20. Sienna
Chapter 20
Sienna
I t’s after work on Friday night and I’m sitting at the bar at Rusty’s waiting for Julian to get here so we can scope out some more of the island together.
What happened between Levi and I last night confused the hell out of me.
The way he’s convinced that we can’t be anything. But Theo coming in with the news of Evie’s arrest, just solidified it for me.
Everyone wants a piece of Levi Steele.
And he gives them away freely and without expectation. So much of himself, that I wonder if he knows what’s left. Does he even recognize it at the end of the day?
My heart breaks for the man I can only know on the surface. I missed him today but he did shoot me a text to ask me to run the shop today… so at least he’s learning to let go.
Even if just for a day.
I’m halfway through my second Dr. Pepper and popping peanuts into my mouth when I hear a voice I haven’t heard in months.
“Didn’t think I’d see you here.”
My spine goes tight. I turn and there he is.
Grayson Holt.
Every bit as smug and clean-cut as the day I left. His shirt crisp. His jaw sharp. His eyes raking over me like I’m something he thought he’d lost—but now isn’t so sure he wants to give up.
“Could say the same for you. Kinda far from home aren’t you?”
His smile doesn't falter as he approaches and leans over the bar.
“I always liked your mouth.”
I scoff. “That’s funny. Because I always resented yours.”
He flags down the bartender and orders a whiskey neat. “And whatever she’s having.” He motions his head to me. I give him a look.
“I’m fine.”
Something inside me twinges. Not attraction. Not nostalgia.
Shame.
Because for way too long, I let that smile convince me he knew what was best for me.
He steps closer, ignoring the warning in my eyes.
“I heard you were working at SKC.”
I shrug. “Sounds like word gets around.”
“You’re better than some has been place, Sienna.”
“Did you show up here looking for me?” I ask Grayson, scooting a little bit more back in my stool.
“No,” he says smoothly. “I have a meeting nearby. Just saw you and figured—hell, maybe you’d come to your senses.”
The bartender passes him his drink and he thanks her. Lifting it up to me before taking a sip.
I laugh. One hard, bitter breath.
“You think I made a mistake? Nah. Leaving you was the smartest decision I’ve ever made.”
“I think you’re wasting your talents in a shop that’s running on fumes. You could be managing a real team. Making big moves. Would’ve been real good for TV. I couldn’t have done what I did without you.”
The fact that he feels the need to remind me, makes my insides swirl.
“You’re doing just fine without me. And I’m exactly where I should be.”
His brow furrows, just enough to crack the act.
“You’re angry.”
“No shit.”
“Because I pushed you?”
“Because you used me,” I say. “Because you made me feel like I didn’t get to want anything unless it aligned with your goals. Because the moment I had an idea that wasn’t part of your perfect little plan, you made sure I knew it didn’t matter. That I didn’t matter.”
Grayson shifts, dropping his voice.
“You and I had something good. We turned dad’s shop into something big. Don’t let pride keep you stuck somewhere that can’t offer you anything.”
I look over his shoulder—just for a second—and lock eyes with Levi. He’s standing just outside the entrance to the men’s bathroom, staring at me.
Fuck.
Of course, he’s here. They have their little poker game in the back every freakin’ week.
He’s not hiding the storm in his expression. His jaw is clenched, hard enough to crack stone. His arms flexing like he’s holding himself back.
“You’re right,” I say, lifting my chin up to Grayson. “SKC isn’t perfect. But it’s honest. And I’d rather build something messy and real than shine the chrome on a machine someone uses to control me.”
For the first time, Grayson looks unsure. Just for a breath.
Then he chuckles, cold and low.
“Daddy Steele’s gotten to you, hasn’t he?”
“What are you talking about, Grayson?”
He turns around to see Levi staring at us, then turns back to me.
“Oh, shit. Look at you go. No wonder you don’t want to come back. I knew you liked us older guys, but damn Sienna… that much older?”
I shake my head. “It’s not like that.”
