Page 11 of Breaking the Habit

She stopped and turned on her heel. “Why does it matter?”

Her tone reminded him of her words in the conference room the day before, underscoring the implicit message:tread carefully.Barely a week knowing her, and already she was sick of him.

That wasn’t how things should be. And dammit, they wouldn’t be that way.

He worked his jaw back and forth, considering his options. He should go with the truth.

“I actually wanted to see the shots that you got. And maybe learn a little bit more about your process.” When she didn’t budge, he added, “I’m curious. I don’t know many artists. I mean, look at me. I beat guys up for a living.”

Riley softened. She bit at that plump red bottom lip, her gaze falling to the floor.

“Yeah,” she said after a moment. “Get cleaned up and come over to the studio. I’ll be there, working on the pictures for a few hours. I’ll show you how I work.”

Relief flooded him, but not for the reasons he was accustomed to. This wasn’t about getting in her pants anymore. This was about getting Riley to tolerate him. To see him as the good guy that he believed he was.

Levi flashed her a thumbs up before she headed out of the gym. He watched her go, studying those sun-kissed legs and the sexy curve of her calves before they disappeared into the combat boots.

It wasn’t about getting into her pants anymore, but he sure wouldn’t mind if it happened.

Levi took his time in the locker room, cleaning himself up, getting back into street clothes. His whole body ached. He wished he had a hot tub at his new apartment. He wished he could afford a hot tub.

Someday. He’d make enough money that he could take care of his little brotherandbe able to splurge on a hot tub.

Which meant keeping up the shenanigans. Making a name for himself. Getting in the news andstaying there.

A vibration startled him, buzzing against metal. His cell phone. He swiped it from the top shelf of his locker.Gage.

“Yo, little brother!” Levi automatically smiled when he picked up the phone for Gage. It was part habit, part necessity. He’d never let his little brother see him down or questioning or struggling.

He couldn’t. Because their survival depended on Levi’s positivity. His wherewithal. His craftiness.

“Are you done training yet?” His brother’s voice was weak, but still held the teenage traces ofso-over-it.“I’ve been waiting for you to get home for like, three days.”

Levi rested his forehead against the door of his locker. “Just finished. What’s up? All good at home?”

“Yeah, great actually. Levi, I wanna go for a walk.”

A cocktail of emotions seized him. Excitement first, because Gageneverwanted to go for a walk. Strictly speaking, he couldn’t walk. Hadn’t been able to since he was ten years old. The type of muscular dystrophy he had took his mobility from when he was just old enough to be devastated by the loss.

So when Gage wanted to go for a walk, it meant he wanted to go out. See the world. Have Levi accompany him somewhere so he could be a sorta-regular handicapped teen for an afternoon. Gage had been cooped up and moody the past few days, the type of sixteen-year-old shit that sometimes made Levi want to punch through a window.

“Well, let’s go for a damn walk then.” Levi tapped his closed fist against the locker door.Even though I was supposed to be on my way to Riley’s.

“What about the ocean?”

Levi tutted. “Bro, that would take us an hour to get through traffic. You’d be asleep by then.”

“Fine. Let’s go to the park?”

“I’m on my way.” Levi shouldered his duffel bag, heading out of the locker room. If he booked it, he could hang with Gageandmake it to Riley’s in time. “You better have your running shoes on when I get home.”

“Track suit and all,” Gage cracked.

Levi smiled as he pocketed the phone. When Gage had a good day, everyone had a good day.

Even if it meant he got to Riley’s later than he wanted, an evening with his brother was worth it.

Chapter 5

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