Page 41 of When The Mountains Held Us

“Maybe,” I agree. “But at least I wouldn’t be spending my days worried that he could show up at any moment. Keep your enemies close, and all that.”

“Did you worry about that today? That he’d show up?”

I bite my bottom lip. “I’m not sure I’ll ever not be afraid.”

The lumpy mattress shifts as Levi turns on his side to face me. He props his head in his hand and studies my face, no sign of judgment in his features, only a quiet encouragement to continue. The unspoken promise of his complete attention has my stomach dipping and a chill dancing across my skin.

“Why do you think that is?” There’s nothing but blatant curiosity as he looks up at me, like he actually cares to know my answer.

I shrug. “When you spend so long in fight or flight, it’s hard to differentiate when you aren’t.”

“Mhmm.” He nods his agreement, and I think he wants me to talk through this. Out loud. Wants me to know what the words feel like leaving my mouth. He’s giving me the space to do that.

They feel a whole lot like excuses. They’re valid, but the weight of knowing I haven’t retrained my brain yet makes me feel like the weak girl Travis insisted I was.

I can’t do this anymore. Running a hand roughly through my hair, I sit up, leaving Levi where he lies, my back to him. I can’t see him, but I can feel the weight of his gaze heavy on my figure, the notion sending another round of shivers down my spine.

“Come stay with me.”

I whip my head around to stare at him in blatant shock. “What?”

“You heard me. Come stay with me. Just until we can find you somewhere better to stay long term.”

“I cannot impose on you like that. I’ll be okay here. I’ll buy an extra padlock and install it on the door. I’ll buy a baseball bat.”

“You’ll buy a baseball bat.” He repeats, his voice monotone, but the glimmer in his eyes and the way his mouth twitches at the corner tells me he’s trying not to laugh.

Honestly, that did sound ridiculous, but there is no way in hell I can allow myself to move in with a man that I’ve just met. Stranger danger is still a thing! I pointedly ignore the small voice in the back of my head telling me that Levi is no more a stranger than Travis became the first time he laid his hands on me.

“Baseball bats are a great self-defense weapon,” I defend, my voice inadvertently squeaking up towards the end, making it clear that not even I am convinced of my statement.

“Right,” he deadpans before grabbing my pack from where I dropped it by the door and heading out into the night. He tosses a simple, “Let’s go,” over his shoulder, and it leaves no room for argument.

My stomach flips and twists and damn near falls right out of my asshole at the thought of what living with him might entail.

I remember our stolen moments under the waterfall—was that only a few hours ago?—and my body heats at the memory, a pink blush staining my cheeks.

“I-I can’t live with you,” I splutter, desperately grasping at the last thread of self-control that’s telling me that putting myself any closer to this man is not a good idea. But what if that part of me is lying? What if I’m so jaded from the past that I miss out on the future?

“It’s not safe here. Grab what you need for the night. We’ll come back tomorrow for the rest of your things.”

“Levi—”

He lets out a frustrated sigh before pinning me with a pointed look. My knees nearly buckle at the hardness of his features.

Fuck, why is that so hot? Given my current circumstances, this is so not the time for those kinds of thoughts.

“I can find somewhere else to stay for the night. I’ll call Jessie! I’m sure she won’t mind me crashing on her sofa for a night,” I rush out, following his retreating form towards the truck.

“And after tonight? Where will you go then?”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine to come back here.”

Levi is shaking his head at me before I can finish the sentence. A spark of annoyance ignites in my chest, coupled with a glimmer of defiance that had, until recently, been long forgotten.

“It’s been a long day, and I wasn’t asking. Now, are you going to be a good girl and get in the truck, or am I gonna have to throw you over my shoulder and place you there myself?”

Holy shit.