Chapter 38 Levi
THIRTY-EIGHT
LEVI
AN UNEXPECTED TURN
It couldn’t have felt more Christmasy when we all sat around the tall Christmas tree that made the room glow even in the daylight.
As Lexi handed me a cup of hot coco, the whole poisoning thing ran through my mind. Odds are they’d use a sneakier method of offing me anyway.
I sat in the furthest chair away from them and after a little glaring, Lexi seemed to almost forget I was there as she told crazy college stories. The whole time Allie and I were sneaking looks, and I realized I wanted this time in Colorado to never end.
In her presence the air was thick with the scent of desire. To watch her move reminded me that her body was a temple of temptation, and she instilled a hunger that could only be satisfied by her hands on me.
I needed to make it happen.
The laughter got pretty loud when Rachel switched the music from Jingle Bells to Beastie Boys and the ladies started dancing around.
Evan jumped up and joined in while the familiar gratitude for a pretty cool cousin was there.
Since my mom ran off when I was too young to really remember her, being in a house with Evan and a woman like my aunt who wanted to cook and make sure I had enough blankets at night, was what I needed when trying to pull my shit together after Allie.
I’d grown up with a man who drank a lot.
I mean a lot. He tried but was not a natural parent.
By the time I was seven I was taking care of myself for the most part.
If I had a Christmas program at school or a blizzard was coming, I’d ask a friend to ask their parents if they could pick me up.
If there was something I needed, I’d have to figure out how to get it on my own.
It always sucked with money being tight, but when you’ve been on the bottom and come from nothing, it instills almost a fear of being there again as an adult. Likely responsible for my work ethic which has helped me excel in business.
Lexi pulled Allie to her feet when Taylor’s Bad Blood filled the room.
but when Crank That hit the air, Evan and I were unleashed, and it was a full-blown dance party in the living room.
While Royce sat on the couch with his eyes shooting daggers in my direction, the girls who hated me didn’t seem to mind my presence. It was nice.
Evan handed me the guitar that sat in the corner. In high school Allie dabbled in everything and loved a good throw-back. When she entered her Violent Femes era, I couldn’t help being sucked into that shit.
When I started Blister in the Sun the girls scream/sang while dancing around the room.
From Rachel using the coffee table as a stage, likely frowned upon by the Vrbo owner, to Evan accidentally swinging Kristina into the Christmas tree, it was the best morning I could recall in forever, and exactly what the doctor ordered.
What the doctor had not ordered was a knock at the door.
Kristina danced her way past me while I made sticky eyes at Allie. I needed to be alone with her like she needed fucking Dove chocolate. I had to make this happen ASAP.
There was a commotion at the door, and I looked over to see a guy, my age, dark blond hair and a little shorter than me.
Kristina gasped. “Oh, good Lord! Clint!”
I set the guitar down and stood.
The new dude chuckled as Rachel sprung to the front door. “Clint! Oh my gosh!”
Clearly everybody loved this guy. Somebody’s relative?
Evan walked over. “Who’s that?”
He gave me a look. “Oh buddy, you’re not going like this.”
It was then I glanced in Allie’s direction to find her frozen.
“What’s going on?” I asked Evan who seemed to be a fountain of knowledge.
Royce, who now stood by the sofa on my left, nodded. He walked toward the door where he and new guy had a weird man hug. Evan stepped closer to me. “Clint and Allie had a thing.”
My throat was suddenly as dry as the fucking Sahara. “Say again?” Please, for the love of anything good in the world, let me have misunderstood. “Had?”
Evan spoke in a hushed tone. “They were together about a year when she got the dream job on the East Coast.”
“So she dumped him?” Please.
“Not really, I guess they just put it all on hold because he was up for junior partner in his law firm and couldn’t really leave.”
My eyes landed on Royce who was all smiles as he spoke to Clint. Had he called the old boyfriend because I was there? WTF? I realized it was one of those days that might end with a torched body in the fire pit out back.
My heart was grinding like metal on metal. “So it’s basically over, is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. They put it on hold.”
There was a weird twitch at the base of my neck. “We all know that’s always bullshit. You’re either together or not. So they broke up. That’s what you’re saying.”
Evan shoved me. “I did not say that. Are you hearing me at all?”
“I have selective hearing. And you’re not selected.”
Allie stood to her feet, and I’d know her forced smiled anywhere.
“How long ago?”
“What?”
“How long since she and dickhead put it on hold?”
“Maybe six months.”
My windpipe pinched shut as he made his way over to Allie. His stupid toothpastey smile made me want to barf. I didn’t want to hurt him, just to be clear. I wanted to kill him.
Evan leaned in closer. “I’m just saying you need to relax.”
“Fun fact, I don’t care.”
Before she could do anything, Clint pulled her in for a hug as Lexi was literally beaming and clapping her hands.
WTF was happening?
I don't know what expression I wore, but Evan elbowed me. “Take a breath, man. Relax.”
Relax? Clearly Evan wasn't as smart as I'd given him credit for.
As I watched cockbag Clint hug her too long and too tight, rage was bubbling just below the surface.
Me and bubbling rage don’t mix well. While I was an adult and used common sense almost every day, something about this situation was waking the “old me”.
The one who went to great lengths to get what he wanted.
The one who'd burn shit down to get what he wanted. What he needed.
I needed her.
I took a deep breath reminding myself they weren't really together anymore. And he wasn’t worth the jail time.
Clint pulled back. "You look beautiful."
She smiled up at him, and I suddenly couldn't tell if it was a happy you're here smile, or how the fuck to I get away from this dude smile. Either way, I hated her smiling at any man but me.
