The Reckoning

by S. L. Morgan

  Levi’s lips gently covered her bottom lip, kissing it tenderly. She heard him softly sigh as if he desired this moment as much as she did. His kiss became stronger as his lips slowly explored her lips. She let the sensation of his thumb brushing back and forth along the side of her neck keep her calm, as all she wanted was to become lost in his passionate kiss.

  He slowly withdrew from her, but only enough to return his eyes to hers. They were darker now, as they always were when he deeply desired her.

  “I really should not be doing this, but I am having profound difficulty resisting you at the moment.”

  She exhaled and gazed purposefully into his eyes. “Maybe there’s a reason you feel this way. Please don’t fight these feelings.”

  His eyes raptly studied her lips again. He cradled her head within both of his hands and brought his lips tenderly back to hers. He gently nipped her bottom lip, encouraging her and willing to offer her the kiss she deeply desired.

  Without any hesitation, Reece answered this subtle request, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, her husband was kissing her ardently again. She softly moaned in pleasure and brought her hands up through his hair, kissing him powerfully in return. Levi’s breathing increased, and he seemed just as spellbound by this passionate kiss as she was. He was not as tender with his kiss as she believed he would be. There was something more wild and aggressive about him, and it heightened Reece’s desire for more, as it reminded her of their wedding night. Her heart raced with anticipation. Did she, by some miracle, regain his love? Just as Reece thought he would gently guide her to lie down on the blanket and indulge himself further, her greatest wish was violently ripped away from her, leaving her disorientated for a moment. Levi abruptly withdrew, and his eyes seemed fierce.

  “Forgive me,” he said while abruptly standing.

  “Forgive you?” Reece said, trying to catch her breath.

  Levi called for Areion.

  Why is this happening? Reece thought as she stood up and approached him.

  “Levi, what’s wrong? What happened? Please, don’t leave. Talk to me.”

  Levi shook his head. “Reece, please—I need more time.”

  “More time? Levi, tell me, what did I do?”

  Levi exhaled and looked down at her. “You did nothing, Reece. I am the one to blame for this.”

  Reece shook her head in disillusionment. “What are you talking about?” She gripped his arm, forcing him to turn and face her. “Talk to me, please. I love you, Levi,” she said with tears filling her eyes.

  Levi stood tall. “And that is why I am the one to blame. Believe me, I am trying with everything that I am to make this work, but—”

  “But? But what?” she said, almost in a growl.

  Levi removed her hand from his arm and hoisted himself up onto Areion’s back. “It is best if I do not talk about it. I believe I will only hurt you more than I already have. Forgive me for selfishly kissing you for my own personal satisfaction. It was wrong, and once again, out of character for me.”

  With that, he was gone, leaving Reece to wonder where to go from here. She looked out at the water, looking beyond it toward their home. Her eyes filled with tears, knowing that if Levi remembered her, they would be happily living together in it. She abruptly shook her head and aggressively wiped the tears from her eyes.

  No! She inwardly scolded herself. No. You can’t fall apart like this, she thought as she ran a hand over her abdomen.

  “We must give your father more time,” she told the child in her womb. “He’ll come back to us. Your mommy needs to stay positive.” She looked at Arrow. “I will get my husband back,” she said determinedly as she walked over to the stallion and prepared to leave for the palace.

  Chapter Three

  After dinner that evening, Levi dismissed himself, opting out of joining everyone in the sitting room. His frustration over his impulsive decision to kiss Reece earlier continued to distress him. He did not love her, so why would he behave in such a rude manner toward a woman who was obviously in a fragile state?

  Either way, he could not forget about the sensations he experienced while kissing her. Something was so familiar about it, but he could not remember anything about her beyond their kiss. Strangely, the kiss initially gave him a sense of comfort amidst the chaos of everything he was facing. There was something about Reece he was drawn to, but he could not explain it. He’d hoped his kiss would help ignite his memories with her, but once fully indulged in the kiss, something changed. Something pierced through him and ended any and all emotion that was beginning to unfold. It was wrong. Never in his life had he engaged in such an intimate kiss with a woman he had hardly known.

