46. Levi
‘Can I get you a drink?’ Levi asked when they got to his apartment.
‘Please,’ Alexis answered taking a seat on the couch.
Levi brought over two glasses of wine.
‘A bit early for wine, isn’t it?’ she asked, accepting it anyway.
‘After the day we’ve had? No. It’s definitely not too early.’
Levi sat beside her and sipped his wine. He had so many things to say, but he didn’t know where to start.
‘So what’s going to happen to your family?’ Alexis asked.
‘Valentina wouldn’t give me the details. She only told me to go to work as normal and that it was better I didn’t know.’
‘I wish I’d sought her out before I walked away from Dad. Maybe we could have wrapped this up sooner without all the drama.’
He turned to look at her. ‘But then we wouldn’t have met,’ he said quietly. Reaching out, he tucked a honey-blonde curl behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.
She leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. ‘There is that,’ she murmured.
Levi let his thumb run gently over her lips before pulling his hand away. She blinked open her eyes to look at him. He took her glass from her and put both on the coffee table before taking her hands in his.
‘I know our relationship hasn’t been smooth sailing,’ he said, making her smile.
‘Yeah, you could say that,’ she replied. ‘I thought I’d killed you that first day.’
He grinned. ‘And for days, I thought you were a hallucination.’
‘And then you accused me of being a thief.’
‘Not my finest moment,’ he said with a frown. ‘But, in my defence, it was suspicious. People moving into this building usually have movers and do it during the day, not in the middle of the night.’
‘You should have seen the look on your face when I pressed the button for the penthouse,’ Alexis said with a laugh. ‘You were horrified.’
He felt a blush warm his cheeks. ‘You must have thought I was such a snob.’
Alexis pulled one of her hands from his and held up her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. ‘Little bit.’
‘And yet…’
‘And yet here we are,’ she said, putting her hand back into his.
‘I’m so sorry, Alexis,’ he said. ‘I was so awful to you, and the things I said—’ he stopped to shake his head ‘—you have every right to never want to see me again.’
‘I’m here, aren’t I?’ she replied, squeezing his hands. ‘And you’ve already apologised. I, more than anyone, understand how hard it is to walk away from your family. I get it, Levi. I was hurt, of course I was, but I also know who you are. I knew you would do the right thing.’
He looked at her in amazement. ‘How? How did you know when I didn’t even know?’
‘Because I know who you really are. I see you, Levi. I see past the front you put up for everyone else. I see your heart.’
Levi leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. ‘I see you too,’ he whispered. ‘And I love you.’
He kissed her again, not waiting for her response. He didn’t expect one, not yet. Maybe in time?—
‘I love you too,’ she replied against his lips.
His heart stuttered at the words. He untangled his hands from hers and wrapped them around her, pulling her onto his lap. She came willingly, straddling him as he kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with the same intensity.
‘Stay with me tonight,’ he said, breaking the kiss to look up at her.
‘Tofu—’
‘To hell with Tofu. She won’t even know you’re gone.’
Alexis bit her lip. ‘Okay,’ she said, lowering her mouth to his. ‘I’ll stay.’
Levi walkedinto work with a mile-wide smile on his face and a boppy K-pop song playing in his head. Waking up beside Alexis was… it was the absolute best way to wake up. Even better than when they slept together in Nimbin because it was his bed in his apartment, and he could very well imagine her there permanently… not that he would tell her that. Not yet. He didn’t want to scare her away. They’d only just reconciled. He would need to take it slowly, although slow was the last thing on his mind.
‘Good morning, Tessa,’ Levi said brightly as he passed her desk.
She got up and followed him into his office, closing the door behind her. ‘What has you in such a good mood?’ she asked, suspicious.
He took his seat. ‘Can’t I be in a good mood for no reason?’
‘No,’ she replied, crossing her arms. ‘Not with the current level of shit in this place.’
‘I have a feeling it will all be dealt with soon,’ he said cryptically.
Tessa frowned. ‘Should I be looking for a new job?’
‘Not yet,’ he said.
‘I don’t like the sound of that. I’m glad I reactivated my profile on Seek.’
‘Just keep your head down,’ he said, the smile not leaving his face. ‘And don’t… try to stop anything.’
‘Yeah, that’s not terrifying at all,’ she said. ‘By the way, I emailed you a file.’
He raised his eyebrows at her.
‘It’s an older file… the oldest one I’ve found so far.’
That piqued his interest. ‘I’ll take a look,’ he replied.
