by Odette Stone
“You can’t be serious.”
He shrugged. “I like turkey.”
It dawned on me that he faced a holiday weekend alone, without friends, and without plans. I would kill to have him come with me, mainly because I also didn’t want to face the weekend alone, but I couldn’t show up with a younger hockey player on my arm.
Not to mention that my mom would eat him alive.
“Trust me when I say I have your best interest at heart by not bringing you.”
“Who’s E?”
I gave a short, humorless laugh. “My turn. What did Mica talk about tonight?”
“He shared the names of guys he trusts on the team.”
I nodded. “Will that help?”
“A lot. Thanks.”
We arrived at our building, and together we walked inside and got onto the elevator.
“That was amazing stroganoff,” Levi said.
That made me smile. “We’re lucky we got any at all.”
“Did you see Mica’s anxiety when Charlie was dishing out our food?”
I started to laugh. “Did you see his face when she offered his leftovers to you?”
The doors opened at my floor. He smiled as he held them open for me.
I turned to him. “Well, good night.”
His voice was low. “You wouldn’t really take Brian, would you?”
“I think it’s in my best interest to keep my divorce lawyer and my mom as far apart as possible.”
He took his time looking me over, almost as if he knew it might be another few weeks before we saw each other. I think we both knew it had to be like that.
His expression was serious. “If you change your mind…”
The only reason my life worked this well was because I kept things tightly compartmentalized. Crossing my past and my present would be disastrous.
“If I took anyone, you’d be my first pick.”
His smile started slowly, and I only caught a glimpse of his full wide smile before the doors shut between us.
I let out a long sigh. I could never let him into that part of my world.
But that didn’t mean I wasn’t tempted.
I walked into my apartment and stopped dead in my tracks. Someone stood in the dark in my living room.
I froze and then let out an angry noise when I recognized the silhouette.
I flicked on the lights. “Eduard, what the fuck?”
He turned and studied me. “You always had a mouth on you.”
“I recently changed the locks. How did you get in here?”
He smiled and waved some keys. “Your mother had a set.”
I felt uneasy and needed to make it clear I didn’t approve. “This constitutes breaking and entering. I’m calling the cops.”
He put his hands in his pant pockets. “No, you won’t. Because if I get arrested in your apartment late at night, I’m going to tell your sister you set me up by inviting me over.”
The bastard would too. “What do you want from me?”
“I want to talk.” He sounded angry. “You never let me explain.”
Fight or flight. Normally I was up for a good fight. It’s why I thrived in the sports world. But I knew when to retreat. This conversation felt dangerous to me.
I did what he would never expect me to do. I spun around and walked out. The elevator would take too long, so I speed-walked towards the stairwell. I pushed open the door and paused.
Up or down? Levi was two floors up. Security was several floors down.
I hung onto the railing and powered up those steps, concentrating on not breaking my heels or my ankles. I was puffing for oxygen by the time I made it up two flights, but I could hear Eduard coming up the stairs after me. And he was moving a lot faster than me.
I swung open the heavy door and ran to Levi’s apartment. I could hear the doorway of the stairwell open behind me.
Using the palm of my hand, I pounded loudly on the door.
Almost immediately, Levi swung open the door, and then he was standing in front of me, all big and strong and tough. Sweet baby Jesus—he wasn’t wearing a shirt. He took a step backward as I moved towards him.
I stepped into his apartment, closed the door, and locked it.
I turned and gave him a big, fake smile while I worked to catch my breath. “Do you mind if I wait here for a couple of minutes?”
He stepped closer, concern on his face. “What’s wrong?”
I put my back against the door and looked up at him. “I might have a situation.”
His whole body became tense and alert. “Tell me.”
“Someone was in my apartment when I got home.”
He reached for the door handle. “Move.”
I grabbed his large hand and held onto it. “Listen to me. It’s not that simple.”
His entire focus was on what was on the other side of the door. “Speak.”
“His name is Eduard.”
Levi looked at me. “You knew who was in your apartment?”
“He took my mom’s keys.”
His voice was terse. “Let me handle him.”
“He’s my sister’s fiancé, so for the sake of my family, I want no police and no fighting. I need him to go away quietly.”
His energy rippled through him. “Done. Let’s go.”
He opened the door, and there stood Eduard, his hand raised to knock.
Eduard’s eyes widened as he looked at Levi, but his expression quickly turned arrogant. “Who the hell are you?”
Levi looked back at me in frustration. “You sure I can’t beat him up?”
Eduard spoke to me with a sour voice. “Who is this guy? Is this your new boyfriend? Are you dating this Neanderthal?”
I glared at him, feeling fairly empowered now that I had a 215-pound bodyguard standing between us. “My life is none of your concern. Give me back my keys.”
Eduard looked between Levi and me. “Technically, they belong to your mom. How old is he?”
Levi moved with such speed and precision he reminded me of a wild animal attacking. Within seconds, he had Eduard pinned to the opposite hallway wall, his forearm against his neck. “Hand over the keys, dickwad.”
