Page 101 of Breaking the Habit

John frowned, turned the frame over and found the price there. He fished the money out of his wallet and left the bills on the countertop.

“Oh my god,” Riley whispered, staring at the pile of twenties.

“Hey, can you sign something for her before you go?” Levi asked. “She’s a little star struck. You know how it goes.”

John signed one of her business cards, and then he let himself out after another hug and lots of amazed gaping. Once he was gone, Riley could only turn her stunned gaze toward Levi.

“How did you—” She shook her head, unable to find any more words.

Levi squeezed her arms. “I’ve got connections.”

“Seriously. Tell me. Can we invite him to cookouts and stuff now? Is he your friend? Will he be at the wedding?”

Levi’s brows shot up, and Riley clamped a hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean to say that. It just—”

“You’re fine.” Levi took her by the hand and led her to the fluffy white arm chair. He sank into it, then tugged on her wrist, sending her look that saidcan I?

Riley collapsed on top of him, which elicited a tinyooffrom him.

“Ribs are still sore,” he explained.

“Oh, right. You fight professionally, don’t you?” Her brain was working again. She sent him a coy smile.

“Only on weekends.” He sighed, pushing his fingers into her hair.

“So you sent John Stamos to win me over,” Riley said, unable to fight the grin. It was easily the most romantic, hilarious,andabsurd thing anybody had ever done for her. And maybe that’s why the marriage comment had slipped out. Because the deal was sealed now.

“I did.” Levi’s self-satisfied smirk, punctuated by his purply black eye, had him looking both lethal and adorable. “He followed me on Twitter recently. The rest is history.”

She grinned at him, cheeks hurting. “God, I missed you and your broken face.”

“Yeah. I missed you too.” He pushed his fingers along her hairline. “And your perfect face.” His smile fell a little. “Missed you like fucking breathing. You forgive me?”

She nodded. “I had my dad take a look at your contract, which helped, but really it was because of John Stamos.”

Levi laughed. “So now your dad knows what sort of bullshit I’m wrapped up in?”

“He’s seen it plenty of times before.”

Levi paused, searching her face. “I figured out how to fix things.”

“How?”

“I’m going to pay their kill fee.”

Riley knit her brows together. “What do you mean?”

“If I don’t pay the kill fee, then I either need to take them to court or go through with the arrangement. But I don’t want you to worry about us again. Not like before. I think the kill fee is the quickest and the easiest.”

“How much is the kill fee?”

“A million.”

Riley frowned. “Do you have that lying around?”

“No. Not even close.” Levi gnawed on his bottom lip, the first trace of doubt showing through. Possibly the first time she’d ever seen it on him. “But I could take out a loan. I’ve already figured it out. If I get three big-name sponsors for the next season, then I could probably recoup my savingsandhave the loan paid off within five years. I could stop donating so much money to the muscular dystrophy research organizations, just put it on hold—”

“Levi.” She sent him a severe look. “No. You can’t do that.”

---