Tessa nodded and left the office. Levi was tempted to look at the file straight away, but he didn’t. He didn’t have his laptop here, and he didn’t want to risk his mother finding it before he had a chance to look. He knew Tessa kept her personal iPad with her at all times to send him stuff like that, but in his daze this morning, he’d completely forgotten his laptop.
Not that it mattered. He didn’t think they would need another file for evidence. What he’d already given to Valentina would be enough to open an investigation. The authorities could take it from there.
Levi worked steadily through the morning. He was glad Jonah was back at work, only because it meant he didn’t have to deal with his brother’s patients anymore. It was nice to get back to his regular schedule and familiar clients.
‘I’m grabbing some lunch,’ Tessa said, ducking her head through the door. ‘Can I get you anything?’
‘Yeah—’
A loud voice from the reception area stopped him mid-sentence.
‘Please step away from your computers,’ the voice said. ‘And put your hands where we can see them.’
Levi jumped from his seat to push through the office door. A swarm of police—uniformed and plain clothed—filled the reception area.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked, although he had an inkling. He just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
‘And you are?’ one of the plain clothed officers inquired.
‘Levi Beckingsale. Doctor Levi Beckingsale.’
‘Dr Beckingsale? We have a few questions?—’
‘No one will be questioning anyone,’ Catherine said, storming into the space.
‘Who are you?’
‘I think you are the one who should be answering that question,’ Catherine said, standing in front of the officer with her arms crossed. ‘Just who the hell are you, and why are you disrupting our clinic?’
‘I’m Detective Brian Masters, and I need to speak to Catherine Beckingsale. Is that you?’
Catherine looked at the detective and then at the officers accompanying him. ‘I think you are looking for more than just to talk to me,’ she sneered.
The detective gave her a disarming smile. ‘You are correct.’ He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it for her to see. ‘I have a warrant to search and seize,’ he said.
Catherine snatched the paper out of his hands and tore it in two. ‘No. I don’t think so.’
Brian blazed a crooked smile at her. ‘That was just a courtesy. I don’t need the actual piece of paper, so tearing it in half won’t stop this.’ He looked over his shoulder for a split second to get the attention of a nearby officer. ‘Please take Mrs Beckingsale out to the car. She will be accompanying us to the station for questioning.’
‘You can’t do this,’ Catherine protested.
‘And yet here I am… doing it,’ the detective said.
The other officer stepped forward and attempted to escort Catherine out of the clinic, but she held her ground.
‘Cuff her if she won’t comply,’ Brian said.
The officer reached for her cuffs, but Catherine stormed past her, tossing her head. ‘You will be hearing from my lawyer,’ she said.
‘I can’t wait,’ the detective said. ‘I have a few questions for your lawyers too.’
‘What is going on?’ Jonah said, emerging from the hall that led to his office. It was farthest from the reception area.
‘You are…?’
‘This is Doctor Jonah Beckingsale,’ Levi supplied helpfully.
‘Lovely,’ Brian said. ‘Just the man I wanted to speak to.’ He flicked his wrist at a nearby officer. ‘You’re under arrest,’ he said.
‘I’m sorry, what?’
‘Take him into custody,’ the detective said.
‘Aren’t you supposed to read me my rights?’ Jonah protested.
‘You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, blah blah blah. You know the drill,’ the detective responded, not even looking at him.
‘I want to speak to my lawyer.’
‘So do I,’ Brian said with a grin.
Jonah was taken away, and the rest of the staff and patients looked around at each other in stupefied silence.
‘Dr Beckingsale,’ the detective said.
‘Dr Beck,’ Levi corrected automatically, and then he shook his head. ‘Sorry. I usually go by Dr Beck. It cuts down on the confusion. How can I help you?’
‘While these lovely people search the premises, how about you and I have a chat?’
‘Of course. My office is this way.’
‘Perfect.’
‘Can I get you a coffee or tea?’ Tessa asked.
‘If it’s not too much trouble,’ Brian said. ‘Coffee. White with one.’
Tessa scurried off, and Levi led the detective into his office. ‘Have a seat,’ he said, taking his own seat behind his desk.
‘You know why I’m here,’ Brian said, watching him carefully.
Levi nodded. ‘I was expecting you, but not so soon.’
‘Then you’re willing to help with our investigations?’
He thought he’d feel guilt. He thought he’d feel like a traitor, but surprisingly, he felt like a giant boulder had been lifted from his shoulders, and he could finally breathe.
‘Whatever you need,’ Levi said.