14. Levi
Chapter 14
Levi
“Library. Science building. Humanities center.” Locke sweeps his tatted hand around the imposing brick structures surrounding us as we wander through the quad.
Shortly after we arrived on campus, Decker, Kylian, and Joey headed off to their respective classes. The rest of us have a little time to kill, so Locke and Kendrick offered to show me around beforehand. Hunter could have done it, but since she’s only been here for one semester, they know more of the ins and outs and finer details.
Locke continues playing tour guide, and beside me, Hunter squeezes my hand. I can’t help but grin at our laced fingers. When I came back to North Carolina, I couldn’t have begun to dream that my life could look like this.
“Performing arts center over there. Math building, which has the best coffee cart on campus, according to Joey. Then over there’s the business school.”
I repeat the name of each building as we go, trying to commit them all to memory.
“This will be your home base. At least for this semester.”
We stop in front of the massive state-of-the-art field house situated on the west end of campus.
My gut hollows out. Fucking hell.
Decker not only got me in and had the Crusade Scholarship reassigned to me, he went as far as to secure a twelve-credit-hour practicum for me.
My life has changed completely in the last twenty-four hours, but here we fucking go.
“I’m heading in for speed drills and PT,” Kendrick tells me with a clap on the back. “I’ll get you where you need to be.”
After I give my girl a quick kiss, I follow the big guy inside.
Curtis, who’s a massive hulk of a man with blond hair formed into a sharp buzz cut, is the teaching assistant for my practicum. He’s newer to campus, too, having transferred from a school up in Northeast Ohio last year.
He originally planned to go into marketing, but then had a change of heart. He’s technically in the first year of the athletic training grad program here, despite being in his mid-twenties.
As he shows me around, pointing out offices and supply closets, he goes over the procedures for signing student athletes in and out of the clinic.
“You’ll need this on you at all times.” He holds out a red and black lanyard. I lift the plastic tag at the end to inspect it, shocked to find it already has my name and student ID along the bottom.
“Curtis, my man. What’s good?” A beast of a guy enters the clinic, signs in, then hops up onto a table and whips off his shirt.
“Hey, Jackson. I’ve got a new student trainer with me today, showing him the ropes. Okay if he observes while I tape your shoulder?”
The rest of the day flies by. I stick by Curtis’s side, except after lunch when he needs a specific waterproof kinesiology tape for a female swimmer. I remember seeing it in one of the closets earlier, so I offer to grab it, proud as hell when I find it behind the second door I try.
“And that’s the day,” Curtis announces.
Though it feels far earlier than four p.m., the next shift has already arrived, fresh faces of students and supervisors ready to take on the needs of the student athletes after practice and evening lift sessions.
“Do you have somewhere to be?” Curtis asks. “A few of us from the club hockey team are heading to the Outpost for a drink. You’re welcome to join us.”
The offer almost bowls me over. Fuck, it feels good to jump back into life again, to meet new people and experience new things.
Going out with them isn’t an option tonight, though. Not with the way my body vibrates with excitement to get back to the mansion and tell the others about my day.
Even so, I’m curious about the club he mentioned, and I definitely want to be invited out again. “I’ve got plans tonight. But I’d love to join you another time. What’s club hockey?”
“LCU doesn’t have a full hockey program, but I was on the team at my old school, so when I transferred, I got together with a few other guys and got the club set up here. We have to drive out to Farquay to practice at their rink, but it’s worth it.”
A club team. I didn’t even know that was an option.
“Are there other club sports at LCU?”
Curtis claps me on the shoulder. “Yeah, man. They’ve got just about everything you can think of.”
My lungs seize up, but I force my next question out. “Football?”
“Yep. Dodgeball and rugby, too.”
Realistically, I won’t ever play football at the collegiate level again. But that doesn’t mean I can’t play for myself.
Club football. I didn’t even know that was a fucking option.
There’s no stopping the smile that erupts and there’s no schooling my expression when I clock out and exit the building. I’m all tingly inside as I stride down the sidewalk. Today was… Hell, it was so much more than I ever thought it could be.
I’m walking aimlessly, too pumped to consider where I’m supposed to be going, when my phone vibrates in my pocket.
Daisy: Meet me in the library. Third floor. Turn right at the top of the stairs. Botany and entomology section.
A huff of a laugh escapes me. That’s an extremely specific request, but I’m happy to oblige.
