Breaking the Habit: The Breaking Series #4

by Leigh, Ember

  Levi’s words took a moment to sink in. The doctor finished up and took his leave, and Levi swiveled around in the chair to face her.

  “You said…DRK?” she asked, barely able to believe her ears.

  “Yeah. You heard of it?”

  A disbelieving laugh rocketed out of her. “Uh…yeah. I’ve heard of it. It’s…my dream gallery. I never…how did you…” She buried her face in her hands, and a moment later, Levi’s arms were around her.

  “I remember when you told me about it,” he whispered into her ear. “The first time I brought you curry.”

  “The day I fell in love with you,” she admitted, tears blurring her vision. “Even though I didn’t realize it.”

  Travis and Lex cheered for her, and then there was knocking on the door. Nikki and Fiona popped in, and then Gage showed up on the heels of Lila, Amara, Gen, and Cobra. The dressing room was stuffed with friends and family and smiles and laughter. Everyone congratulated Levi, who immediately shared his news about Riley, which only made the excitement reverberate more intensely through the room.

  Riley propped her chin on Levi’s chest, the noise of her friends receding to a dull murmur as she took in the sculpted, gorgeous wall of man she called her boyfriend. Her partner. Her lover. Her one true love.

  Even a few months in, she knew it was true.

  And at the rate things were going now, it would only become more and more true.

  “I know you’ve been so focused on your clients and your art,” Levi said in a softer voice, meant just for her. “I didn’t want to let this slip by. You deserve it. And I can’t wait to go to your opening.”

  “You are spectacular,” Riley said, her voice sticking in her throat. The tears were back again, and she didn’t know what she’d done to deserve someone like him. A man who gave his body and soul for the people he loved. A man who only knew how to succeed and rise higher.

  “Says the spectacular artist whose work makes me cry in the shower,” Levi said.

  She snorted. “Really? You cried in the shower?”

  “Once. I might have been a little drunk. But yeah, it happened.”

  The grin was so wide, it hurt her cheeks. “You make me do other things in the shower.”

  “Why there and not in bed with me?”

  “Because sometimes we’re not allowed to see each other, and I’m forced to take matters into my own hands,” she teased, running her palms down the strong ridge of his shoulder, over his sculpted biceps, all the way to his thick forearms secured around her waist.

  “Mmm. That won’t be the case again. Not tonight. And not for a long time.”

  “Better not be,” she said, before Levi caught her lips in a kiss.

  A chorus of ooohs erupted in the dressing room.

  “Get a room!” Lex called out.

  “Riley and Levi sittin’ in a tree…” Cobra began, and the rest of the room picked up the nursery rhyme. Riley looked over in time to see Gage shouting out the words, so much happiness shining on his face.

  “All right, guys, all right,” Levi shouted over the din. “We all know where this is heading. We don’t need to sing about it.”

  Riley drew her brows together. “You want marriage and a baby carriage?”

  Levi blinked, the type of satisfied smile cresting his face that made it difficult for Riley to think straight.

  “Riley, I want everything with you. Up to and including and beyond marriage and a baby carriage.”

  The tears were back again, and Riley buried her face in his chest, drawing in deep gulps of the coppery tang of his skin.

  She hadn’t thought that such happiness could exist. Not after so much heart break. Not after the deception and the hate and the scars.

  But really it was prepping her for so much more.

  Deeper love.

  Bigger risks.

  Payoffs better than her wildest dreams.

  Epilogue

  SIX MONTHS LATER

  “Oh wow. This is just…wow.”

  Riley grinned into the heel of her hand as she eavesdropped on yet another visitor. The gallery opening at DRK was packed, and the owner Yuri reported that a line had formed outside, since the building was at capacity.

  Everywhere she looked, strangers were peering at her art. Pointing, murmuring to their friends, or shaking their heads.

  This was the pinnacle. Right here. She’d made it to the top, and she could die happy.

  “Babe…I just need to tell you how gorgeous you look over here, in your fancy dress, soaking it all in.”

  Levi’s husky voice at her ear sent electricity skating beneath her skin. She twisted to look up at him, warmth flowing through her as her gaze landed on his hickory tresses and square jaw. He’d taken to wearing a neatly trimmed beard in his off-season, which made him look somehow even more manly and rugged. It paired perfectly with his slate gray suit. Everything paired perfectly with him, though.

  “Are you spying on me?” she asked, unable to hide the grin. She nudged him with her hip, the bottom of her mauve evening dress swishing.

  “All night.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Not gonna stop, either.”

  She giggled, brushing her nose against his. His warm hand on her lower back was a reassurance she hadn’t counted on needing so much. With all the swirling anxieties of this show—the months-long preparation, the endless stressing of whether or not anyone would come or even care, and of course the nail-biting decision-making process of which prints to include and which to toss—it wasn’t as easy as just sitting back and basking in the glory now.

