22. Levi

CHAPTER 22

Levi

Regret was a funny thing. It didn’t hit all at once—it crept in, uninvited, slinking around the edges of every decision until you couldn’t ignore it anymore. That’s where I was now, standing in the middle of this mess I’d willingly stepped into, hating myself just a little more with each passing day.

I should’ve known better. Hell, I did know better. Getting involved with Aiden was a bad idea from the start, but here I was, caught in the undertow of something I couldn’t name, and definitely couldn’t control.

He was everywhere—in my thoughts, my dreams, my damn blood. I wanted him in a way that scared the hell out of me. But what could I do about it? Telling him how I felt wasn’t an option. There was no version of that conversation that didn’t make me look like some kind of manipulative creep, and the last thing I wanted was to push him away. So instead, I lived in this maddening in-between, close enough to feel the heat of him but never allowed to touch the flame.

And Aiden? He seemed determined to burn me alive.

It started slow, innocent even. A stolen kiss here, a lingering look there. But once we crossed that line, once we decided this was going to be a regular thing, there was no going back. Now it was like he couldn’t get enough, like some dam had broken inside him and I was the only thing that could keep him from drowning.

Not that I was complaining.

Last night, my phone buzzed just after midnight, the kind of text that didn’t require words. Ten minutes later, I was in his chalet, and the things he did to me… I was still shaking when I left. And then, just this morning, he tracked me down between rows of Christmas trees, his cheeks pink from the cold, his lips curled into that wicked grin that made me weak.

“What are you doing out here?” I’d asked, trying for casual even though my pulse was hammering.

“Looking for you,” he’d said, his voice low and teasing as he stepped closer, his body radiating heat.

Before I could reply, he’d dropped to his knees right there in the dirt, unzipped my jeans, and blew my mind in every sense of the word.

It was wild, reckless, and so far outside my comfort zone I should’ve put a stop to it. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Because no matter how much I hated myself for letting this happen, I couldn’t bring myself to walk away.

Not when it was him.

Aiden was fucking addictive.

Every time I told myself it was the last time, that I’d find a way to pull back, he’d text me something short, direct, and absolutely impossible to resist. Like tonight. Come to the chalet. I need you. Five words that set my whole body on fire.

I didn’t even try to fight it anymore. I pulled on my coat and headed into the cold, the crisp air biting at my face. Each step toward him felt like one more nail in my coffin, but I kept moving. Maybe I’d dig myself out later, but right now, Aiden was waiting.

By the time I pushed the door open, my breath was ragged, and it wasn’t from the chill. Aiden stood in the center of the room, barefoot in plaid pajama pants and a hoodie that was far too big on him.

“You came.” His lips twitched into a grin, and my chest tightened.

“You knew I would.”

He tilted his head, watching me with those wide, mischievous eyes, his hands fidgeting at the hem of the hoodie. “Thought maybe you’d finally get tired of me.”

That hit harder than it should have. “Not possible.”

I barely had the words out before he crossed the room, grabbing my shirt and pulling me in for a kiss that started desperate and grew hungry fast. His body pressed against mine, heat radiating through the thin fabric, and I wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him steady.

“Lock the door,” he murmured between kisses, his fingers already tugging at my coat.

I kicked it shut with a thud and flicked the lock. His laugh was low, warm, and completely unguarded. That sound alone could undo me.

“You’re eager tonight,” I said, my lips brushing the shell of his ear.

“You love it.” His hands slid under my coat, pushing it off my shoulders.

I didn’t deny it. Couldn’t, when he looked at me like that—cheeks flushed, lips swollen, his pupils blown wide. He was already shifting, his usual sharp edges melting into something softer, needier.

“What do you need, Aiden?” I let my hands settle on his hips, squeezing gently.

“Daddy.” The word came out on a breath, and I froze.

It wasn’t the first time he’d called me that, but tonight, it landed differently. Deeper. He wasn’t just playing with the word, seeing how far he could push me. He meant it.

My grip on his hips tightened.

He whimpered, a sound so quiet it might have gone unnoticed if I hadn’t been so close. His hands rested on my chest, his head tipping back to look up at me.

“Good boy,” I said softly, watching his lashes flutter.

He melted. Right there in my arms, his weight sagging against me like he couldn’t hold himself up anymore. I guided him toward the bed, my hands steadying him as he climbed up and knelt in the center.

“Off,” I said, gesturing to the hoodie.

Aiden pulled it over his head, his hair sticking up in messy spikes. He caught me staring and smirked, his hands dropping to his waistband.

“Wait.”

His hands stilled and I stepped closer, brushing my thumb over the curve of his jaw. “Let me.”

