Page 85 of Aching for His Discretion

“You... you have done more to me than Alec, Mr. John, Theo—You’re the one hurting me, Levi.”

“I keep you safe,” he growled, and I felt tears forming in my eyes.

“And at what cost? You killed five men, tortured another, kidnapped Beverly, and manipulated me into thinking that it was all to keep me safe and—and that I was being paranoid at first when I put the dots together. I think...”

“You think fucking what,” he seethed, and I held my kitty closer as I gulped softly.

“I think we need a break.”

He gazed at me as if I was the one who stabbed a knife into his heart. Little did he know I felt the same as the words left my mouth. “I only just got you back, Tesoro,” he said, his voice holding a bit of desperation.

“And if you don’t get help, Levi, you’re going to lose me again. We haven’t known each other for very long, but we moved fast and fell hard,” I blurted out, and a blush came to my face as I basically admitted I fell hard for him and loved him without saying it. “And in the middle of that, I was blindsided.”

“Teegan... you can’t do this to me. You can’t fucking do this to me,” he snarled.

I shook my head. “Some time apart, Levi. That is what we need.”

“And how the fuck am I going to protect you? From your brothers? From my fucking father?”

“I... can handle Declan and Dakota.”I can’t.

“And as for your father, I will trust that you will keep me safe and do… whatever it is that you need to do,” I muttered.

He did not seem to take that well at all. However, I felt a bit of confidence, if you will. My kitty cheered me on as he purred softly.

“As much as I don’t want to, I think it’s best I go back to my apartment for the time being,” I whispered.

He ran his hands down his face. Although anger was evident, I could see another emotion: guilt… regret, maybe. But he remained silent as he turned around and walked away.

I wiped the tears that fell as a sob wanted to escape my chest. I had to push him away. We needed time because I was scared. Scared of being in love with him and scared of falling out of love with him if things were bound to get worse from here.

Chapter thirty-six

Teegan

Two Months Later

“Oh, my baby! I can’t believe you only have a few months until you graduate! I already started planning your graduation party! I’m so excited!”

My mama cried into the phone, and I sighed as I finished pulling on my socks for work.

“Mama, graduation isn’t for another six months,” I muttered, and she shushed me.

“Oh, hush. Let me be excited. My baby… a doctor. I’m can’t believe it!!”she squealed, and I smiled as I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

As annoyed as I may have sounded, I was happy—happy to hear her voice, her excitement, her encouragement.

I stood up and bit my lip as she spoke her following words.

“Have you talked to Levi?”she asked, and I sighed, slipping on my shoes. I had told her a while back that Levi and I were on our break, and we still are… He kept minimal contact and texted mehere and there but he respected my decision to putourmental health first before we continued our relationship.

The guys visited me frequently and often stayed for a few hours at a time, playing with Grayson, sniffing my many candles, or sleeping on the couch.

I knew it was Levi’s precaution against his father to keep me safe, but they seemed content with coming over. Especially when I cooked for them.

“No... not recently. But the guys tell me he’s doing okay,” I muttered, and she hummed in response.

She’d accidentally been introduced to Elliot, Micah, and Nico when she noticed them walking into my living room while we were on FaceTime once.

---