Past Promises

Chapter Eleven

Linda lay in bed later that night, tucked tight against Levi’s body. She was exhausted and wanted to sleep, but her mind wouldn’t stop working overtime.

As promised, Levi had turned up just before the store closed with Jonah right behind him. The two men had made the furniture delivery, allowing her to close up Past Promises and head upstairs for a quick shower before Levi returned.

They’d had a quiet dinner of soup and sandwiches at her place before Levi had taken her off to bed. Their lovemaking had been slow and measured, drawing out the pleasure for as long as possible.

She hadn’t told him she was going to see her father tomorrow. He’d only protest or insist on going with her and this was something she needed to do herself. She also planned a quick visit to her lawyer to check on the status of her grandmother’s estate. By this time tomorrow night she’d have her plans in place. For better or worse, she’d put her past and her family behind her and move forward with her life.

The only problem was getting Levi out of her apartment before she had to get up to drive to the airport. She’d gotten a seat on an early flight, but that meant she had to leave here between six and half past in order to drop off the keys to the store at Amanda’s and make the drive to the airport.

Levi stirred beside her. “Can’t sleep?” His voice was deep and intimate in the dark. His arms surrounded her, his legs were tucked behind hers and his chin rested on the top of her head.

“Too much to think about,” she replied honestly. She shifted and felt his erection stirring against the small of her back. The man was insatiable. Then again, so was she. Cream slipped from her core and her breasts tingled in anticipation. Her legs moved restlessly against the sheets.

“I can give you something else to think about,” he murmured. Splaying his hand over her belly, he tugged her even closer, grinding his shaft against her.

She tilted her head back and he leaned forward, capturing her mouth with his. The kiss was long and hot and thoroughly erotic. There wasn’t an inch of her mouth that he didn’t explore. She reached behind, gripping his hair with her hand to hold him close. He tasted hot and male and she wanted him again.

Her sex pulsed with growing need, the slick folds more than ready to receive him. She rubbed her back against Levi’s erection, drawing a deep, low groan from him. He tore his mouth from hers. “You’re asking for trouble, darlin’,” he growled.

“Maybe I like trouble.” She was slightly breathless, her body on fire for him. Linda wanted to forget all about tomorrow. Right now, all that existed was the two of them.

He didn’t turn her to face him as she expected. Instead, he lifted her top leg and draped it over his thigh. It left her sex wide open for him to explore. His fingers traced the inside of her thigh, making circles on her flesh.

Her pussy clenched as need gripped her. “Higher,” she moaned as he lightly brushed the sensitive folds of her sex. They were damp and swollen and she moaned again as he stroked his thumb over her clitoris.

He feathered kisses over her nape and down the curve of her shoulder. “You are so beautiful.” His breath was warm against her skin. Her body felt ripe and ready.

Slipping his other arm beneath her, Levi cupped one plump breast in his hand. Thumb and forefinger carefully teased her swollen nipple. Reaching behind, she groped for his butt, pulling him closer. His erection was pressed hard against her back, not where she wanted it.

“Hang on,” he muttered as he shifted lower in the bed. The head of his cock probed at the folds of her sex. Linda squirmed, trying to make room for him between her thighs.

“This is going to be tight.” He flexed his hips and the broad tip of his erection forged inward. Her inner muscles rippled around it, trying to draw it deeper.

“Damn!” He swore, pushing slowly forward. Suddenly he stopped and started to withdraw.

Linda dug her nails into his ass, trying to keep him inside her.

“Condom,” he muttered as he pulled out and reached behind him.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. How could she have forgotten something as important as that? Thankfully, at least one of them had retained a modicum of common sense.

She heard the sound of a foil packet being ripped open and then Levi was back, lifting her leg as he made a place for himself between her legs. Her eyes popped open as he surged inward. With her facing away from him and both of them on their sides, it made deep penetration difficult. But he felt larger, stretching her to her limits.

He had both arms wrapped around her once again. He played with her breasts, shifting from one to the other, while nestling his other hand between her thighs. Levi surrounded her. Filled her. It felt incredibly intimate to lie in her bed, their bodies joined in the most basic way possible.

He feathered his lips over the curve of her ear. “You okay, darlin’? I’m not hurting you, am I?”

Her heart ached with love for his man. Even now, his concern was more for her than for himself. She knew if she said the word, he’d withdraw from her immediately. Levi was one of a kind and she was glad that she had this time with him, even if it was limited.

