Page 69 of Levi

While working on one of the stalls, he heard Cody calling for him. Setting down his tools and taking off his gloves, Levi made his way out of the stall to see his boss approaching.

“Morning, Cody.”

“Good morning, Levi. Why are you doing this job today? I thought you’d want to be outside enjoying the sunshine.”

Levi shook his head with a tired grin. “I’m just too exhausted to saddle up and ride. Knowing my luck, I’d probably end up falling asleep and tumbling off my horse. At least in here, if I fall asleep, I’ll land on a pile of straw.”

“You’re having a tough time since you and Kinley split up.”

“I assume Addison filled you in?”

“Yeah, she mentioned that Kinley is struggling too.”

Levi shrugged. “I was honest with her. She wasn’t.”

Cody let out a sigh. “I get it. I can see where you’re coming from. Even Addison warned her that she would lose you if she changed her mind.” He chuckled. “Addison gave her a piece of her mind. She was pretty disappointed when Kinley told her about wanting to have kids someday.”

Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “I was willing to commit to her, just not with kids.”

“I know. I had hoped things would work out between the two of you, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

“Guess not.”

“Alright, I better get going. Meeting Addison for lunch at noon, so just give me a call or text if you need anything.”

“Will do.” Levi went back to the stall. He hoped his work kept his mind off Kinley, but he knew he had another long night ahead of him. Hesighed as he shook his head. It would be more than just one night.

A month passed and his heart still hurt after losing Kinley, but he couldn’t give her what she wanted. She was right; he should have been upfront about not wanting kids before they even went out on a date.

“Too late now. Hindsight is twenty-twenty,” he muttered as he headed for his horse’s stall. He needed to get out in the sunshine today, no matter how hot it was. June came in with a vengeance and if this was an indication of the summer weather, they were in for a scorcher.

Levi’s hand brushed against his horse’s mane as he led the animal from its stall. A peaceful silence enveloped the barn, until a figure caught Levi’s eye.

“Can I help you?” he asked the approaching man, but his heart plummeted when he recognized who it was. LeRoy Thomas, the man he despised more than anyone else in the world, was slowly making his way toward him. He was older, but Levi would recognize him anywhere.

“What are you doing out?” Levi couldn’t hide the anger in his voice.

“Good behavior,” LeRoy responded with a smug grin.

Levi scoffed. “You wouldn’t know good behavior if it bit you in the ass. Get the hell off this property.”

LeRoy continued to approach him, ignoring his demand. “Son—”

“Don’t!”Levi snapped, cutting him off. “Donotcall me son.”

“But you are my son,” LeRoy said.

“Only biologically,” Levi retorted, his voice dripping with hatred. “You were never a father. Get the fuck away from me.”

He turned away from LeRoy and began walking toward the open doors of the barn but couldn’t resist looking back at him one more time.

“How did you even find me?”

“I happened to be watching a bull riding event on TV and all of a sudden, you were on the screen. It took me a while to find out where you were, but since you were with Cody Haines, and I found out where he was, it was easy finding you.”

“Why would they leave a…murdererout? You killed her, you son of a bitch.”

A twisted smirk formed on LeRoy’s face. “You seem to forget that my sentence was twenty-five to life with the possibility of parole.”

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