Cardinal's Sins
Page 6
This man had more secrets than she’d ever hope to learn.
Chapter Eighteen
Levi clenched his hands into fists, angry at himself as he headed back to the kitchen. Shit. I just need to find out what’s going on and then tell him to fuck off.
He swiped his phone off the counter and dialed the number he’d thought about deleting. Levi wandered through the large kitchen, listening to the speaker. After several seconds, a scratchy voice answered.
“Good. You got my message. Who got it to you? Sam? Jonathan?”
“Listen, Dave, I told you I’d contact you if I wanted a job. I don’t, so stop fucking looking for me.”
His boss let out an ugly snort. “I thought you’d be a little more receptive, Levi.”
“I don’t have time for this.”
“Yes, that’s right. Is that little bunny from your last job at your house?”
Levi stopped pacing, pointing out into the empty room. “Don’t you dare, asshole. I was always a good employee, kept your secrets. Don’t you dare threaten me now.”
“Threaten? You haven’t heard my threat yet, if there is one. I have business with some of your old friends, and you’re the only one they’ll work with.” There was a pause. He was waiting for Levi to respond, but he didn’t. “It’d be horrible if your new bunny heard about what happened to your old bunny.”
Levi’s face began to heat up, and he spun around toward his kitchen table. He placed his hand on it, his heartbeat pulsating in his ears.
“This is a dangerous game you’re playing, Dave. You have way more secrets I could spill.”
His former boss’s tone was now devoid of humor. “That’s true, Levi. Let’s do each other a favor. You do this last job for me, and I won’t bother you again. Scout’s honor.”
“Bullshit. How can I trust you?”
“Because this will put me over the top for the year. With this job, I’m going to pull back from the business some. Half retire and give most of my contacts to Junior.” His tone had evened out again.
Levi rubbed his forehead, a headache coming on. “I still don’t see what’s in it for me.”
“Check your bunny’s phone. I’ll be in touch.”
With that, the phone beeped then fell silent. Levi pulled the phone away from his head, clenching his jaw together so hard it started to ache. Joke’s on him. She doesn’t have her phone.
Just then, a vague memory popped up in his mind. It was the image of a mobile phone sliding to the edge of the back of the van. Was that Tessa’s phone?
Truthfully, she wasn’t the first person he’d kidnapped in that van. He was unsure of how old that memory was. Even if it wasn’t hers and hers was lost, all she had to do was buy a new one. Whatever Dave was talking about would still be sent to her number.
Plus, how suspicious would she be if he made her change her number? How long would it take Dave to get the new one, anyway?
Now what the fuck do I do?
Clearly Dave had sent something to Tessa that Levi wouldn’t want her to see. The question was, how would Levi get access to her phone without raising too much suspicion? She was already on edge with him acting so secretive, but he couldn’t just wait for her to stumble upon whatever the hell was in her inbox.
“Shit.” Levi lowered the phone and went into his contacts.
He clicked on another number he didn’t want to hear from. It rang several times before a drunk voice answered.
“What?”
“Sam, I’m in a hurry. I need to know if there’s a phone in the back of the van. Are you still at the hotel?”
“Phone? Why?”
“Goddamn it, Sam!” Levi closed his eyes for a few seconds, knowing he was getting too loud. “I’ll pay you. A thousand dollars if you find a phone in the van, and it’s returned to me still in working order.”
There was a pause followed by a belch. Levi rubbed the back of his neck, that headache getting worse by the minute. Fucking asshole.
“A thousand dollars for a damn phone? Whatever. I’ll go check when this booze is gone.”
Levi exhaled, wishing he could just jump on his bike and head to the hotel to check himself. There was no way he could leave Tessa right now. This was his best plan, even if it stunk.
“Fine. Don’t fuck with the phone if you find it. Just keep it with you so I can get it tomorrow. Understand?”
Another disgusting burp sounded, followed by a grunt. “All right. Fine. You know, you’re a pain in the ass.”
“Back at you. I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Have the money.” Sam’s tone wasn’t confident.
Maybe he was remembering how Levi had easily broken his fingers the last time they’d seen each other.
“Don’t worry about the money.”
Levi swiftly hung up the phone and set it on his kitchen table. He rubbed his face before running his fingers through his hair. He needed to put on a happy face and return to his girl upstairs. Levi hoped he could act cool and calm until tomorrow.
As he headed toward the stairs, he hatched his plan. Tomorrow, he’d suggest that Tessa head home. Maybe for the day or maybe just to pack a bag. It didn’t matter. Levi needed time to head to the hotel. Hopefully, this would be quick and painless.
He doubted it. Severely.
Chapter Nineteen
The night before had been a stressful one for Tessa. For the first time, she felt as if she really didn’t belong at Levi’s house. She felt like she was in his way, and he was starting to resent her being there. Of course, he hadn’t said that, but when he disappeared downstairs, it had hurt her feelings more than she would have expected.
Levi was now in the shower, and Tessa was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. Well, this whirlwind couldn’t last forever. Her eyes began to tear up as she thought about going home alone. She’d have to face her real, boring, man-less life.