  Of course, her perfectionist artistic side wanted to take the pulse of every attendee’s thoughts and feedback. But that was impossible. She just needed to let the show be what it would be. She’d made it here. That was enough.

  “You’re making an incredible amount of sales,” Yuri murmured to her as he edged past, squeezing her shoulder. “We’re almost out of one of your signed prints.”

  She bit her lip and covered her heart with a hand. Some of her worries about the show living up to expectations melted away with that little tidbit. Levi pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  “I am so fucking proud of you, babe,” he whispered into her ear. Emotion overwhelmed her for what felt like the hundredth time that hour. The success of this opening night was partly due to him. Levi had been using his fame and platform strictly for three purposes in recent months: muscular dystrophy awareness, fitness, and promoting the hell out of her gallery opening.

  “Hey, lovebirds!” Fiona weaved through the crowd, holding her champagne flute in the air as she navigated the crowd. “Pretty sure I just saw Susan Sarandon over there.”

  “Let the celebrity count begin!” Riley laughed, looking up at Levi. “You didn’t invite John Stamos tonight, did you?”

  “I did. But he was busy.”

  Fiona grinned. “I love that you have a Stamos in. How you feelin’, babe?”

  “Like this is still one of many crazy dreams I’ve had over the years and I’m about to wake up,” Riley said as she beheld her best friend’s easy smile and elegant blonde bun. Her black-and-teal eyeliner contrasted nicely with her tan skin and the ivory gown she wore. She’d always been a music starlet in waiting, but tonight looked every inch an up-and-coming funky celebrity.

  “No waking up from this one,” Levi said, squeezing his arm around Riley. “And hopefully, you don’t dream about cars, otherwise, you’ll wake up exhausted.”

  Riley laughed, pressing her forehead against the warm steel of his chest. “Good one,” she said, while Fiona groaned.

  The swell of conversation and laughter swelled around them, like the collective volume knob had been turned up. A server wandered by holding a tray of cheese. The girls each picked their own, and Levi snagged three. Riley giggled as he popped all three cubes into his mouth at once.

  “You’re not carbo loading, you’re cheese loading.”

  “What?” he asked. “I’m about to start training for
the league again.” He reached for the tray again when the same server passed by and snagged three more cubes. “And it’s your opening night, and I can eat as much of this amazing cheese as I want.”

  “I’m sad I’ll miss your matches in the next league,” Fiona whined, slapping Levi’s arm with her handbag. The next WFC season was slated to begin in just a couple months, and there was an extensive lineup of fighters this time around, now that everyone in the country—and sometimes even around the world—was paying attention. Not just to the WFC, but to Levi in particular. He was more famous than ever, with movie cameo offers rolling in just as often as talk show appearances. His most recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show had set off an enormous wave of fan mail—for both of them. Turned out, sending herself into the spotlight at Levi’s side made her something of a sweetheart in the public eye.

  She’d take it.

  “You can watch them from the road,” Riley suggested, pinching her friend’s waist. “You know, once your super cool international tour kicks off.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not the same as being there,” Fiona said. Riley only grinned. She’d created a group of MMA fanatics, herself included. And her appreciation for the sport was all over tonight’s showing. That whole so-called sports photography world that had seemed so far out of reach, so unlike anything she’d ever wanted to do. Haunted, gritty images lined the walls of DRK. Deeply felt, poetic, toeing the line of surreal and hyperreal.

  Exactly what she’d always imagined for herself.

  She wandered around the gallery as people mingled, getting wrapped up in conversations about some of the shots or peppered with questions by aspiring photographers about her gear and approach. Her body thrummed with contentment, and every time she searched for Levi’s gaze across the room, their eyes met and another jolt went through her.

  Yeah, life was damn near perfect.

  The gallery stayed packed until well after the show was over. Once all the guests had trickled out and finally it was just Levi and Riley and Yuri left in the main gallery, the floor dusted with the debris of hundreds of visitors and art enthusiasts, Riley could only blink up at Levi.

  “I’d call that a success,” Levi said, squeezing her arms. Yuri had gone into the back room to do a final sales calculation. Riley collapsed against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I sent Gage a few pictures. He said you look beautiful.”

  “Aww.” Riley grinned. Gage had opted not to come because of how packed they knew these opening nights got. But the three of them had given him a pre-opening night viewing earlier that week, like the VIP he was.

  “So now that you’re a famous photographer and all of LA knows about you, you still have time in your schedule for my matches?”

  She snorted, and the two of them started a slow sway in the middle of the main gallery. Surrounded by enormous prints of her best work, both MMA and otherwise. The white track lights shone down, making everything bright and bold.

  “You’re my main client, you know,” she whispered, the heaviness of exhaustion and bone-deep happiness coming over her.

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re also my main man.”

  “Yeah.” He swiped a thumb over her cheek, something strange coming over his face. “I thought so. I wanna be your main man forever.”