His breath hitched as I tugged his pajama pants and underwear down, leaving him bare and already half-hard. I couldn’t stop myself from leaning in, pressing a kiss to his hip bone, then another just below his navel.

“Lie back.”

Aiden obeyed, his legs falling open as he settled against the pillows. His hands fisted in the blanket beneath him, his body arching when I ran my palms down his thighs.

“Such a good boy for me,” I murmured, trailing kisses up his inner thigh.

“Please,” he gasped, his hips lifting.

“Please what?”

“Take me apart. Make me yours, Daddy.”

That snapped the last thread of my restraint. I quickly stripped off my clothes, suited up and moved over him, capturing his lips in a kiss that was more possessive than tender, swallowing the whimpers and moans spilling out of him.

“On your knees, boy.”

Aiden froze for a heartbeat, his breath hitching audibly, before his entire body obeyed like it was instinct. He scrambled to his knees, his movements fluid but trembling, a combination of anticipation and desperation radiating off him. His hands gripped the headboard for balance, and the sight of him—back arched, muscles taut, head tilted slightly as if waiting for more instructions—hit me like a sucker punch.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry, as my eyes roamed over him. God, he was perfect. The way his body responded so naturally, so beautifully, to my command had my pulse pounding. It wasn’t just obedience—it was surrender. Complete, unguarded, breathtaking surrender.

Aiden let out a shaky breath, his lips parted, and I could see the faint sheen of sweat glistening on his back. He was holding himself still, waiting, his trust in me as tangible as the heat between us.

"That’s it," I murmured, my voice rough, my chest tight with emotions I couldn’t untangle. Pride, desire, something deeper I didn’t dare name. "Good boy."

The words seemed to ripple through him, his shoulders quivering as a soft whimper escaped his lips. It wasn’t just that he obeyed—it was how he obeyed. Like giving me everything was exactly what he needed.

My hands moved over his back, tracing the curve of his spine, feeling the way his body shivered beneath my touch. His submission wasn’t just physical; it was a gift, and I was struck by the weight of it.

"You’re so beautiful like this," I said, and his sharp intake of breath told me he heard every word.

When I positioned myself behind him, his head turned slightly, just enough for me to catch the raw emotion in his eyes—need, trust, and something so achingly vulnerable it made my chest tighten all over again.

“You’re mine now,” I said, my voice low but firm, and Aiden moaned like the words alone were enough to undo him.

Every movement after that felt charged, every sound he made reverberated through me like a storm breaking. Aiden's complete surrender wasn’t just arousing—it was shattering. And as I took him, his perfect obedience wasn’t just about control; it was about connection, something deeper than I’d ever allowed myself to feel before.

Every touch, every sound, every frantic plea pushed me further, and when I finally took him, his cries of “yes, Daddy” and “harder, Daddy” tore through me, breaking down walls I hadn’t even realized were there.

By the time we both came undone, the world outside didn’t exist. It was just us, tangled together, our breaths mingling in the quiet that followed.

I gathered him close, brushing his hair back from his damp forehead. He relaxed against me, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my chest.

“Still just casual, right?” I murmured, my lips brushing his temple.

His hand stilled. He was quiet for so long, I thought he might not answer.

“Yeah,” he said finally, his voice soft. “Just casual.”

The way he clung to me, the way his head rested against my chest, told a different story. I didn’t push it, though. Not tonight.

I wanted to stay there, holding him until the lines between us blurred into something I didn’t have to analyze, but we needed to take a shower. And that we did. We barely were able to keep our hands off each other. My phone buzzed in my pants pocket just as we dragged ourselves back into bed, the sharp vibration slicing through the quiet.

I reached for my pants that lay on the floor and I swiped my phone from my pocket. A glance at the screen made my stomach drop. Mom. At this hour?

I sat up and answered immediately. “What’s wrong?”

Her voice shook. “It’s your grandfather. He fell. I don’t know all the details—they called from the hospital and we didn’t know where you were. Can you come?”

“On my way.” I ended the call and scrubbed a hand down my face, the weight of her panic settling heavily on my chest.

“What happened?” Aiden’s voice was soft, concerned, and more grounded than I was.

“My grandfather. Something’s wrong. I need to get to the hospital.”

“I’ll drive.” He was already pulling on his clothes, his movements quick and decisive.

“You don’t have to?—”

“You’re shaking, Levi.” He stepped in front of me, his hands steadying my shoulders. “Let me do this. Please.”

I couldn’t argue with the calm resolve in his voice or the way his touch anchored me. So I nodded, letting him take the lead for once, and after slipping on my clothes I followed him into the cold night, grateful for more than I could put into words.