Grayson just smiles again. “Tell you what, once Steele’s had his fun with you, why don’t you consider coming back to a place that’s actually going somewhere and not just stuck remembering the glory days?”
He finishes off his drink and places it onto the bar. Then pulls out some cash and a business card. The cash he places under the glass. The business card he slides over to me.
“Don’t hold your breath.”
When I don’t move to take it, he steps a little closer, and says low enough for only me to hear, “It’s a good thing they’re not competing. It would’ve been so fun to beat their asses in the build-off this year. Maybe next time.”
He steps back and I glower at him.
“We are competing. And we’re going to win it.”
His smile widens. “Is that so? Well, then, guess I’ll see you at the build off… babes.”
He blows me a kiss and walks off, chuckling to himself as he disappears out the door.
I’ve barely got my breath back when Levi’s voice is behind me, “You know that guy?”
My eyes flash to him.
‘We used to work together.”
Levi looks back out the way Grayson left, then back at me with a softer look.
“He owns the shop that stole most of our clients,” he says, taking the empty seat next to me.
Oh my God. I really wish we could talk about anything else but this.
The bartender returns and picks up the empty glass and cash.
“Can I get ya anything else, Levi?”
He looks at my soda and nods at it.
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
I chuckle. “You’ll be highly disappointed.”
He raises a brow at me in question.
“There’s no alcohol. It’s just a Dr. P.”
He purses his lips before saying.
“Good thing I don’t drink then, right?”
“I’ll add it to your tab,” the bartender says.
“You can add whatever she’s had to mine, too,” he says to her.
The woman smiles and nods, and leaves to get his drink.
I didn’t know Levi doesn’t drink alcohol. There’s a lot I don’t know about the man I work for now.
“What made you make that decision?” I ask, twirling the straw in my mouth. “Not to drink.”
He looks at the wall of spirits in front of us.
“A lot of bad decisions before that,” he admits, then looks back to me with a smile that reaches the corner of his eyes.
God, Levi looks good when he smiles. I wish I could see it more often.
“How about you?”
He nudges my shoulder as the bartender brings him his soda.
I laugh out loud.
“You know exactly why I don’t drink.”
He shifts in his stool so that he’s fully turned to me.
“I have no idea,” he says, a glint in his eye.
“Well, obviously, it’s because I have issues and care about silly things like obeying the law.”
“Ah, see that wasn’t my first thought considering what happened the night I met you,” he says before he takes a sip of his drink.
I give him a look.
“The cops,” he explains.
“Oh, right… that.”
“Yeah, that,” he says, with a grin.
Is it just me, or is Levi actually in a good mood.
Maybe this is the right time to bring up the fact that I just told his rival that we’re entering a competition he hasn’t yet agreed to.
I open my mouth just as he says, “You want to join us for poker?”
“I–uh.”
I wasn’t expecting that. That seems like a big step for him. It’s what he does with his crew.
His people.
I’m just his assistant, after all.
I look down at the unanswered text I sent Julian, it’s nearly an hour and a half from the time we agreed to meet.
“I’m supposed to be going out with Julian.”
He nods, eyes searching my face. “Another time then.”
“Yeah,” I say softly. “Another time.”
He slips off the stool and stands at his full height next to me.
“You did good this week, Sienna. I can already see a difference in the way things are moving at the shop. And I can’t take any credit for it.”
I give him a faint smile, because… holy shit . Is Levi Steele complimenting me?
“Kind of makes you reconsider the whole getting rid of me thing, huh?”
He gulps and bends to whisper in my ear, “It makes me reconsider a lot of things.”
What?
Levi doesn’t elaborate. Instead, he just flashes me a quick grin, grabs his drink, and stalks off into the dark corner of the bar that leads down the hall to the game room.
The butterflies in my stomach come alive as I take in what he just said. His scent still lingers.
But in the absence of his presence I just feel… alone.
I can almost hear the laughter coming from the back room over the smooth music playing in the bar.
I reach for my phone one more time and shoot Julian another text.
Me
Hello? Earth to Julian?