“Thanks.” Her eyes darted around the room but not in my direction. “I am, uh, a little shocked to see you.”
While it wasn't funny, the room burst into laughter, and I wondered how Clint wasn't going to die today. WTH?
Buzzkill Clint chuckled. “I wanted to surprise you.”
Suddenly Rachel nodded like a stupid bobble head. “I think you accomplished that goal there, Clint.” She turned to Royce. “That guy, man, he is something.”
Royce shot me a cocky look. Could he see the fuck you in my eyes? I hoped so.
Asshat nodded as he looked at Allie. “You'd shown me this Colorado house and talked about the wedding last summer. After some soul searching, I had to be here.” He looked at Lexi. “I hope it's alright with everybody.”
A giggle came from Rachel. “Clint, seeing you here has made my little old heart completely full.” She shot me a glare. “You are welcome anywhere.”
Shithead's slimy stare returned to Allie. “I can't keep away from this girl.”
WTF?
Her eyes went wide as his words wrapped around my neck like razor wire.
Dickweed took a step in my direction and extended his hand. I’m so lucky people can’t hear what I’m thinking.
“I'm Clint.”
“Levi.”
While I assumed there would be some reaction as I'm sure my story would've come up at some point, he just nodded like a jackass. NO reaction at all. “Nice to meet you.”
She’d never mentioned me? Not once?
Whatever, I just needed to focus on staying calm. Maybe this wasn’t as big of a deal as it seemed?
Lexi grabbed Kristina by the arm. “That's it! I know Clint is a cheesecake lovin’ bastard so I'm whippin’ up something in your honor! Or a chocolate cream pie, Allie loves her chocolate.”
I hoped it was a pie.
Fuck off pie:
1 cup of no one cares
A pinch of kiss my ass
Throw in some fuck you’s
A dash of blow me
Stir and shove it up Clint’s ass.
* * *
You can only say “WTF” so many times in an hour before you decide to start day drinking. I had a sudden desperation to get up close and personal with Jack Daniels.
Lexi and Rachel disappeared into the kitchen to create some magical culinary treat for fucknugget, while Evan and Royce spoke to him.
Kristina pointed to Evan. “Maybe you could show Clint to an empty room.” She winked at Allie. “And not too far from you know who.”
My ears burned off while Allie’s face flushed. He could not be close to her. Couldn’t happen.
Before I knew what I was doing, my feet sprung toward the front door. I grabbed Clint's suitcase from the floor and headed toward the stairs. “Follow me.”
I looked over my shoulder as Royce glared at me. No way in hell was his room going to be next to hers. I'd burn the fucking house down before that'd happen.
Evan followed us. “So Clint, how's everything going?”
My head nearly exploded when I looked back to see him grab Allie’s hand. “Not as good as it should be. I find my new life is missing something.”
While I was certain my head would explode at any second, my only hope was that after the explosion, a sharp piece of my skull would pierce through dickhead’s heart like a sword ending him.
At the top of the stairs, I turned left; he was going to be in the room next to mine, about as far away from Allie as possible. That’ll show the bastard who shows up unexpectedly trying to get her back.
Well, technically that was me too, but whatever.
At the very end of the hall, I opened a door and there was a room nearly identical to mine except for the bedding which was baby blue and white. Seemed appropriate for the pussy behind me.
“Here we are.” I walked over and tossed his suitcase on the bed and pointed to the window as if I were a tour guide. “And look at this view. Just splendid.”
Evan popped a brow.
“Thanks, Levi.”
As I looked at the smiling jerkoff in front of me who acted like he didn’t know who I was, it hit my gut wrong. Allie dated this guy and never mentioned us? Like ever?
We all know when we start dating someone the questions are asked about the past. And she left me entirely out of the discussion? The husband she had for a hot minute? Sure things crashed and burned in the most horrific way possible, but not even in the discussion?
Allie stood in the doorway, and he took her by the hand, again, and nodded as Royce and Evan walked toward the door. He wanted everyone to leave them, and it was happening as panic swelled. “Uh, Evan, weren’t we all going to do some paintball gunning out back?”
Evan stopped and turned back to me. “We were?”
I enthusiastically nodded. “Yeah.” I motioned to Evan. “Look at this guy.” I slapped him on the back. “He forgets everything.” My laughter was solo. “So, uh, why don’t we all meet downstairs in five minutes?”
Cockalorium Clint looked at Allie and back to me. “I think I’ll pass. Paintballs hurt.”
I took a quick step toward him. “Nah. I saw they had jelly balls so no pain. Rach and Lexi even said they’d play.”
They had not, but I was 110% certain they’d be up for anything involving guns and me.
“I don’t—”
I couldn’t stop my legs from stepping closer. “Come on, you’re not a pussy, are ya?”
He looked bewildered. “Well, no—”
I slapped him on the back with a little more force than I’d intended. “Alrighty then, see you two downstairs in five.”
My eyes slid over to Allie who quickly looked away. No sooner had my feet hit the hall than the door shut behind us. What in the living hell had transpired in the past twenty minutes? This was some raggedy bullshit.
While a part of me wanted to be as far away from whatever was happening behind the door as possible, my legs weighed five thousand pounds as I grabbed Evan’s arm.
“She can’t be in there with him.”
Royce’s eyes rolled. “Says the guy who snuck into her room every night back in the day.”
I ignored the true statement as Royce walked away.
“You have to relax, buddy.” Evan shrugged. “The Vrbo guy said there were coveralls in the garage somewhere for paintballing. Come on.”
Finally, something that regulated my breathing; my gun pointing at Clint.