Page 84 of Levi

“Kinley?” His familiar voice brought her some comfort.

“Your father is here, and he won’t leave. He’s kicking my door. I think he’s drunk. I called for help, but I don’t know how long they’ll take. I’m so scared.”

“I’m on my way, baby. I won’t be long. I’m in town. Just stay inside and make sure all the doors and windows are locked.” He hung up.

LeRoy kicked the door once more before stumbling away from the porch. Kinley checked every lock in the house and let out a sigh of relief when she found them secure. She sat back down on the couch, keeping an eye on LeRoy through her phone as he slumped down onto her porch steps.

The phone in Kinley’s hand vibrated with an incoming call. She saw Celine’s name flash on the screen.

“Celine?” she answered, her voice shaky.

“Who is that man?” Celine’s panicked voice filled her ear.

“Levi’s father,” Kinley replied, keeping her eyes on the man in question who was still sitting on her porch steps.

“I could hear him over here. Did you call the police?”

“Yes, they’re on their way and so is Levi.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“No, don’t do that,” Kinley said quickly. “I’m not sure what he’d do, and I am not opening the door for anyone except the police or Levi.”

“Okay, just call me back when you can.”

“I will. Thanks.” Kinley hung up and kept her gaze fixed on the man outside. His presence was unsettling, and she wanted him gone as soon as possible. She watched as he got up from the step and made his way toward her car.

“Don’t you dare touch my car, asshole,” she muttered under her breath, but he simply walked around it and returned to the porch.

He stepped closer to her front door and peered into the doorbell camera. Kinley felt a chill run down her spine at his intense stare.

“What is this, some kind of camera?” he called out, but she refused to engage with him.

He kicked the door again, causing her to jump.

“I know you’re watching me, and I don’t care. I just want to talk to you.”

Kinley stayed silent, hoping he would leave soon. She watched him take a few steps back and almost lose his balance, but he grabbed the post of the porch to catch himself before he fell into her large Crepe Myrtle bushes.

“Where are the police?” she whispered, then heard tires screeching on the blacktop. She looked at her phone again to see Levi stepping out of his truck and LeRoy approached him. She could hear their conversation through the camera.

“Get the fuck out of here,” Levi yelled as he advanced his father.

“I’m not doin’ anything to your woman. I just want to talk,” LeRoy slurred.

“You’re drunk, as usual. She doesn’t want to talk to you. You have nothing to say that she’d want to hear.”

Kinley gasped as she watched LeRoy take a swing at Levi, but he missed when Levi stepped back. Then she saw LeRoy let out a loud laugh.

“I bet you want to hit me, don’t you...son?” LeRoy taunted.

Levi crossed his arms over his chest. “As a matter of fact, I do, but I won’t.”

“Even if I hit you?”

“If you can manage to hit me in your drunken state, then I will hit you back, but only once. That’s all I’d need.”

“Only once, huh?” LeRoy laughed again.

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