As though someone flipped a switch, the rigidness in his body evaporated. He sagged against Mateo with his face in Teo’s neck. “I sold myself to the highest bidder,” he whispered. “I made money for school and to take care of my mom by letting someone fuck me. I was his paid whore for years. A whore to his friends, and then I would take that money and buy her food. I’d spend it on my stupid fucking education, because I somehow made myself believe that if I could take care of us, everything else would go away.”

When Mateo wrapped his arms around Tristan, he realized Tristan wasn’t just slack against him anymore... they were holding each other up. His eyes stung. His gut ached. Bile rose in his throat. And fuck if his heart wasn’t somehow matching Tristan’s beat. 

My favorite scene. 

❤️❤️❤️

PART THREE: Josiah, Mateo, & Tristan

My absolute favorite Part.

He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.

Facing Riko like this went against everything his mother taught him. He'd been raised to run, to sacrifice everything and everyone to ensure his own survival. His mother had never given him ground to stand on. Maybe that was why he hadn't been strong enough to save her in the end. A jumble of lies had nothing to fight for. But Neil Josten was a Fox. Andrew called this home; Nicky called him family. Neil wasn't going to lose any of it. If two weeks with Riko was the price to keep his team safe, Neil would pay it.

He'd divided his secrets between Kevin and Andrew. Kevin reacted the way Neil expected everyone would to the truth: with a horrified demand that Neil leave immediately. Andrew, though, nodded in the face of it and told Neil to stay. He stood his ground when Neil asked him for murder and gave him a key to their house.