He started to withdraw. She made a whimpering sound low in her throat and shifted her hips back to keep him inside her. “Don’t stop.”

He tightened his hands almost imperceptibly around her, the rough pad of his thumb teasing the tip of her breast. “I won’t,” he promised, his voice thick with need.

He held her steady as he started to move. Short, firm strokes that built the embers within her until her entire body was on fire.

“Levi.” She gasped his name, rocking her hips against his as the pace of his strokes quickened.

“Your pussy is squeezing my cock so tight. So perfect.” The graphic words made her moan. His hands became rougher, more frantic as he stroked her. Fingers plucked at her nipples and circled her clit.

Linda couldn’t speak. Inarticulate sounds of pleasure erupted from within her. Every muscle in her body tensed for one brief second before her orgasm broke. Her inner muscles gripped Levi’s erection, milking it hard. His hips pumped, digging deeper and harder. He yelled as he came, his fingers tightening almost to the point of pain around her breast.

Through the condom, she felt the ripple in his shaft as he came. It sent another round of spasms through her. When it was finally over, neither of them moved for the longest time. Linda was content to lie in Levi’s arms.

Finally, she felt him soften inside her. He swore and rolled away and out of bed, padding to the bathroom. He returned a few minutes later, stretched out behind her and threw his arm around her waist. “Sleep.” He kissed her shoulder and her nape. “You can think about everything tomorrow.”

She knew she should tell him to leave, that she wanted to be alone. How else could she sneak out in the morning? Sighing, she stared at the clock. She’d wait a few more minutes. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy the afterglow.

Just as she was dozing off, she felt the mattress dip. She kept her breathing slow and steady, not moving or speaking. The light whisper of clothing reached her ears and she realized that Levi was getting dressed. She didn’t know what to think. Yes, she’d needed him to leave, but perversely she didn’t want him to leave. Not without her asking him to. He’d never left her before. Maybe tonight had been about goodbye. Maybe that’s why she sensed a desperation to their lovemaking that had never existed before.

Linda kept her eyes closed. She wanted Levi to stay, but she needed him to go. She could feel him staring down at her. It took everything inside her to keep from opening her eyes and asking him why he was leaving. If she did that, she’d never get out of here in the morning without him knowing. They’d talk when she got home this evening. She’d tell him everything then.

She knew the moment he was gone. It wasn’t that he’d made a sound. As usual, he was uncannily quiet for such a large man. It was the atmosphere in the room that changed, as if he’d taken most of the vital energy with him.

Linda opened her eyes and stared at the clock. It was just after three. She’d have to get up in a couple of hours in order to have time to shower before she got dressed. She didn’t have anything to pack and she certainly wouldn’t be eating anything until after her meeting with her father. She’d drink a glass of milk to settle her stomach, but that would have to do until after the confrontation.

She rolled over, fitting herself into the space that Levi had just vacated. It was warm and smelled like him. She hugged his pillow close and inhaled deeply. The scent of sex and soap and male filled her nostrils. Pulling her knees close to her chest, she curled around his pillow and slept.

The beeping of the alarm woke her. Linda was pleasantly surprised she’d slept at all. Obviously, making love several times last night had exhausted her.

She felt strangely calm as she rose and headed for the shower. Whatever happened today, she was finished with her family. It was a hard decision to cut out the only family she had in her life, but it was the right one.

When she returned, she and Levi were going to talk. No more tiptoeing around the situation. She wanted to know how long he was staying in Jamesville. She loved him, and even if that confession drove him away, she’d decided it was time to tell him. No more living in fear.

As clichéd as it sounded, today was the first day of the rest of her life.

Levi stood in front of a high oak desk, face impassive, as he asked to see Austin Fletcher, senior and junior, as well as Simon Dyson. He didn’t have an appointment, but the receptionist had noted his designer suit, linen shirt, gold cufflinks and Italian leather shoes and briefcase. Levi had contemplated wearing his jeans and a T-shirt, but felt this would be more effective.

The receptionist, whose nameplate said she was Marissa Blakely, had also sized him up as she batted her eyelashes and leaned across the desk to give him a better view of her spectacular cleavage. But he wasn’t tempted by her charms in the least. The only woman that interested him was the one he’d left all warm and cozy in the middle of the night.

It hadn’t been easy to tear himself from her bed. But this was for Linda. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to obtain her security and happiness.

“Mr. Fletcher’s schedule is full this morning.” She smiled at him. “I could probably fit you in this afternoon.” The way she said it gave her words a double meaning.

