Page 211 of So This Is War
“What’s the fine? I’ll pay you back. This is all my fault.” Her eyes meet mine. “I’m sorry, Levi, and if you need to . . . take a break or whatever, I understand. I put you in a bad position?—”
“Stop,” I say, gripping her chin. “This is my fault too. I let it happen. It takes two to make that kind of mistake, so don’t blame yourself, and like I said earlier, I love you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“But if you want to?—”
“Do you want me to break this off?” My brow creases.
She nibbles on her bottom lip. “I’ve had some time to think, some time to wonder what’s going to happen to you, and I just feel, even though I don’t want this to happen, I feel like it might be better if we just . . . go our separate ways.”
“That’s not fucking happening,” I say. “No fucking way. That solves nothing other than making us miserable and prolonging the inevitable.”
“What’s the inevitable?” she asks.
“You and I being together. I told you, I found you, and now you’re stuck with me.” I bring her wrist to my lips and kiss the permanent bracelets. “I meant everything I said when I gave these to you. It’s you and me, babe. You’re not going anywhere.” To prove it, I scoot off the bed, keeping her in my arms. Surprised, she wraps her arms around my neck, as I carry her down the hallway, through the kitchen, and down another hallway to our bedroom where I lay her softly on the bed.
With one thing on my mind, I start undressing her, but she pauses me. “Levi, you don’t have to prove anything.”
“I’m not proving anything,” I say and then pull my shirt over my head. Her eyes move to my chest before going back up to my eyes. “I’m showing you how proud I am of you, Wylie.” I push down my pants and my briefs along with my socks. Then I move back to her and undress her. I have her naked in seconds, and I’m climbing onto the bed.
“But . . . what about my dad?”
“Let me worry about that,” I say as I crawl between her legs.
“Wait . . . Levi,” she says, worry in her gaze. “Please, I don’t want you to have to do this alone.”
“I’m not,” I say. “I have a plan. Now let me celebrate the fact that you’re fucking amazing, and you got the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“But—”
“No buts, babe. What happened at the arena is done. It’s just you and me now, and that’s what I want you to focus on.”
I spread her legs and press my mouth against her pussy. She’s stiff for a moment, but when I start lapping at her, she relaxes in my arms.
That’s all I need right now . . . for her to relax. The rest will come.
WYLIE
Dad:Are you with him? Is that why you didn’t come home?
I stare at his text as I sit on the couch in the dark, not wanting to wake Levi. Last night, I let the events of everything fall to the back of my mind, but after he fell asleep, spooning me, I found it incredibly hard to stop thinking about the day’s events. They came roaring back, keeping me up, so finally, I gave up on trying to sleep and came out here, only to see the text from my dad.
Does he really think that I’m going to return to his house? I told him I wasn’t. I told him to send me the bill for my tuition. With what I’ll be making working for Patty Ford, I know that I can pay off those bills. It will take time, but I know I can.
Deciding to call instead of text, I dial his phone number and sink deeper into the couch as I wait for him to answer.
It’s past six, so he should be awake.
After three rings, he picks up. “Where are you?” he asks sternly into the phone.
Sighing, I say, “I’m at Levi’s place, Dad.”
“Wylie, I swear to God?—”
“What are you going to do?” I ask, remaining calm. “It’s not like you can ground me. Or cut me off. You already did that.”
“I’ll hurt him,” Dad says in a threatening voice. That would have shaken me to my core last night, but after talking with Levi, I know there really isn’t anything he can do.
“Dad, can I ask you something?”
