Page 81 of Breaking the Habit

Levi pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re real nice, you know that?”

She grinned up at him, rocking from side to side as they hugged. “I’m rubber, and you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.”

Levi blinked. “Wow. Haven’t heard that in a long time.”

“Thought you might appreciate it.”

A sexy smirk curled at his lips, his warm honey gaze heating her to her core. “More than you know.”

Chapter 26

The next week blurred by in the closest thing to domestic bliss Levi had ever experienced. Coming home after training had always been more of a necessary routine. No matter how much Levi wanted to head to the bar or go blow money on new electronics after work like the rest of the world, he’d always had to come home. Help with homework. Get dinner ready. Take care of Gage.

His life wasn’t different in that respect out in LA. He still had to do all those things, and he never begrudged his brother his time. But now, he was eager to get home. Because getting home meant Riley being there.

And for all the ways it confused him and made him nervous, Riley formed the perfect new addition to his family.

It was easy to get swept away. Levi learned that real fast. The current had carried him so far away that by the time he had another open-to-the-public training session and Titi showed up, he realized he still had this beast of an issue to deal with.

Levi was good at compartmentalizing. It had allowed him to trod forward after his parents’ death. Allowed him to reign with an iron fist over his brother’s diet while allowing his own self-destruction on wild nights out. And it had allowed him to bask in the sweet fantasy of Riley without figuring out a solution for Titi. A path forward.

Titi made a beeline for him the second the doors opened. Levi wasn’t fighting today, since it was a bit too close to his match, but he’d probably throw in a surprise round with an unsuspecting student, just for shits and giggles.

“Levi.” Titi jogged up to him, her breasts bouncing under her crop top. She was every man’s fantasy. Even Levi’s, at one point. But not anymore.

“What up, Titi?” He only glanced her way, trying to keep the line in the sand clear. Riley wasn’t scheduled to take pictures today, but with Titi so close, he worried she’d spontaneously appear. Spectators trickled into the gym, men and women alike. They hadn’t been speaking thirty seconds, and already, most eyes were focused on them.

“You want to go out tonight?” she asked, cocking her head so her long, white-blonde ponytail flicked over the edge of her shoulder. “A few friends and I are heading to the Hills. You should come.”

Levi propped his hands on his hips, staring at the floor. The answer had to be no.

“Marcus says that we should at least have one night out together,” she added in a lower voice. “We haven’t even had a public appearance yet.”

Levi scraped at his top lip with his teeth. Fuck. There was no way he could sneak out on Riley tonight to head into the Hills. That was the Mount Vesuvius of deception waiting to happen. “Uh…I’m not sure I can tonight.” He scratched the back of his neck. He couldn’t dodge this shit forever. He needed to find a solution. “Let me get ahold of you, okay?”

She nodded, searching his face with wide, blue eyes. “Of course. I’ll give you my number.”

Levi locked up at the suggestion, scanned the gym, and then tugged his phone out of his pocket. This seemed like the only way to get her off his back until he could figure out a plan. Titi relayed her number, leaning so close, the tip of her ponytail brushed his forearm. When she was done, she looked up at him with doe eyes and parted lips.

“Text me soon,” she whispered and reached up to touch his hair. Levi watched her, stunned, and forced a laugh.

“Hands off the mane, Titi,” he said, and she winked and got lost in the crowd.

The encounter left him with a knot in his gut. It only tightened when he found Lex watching him from the side of the octagon, his black brows knit in confusion.

Levi didn’t need to talk to him to know the question on Lex’s mind. He jogged that way.

“You two are, like…?” Lex began.

“No, dude. It’s not like that.” Levi ran a hand through his hair, scanning the crowd, double checking that Riley wasn’t there. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Yet he knew how wrong this all truly was. “She wants to hang, but I’m not down for that.”

“Okay.” Lex searched his face, like he wasn’t entirely convinced. “Cool.”

Travis showed up a minute later, a few students trailing behind him. A couple fans crowded around Levi, wanting his autograph. He hopped down from the ledge of the octagon to sign their fight tickets and one guy’s HOLT shirt.

When Levi looked up, his skin prickled. Riley weaved through the crowd toward him, a bright smile on her face. Levi’s insides crumpled with relief at the same time his organs went tight with anxiety. How long had she been here? He thanked his fans before meeting her halfway, pulling her into his arms.

“Missed you,” he said into the top of her head.

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