Page 104 of Just Between Us

It’s a warm Friday evening, a gentle breeze blowing in from the open French doors that lead into the garden. I’m sitting in the living room, an episode of Pointless playing in the background as I wait for Levi to come back downstairs after his shower, a new book from Cole sitting in my lap.

For a second, I consider ignoring him, but I need to know whether he keyed Levi’s car even if a part of me already knows he did. I press answer and my stomach falls when I hear his heavy breathing on the other end. It’s like I can smell the stench of beer on his breath from here.

“Hello, Kai,” he says, the smug smile obvious in his voice. “You got my money yet?”

I swallow. “Maybe,” I lie.

He tuts. “Don’t fuck with me.”

I look up, in case Levi comes downstairs but there’s no sign of him. “Was it you?” I whisper. “Levi’s car?”

Kenny’s laugh is as loud and obnoxious as it has always been, and I feel like an idiot for bothering to ask.

“Oh, did you like that? It hurt to do it to such a nice car. That’s always been my favourite model, you know?” he says. “I thought I’d send you a little message. Next time it won’t just be the car I slash through. Kind of poetic, right?”

I swallow, a cold sweat running down my back. “Okay, fine,” I say. “Let’s meet.”

“Oh?” Kenny says. “You have my money then?”

Not quite, but I need to buy some time, and I need him to leave them alone.“I do,” I lie.

“Impressive,” he says. “Tell me where and I’ll be there.”

Levi and I are attending Anant’s hotel opening tomorrow but maybe I can meet Kenny during the week. Hopefully, by then I’ll have a real plan.

“I’ll send you the details,” I say, my scalp prickling.

“Looking forward to it,” Kenny says. “Good night, Kai.” And then he cuts the call, and I’m stuck with the phone against my ear, unable to breathe, for what feels like hours.

By the time Levi comes back downstairs, I’ve managed to calm my racing heart a little. I know I should tell him the truth; I should tell both of them. I almost do but then I’d have to tell him what I did. I’d have to tell him I stole Kenny’s life because I was afraid he would send me away. I’d have to tell him that I’m not as good as they think I am.

“Kai?” Levi says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

My eyes focus on him, and I blink like I’m waking up from some deep sleep. He’s frowning slightly. “Yeah?” I ask.

He tilts his head to the side slightly. “What are you thinking?”

I try to come up with something believable quickly. I know they can probably tell something has been up with me.

I smile. “Oh, nothing, just how I’m going to tell my mother I’m dating two guys,” I say brightly. It’s not a lie exactly. I’ve been thinking about how to tell her because Zara won’t be able to keep her mouth shut for too long. “I told my sisters about you two though.”

Levi smiles. “What did they think?”

“They didn’t believe me for a second. Not to stroke your ego but they thought you two were unreal.” I move closer to him, resting my arms over her shoulders.

He gazes back at me, brown eyes gleaming.

“Did they?” he asks quietly.

I nod and his mouth spreads into a grin.

“Well, consider my ego stroked.”

He kisses me deeply, capturing my mouth in a deep kiss that has me moaning against him and Levi humming. He pulls back and grips my chin in his hand, his eyes searching my face again.

“I know what it’s like to be stuck in there and feel like you don’t have a way out, but you can always talk to me. Whatever it is. You know that, right?”

My face burns because, of course, he knows something is wrong. I thought I could protect them by keeping this to myself—handle Kenny like I always have—but I put him in prison and there’s no telling how far he’s willing to go to make me pay for it.

---