Dirty Player (The Montgomery Billionaires #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

LEVI

––––––––

Kaylee’s mom stands to speak with the doctor while we wait to hear the update. After a minute or two, she turns and gives her daughter a wobbly smile.

“He’s waking up.”

Kaylee runs over to her, and they hug.

“I’ll go in and see him. Give me ten minutes. It looks like he might be okay.”

Might?

I keep my mouth shut.

Mrs. Rose follows the doctor and Kaylee walks back over, her eyes avoiding me.

“Kaylee.”

“My dad is dying, Levi. I can’t.”

“Yes, you fucking can.” I grunt under my breath and close the distance between us.

Her watery eyes meet mine and I let out a moan and pull her against my chest. She melts into me, wrapping her arms around my body.

That’s fucking better.

Jesus, this woman.

After a few minutes, I pull her away and stare down at her beautiful face.

“What have you done?” When she attempts to glance away, I take her chin in my hand and force her eyes to mine. “What have you said to them?”

Her mother never looked at me the way she did tonight. She’s only ever been warm, friendly, and supportive of my future as a football player.

There wasn’t a hint of that tonight.

And it wasn’t grief.

What’s he doing here?

Kaylee and I were at the Hawkes Christmas party.

Not together.

Then she confessed she’d been lying to her dad about seeing me. I get that. I know we’ve lied to both our families. I understand that they would be upset, but I figure they know what happened between her and Colby.

Wait...

“Start talking.” I demand.

“They think you broke up with me,” Kaylee says.

“Because?” My voice is hard. She tries to move, but I force her eyes back to mine. “Because!”

“Levi, you don’t understand.” She hisses, grabbing at my arm. “Dad was cheated on. He loses his mind at Mom all the time, thinking she might be cheating. Imagine if he knew what I’d done. I couldn’t have him hate me.”

Jesus.

“Did you tell him I’d had the affair?”

Unbelievable.

“It wasn’t an affair!”

I drop my arms and take a step away. Running my hand through my hair, I turn back. “What did you say?”

“I said you thought I wasn’t good enough because I was on a scholarship and was just sleeping with you for association with the football league.”

In other words calling her a jersey chaser.

Which I had.

But not to her fucking parents.

“So all this time, they thought I was some asshole who believed he was too good for you. Talking shit about you.”

While you had your mouth on some other guy.

I don’t say that, as I’m starting to understand that Colby played a big part in what happened. One Kaylee wasn’t completely in control of.

And I was the idiot who wouldn’t listen.

I hold up my hand. “Fine. Okay. I’ll deal with Colby.”

“Levi, no.” She steps forward, placing her hands on my abs. “Don’t.”

My fingers thread through her hair. “Kaylee, you don’t get it, do you?”

Blink.

“I’m going to fucking marry you. That guy forced himself on you. I don’t care he’s the pope or POTUS. He’s not getting away with it.”

Her mouth falls open.

Oops. I hadn’t meant to say that.

She blinks again.

My lips twitch, softening into the smallest of smiles. “No one touches my girl.”

“Levi.”

“Your dad doesn’t need to know, kitten.” I pull her closer against me. “You didn’t cheat.”

“No, I did.” Kaylee shakes her head.

No, fuck that. As far as I’m concerned, this was a powerful guy taking what he wanted from a woman a quarter of his size.

“I was wrong walking away. I should have given you a chance to explain. Called him on it.” I shake my head.

“I wish you had.”

“Your parents will come around. We will tell them we both said horrible things, and it was miscommunication. All right?”

I see the doubt on her face and rub my thumb over her cheekbone.

“Over time, they’ll work it out. That I love you. That you love me. Especially when I put a big fat diamond on this finger.”

I take her hand and lift it to my mouth.

“Are you joking?” she whispers.

“I never joke when it comes to you, Kaylee Rose.” I smile and a quick glance over her head tells me the world knows about this already because a bunch of smartphones are pointed our way.

Christ.

Being a public figure really sucks some days.

Well, here we go. Because I’m not letting her run away.

I drop to one knee.

“Levi!” she cries, glancing around and gasping when she sees everyone watching. “This is a hospital.”

“Hey, I’m in a tuxedo.” I smirk up at her red cheeks.

She’s never looked so beautiful.

“Kaylee, I have loved you since the moment I caught you in my arms on campus. I let us fall once, and I’ll never let that happen again. You are the most important thing in my life, and without you, my life felt incomplete.”

She bites her bottom lip.

“We’ve both made mistakes and that just proves we’re human. Young. Growing. Let’s do it together.”

More biting on her lip while people around us are making cooing noises.

My heart thumps as I ask the next question.

With an audience.

“Kaylee Lilly Rose. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

She nods once.

I lift a brow, waiting in agony.

“Yes.” She nods more. “Yes.” Then she launches herself at me and I swear if I wasn’t a quarterback, this little pocket rocket would’ve bowled me over. “Yes, Levi Montgomery, I will marry you.”

The room erupts into cheers as I crush my mouth to hers.

It’s the most impulsive and best moment in my entire life. One I will never live to regret.

Kaylee is mine.

She’s always been mine.

And always will be mine.

“I’m going to need the photos and videos,” I say to the crowd around us when I stand with her in my arms. “By the way, this is Kaylee. My fiancé.”

“Kaylee?” We hear behind us.

I drop her feet back to the floor and we turn to face her mom.

“Mom, I need to tell you the whole story.”