I could see the white in Eduard’s eyes as he fished the keys out of his pocket.
I grabbed the keys from him and stepped back.
Levi shoved Eduard down the hall so hard it almost threw Eduard off his Italian loafers. “Leave. Now.”
Eduard staggered to a stop, and then he turned and focused on me. “You know you have to talk with me at some point.”
I stood behind Levi until Eduard disappeared into the elevator.
Levi turned to me. “Did he chase you up here?”
Avoiding the concern in his eyes, I decided to be flip. “More like I ran, and he followed.”
“Is that the guy who sent you the flowers?”
Somehow, without my permission, my two worlds had just collided. “I don’t want or need you to be part of my family drama.”
He crossed his arms. “Why was your sister’s fiancé in your apartment?”
“I’m not willing to talk about that right now.”
He stared down at me for a long moment. “Come on. I’ll walk you back to your place.”
In complete silence, he escorted me back to my apartment. I stood in the doorway while he walked around, opening and shutting closets and looking in all the dark places. My home suddenly felt unsafe, and that was the worst feeling in the world.
He came back to where I stood. “Your place is empty.”
I was grateful for his help. “Sorry to involve you tonight. It won’t happen again.”
Levi wasn’t finished asking questions. “Your sister’s fiancé sent you the flowers?”
I crossed my arms. “It’s not what you think.”
“You don’t know what I think.”
“You have every right to be disappointed in me.”
“Krista,” he interrupted, “is he going to be at your fam
ily Thanksgiving?”
I knew what was coming. I just didn’t know how I felt about it.
“Yes, he’ll be there.”
It was that moment I realized just how very pissed Levi was. Up until now, he had been hiding strong emotions that now were vibrating out of him. “Well, then, consider me your plus-one for your Thanksgiving weekend.”
I studied him, knowing that he wasn’t joking.
My instinct to push back kicked in. “I didn’t invite you.”
“If that would make you feel better, go ahead and invite me. I’m coming with you.”
His authoritative tone gave me a jolt. I wanted to fight it on sheer principle, but I could no longer deny that I was in over my head with Eduard. He had crossed a huge line tonight, and now I was officially afraid to be alone with him.
I stared up at Levi, who watched me with a pissed look on his face. If Levi accompanied me home, Eduard wouldn’t get near me. But what terrified me was the fallout that would come from bringing Levi home to meet my family. I could mentally debate these two options all I wanted, but from the look on Levi’s face, he would show up one way or another. And after Eduard’s fiasco this evening, it was obvious I needed Levi’s help.
“Fine. You’re invited.”
He didn’t say anything in response. He turned and walked out of my apartment.
Chapter Fourteen
Levi
She had been quiet since we’d left for the weekend. Once our ferry departed, she disappeared from her seat and didn’t come back. After an hour, I went looking for her. I found her on the upper, open deck. She stood at the railing with the wind whipping her hair as she pensively studied the water.
I stood beside her and leaned my back against the railing so I faced her. I wanted to ask her about Eduard and the situation with her family, but she was prickly about personal questions, so I remained silent. I didn’t want to draw any conclusions, but from all appearances, it seemed like she had gotten entangled with her sister’s fiancé and now wanted out—and he was taking exception to that decision.
I knew Krista didn’t want me along this weekend, but I didn’t care. She needed protecting because whoever this Eduard was, he was a predator, and I had zero tolerance for men like him.
I studied her, thinking of the video Mike had sent me. I wanted to share it with her, but I knew she would only ask me to delete it. I figured maybe I could hang onto it for a couple of days before showing her. This probably wasn’t the best weekend to bring it to her attention.
She interrupted my thoughts. “For two years, I was in a relationship with Eduard.” She looked down at her hands, which clutched the metal rail tight. “I brought him home last Christmas, and that’s when he started an affair with my sister, Helene.”
Holy shit. Her story surprised me, and I worked to keep the shock off my face. “I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t suspect anything. The first time I heard about it was when she announced that she was having his baby. She announced it over Easter dinner to a roomful of people.”
“You’re kidding.”
She lifted her chin. “It was utter chaos.”
I spoke slowly as I put the pieces together. “And this weekend you’re all coming together for Thanksgiving?”
“The same people who were at the Easter dinner will also be here for the Thanksgiving dinner.” She gave me a tight-lipped smile. “We’re going to sweep it under the rug. Collectively. As a family.”
I crossed my arms, already hating that plan. “Eduard is the one who sent you the flowers and showed up at your apartment?”
She gave me a defensive look. “I’m not encouraging him.”
“I know that.” I had an irresistible urge to hurt him. Even after what he did to her, he was still harassing her. I wanted nothing more than to teach this guy some boundaries.
She was walking into it this weekend, and if I hadn’t insisted on coming, she’d be doing it alone. “Considering what he’s been putting you through, I’m just wondering why you feel you need to go.”
