5. Levi #2
Two men pull me back, dragging me away from Spinner, who looks up at me through swollen eyes and spits blood through his teeth. My chest heaves with each breath, and I can’t even hear what the men above me are saying as Diego grabs my hand and declares me the winner.
Spinner grins at me, even though he lost, because that’s what this place is.
One of us will always lose. Tonight, it’s him.
The house is quiet and dark when I get home. I slip through the garage and make my way into the kitchen, getting a bottle of water and downing it before I head upstairs.
When I lost my job, I was living in my own apartment in the city.
Nothing big, but it was enough for the little time I was there.
I was an undercover agent, so I spent a lot of time away from home.
The apartment was really just a place where I could crash when I was off-duty, so I wouldn’t have to come here and deal with my father.
Since I was forced into a leave of absence, I moved back home. Those four apartment walls seemed to swallow me the more time I spent there. The ringing silence was enough to drive me fucking insane. It’s how I found the Tomb in the first place.
I can’t say I regret it. Not completely, at least. As much as I don’t want to admit it, being close to my family has helped me forget the complete and utter failure I was when I lost my job. It gives me something else to focus on rather than how fucking pissed off I am that I let shit get to me.
That I let him get to me.
I start toward the stairs when a glow from the den catches my eye, and I pause. Stepping over to the door, my sister is curled up in front of the fireplace—a habit of hers since we were kids—while she stares into the flames.
“You’re up late,” I murmur, leaning against the doorway.
“Couldn’t sleep,” Bella murmurs, her eyes finding mine. Whatever else she was about to say is lost when her gaze rakes over me, no doubt seeing the blood on my cheek. “Oh my God. What happened?”
“Nothing,” I lie. “Just nicked myself shaving.”
Christian and I have tried to keep Bella as far away from the dark parts of our lives for as long as possible.
And for good reason. She nearly had a breakdown when all our father’s secrets came to light.
I can only imagine how she would react if she found out I was visiting an underground fight club because it’s the only thing that makes me feel alive.
Well, one of the two things that makes me feel alive. The other has brown hair, pretty green eyes, and a knack for pissing me off.
“Are you drinking again?”
“Nope, never acquired the taste,” I lie, the flask seeming heavier in the back pocket of my jeans.
“You must think I’m really stupid if you think I’m going to believe that.”
I shrug. “Believe whatever you want. I’m fine.
She shakes her head, drawing her knees up to her chest. She looks at the picture above the mantel, and I can’t help but follow her gaze, locking eyes with my father.
“I wish we could just paint over him,” she says quietly.
A pit forms in my stomach. How many times have I thought about burning that fucking picture, only to talk myself out of it because Mom’s in it, too?
I watch my sister. She’s always been six years old in my eyes. My kid sister, who follows me around and demands I play with her dolls or make-believe. I always did, even if I suffered the consequences later because “boys don’t play with dolls,” even if it’s just to pacify their little sisters.
Looking at her now, I can see the woman she’s become, and that scares me.
Knowing someday she’s going to get married and have a family, just like Christian.
Knowing some dickhead’s going to come along and say something smooth and eventually, she’ll fall for him, not knowing what I know.
That he could rip her heart to shreds, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
Shit feels powerless, and I fucking hate it.
“Why are you really down here, Bella?”
She purses her lips, her dark eyes turning back toward mine. They shine in the glow of the fire, and something like lead fills my chest.
“I told you, I couldn’t—”
“The real reason.”
She sighs, hugging her legs to her tighter, and looks away.
“I just . . . had a nightmare, okay?”
“About?” I already know. I’ve known since we brought her home; I just have no fucking idea how to talk to her about it.
“You know,” she starts, looking down at her hands in her lap.
“When Sebastian came and kidnapped me in the middle of the night, I thought I was losing my mind. I had no idea he was even alive, and then all at once, I was learning he killed Mom. He was working for Dad, and Dad was actually a raging narcissist hellbent on stealing everything from us. Then, I realized this is just our family. What’s next, Levi?
What big secret am I going to learn later on that everyone else knows but me? ”
I shake my head. “There are no secrets. Not anymore.”
She scoffs.
“Yeah, I’ll remember that when it comes out. Paulina was looking for you tonight, by the way.”
Of course, she is. She’s been trying to talk to me for the last week, and I’ve been avoiding her.
It’s not that I don’t care for my aunt. It’s that I’m really not in the mood to explain myself right now. She wants to talk. I don’t. Simple as that.
“I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
“She’s worried about you,” Bella says, eyeing me. “We all are.”
“Why?”
“You have to ask? You’re different.”
I shrug. “No different than I’ve always been.”
“You’re drinking a lot.”
“Shit happens.”
“Don’t be like that. I’m only trying to help. Are you having nightmares again?”
Jesus Christ, why can’t anyone let it go?
“When you can get your bad dreams under control, we can talk about mine.”
Her face drops like I’d slapped her, and her eyes shine with tears.
Well, shit.
I should apologize for being a dick, but sometimes, Bella doesn’t know when to stop pushing. I won’t apologize for not wanting to share my feelings. I’m not one of her girlfriends. I’m not Paulina. I’m also not required to share anything with fucking anybody, at least not here.
She wants to be pissed off, so be it.
“Fine, Levi. Have it your way,” she murmurs coldly, and stalks to the door, pushing past me and leaving me to stare after the fire for a lot longer than I think even I realize.
Bella’s smart. She knows there’s more to the story I’m not telling her. That doesn’t mean she’s entitled to my nightmares. The shit that haunts my brain every night isn’t her problem. Especially not when she’s dealing with her own shit.
Heading upstairs, I scrub a hand over my face as I go. I’m exhausted, but I know I won’t sleep. Not really.
I’m just about to enter my room when I pause, staring at the door across the hall.
Pushing it open just a hair, I peek my head in, looking at the small form in the center of the large canopy bed.
She doesn’t stir at my presence. In fact, she looks peaceful for once.
Soft light filters through the windows, casting her in shadows. My chest clenches watching her. Soft dark hair creates a chaotic halo around her face. Pouty lips parted over her slow, even breathing.
She looks like a goddamned angel, and I’m the devil who stole her away to keep her locked in my cage.
I ignore the nagging thoughts in the back of my head and close the door.
One thing I’ve learned about angels in the past twenty-seven years?
They lie, and sooner or later, the truth always comes out.