8. Levi

Chapter 8

Levi

now

I'm restless and useless, pacing like a caged animal as I wait for updates from either Hunter or Greedy.

They've been gone for more than two hours. It's strange to be in this house all alone. Although I'm technically not alone, Considering Hunter's visitor is holed up in her bedroom, making himself at home.

To give myself something to do while I wait, I go through my usual isometric workout and strength routine using my body weight. Every muscle is coiled tight through my limbs. But even working up a sweat doesn't get rid of the anticipatory adrenaline circulating through my system.

Knowing just how precarious dinner is bound to be makes me all sorts of anxious. I don't have the first clue how to help. Her or him. That I'm not there to act as a buffer for either of them doesn't sit well for me.

Eventually, it feels like the walls of my room are closing in on me, so I wander the house. I consider watching TV, but finally end up back upstairs .

My leg aches from the workout and all the pacing. I need to rest and stop going up and down the stairs.

Deciding it would be best if I relax until they get home, I head out onto the balcony.

When the sweet scents of tobacco and cardamon hit my nostrils, I halt in my tracks.

Fucking hell.

I forgot I wasn't alone.

"He finally appears."

Kabir's tone is husky and melodic—two descriptors that shouldn't make sense together but do.

It's too late to pretend I don't see him. Even if it weren't, I'm trapped between wanting to ignore him out of respect for Greedy and being tempted to learn everything I can about the man who appeared out of thin air and instantly commanded Hunter's attention.

It's not just my curiosity that's piqued.

I want to figure him out. Unpack what sort of relationship he had with Hunter and suss out where he thinks—or hopes—things might still stand between them.

"Mind if I join you?"

He regards me, stormy blue eyes boring into mine as he sucks on the end of his pipe.

"If I say yes, I do mind, will you bugger off?" He exhales, filling the space between us with sweet-smelling smoke.

"Unlikely," I offer, more determined than before to stand my ground and figure this guy out.

"Good to know you're not easily scared away," Kabir remarks, one brow arched.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I'm so anxious for an update, I fumble to fish it out and almost drop the damn thing.

Hunter: We're on our way hom e

That's it. That's the message. She doesn't give me a single damn clue about how the dinner went, or how she's holding up.

"They'll be back soon." I hold up my phone and tip it from side to side. Then, to clarify, and maybe to boast a little, I add, "Hunter texted me."

He hums noncommittally, never taking his eyes off me. Then, with an outstretched hand, he offers his pipe.

I don't reach for it immediately.

With a scowl, he holds it closer to me. "Well, go on, then."

I'm about to shake my head, but I saw the way he looked at Hunter. The way she melted into his touch. I won't deny her what she needs, ever. If that means finding common ground with this character, that's what I'll do.

I can play nice. At least until I figure out what he's playing at.

"Thanks," I reply, taking the pipe. After another second of hesitation, I bring it to my mouth and take an easy pull. Caramely smoke fills my mouth and lungs, the tobacco notes sweet and flavorful.

An ease and lightness swirls through me as I hold the smoke in my lungs.

I let it out slowly, watching the cloud grow between us. "Does this have—"

"It's my own proprietary blend," he declares with a pompous air of distinction.

That doesn't tell me shit about what I just ingested, but it feels nice. Enjoyable, even. Maybe it'll be okay, waiting out here on the balcony with him.

That thought has barely formed before Kabir speaks again.

"Your first name's Levi?"

I nod, handing back his pipe.

He accepts and twirls the stem between his forefinger and thumb, then looks me squarely in the eye. "She never mentioned you before."

Ouch .

I spread my arms wide on the back of the lounger and blow out a long breath. "We were just friends back then." I'm not looking for a fight with this guy. At least not tonight.

"And now?"

Fucking hell. He's nosy, and for such a proper asshole, his manners are terrible. He may be a big deal over in England, but he wouldn't last a day on his own in the south with this attitude.

"Now we're more," I tell him, meeting and holding his gaze.

More .

I leave it at that.

Kabir examines me, his light gray-blue eyes piercing into me with an unnerving intensity.

Doubt pings around my gut. I'm not sure of anything after the events of the last twenty-four hours. I ignore the sensation. Hunter's given me no reason to doubt her.

"Fair enough," he eventually says with a shrug. "It's not like I was celibate during her sabbatical."

This time, it's anxiety hitting me hard. The emotion twists my gut. He may not have been, but someone else was.

Fuck.

Greedy waited.

When he confessed it this morning, I swear something fundamental shifted inside Hunter. For one perfect moment, I thought maybe we had a shot.

Greedy waited, and Hunter clearly did not. Yet that's not even the worst of the secrets that were revealed today.

Despite the easy feeling the British Invasion's "proprietary blend" has instilled in me, my anxiety grows.

I have no idea what to expect once Hunter and Greedy get home, nor do I have any idea what'll happen next.

Half an hour later, a car turns into the circle drive out front. From the balcony along the back of the house, the idling of an engine is audible.

The car turns off. Doors open and close, then all is quiet. Kabir and I are silent, waiting. A few moments later, we hear voices on the stairs.

Two distinct voices.

Two distinct, angry, raised voices.

Fucking hell.

"Shall we greet them?" Kabir suggests, straightening as if he's about to rise.

I shake my head. They'll both be eager to get away from their parents after an evening together, and there's a very good chance they'll need a few minutes to cool off.

"Let's give them a minute. They know where to find us."

I already texted both Hunter and Greedy individually to tell them to come to the balcony once they're home.

Sitting forward with my elbows on my knees, I wait. Kabir's expression remains even, but one of his legs bounces just a little.

I can't help but look from one door to the other. Greedy's room is off to one side, Hunter's on the other.

Their voices grow louder, but rather than split up, both have clearly gone into Hunter's room.

Kabir's eyes widen with interest. He stands but doesn't make any moves to go inside. With his hands in the pockets of his suit pants, he looks ridiculously out of place.

We're both quiet, both clearly attempting to eavesdrop as the voices become more distinct.

When Hunter snaps at Greedy, Kabir's lips tilt up into a lopsided smile.

I don't know what she actually said, but the venom behind it? Damn .

Kabir sets his sights on me, then tips his chin. "Brace yourself, champ. I know that tone."

Brace myself? That's what I've been doing for the last several hours. Nevertheless, I take the bait.

"And what tone is that, exactly?" I rise to my feet and cross my arms over my chest.

Size-wise, this guy's no match for me. I've got a few inches on him, and although he's in shape, it's clear from the fit of his suit that I'm much broader through the arms and chest.

Nevertheless, when he meets my gaze, the instinct to cower is strong.

There's no denying that this man is intimidating. It's the intensity of his gaze, the sharpness of his jaw. It's the way he smiles. Not like he's happy, necessarily, but like he knows he's right.

"It sounds like Garrett Reed unlocked Brat Mode."

I bite back a snicker. He's not wrong.

Now, all we have to do is wait for them to join us.