Tessa rolled over onto her side as the water shut off in the bathroom. A tear slid down the side of her nose. She quickly wiped it off. She didn’t want Levi to see her crying. Tessa didn’t want him to keep her around just because of guilt.
After a few more minutes, the bathroom down opened, a bit of steam escaping just before Levi stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist. He gave her a genuine smile before he ran his hand through his damp hair.
“Okay, love. After I get dressed, I’ll take you home.”
He strolled over to his dresser and started to pull out a pair of boxers and then a pair of socks. He walked over to the bed and shed the towel. Tessa couldn’t help but admire his body as he slipped on his clothes. Levi’s tattoos, coupled with his muscles, were beyond perfection.
Tessa sat up and Levi walked toward his closet. Should she go quietly or complain a bit?
“Levi?”
She heard him gathering clothes. “Yeah?”
She waited for a moment until he emerged wearing jeans and holding a clean, white t-shirt. Levi slowly walked back to the bed and slipped it on. Damn, he’s fucking hot.
Tessa turned to face him fully, folding her legs under herself. “So … maybe I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Levi looked distracted as his gaze bounced from her, to the window, then back. “Sure or maybe later tonight. Whatever you’d like. I know you have things to take care of.”
Her heart sank. Me? It seems like you’re the one with other things going on.
Levi sat down on the edge of the bed. “So, what do you have planned for today? I know you must be dying to get back to your house. Shit, I never even thought to ask. You don’t have pets or anything, do you?”
A bit of calm settled inside her, because he looked more relaxed. “No. No pets.” A small chuckle rose up her throat. “I have two plants, but they weren’t doing well before I left, anyway. What do you have to do today?”
He used his hand to smooth out the sheet between them. “I have an errand or two to run. You know, nothing exciting.” He looked deeper into her eyes. “Tessa, this has been beyond fast paced,
this thing between us. It’ll be good for you to be alone in your own space to really sort out your feelings.”
Maybe he was right. She’d barely had a moment to herself the last few days.
“Yeah. That’s true.” Tessa sighed. “Plus, I do need to call people.”
Sadness rolled through her as he stood from the bed. Tessa huffed out a deep breath and climbed off the bed. Even if she needed to go home and take care of things, she could already feel herself missing him. Levi walked toward the wall to grab his boots.
“Don’t worry, love. I’m not going anywhere.”
He motioned for her to exit the room. Was that reassurance real or fake to get her to head out? As they headed down the stairs, she tried to hold back her tears.
“Tessa, speaking of phone calls, why haven’t you mentioned your phone? I mean, you’ve been gone for a few days now. Most people would be desperate to get theirs back.”
They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Levi took a seat on the second to last one to put on his boots. Tessa stood over him, her arms crossed.
“I don’t know. I guess my phone represents going back to real life. I wasn’t ready.”
Her eyes began to wet again, and she turned her head, trying to hide her face from him. She casually wiped her face and Levi finished and stood.
“Well, if it’s lost, I’ll buy you a new one.”
Tessa turned back to look at him and Levi reached out, brushing some of her hair off her shoulder.
“Oh, it’s not lost. It’s at my house.”
“Wait. What?” Levi’s eyes widened, and a scowl pulled on his lips.
Why is that such a big deal? “Yeah. Funny story. The night you … we met, my phone was dead so I left it home.”
“Seriously, Tessa?” Levi shifted his weight, rubbing his face. “What young woman would be out at night without a phone?”
Tessa’s eyes searched his face. He was upset.
“Well, I thought I was spending the evening with my boyfriend. I didn’t know I’d need it.”
“How were you going to call for a ride home?”
She scrunched up her nose, feeling a bit confused why this mattered now. “I was going to just call from a bar or something.”
“Or something?” Levi turned away from her and started to pace.
He stopped walking and hung his head, rubbing the back of his neck. Finally, he looked up and pointed at the front door.
“All right, let’s go. I’d like to see it.”
He strode toward her and placed his hand on her lower back. Levi then guided her toward the door, taking a few deep breaths.
“What? My phone?”
“Yes.”
Tessa turned her head to the side as they walked, seeing the frown on his face.
What the hell?
Chapter Twenty
They rode silently in Levi’s car, headed for Tessa’s house. Levi’s knuckles were white as he tightly held the steering wheel. A low growl worked up his throat when he was forced to slow his car as the traffic light turned red before them.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tessa fidgeting with her fingers in her lap. Obviously, she was concerned with his mood, but he couldn’t do anything about that now. Did she worry about getting dropped off or about his interest in her phone? He surely wasn’t going to give her the truth about the phone, and he was unwilling to make up a lie. Tessa would just have to deal with him until he figured it out.
The light turned green, and Levi pressed harder on the gas than he intended, throwing Tessa back into her seat.
“The second right?” Levi kept his eyes on the road, twisting his hands slightly on the wheel.
“Aahh, yeah.” Her voice was timid and sullen.
Levi flicked his stare over to her for just a moment. He started to feel guilty but swiftly turned his attention back on the job at hand. He needed to check her phone and erase whatever Dave may have sent. There was no sugar coating it or coy way of asking to see her phone. He was going to simply demand it and hoped that worked.
