she’d been slapped, and I turned to Levi. “Go get her purse from inside. I need her keys. I’m getting her home.”

Levi ran into the trailer without question, and just a few seconds later, he pressed the remote so the car automatically unlocked. I lowered Lexi into the passenger seat and, putting the keys in the ignition, turned on the heat to full blast. Lexi curled into the chair and her petrified eyes darted all around the lot.

I would never forgive myself for bringing here.

Shutting her in, I looked to Levi. “How’s Mamma?”

“She’s asleep,” he said and dropped his head to stare at the ground.

“Vieni qua,” I said, and Levi walked to me slowly until he was a few steps away, and gripping the back of his head with my hand, I pulled him to my chest. “Grazie, fratello.”

Levi wrapped his arms around my back and said only for my ears, “I like her. Don’t chase her away. I don’t want her to go away.”

A lump blocked my throat, and I nodded against Levi’s head. “Get inside. Lock the trailer door, all the locks, and don’t answer it for no one. I’ll have my cell with me. Call if you need me. Any time, you hear? I’d stay, but I gotta get Pix back to school. She don’t belong here. She doesn’t deserve all this shit from Gio and Axel. I’ll drop her off and come back.”

Levi pulled back and, glancing over my shoulder at Lexi, waved at her, then bolted to the trailer. I heard all five locks closing behind him. He and Mamma were safe.

“You’re f**kin’ up, kid,” Axel said from beside me now that we were alone, and I turned to face him. He was wiping the still-pouring blood from under his nose.