  She didn’t get tired of hearing things like that from him. These past six months had been blissful, and already they’d talked about her moving in full time with him and Gage. The idea didn’t frighten her. She practically lived there already. Every step forward with Levi felt right. Everything about him felt right.

  “Would you let me?” he asked, his voice hot at her ear. A shiver traveled up her spine. She pulled back to look at him, feeling something heavier in his question than their casual conversation suggested.

  “You already are,” Riley said, smoothing a hand up the strong expanse of his back.

  “No, I mean…” His intense gaze broke, and indecision flashed on his face. “Fuck. I don’t have a joke lined up for this one.”

  She laughed a little. “For what?”

  “It’s okay. I shouldn’t joke about this. Not with you.” He cupped her face in his hands and pressed a hard, urgent kiss to her lips. Then he pulled back.

  And sank down to one knee.

  Riley blinked down at him, not quite sure what was happening. “Is your leg okay?”

  That heartbreaker grin tugged at his lips, the kind that could melt her into a weak puddle. “Riley…”

  Her heart started racing, though she wasn’t sure why. He slipped his hand into a pocket and then brought out a tiny black box. Then it clicked.

  Levi wanted to be her forever man.

  “YES,” she blurted.

  “I haven’t even asked anything,” he said, laughter in his voice as he popped open the ring box. A black diamond glinted back at her, and tears started streaming down her face. “But while we’re on the subject…” He looked up at her, mischief and joy brimming in his handsome features. Like he knew a secret.

  But she knew it too. Love.

  “Riley, I know we’re both not the marrying type, and I know this is fast, so we don’t have to rush anything or do it too soon…but, I already know, babe. I’ve known for months. You’re the one for me. The only one. I want you forever. My dark angel. Marry me, babe.”

  She clutched the strong ridge of his shoulders, steadying herself as her balance swept away and tears filled her eyes.

  “I will,” she whispered, her voice sticking to her throat. “You’re the only one I’d say this to. You’re….” Words failed her, and she laughed into her hands. “You’re the only one.”

  Levi whooped and surged up, grabbing her around the waist before spinning her in a circle. She shrieked with laughter, and then Yuri came up a moment later, grinning from ear to ear.

  “He just asked me to marry him!” Riley shouted.

  “Where’s the ring?” Yuri asked, then she noticed he was holding his phone up still. Like he was filming. “Put it on! For posterity.”

  “Oh right! We forgot about that part.” Levi laughed, lowering Riley to the ground slowly. He fumbled to pop the ring out of the box. When she held out her hand for him to slide it on, her hand shook.

  “I asked him to film it,” Levi murmured, sliding the ring over her knuckle. “Thank God you said yes.”

  Riley’s vision blurred from the tears in her eyes. She never could have seen this coming. The proposal, for starters, but also this. Levi as her love and supportive partner. The man who fought tirelessly—for his career, for his loved ones, for the betterment of those in his orbit.

  She hadn’t realized it at the time, but the day he walked into her life was the day everything changed. The day that she’d started down the path to fulfilling her dreams. To finding a love that she’d believed to be fantasy.

  “So you gonna stay Riley Montagne or turn into Riley Swain?” Levi asked, knocking her hip.

  “I think it should be both.” She laughed, admiring the modest black diamond. It was perfect. It was exactly what she would have chosen. “Riley Mont-Swain.”

  “Sounds like an edgy stage name. I like it.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she wrapped her arms around him, relishing the solidity of his body against hers. When Yuri finished filming, he handed Levi’s phone over.

  “I bet your followers would go nuts for that video,” Yuri said.

  “They would,” Levi responded, “but some things are meant just for us.”

  Riley propped her chin on his chest and smiled up at him.

  Like their love.

  It was meant for just them.

  And they’d have it for the rest of their lives.

  THE END

  Ready for more? Don’t worry—you’ll be able to read about Fiona and Eddie’s whirlwind love affair soon enough. BREAKING THE FALL, book #5 of The Breaking Series, will be coming FALL 2019!

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  READ THE BREAKING SERIES

  Breaking The Rules

  Book #1 in The Breaking Series

  Travis Holt never expected the one person who could throw him off his game to roll back into town. As the successful owner of Holt Body Fitness, he was sure he would win his upcoming MMA fight…until his best friend’s little sister showed up.

  For Travis, there's only ever been one rule: stay away from his best friend's sister. But Amara Valenzuela has transformed from meek and sweet to a woman that Travis can’t keep his eyes—or hands—off of. Before long, however, Travis learns that being with Amara isn’t just breaking the rules. She’s a dangerous distraction.

  In a room full of hot, hard, sweaty bodies, these two have more than fitness on their minds. Will the undefeated MMA fighter be strong enough to resist the charms of his best friend's sexy and sweet little sister…or will trying to win her heart be the showdown of his life?

  AVAILABLE NOW AT AMAZON and in KINDLE UNLIMITED