  Levi meandered through the halls of the palace and walked out onto one of the private balconies that overlooked the front lawns. He hoped this time alone would help erase the memories of the kiss he shared with Reece, but he was wrong. The emotions, good and bad, came flooding back to him, overwhelming him in every way. He placed his elbows on the stone ledge, clasped his hands, and gazed into the river winding through the palace’s front lawn. To his surprise, he didn’t find refuge in the water peacefully flowing along the grounds, but instead, the brilliance of the water reminded him of Reece’s glistening eyes. A desire to kiss her brought a surge of energy up his spine. The memory of her lips on his, the softness of her kiss, and the way she fully accepted his strong desire to kiss her wildly delivered to him a powerful craving to be in her presence again. If she were with him at this moment, he would not be able to resist her.

  This is not like me. Why is this happening to me? he thought in absolute frustration. Why can I not simply have my memories back or awaken from this bizarre dream?

  “Levi, you poor soul,” Isabelle said as she approached with a subtle laugh. “Is it all really that miserable?” she said with some concern.

  His frustrations began to unwind at the sound of Isabelle’s voice. Levi leaned up and looked at the beautiful woman. His irritability grew as he forced his attraction toward Isabelle away, knowing she was now married and she was no longer the woman with whom he was involved.

  Has she come to torture me now? he thought, recognizing Isabelle was the last person he needed to be around at this time.

  “Do you mind if I join you?” Isabelle asked as Levi pushed up from the railing to acknowledge her.

  “How did you know I was here?” he asked, somewhat annoyed she would oddly follow him onto the balcony where he’d sought seclusion.

  She shot him a knowing look. “Given your current situation, I knew you would venture out to our location.”

  “Our location?”

  “Do not tell me you lost memories of us as well?” she teased. “I understand you are going through quite a bit right now, but I also know you and I spent many evenings alone on this balcony.”

  It is also where I decided to start courting you, Levi thought as more emotions washed over him.

  Any thoughts of Reece were replaced with the comforting familiarity of Isabelle. She was right. It was why he’d walked out to this location, something familiar about the life he once had. His relationship with Isabelle was what felt real in the strange reality to which he had awoken. Isabelle Hamilton was the woman he’d intended to marry, and he missed her company. He said nothing as he studied her flawless face, overcome with the feelings he carried for her. She was the only woman in all his acquaintance he had ever become attracted to, and he knew she didn’t desire him for his status alone. Somehow, she was no longer his.

  Why did I ever have a desire to end our relationship? he thought, desperately wanting to bring her into his arms again.

  Isabelle’s cheeks flushed. “I never imagined you would look at me in such a way again.” She walked over to Levi’s side and gazed out over the ledge. “As a married woman, I should not carry these emotions, but I cannot help but be overwhelmed with joy to see this expression on your face.” She looked over and smiled at him.

  Levi br
ought his attention to the views in front of him and sighed. “Forgive me, Isabelle. I do not wish to awaken emotions within you that should no longer exist. Please understand, it is hard for me to accept that you and I are no longer a couple.” He folded his arms and leaned onto the ledge again. “If it is not too much to ask, would you be willing to explain to me what happened between us?” He looked back to find Isabelle’s expression had turned more serious. “Why would I have chosen to end our relationship?”

  “Not a day has gone by that I do not ask myself that very question, Levi.” She forced a smile on her face. “I have always wondered what I had done to compel you to end our relationship in the manner you did.”

  “Isabelle, what did I do to cause you such distress? Certainly, I must have considered your feelings over mine when making that decision,” he pondered, seeing the heartbreak on her face. “Please, tell me what I did—what I said.”

