Page 93 of Breaking the Habit

“Take a lap at least,” Levi called out. “These are regular people in here, okay? They don’t want your lenses in their faces. I’m gonna be here, I promise. Just disappear for a hot minute.”

Maybe reasoning with them was all it took. The photogs walked down the road and turned the corner. Levi hurried to the front door. He pressed his forehead to the door after he knocked, fingering the folded-up papers in his pocket. The proof of his idiocy. The biggest NDA violation in all of history waiting to happen.

The door swung open. Nikki stared out at him, looking aggressively neutral.

“Hey,” he croaked.

“You look like shit,” Nikki said.

“Yeah. Just got my ass beat.” He frowned. “Is Riley home?”

Nikki shook her head. “Nope.”

“You know where she is?”

Nikki shook her head again. “Not telling you.”

That’s when it clicked. Nikki knew everything that Riley did. Levi deflated a little. “Nikki, I didn’t cheat on Riley. This is a huge misunderstanding.”

“All cheaters say that.” She offered a tight smile and started to shut the door in his face.

“Wait! I need to talk to her. When is she coming home?”

“I don’t know, Levi. You should leave.”

“I’m waiting for her.”

Nikki looked exasperated but didn’t say anything else. When she closed the door again, Levi let it swing shut in his face.

And now here it was. Time to let the paps to catch him groveling. Levi sighed, easing to sitting on the stoop. He snatched up a few stones nearby and rolled them between his thumb and fingers.

And he waited.

And waited.

The only thing he did while he waited was text Riley. The message history was embarrassing.

LEVI: Riley we need to talk

LEVI: Please babe meet up with me anywhere

LEVI: I’ll wait as long as you need. Don’t talk to me for an entire week. As long as it means you’ll hear me out at some point

LEVI: Riley please

LEVI: Where are you???

He sat there until his ass went numb and the aches and pains of his fight started to set in. His body was stiff. Elbows and knees burning. And after a full hour of sitting there…he had to fucking pee.

Fat chance that Nikki would let him in to use the bathroom. She was probably sitting inside and live tweeting about what a loser he was. Cast out like a dog. Levi groaned as he tried to stand.

The photographers were still hanging around, and the three of them hopped to standing when Levi did. He held up his palm.

“Calm down. I’m just breathing.”

Shutters clicked.

He sighed, turning his back to the road, delicately adjusting himself to piss off to the side of the landscaping. He didn’t want to piss on the house out of respect, but if he used the yard like a normal human being, his dong would be in full view of the paps.

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