Page 44 of One More Chance
Rufus whined again and nudged my leg. I crumpled the note in my fist, pulse hammering in my ears as I looked down at my hand. “No more hiding," I said.
“Levi? Hiding from what?”
I turned to her.
How do I explain this?
I struggled to find the words. “I was planning to tell you after the kids went to sleep.”
The second it left my mouth, I knew it was the wrong thing to say. Her face hardened, jaw clenched. “Another lie, Levi?”
The sight of her fury building struck me with panic. “Hell no, not a lie. Sloane, it’s not what you think.” I closed the door. “Please, let me explain.”
“Then explain it,” she snapped. “Because if this is more of the same, you can forgetwhateverthat moment between us was.”
I stepped towards her, my hands trembling as I showed her the crumbed note. “It’s Angie. She’s been stalking me… us. She took a picture of you on the couch and left it for me the other night at the rental and now? She left another here.”
Sloane's face shifted from anger to disbelief, and then, beneath the surface, I saw it: fear.
Fuck, I never wanted this to happen.
She stared at the note in my hand as she whispered in a tone of restrained fury, “You need to handle this, Levi. Do it the right way with the police. Before she hurts someone.”
“I will. I promise,” I said. “Sloane, I wanted to tell you. I wasn't hiding this from you. But I didn't want the kids to hear."
At that, anger flashed back across her face and she crossed her arms. "Then instead of fucking me on the couch, you should have been talking to me. You should have told me about this."
I opened my mouth to defend myself, then…
Fuck me. She has one hundred percent of my balls right now.
"You are absolutely right," I said.
"You're goddamn right I'm right."
"Sloane, I was not hiding this. I was… caught up in that moment with you. On the couch. Nothing else in the world mattered. Only you."
She glared, arms still crossed, brow furrowed.
"Sloane… I don't want to lose this," I said as I gestured to the space between us.
“That’s not for you to decide, Levi.” Her tone was accusatory and firm. She turned and headed towards the kitchen.
Even as I locked the door, I knew the peace I’d been building had been shattered. Again. I followed her into the kitchen. "Sloane - ”
She held up her hand without looking at me, an old habit of hers that used to be cute. Right then it felt like a warning flare. I stood there, stiff with the fear of disappointing her again.
“Don’t,” she said. She opened the fridge and grabbed the wine I’d picked up for her. She poured a glass, then set it down untouched. Her fingers wrapped around the rim, knuckles white. I worried she would break it.
“Sloane, please. Let’s talk about this.”
She turned then, hazel eyes sharp with clarity and resolve. “I need you to listen to me, Levi. If she escalates? If she comes near the kids? Then this is over.”
My mouth went dry. “I know. She won’t. I've blocked her in every way I can. I’ve cut her off completely.”
“Clearly that wasn’t enough,” she snapped, then caught herself. She closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose. “I don’t care what she wants. I care aboutmypeace. Mychildren’ssafety. And right now? Right now, she is a threat to that.”
I nodded, guilt twisting my guts. “I’m going to deal with it. I’ll file a police report. Talk to a lawyer if I need to. I’ll make sure she goes away and stays away.”