  “One day, quite abruptly and unexpectedly, you stated that we were too young to consider marriage and that it was pointless to continue our relationship. You were to begin serving on Earth, and you said that it was unfair to continue our relationship, as serving on Earth was where your heart would be.”

  “Is that why I fell in love with Reece?” he accidentally said aloud, meaning to inwardly ask the question of himself. “Please—do not answer that. I am very confused about that as well.”

  “I waited for you, Levi,” she whispered. “I believed you would come back to me. Our love seemed too strong for you not to do so. Then, close to a year ago, I realized I needed to let you go and move forward with my life.”

  “I am deeply sorry, Isabelle. The reasons why I would end our relationship makes no sense to me. It was my duty to marry you, and I utterly failed in that regard. Were my mother and father upset with me over such a negligent decision?”

  “I believe they were more concerned about your well-being than anything else.”

  He sat back and gazed intently into her eyes. “I am grateful that you found love with Tomas. He is a good, noble man, and you deserve the best. How did Julian handle this news? He gave me the hardest time when I began to court you, and I certainly would not have wished to be in bad favor where he is concerned,” Levi said with a laugh.

  Sorrow washed over her expression, and tears filled her eyes.

  “Not again!” Levi said in frustration. “Pardon me, I have—”

  “No,” Isabelle said as she blotted her eyes with a handkerchief. “You need not ask forgiveness. You have no memory of what happened to him.”

  “May I ask what happened? He was an excellent friend.”

  “He was killed in the battle of Armedias. He died nobly alongside many other brave warriors to rescue Reece and return her to Pemdas.”

  Levi felt his stomach twist into knots. He rubbed his forehead, fighting back his grief. “I am deeply sorry for your loss. Julian has been one of mine and Harrison’s dearest friends since we were boys, as you know. He will not be forgotten.”

  “Thank you, Levi.” She reached for his arm. “Even though you have no memory of it, you have already given our family your sympathies. I do hope that this news does not cause you further distress.”

  Strangely, Isabelle’s comforting hand on his arm felt wrong.

  What is happening to me? he thought as his emotions abruptly took a wild turn and he felt a pressing desire to be in Reece’s presence. Uncomfortable, Levi gently removed her hand from his arm and forced a smile.

  “I am fine. I am pleased to hear your family is coping well.”

  Isabelle’s expression changed to confusion by Levi’s gesture. “Thank you, we are. Now, I must be getting back before someone questions both of our absences. I do not wish to risk upsetting Reece further either.”

  “That is very considerate of you. Even though I have no memories of her, I do not like seeing her so distraught. I must keep in mind that she is carrying our child, and I do not wish to cause her any unneeded worry that may harm her or the child.”

  “She—she is with child?” Isabelle stammered with utter astonishment.

  Levi nodded. “We are not sharing the news with anyone at the moment given my current state.” He frowned in confusion when he noticed a tear slip down Isabelle’s cheek before she absently wiped it away. “Have I upset you?”

  She turned and reached over to his face. “I may be married to Tomas, but you should know that my heart will always belong to you.”

  Levi had no chance to respond before she turned and rushed back to the palace. He stood there disillusioned, and oddly enough, it wasn’t as a result of what Isabelle had stated.

  Her tender touch to his cheek did not illicit the reaction within him that he anticipated it would. It was nothing compared to how he’d responded to Reece’s touch and kiss. His mind instantly returned to thoughts of Reece and the way she’d made him feel earlier that day. He slightly licked his lips, remembering the sweet flavor of her desirable kiss. Instead of fighting his feelings, he allowed them to consume him. The way it felt when his lips first touched hers was more invigorating than he imagined it would be. He sat there imagining what it would be like to also savor the flavor of her enticing skin. His heart skipped a beat as he imagined himself kissing her slender neck and hearing that irresistible moan of hers again. He wanted to watch her hypnotic eyes as they become entranced with his.

