I . . .
My stomach was a mess.
Palma was still talking to her friends. I put my hand on her arm, interrupting her. “Hey. Uh.” The room began to sway around me. “Did you leave my name at the door?”
She leaned in closer to hear better. “What?”
“When I got here, the men at the door let me in right away. Did you leave my name?”
She blinked, her head lifting up. “I—no. Unless Heath did?” She began to turn, looking for him.
No. Not Heath. I put my hand on her arm. “Never mind. That’s okay.”
Heath wouldn’t have given the bouncers my name. He didn’t want me here.
And just then, the door where I thought Lassiter had gone through opened again. This time, a different guy stepped out. It wasn’t Lassiter, but the sight of this new guy still made my stomach drop altogether.
God. No.
I stepped from Palma, my hand falling away.
The guy was looking right at me, and there was an added kick to my stomach because there was no surprise on his face. He knew I was here. He was staring at me, guarded, which I didn’t like because I knew this guy. I’d grown up with this guy, too, and he never used to look at me as if he were waiting for me to hate him.
I didn’t know what excuse I said to Palma and her friends. It must’ve been fine because no one gave me an odd look when I made my excuses. I was only aware of pushing through the crowd until I stood in front of him.
“Levi.”
His gaze fell to me as mine tipped up to his. We stood there, a moment, taking each other in.
He was here because of Creighton, which I hated, but a sudden well of fondness surged in me. I flung myself at his chest, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing with all I could. He was so big and so tall, my arms didn’t fit around him. I was nearly five seven and I wasn’t slim. I was still smaller than what was considered a normal size now for a woman, but I was strong. That’s all I cared about. I was toned, but Levi always made me feel like a little girl next to him.
He hesitated a moment before lifting his big beefy arms to hold me back. He squeezed me, too, but a lot gentler.
My throat swelled up. Stepping away, I blinked back some tears and pretended to swipe some dust off his shirt. My voice came out hoarse. “Did you start eating people since I last saw you? I swear you’ve doubled in size. Is there another man inside of your tummy?” I poked it. It was firm, like the rest of him, which didn’t surprise me.
For a moment, I just saw the sweet little boy I remembered, who I shared my potato chips with when we got them for a treat. And popcorn. He was always so shy, scared to talk when he first came to the house. I took him under my wing, in a way pretending I finally got a little brother, except Levi was technically older than me. In Miss Marcie’s house, it was different. I had seniority over him, so in my eyes, he was always going to be younger than me.
“No people. Rocks. Boulders, maybe. No people.” He winked. “I’d remember.”
We shared a grin for the moment until my gaze trailed to the door behind him. To who I was assuming was somewhere on the other side.
His grin fell away. “Blake—”
I began to step around him, reaching for the door, but paused at my name.
He didn’t say anything more. The slight flash of the little boy I used to share chips with was gone, and he had a stark expression over his face now.
I didn’t know what that meant, seeing that starkness on him. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, but I shook my head. “I know.”
He quieted.
I touched his arm, feeling how rigid he was. “He puts his office in the same location no matter where he is. I know where I’m going. You can stay here. Those are my new roommates and friends over there. I don’t want anything to happen to them.”
I heard his swift intake of breath.
If Creighton wanted one of them hurt, Levi would be the one he’d send. I just put Levi on notice. He’d have to choose whose orders to follow. Creighton’s or mine. Most of the time he would adhere to Creighton, but there had been moments when he chose me. The real secret was that Creighton secretly loved when Levi chose me over him, though he never let anyone know.
Levi dipped his head down in an acknowledgment, stepping back and letting the door shut between us.