I find the library without a problem, thanks to Locke’s thorough tour, then take the stairs two at a time up to the third floor.
Pulse thrumming in my veins, I weave through the stacks, scanning the space for my girl. I’m a bundle of nerves and anticipation when I finally spot her. She’s pretending to search for a text on the highest shelf. She’s a terrible actress, her whole face scrunching up as she tries to fight back her smile.
She turns just as I approach.
I scoop her up and plant a wanton, love-drunk kiss on her lips. Gasping, she grips my face. I lean into her and press her back to the shelves, thanking god I found her in an end aisle conveniently supported by a wall.
She melts into me, giving as good as she gets, stoking the fire that’s ignited low in my stomach. Lips parting, she slicks her tongue against mine. I fight back, meeting her stroke for stroke.
Fingers tangled in the hair at my nape, she drops her head back and moans. “Levi.”
I kiss and suck along her jaw and down her neck. “I know, pretty girl. I know.”
Nudging the knee of my good leg between her thighs, I take her weight, pulling a whimper from her. God bless thin leggings and oversized sweatshirts. I kiss her harder, feeding her my tongue as I savor every sweet, delicious taste she allows me to take, and encourage her to grind down against my thigh.
Fuck, I want to make her feel good. I’m practically soaring already. Getting her off in a semi-public place would be the ultimate cherry on top of my day.
At the quick vibrating sensation between us, I jolt.
Hunter breaks away, breathless and giggling. “Uh, Duke? Did you bring accessories for us, or…?”
Embarrassed, I jam my hand into my pocket and pull out my vibrating phone. “It’s probably Greedy, wondering if we’re on our way home.” I grimace. This detour was her idea. If he’s upset that we’re late, she’ll be the one answering to our boyfriend.
Except when I glance down, I see that it’s not Greedy.
It’s much worse.
My hard-on instantly deflates when the name on the screen registers.
“It’s my mom.” I show Hunter the phone. I’m well-versed in ignoring her calls from my years out in California. Hell, I’ve probably interacted with her more over the last few months than I have in the last three years. Maintaining boundaries and keeping her at arm's length will be imperative now that it’s not just me I’m worried about protecting.
But then Hunter catches my wrist before I can hit Ignore. “Wait.” Stepping closer, she worries her lip between her teeth. “No more running, remember? Answer it now. We’re both here. If she’s anything like Magnolia, she’s not going to give up easily. Let’s just get it over with.”
Fucking hell. She’s right. But this is far from the way I wanted this little encounter in the library to go.
With dread swirling in my gut, I slide to accept the call. “Hello?”
“Levi Moore. I have it on good authority you got a girl—” She chokes, then hiccups. She can’t even say the word out loud.
“Pregnant?” I blow out an exasperated breath. I figured it was only a matter of time before my mother found out, though I’m surprised the rumor mill moved this quickly.
“Yes. Pregnant . We need to start planning the wedding at once.”
My heart stutters and I’m pretty sure my eyes bug out, but Daisy grips my wrist gently, quickly soothing me. I shouldn’t be surprised she can hear both sides of the conversation with the way my mom is practically yelling.
“That’s not our highest priority right now.” It’s the wrong answer, but it’s all I’ve got.
“Like hell it’s not,” she snaps back.
I wince. She never curses.
“I need to meet this girl. The—the mother of my grandchild. Her mother already called me. She wants the four of us to get together at the country club next week. The sheer embarrassment I felt, finding out from a stranger. And now she’s invited us to share a meal! I take it you’ll actually prioritize this particular luncheon?”
The horror painted on Hunter’s face matches the sensation coursing through me.
Fucking. Hell.
Magnolia already got to my mom.
Hunter’s bottom lip trembles. I catch it between my forefinger and thumb and give it a gentle tug. It does us no good to freak out. We knew this was a possibility.
“No more running,” I mouth.
Pretty dark lashes flutter closed. Then she takes a few calming breaths. When she opens her eyes, they’re filled with determination. My girl is ready for battle.
“Hunter and I will be there,” I confirm. “Will you text me the details?”
Whatever we have to do to get Hunter out of Magnolia’s clutches for good—we’ll do it. Whatever comes next, we’ll meet it head-on.
I’m ready to stand up to my mom. I’m fully prepared to stay and fight.
No more running.
We’ve got this.