  Instead of returning to the location where everyone was gathered, he thought it best to retire to his bedchambers given his unpredictable thoughts about Reece. After the feelings he was experiencing, he felt it was best to avoid her. Until he began to develop a proper attraction toward her, he knew he had to keep his distance. His selfish desires would only bring Reece further pain because there was no love behind them. With that in mind, he discreetly left the balcony without being noticed.

  Throughout the remainder of the month, Levi managed to create enough distractions for himself that he was hardly around the palace. Harrison and Angeline were looking to purchase an estate close to Pasidian, so when he wasn’t training with the Guardians, Levi spent the majority of his time helping Harrison find the right home.

  “After mine and Angie’s celebration, which was oddly postponed, I believe you, and I should start serving on Earth together,” Harrison said while they rode at a slow pace back to the palace.

  Levi frowned. “Why would you choose to serve on Earth? You are our commander. That makes no sense at all. I will simply serve with another.”

  Harrison shifted in his saddle. “What makes no sense at all is you, my friend. I can do whatever I wish as the commander, and if I choose to serve on Earth, I will do exactly that.”

  “Very well.”

  “How are things working out with you and Reece?”

  “I think it is evident that I am still struggling to understand why—”

  “Levi, stop!” Harrison sighed. “You aren’t even trying in that department, and therefore, you have no excuse. Over the past month, we have all watched you go out of your way to avoid Reece, and it must stop.”

  “Simply because I awoke as a nineteen-year-old man in my mind, do not think I will allow you to make demands of me.”

  “Someone needs to. What is your problem with Reece? Why are you so frightened of her?”

  “I am not frightened. I merely do not feel comfortable in her presence.”

  “How could anyone not be comfortable in her presence? She is delightful. You must admit that she has been nothing but proper toward you. She does not push you in any way. Come to think of it, I believe I shall have to have a talk about that with her as well.”

  “Harrison, stay out of this,” Levi said in annoyance. “It is not your problem. Ever since Galleta confirmed that my memories are not likely to return, I have resolved that I must learn to accept a life with Reece.” He sighed. “Somehow, I will.”

  “You have resolved that, huh? And here I thought you lost your romantic nature,” Harrison said as he rolled his eyes. “Although, I feel it n
ecessary to point out that the only way you shall be able to accept her is to be around her. So long as you are hiding out in the training units and avoiding her at all costs, you will never learn to love her. Have you yet had a conversation with her that lasted more than five minutes?”

  “I am unable to do so. When I am in Reece’s presence,” he paused, “I cannot think straight. I do not know how to explain it.”

  “I have a brilliant idea, Levi. Why don’t you try a little bit harder? She is your wife, and she is carrying your child. Procrastination is a friend to no one, so you must not continue to put this off. It is the day before we leave for the Hamiltons’ estate, and you cannot even be in the same room as Reece? It is absurd!”

  “I highly doubt it will make any difference. Besides, we are celebrating your and Angie’s commitment toward each other anyway. My relationship with Reece at this celebration will undoubtedly go unnoticed.”

  “That is what you think!” Harrison laughed. “Do not forget what these events are like, and do not forget that there will be more than one woman in attendance that will find it extremely amusing that Levi Oxley no longer takes an interest in his wife.” Harrison exhaled. “Do not subject Reece to their ridicule. You seriously need to get your head in the game on this one.”

  “You make an excellent point.” He looked off into the distance.

  “Getting to know who your lovely wife is will be the best thing you have done since you emerged from your coma. We must get you functioning normally again.” Harrison let out an exaggerated sigh.

  “Is everything okay?” Levi asked.

  “No,” Harrison simply stated. “Let me just say that this is not the first time I have had to play relationship counselor for the two of you. It is exhausting.”

  Levi sighed. “I never asked for you to be involved.”

  “That is the problem!” he shouted. “If I do not insist upon interjecting myself into your love life, I would be watching two of my favorite people fall apart all over again. It is not in my nature to worry about such things, yet I am compelled to for both your sakes.”