She gave me a sharp look. “I despise him, okay? I do, but he doesn’t get to steal my entire family. I want to keep showing up while I’m still welcome.”
That statement told me this weekend was costing her a lot of courage. The one thing I could do for her was make sure she didn’t have to deal with him cornering her in dark rooms. “He won’t get near you.”
Those blue eyes looked up at me. “I haven’t even told my mom that I’m bringing someone.”
I shrugged. “I thought she wanted you to bring a date.”
“You’re not coming as my date. You’re coming as my colleague.”
She was damn cute when she got this prickly. “Colleague?”
“You know what I mean.” She still looked grumpy. “How are things going with the team these days?”
“Much better,” I lied.
She turned her face up to mine, searching for the truth. “Really?”
“Really.” I kept an easy smile on my face. “You have nothing to worry about.”
She drove us through Victoria before turning her car into a long, narrow driveway. We drove into a clearing, which showcased a magnificent house.
I looked through the windshield at the massive brick residence that sprawled in front of us. “You grew up here?”
She turned off the engine, folded her hands in her lap, and looked at me. “I’m going to tell my mom that you’re one of my players and you needed some downtime.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Sure.”
“Don’t let my mom get under your skin. And please don’t fight with Eduard. I just want a calm, normal family weekend.”
“Roger that.”
She looked up at the house. “And if this doesn’t go well, we’re driving to Tofino to hang out with Mica and Charlie.”
“We’ve got options.”
She gave me a solemn look. “It’s best not to react to anything my mom does.”
I could tell she was inwardly freaking out, so I reassured her. “We’re going to have a great time, okay?”
She paused and then let out a slow breath. “Thanks. Yeah, okay.”
I carried our bags and followed closely in Krista’s footsteps. She opened the front door and called out. “Mom?”
A short, older woman with Krista’s blue eyes came around the corner, meeting us in the massive foyer. “Krista. I thought you were coming yesterday.”
“Hi, Mom,” Krista said as they air-kissed. “I couldn’t get away.”
Her mom caught sight of me. “Just drop the bags there.”
I deposited the bags where she instructed and then stood off to the side, waiting to be introduced as the client who didn’t have any place to go.
Her mom gave me a cool look. “Are you waiting for something?”
Krista looked between us. “Mom! This is Levi. Uh, my new relationship.”
I worked to keep the surprise off my face.
Her mom paused dramatically. “You’re not my daughter’s driver?”
“No, ma’am. She drove us here,” I said with an easy smile, offering her my hand to shake. “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Taylor.”
She sniffed at me. “I always find it odd when men let women drive them around.”
“Maybe they haven’t met your daughter.”
“You can call me Bea,” she instructed me. “It’s short for Beatrice.” She turned away from me, dismissing our conversation. She spoke to Krista in a quiet voice. “Don’t you think he’s a little young, darling? You never want to look like you’re trying too hard.”
Krista froze.
Bea gave me a long look before she turned to walk away. “Krista, I need your help in the kitchen.”
Krista automatically moved to follow her mother into the kitchen, but I grabbed her by the waist and gave her the hug that her mom should have given her.
“New relationship, hey?” I put my mouth against her neck.
Krista’s voice was muffled against
my chest. “I’m sorry.”
I felt her resist my hug like a stiff little porcupine. I held on a little longer and was rewarded when her arms snuck around my waist and she hugged me back.
“That’s it.”
She let out a little sigh that tore at my heart. “We should have gone straight to Tofino.”
“Krista,” her mom called in a singsong voice. “Did you want some wine, darling?”
I felt her step back from me.
“Do you want me to put our bags somewhere?”
“Thank you. You can put them in my room for now. Turn left at the top of the stairs. It’s the third door on the right. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
I picked up the bags and headed upstairs. I found her room and set our bags on the bench by the window. I looked around. It had obviously belonged to a younger Krista, with remnants of music posters on the wall and pictures of friends pinned to a bulletin board. I bent over, my eyes searching photos for a glimpse of what Krista looked like as a kid.
“Hello, Neanderthal.”
I turned to see Eduard standing at the door, his hands in his pockets. “Hey, I know you. You’re the guy I want to punch repeatedly.”
He crossed his arms. “How long have you and Krista been together?”
“Does your fiancée know how desperate you are to talk to Krista?”
He looked over his shoulder, and his voice dropped. “You’re going to keep your mouth shut about that.”
“Sure, just like you’re going to keep your distance from Krista this entire weekend.”
He flushed a dark red. “You don’t know what you’re getting involved in.”
I stepped up close to him, taking pleasure in the fact that I had a good four inches and probably forty pounds on him. “I understand that she doesn’t want to talk to you. That’s all I need to know.”
He gave me a dark look before he disappeared out the door.
I made my way downstairs and could hear voices talking. I slowed my steps, taking my time to look at all the family pictures in frames on tables. Most of them were of Krista’s sister, but there was one of Krista. She was standing beside some sort of science project and holding up first place. On her cute face was an expression of pure joy.