He turned his black, luxury car down the correct street and within a minute, they were parked outside her small, two-bedroom house. Under different circumstances, this might have been a fun time to get to know her better. Hang out on her turf. Not today.
“Here we are.” Levi opened his car door but a soft noise from Tessa stalled his movements.
She sighed. “Levi, what’s going on?”
He looked at her, seeing the worry on her face. “Don’t worry. You aren’t in danger. I just need to see your phone. Make sure we’re all good.” He forced a smile. “You, know. Make sure Sam or another idiot hasn’t tried to locate you.”
This wasn’t really a lie. He did want to see if anyone had contacted her, but that wasn’t the main reason for the search of her phone.
Tessa’s frown lifted. “I suppose you’re right. I didn’t even think about that.”
Levi exited the car, knowing he should have at least given her a bit more reassurance about their bond, but he was in a hurry. He walked around to her door, which she was already opening. She climbed from the car with a small smile on her face.
“But there’s no real reason to worry, right?” She stepped away from the car as Levi flung the door shut.
He placed his hand on her back and strolled toward her house, lightly pushing her along with him.
“Tessa, remember what I told you after you were free and clear? You’re mine, and I’m not going to let anyone fuck that up. I’m just being overly cautious.”
Her body instantly relaxed against his hand. It seemed his words were what she needed. She gave him a smile as they reached her front door. She pointed down at a flower pot with a dead plant inside.
Levi bent down and lifted it, finding a flat plastic sleeve. He retrieved it, replacing the pot. Levi held it up and let the key inside fall into his hand. After this is over, that won’t work. She can’t hide keys to her house so carelessly.
Tessa took the key and unlocked her door. She paused to look up at him before opening it, but Levi was too anxious. He took hold of the door from her and pushed it open. Levi stepped past her and then turned to take hold of her arm, pulling her inside.
She inhaled sharply, going up on her tiptoes for a moment. Tessa’s eyes widened and a crooked grin lifted her lips. Damn it. No, Tessa, not now. She was expecting him to claim her body here in her house. Not a bad idea, normally, but there was an important task first.
“Phone.” He held out his hand. “Please.”
She stared down at his empty hand before looking back at him, disappointment in her eyes. “Levi?”
He inhaled and held it for a moment, understanding that she needed his kindness. He placed both hands on her shoulders, cocking his head to the side as he released his breath.
“Love, please. Let me protect you the only way I know how.”
Her expression softened, and her eyes searched his face. Finally, she pointed toward her kitchen. Levi bent down and kissed her. It was short and sweet. As he released her shoulders, Tessa gripped his arms. He pulled away slowly, heading toward her phone, not sure how abrupt it had felt to her.
Damn it. I was a fool to think this would be easy.
****
Tessa ran her hands down her arms before walking after Levi. What was going on? Maybe he was searching for her ex-boyfriend. Was he worried that he was begging her to come back? Was Levi worried she’d respond favorably?
Maybe this business with Levi’s boss wasn’t over. Was he looking for threats on her phone? She exhaled loudly as she entered her kitchen. Maybe I should be more pissed off. He’s invading my privacy. But … he’s trying to care for me. I don’t have anything to hide, but maybe that’s not the point.
A flashback of Brad screaming at her for looking at his phone played in her mind. She shook her head and paused behind Levi. He had her phone in his hand, now unplugged from the charger. She stepped closer to his back, and he turned away from the counter.
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She started to reach out to touch his arm, but Levi took a step away, pressing on the phone screen.
“Levi, did you find anything?”
He never looked up from the phone as he answered her. “Nope. We’re good.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Levi could feel Tessa’s eyes on him, but he ignored it. She exhaled roughly, but he was done. He’d found what he was looking for. She had several text messages waiting. And he had swiftly ran through them, looking for his boss’s name or one of his close lackeys.
There were a few from her ex, but Levi hadn’t even flinched as he’d continued to look for something more important.
He had clicked on a name he knew and an image appeared. It was a picture of Levi kidnapping a woman, and it wasn’t Tessa. Levi was lifting a young blonde off the ground with the city park in the background. You could see by the women’s face that she was screaming. The caption read, More to come.
Levi had immediately erased the text, blocking the number in the process. He knew that wouldn’t stop the messages, however. Obviously, Dave had several people he could have send her pictures or worse, video. There was only one way to stop this.
He spun around, and walked toward Tessa. Levi held out the phone to her and she paused, staring at him for several seconds before taking it from him.
“I should go. You okay? Do you need anything before I go?”
He bent down and left a quick kiss on her cheek.
“Levi? What happened? Was there something on my phone?”
He lightly squeezed her shoulder. “There’s nothing for you to worry about, love. Now just enjoy being home and getting things back to normal. I have a few things to take care of, too.”
“Okay.” She looked disappointed.
He was aware that she wanted him to stay longer, but he needed to finish this bullshit before it got out of hand.
“I’ll see you later, okay? Time apart won’t kill us.” He gave her a quick smile before kissing her cheek again.
“Probably not.” Her eyes brightened some.