“Out of the apartment. It was only a few blocks before he grabbed an Uber.”
“So, how does that prove your point that he’s a spy?” Felix pressed, sounding bored.
Nico stopped his incessant pacing. “Listen, we’ve all had shitty one night stands we couldn’t get away from fast enough, but have you ever run balls out for three whole blocks? Because he did. Then he stopped and looked around, like he thought he was being followed. Maybe Cree’s right? It’s shady behavior.”
“Yeah, you didn’t even sleep together. What’s his hurry?” Arsen asked.
Levi frowned. They were just making assumptions. Shiloh had wanted to stay with him, had wanted to let Levi protect him. He just couldn’t because of his brother. Maybe he could get Jericho and Atticus to help Mal so they could help Shiloh? “Whatever he’s doing, it’s not his fault.”
“That settles it. He’s a spy,” Seven said.
“Who’s a spy?”
All heads turned at the new voice, Levi’s heart tripping over itself. “Shiloh?”
Shiloh stood, hands in his hoodie pocket, looking over the unfamiliar faces before his eyes found Levi’s, his expression contrite. “Can we talk?”
Levi looked him over, examining him for any signs he might have fresh injuries. He stood in a pair of dark wash denim jeans that showed off his slender build and a brown t-shirt and hoodie the same color as his hair.
Felix raised a brow. “Avi has that same hoodie,” he noted. “Expensive.”
Felix would know. Was Micah rich? Is that how he got away with abusing Shiloh? It would explain how he’d managed to frame Shiloh’s other brother. Despite what the movies showed, it wasn’t easy to have someone locked up with no bail.
Levi blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts to find Shiloh gazing at him expectantly. Oh, fuck. Shiloh had asked him something. “Uh, yeah, um…” he looked around for some private place, landing on Jericho’s office. He wouldn’t mind. “Come with me.”
He clasped Shiloh’s sweaty palm in his own and tugged him into the small room, locking the door behind them. He gestured for him to have a seat on the sofa, waiting until he complied before asking, “Why’d you leave last night? Wait…how’d you find me?”
“I left because I needed to give my brother’s gun back. I found you because my brother told me where you were. Who do your friends think is a spy?” When Levi hesitated, Shiloh said, “Is it me?”
“Cree is one of my best friends. He thinks the worst of anyone who gets close?—”
“He’s right,” Shiloh said, cutting him off, looking like he was two seconds from dying on the spot.
Levi stared for a long moment before saying, “What?”
Shiloh’s eyes were pleading, like he was banking on Levi understanding him. “Iama spy.”
Levi felt the words like a gut punch. “Oh.”
Shiloh’s heart thundered in his chest. What had he just done? Why did he say that? He’d only left Micah a few minutes ago, and he’d already fucked it all up. What if they killed him? What if Micah had Mal killed? What if Jericho killed Micah before he could get Mal out?
Shiloh couldn’t remember how to breathe. He was dizzy, the room spinning around him. From far away, he could hear Levi saying his name but he couldn’t respond. He was trying to force himself to breathe, his lungs burning from the effort.In. Out. In. Out.He really was useless. So fucking useless.
For once, he was grateful he’d sobbed himself to sleep. He wasn’t sure he could even physically produce tears. How was he going to get out of this? He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to run, knowing he wouldn’t get far. Shiloh could feel Levi shaking his wrists like he wanted him to look at him, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t look at him knowing he’d betrayed him. But what else was he supposed to do?
Cool hands suddenly clasped his face. Levi sat beside him, turning Shiloh towards him, forcing him to meet Levi’s gaze. “Look at me,” he ordered, voice stern but edged with something else. Fear? Concern? “Breathe, Dimples. You have to breathe. You’re going to pass out if you don’t.” Was he not breathing? He had to be. Each exhale dragged out of him, raw and painful. “Shiloh. You’re having a panic attack. I need you to focus. Can you focus on my words? On my voice?”
He was shaking so hard. “Can’t,” he gasped. “This is so bad. I’m so sorry. This is so bad. I’m so fucked. I’ve ruined everything.Everything.”
“You haven’t. We’ll figure something out. Please. I need you to focus on?—”
Shiloh shook his head harshly. “I can’t. You don’t get it. I’m dead. Mal’s dead. I’ve ruined every?—”
Shiloh’s words died as Levi jerked him forward, soft lips settling over his. It wasn’t a kiss…not really. It was off-center, too harsh, Shiloh’s lips pressed painfully against his teeth, and Levi’s fingers dug into his cheeks hard enough to bruise, hard enough to force a cry from Shiloh.
Levi didn’t attempt to deepen the kiss, just kept their lips together, letting him pant into his mouth. It should have been weird, gross even, trading air. But Shiloh soon found his lungs syncing with Levi’s, breaths slowing to match his. As the panic faded, Levi’s hold on his face softened, but he made no attempt to leave.
Shiloh gave one final shaky exhale, hoping it would let Levi know he was better—that he didn’t have to do this anymore. Instead, Levi trapped his bottom lip between his own in a soft kiss that sent Shiloh’s heart racing for an entirely different reason. When Shiloh didn’t pull away, Levi used his hold on Shiloh’s flushed cheeks to angle his face, pressing his tongue inside.