“Tell him Levi Mann is here. He’ll see me.” Levi had no doubt that her father knew all about him. Or at least as much as Levi’s official records showed, which wasn’t much at all.

Ms. Blakely was pouting slightly now, but he gave her credit for maintaining her professional demeanor. “Of course.” She picked up the phone and contacted the next person up the line, Fletcher’s personal secretary.

Levi glanced around the room while he waited. He’d catalogued it all the second he’d walked through the door. He knew the location of all the windows and possible exits. Old habits were hard to break.

The room was decorated in a style that said money without being ostentatious. The carpet was a rich gray that went well with the luxurious cherry wood furniture. Several chairs, upholstered in burgundy, sat off to the left in a well-appointed waiting area. If Levi was correct, the chairs were all genuine antiques. Coffee and tea were available on a Victorian teacart. He knew what it was because Linda had one something like it in her shop. Real china mugs and silver spoons waited beside the carafes of coffee and tea.

Levi turned back to Ms. Blakely as she hung up the phone. She stood, tugging down her skirt as she came around the desk. Her legs were long and shapely, shown off to their best advantage in her high heels. “This way, please.” She led him through the inner door and down a hallway, glancing over her shoulder several times. She stopped at a door near the end. Opening the door, she motioned him in.

“Thank you.” He nodded at her and entered the room. The door closed behind him.

An older gentleman sat in an ornate chair at the head of a long conference table, resting his elbows on the heavy wooden arms of the chair, fingers steepled in front of him. His suit was impeccable, and he had an air of confidence surrounding him. No doubt about it. This was the king of the castle in his own domain.

The room itself reflected the man. Everything about it reeked of money and tradition, from the original oil paintings on the wall to the thick volumes of law books in the floor-to-ceiling bookcase that ran the entire length of one wall. Not a thing was out of place, nor was there a speck of dust anywhere.

Levi saw the family resemblance. The older Fletcher’s hair was graying, but there were still strands of black. His eyes were dark blue, but where Linda’s were warm and welcoming, his were cold and calculating.

The old man was doing his best to intimidate Levi with silence. Levi could have told him he was wasting his time. No one had intimidated him since he was out of diapers. He thought about waiting until Fletcher broke, but decided that taking the offensive would be the most effective tactic.

“Might as well get your son and Dyson in here so I only have to say this once.” Levi dropped his briefcase on the table and opened it, ignoring Linda’s father.

He almost grinned when the old man bristled. Obviously, he was used to giving the orders, not taking them.

“I don’t see the need to involve them.”

Levi drew out a sheaf of papers and laid them aside. He raised his head and stared at Fletcher for a long moment and then shrugged. “I’ll just go see them afterwards then. I’d hoped to save time.” Arching an eyebrow in question, he waited.

Linda’s father picked up the phone and barked at the person on the other end. “Get my son and Simon in here.” He slammed the phone down. “The quicker you state your business and get out of here the better.”

“I agree.”

“I know who you are, Mr. Mann.”

Levi heard the door opening behind him and subtly angled his body so he could see the two other men in his peripheral vision. He recognized Dyson immediately. The other man had to be Linda’s brother. He looked like a male version of Linda. His features were finer than his father’s. They both must take after their mother in that respect.

“What’s this all about?” the younger Fletcher asked.

“That’s the guy I told you about. The local that Linda is shacking up with.”

Levi shook his head and sighed. “You can say anything you want about me, but one more word about Linda and you’ll live to regret it.”

“Don’t threaten me,” Dyson sputtered.

“I don’t make threats.” Levi dismissed Dyson and turned back to the senior Fletcher. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?” How a sensitive soul like Linda had grown up around people like this and come out untainted, he’d never know. He figured he had her deceased grandmother to thank for that.

“Let’s,” Linda’s father intoned. He didn’t invite Levi to sit when his son and Dyson took seats beside him. They made a united front. “I had you investigated when I found out you were living with Linda. You’re a nobody who was born in the gutter. You were in the army, but you left that about a year ago. Since then, you’ve drifted around taking odd jobs. You ended up in Jamesville where you managed to get free rent in exchange for services.”

The way he said the word “services” made it sound dirty and sleazy. Levi clamped the lid down on his temper. That wasn’t the way to beat these men.

“Am I correct?” Fletcher looked pleased with himself. Dyson looked smug. The younger Fletcher appeared concerned. For who or what, Levi wasn’t certain.

“Some of your facts are right. But they’re really irrelevant.”

