Page 56 of Breaking the Habit

She met his intense gaze. Though his tone was friendly, she felt the challenge in his words. The subtle dig. She set her laptop on the countertop, counting to five before responding. This wasn’t the time to get into her personal history with the limelight. Besides, she wasn’t sure Levi deserved to know that about her.

In this age of hyper-openness, with every celebrity and their mother willing to invite cameras into their lives and bedrooms, Riley tried to take the opposite approach. Minimal social media. A don’t ask, don’t tell policy. And a strict firewall around her heart. One that couldn’t be broached just by one sexy night with a drama-hungry fighter.

“I guess I can’t expect you to know what it’s like around here.” She dragged her gaze to his, finding fire waiting for her. “You’re new.”

He laughed incredulously. “Fuck that! I’m new, but it’s not so hard to catch on. Come on, Riley. This shit out here? In Hollywood? It’s all sovapid. Nobody cares, not really. You know how fickle it is. It’s not even fifteen minutes of fame—it’s less. So what does it matter? Besides, it’s not my fault I’m becoming famous.”

Her eyes widened, and she couldn’t fight the laugh that erupted out of her. “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. It’s actuallyentirelyyour fault you’re famous. You’re hungry for it. You admitted earlier today that you got into a fight as a publicity stunt! You’re doing everything you can for those fifteen minutes.”

Levi hopped to his feet. They’d entered full-blown argument territory. And really, she shouldn’t have been surprised. It was always headed this way. With Levi the fame whore and Riley the anti-attention girl, it was only a matter of time before they butted heads and the attraction between them exploded in shards.

“What’s so wrong with that?” Levi strutted over to her, a strange gleam in his eye. “Maybe you’re content being a nobody, but that’s not what I came to LA for.”

Content being a nobody.That crossed the line. He could sass all he wanted, but those were fighting words. And she was too tired to fight. Her lips thinned, and she walked to the front door. Unlocking it, she tugged it open and pointed outside. “Go. Get out of here.”

Her heart hammered in her chest as Levi stared her down.

“Why?”

“You don’t get it, and it’s fine. But we don’t need to keep pretending. It was a mistake to sleep with you. Now go.”

She tried her damnedest to keep herself cool and collected, but really, she was straining at the edges, fighting the tears and the wallowing which threatened to overcome her. Levi balled his fists, his neck flushing.

“Don’t start the fire if you can’t handle the heat,” Levi spat, and then he tore himself out of the studio.

She locked the door behind him and could hear his gruff voice through the thick glass panes. She peered through a curtain and saw him push through the small crowd of photographers. Angry shouts and then a moment later—crrrrack.

Riley’s heart sank as she spotted the broken camera on the sidewalk. But Levi stormed away, didn’t even look back once. The photographers shouted, some following. She sighed, pressing her forehead against the window.Shit. This was bad news, but especially for Levi. The paparazzi took action when things like that happened. Depending on who they worked for, they might have lots of money to start a very big lawsuit.

Riley would know—her dad was the lawyer celebrities turned to for all manner of frivolous and ridiculous suits. Levi had no idea how much she’d seen and lived of the weird underbelly out here. And it sent frustration sizzling through her that he wouldn’t even bother to get to know her before treating her like that.

She should have expected that Levi would be no exception. It didn’t matter how lush his hair, how leaden his fists, or how amazing in bed he was. He’d burn out like all the other wannabe fireworks that came before him. Especially when he was a loose cannon like this. Beating up d-bags after a night out. Breaking cameras because he was pissed.

It was the last thing she needed in her life. This was the potent reminder she needed. Because after her and Levi’s night together, she’d spent the entire next daywanting him. Dreaming of him. Imagining the feel of his broad chest beneath her fingertips, the way he’d dug into the flesh of her ass andlifted heras if she weighed nothing.

And those eyes. Those hungry brown eyes that had completely consumed her as he pushed himself into her deepest, softest parts. The eyes that had reached a part of her she’d thought she’d quarantined and locked down.

Somehow, he’d still gotten through. Pierced that part of her that she’d sworn to never resurrect, not for anyone.

So it was good that he was showing this side of him now. She should consider herself lucky. True colors and all that. Now she had time to wise up and detach.

Before she made the same mistake as always and went for the guy who was clearly wrong for her, like the bad habit it was.

Riley needed to cut and run. It needed to be that simple. She tugged open the curtains, smiling at the light that spilled in. Like encouraging this resolution. No more off-time with Levi. No more watching fireworks.

The light show always ended. No matter how much the gunpowder thought it would explode forever.

She had logic on her side.

So why did she feel like she was making a mistake?

Chapter 18

Three days after the incident, Levi got the notice that the paparazzo was pressing charges against him for vandalism and destruction of property.

Over those three days, he’d had plenty of time to calm down. To realize that breaking a camera guy’s shit because he got too close after Levi asked nicely for him to back the fuck off wasnota good idea.

But the deed was done. And it wasn’t the only thing he regretted from that day.

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