“You think so?” Linda’s father sat back in his chair, a self-satisfied look on his face. “I wonder if my daughter would still sleep with you if she knew where you really came from.”

Levi ignored the barb, even though it scored a direct hit. He knew he wasn’t good enough for Linda, but that didn’t matter. She’d let him into her life and her bed and he’d cherish her for as long as she allowed him to stay. “You can go right ahead and tell her if you feel the need.” He picked up the papers and strolled toward the head of the room. “Now, let’s get down to business, shall we. We all know you’re causing Linda financial problems because you want the money left to her by her maternal grandmother.”

“How the devil do you know that?” Dyson demanded.

Levi continued, ignoring Dyson. “When Linda is upset, I’m upset.”

“And this should matter why?” Austin Fletcher finally spoke up. “Look, Mr. Mann, this is a private family matter. Linda’s always been high strung. She needs to be protected from herself.”

Levi laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “Linda is an intelligent, independent woman who is passionate about what she does for a living. Everyone who knows her at all knows that.”

Linda’s brother shook his head. “She left a prestigious law school to go to work for little better than minimum wage at an antique dealer’s. She slaved away there for several years, ignoring her family. Then the moment she inherits a sizeable amount of money, she takes out a huge loan for a rundown building and fills it with second-rate antiques. And that’s before she has the money in hand. Obviously, she’s not in her right mind.”

“She was supposed to get her degree. Work for a year or two. Marry Dyson and then raise children.” The older Fletcher sat forward in his chair, a scowl on his face. “That’s all I ever asked of the ungrateful girl.” He banged his fist on the table for emphasis. “It was all her grandmother’s fault. That woman encouraged her.”

“And you couldn’t deny her,” Levi added softly. “Because she held the purse strings in the family.”

The elder man’s face turned red. “That’s a lie. I did it because it pleased my wife.”

Levi shook his head. “You have a huge house with servants and an extravagant lifestyle. You like to give parties and take expensive trips. That takes every cent you earn from your law practice. So I asked myself, where did you get the money to play the stock market, to keep a mistress? Those things don’t come cheap.”

Linda’s brother jumped up from his seat. “How dare you make these allegations?”

Levi tossed a sheaf of papers in front of Linda’s father, which included several photos of him and his much younger mistress. “You lost a bundle in the recent economic downturn. You don’t have a knack for playing the markets. And you just bought your mistress a house in the country. Nothing large. A quarter-million dollars. A getaway from the city, where she lives in the condo you purchased for her.”

“My personal life isn’t your concern,” Linda’s father blustered.

“It is when it affects Linda’s life.” Levi picked up another sheaf of papers and tossed it toward Dyson. “Let’s see, where was I? Oh yes. Dyson is a philanderer of the worst kind. He had two women on the side while he was dating Linda. He routinely sleeps with the wives of his rich clients and he has a gambling habit. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t win as often as he loses. He was counting on marrying Linda and getting his hands on her grandmother’s money to bail him out.”

“Damn it, Simon. You told me you were through with the gambling,” the elder Fletcher yelled.

“I am.” He shook his fist at Levi. “How dare you pry into my private life?”

“If you’d kept your dick in your pants, you’d have been married to Linda by now,” her father griped.

“No, he wouldn’t.” All heads swiveled toward the door where Linda stood. She appeared pale, but her shoulders were thrown back.

She looked like a queen as she closed the door and strode toward them. Levi recognized the burgundy suit as the same one she’d worn yesterday. Her heels made no sound on the gray carpet. She tossed her purse on the table. Ignoring her family and Dyson, she turned to him. “Hello, Levi. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

He was so proud of her. She carried herself with poise and class, barely blinking at finding him here even though he knew he had to have thrown her off with his presence. “I wasn’t expecting to see you either. I’d planned to talk to you about this over dinner this evening.”

“I see,” she said, even though he knew she didn’t understand at all what he was doing here.

“Linda,” her father began. “Do you have any idea who this man is?”

Levi stood beside her, ready to support her in any way, as he listened to her father spill the sordid details of his childhood.

Linda was shocked to find Levi in the conference room with her father, brother and Simon. When she’d entered the office, the reception desk had been empty. She’d headed toward her father’s office, but had heard the loud voices and detoured to the conference room instead. The last thing she’d expected to find was Levi.

She could feel the heat from his body as he stood beside her. The gesture was more than symbolic. She had no idea why he was here, but she trusted him and knew he would support her. There was no verbal commitment between them, no talk of love or a future, yet she didn’t doubt for one second that Levi was on her side.

She listened as her father related the shocking facts of Levi’s childhood. It was appalling. And what was worse was her father was obviously gloating over the fact that Levi had grown up in the slums with an addict for a mother who hadn’t cared for him at all.

“It’s clear to me that he came here today with fabricated stories to blackmail us. It’s money he wants, either from you or us. Probably both. You can’t trust his kind. He has no job, no ambition.” Her father thumped his fist on the table.

Linda almost jumped, but managed to stop herself. He’d used that ploy over and over when she’d been a child. And every now and again, he’d finish off by slapping her. No one else knew that. Well, she suspected her mother knew, but she didn’t care enough to do anything about it.

She looked up at Levi. He was wearing his usual impassive expression, which told her nothing. “Do you want money, Levi?”

“No.” He didn’t deny their allegations of blackmail or add anything else in his defense. But that was Levi.

She nodded and turned back to her father. “He doesn’t want money.”

Her brother shoved his seat back and stood. “You’re too stupid to know when someone is taking advantage of you. Of course he wants money. He’s even willing to sleep with you to get it.”

She felt the shift in Levi and the air in the room thickened with menace. Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and gave it a brief warning squeeze to keep him from going after her brother. Whatever Levi’s intentions were, she’d figure them out later. Right now, she needed to put a stop to this.

“What I do with Levi is none of your business.” She took two steps forward and laid her hands flat on the table, glaring at her father and Simon. Austin still stood watching her. “You’ve tied up grandmother’s money for now, but I will get it eventually.”

“You’ll lose your building and your business if you don’t come to your senses,” her father countered.

Linda gave a bitter laugh. “If I did what you wanted and came home, I’d lose it anyway. I’d also lose myself and any scrap of self-respect I ever had.” She straightened and shrugged. “So I’ll lose the building. But not my business. Past Promises is a separate legal entity from my personal loan. I’m not stupid, despite what you may think. I’ll rent a new space and move forward from there. Whenever my inheritance comes through, I’ll buy another building.”

“You don’t have any money.” She could sense the glee in her father’s tone.

“But I do have friends willing to help me. And I don’t need much money to live.”

“That’s preposterous.” Her brother grabbed her by the upper arms and pulled her close. “Why do you always have to be so difficult?”

“You’ll want to let her go. Now.” She heard the thread of steel in Levi’s voice, and apparently so did Austin. He let her go slowly and took a step back.

“Why do you care?” she asked her brother.

“He needs the money.” Levi’s voice was low, but it carried to all of them. “They all need the money.”

It hurt her. Even though she knew her family and Simon had never loved her, it made her stomach hurt to realize all they did care about was money.

“That’s a lie,” her father began, indignation in his voice. “Who are you going to believe? This killer or us. That’s what he is, you know.”

“He was in the army and we’re at war.” How dare her father toss Levi’s service to his country back into his face.

“He’s nothing more than a hired killer, sanctioned by the government. He wasn’t a regular soldier.” Her father aimed his derision at Levi. “He was in a special unit. The one they call when they want certain people dead but don’t want to be held publicly accountable for it. I have friends at the Pentagon.”

“Oh, give it up, father.” Linda felt suddenly tired and beaten down. It was time to finish this. “I’m never coming home. After today, I’m severing all contact with all of you. I’m seeing my lawyer after this and if you don’t stop harassing me, I’ll file charges or get a restraining order. That becomes public record and wouldn’t the gossip mongers have a field day with that.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” her father yelled. “What would that do to your mother?”

Linda snorted. “As long as mother can throw her parties, I doubt she’d even notice.”

“You ungrateful bitch.” Her brother was staring at her with such venom she was suddenly glad that Levi was beside her.

“This is done.” She picked up her purse and tucked it under her arm. “I’ll fight as long as it takes, but I will get grandmother’s money, just as she wanted me to. And I will have my own life.” She glanced at Levi and then back at her father. “I’ll also sleep with whoever I damn well choose. As of this moment, you’re no longer my family. I’m officially disowning all of you.”

“You’ll regret this.”

Ignoring her father, she looked at Levi. “Are you coming?” Her stomach was one giant knot. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she was afraid she was going to keel over in pain.

“I need another minute.”

“Fine.” She needed to get away from her family and Simon. They left her feeling slightly nauseous and vaguely unclean.

Levi waited until the door closed behind Linda. “As of this moment, you’re out of Linda’s life.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, you guttersnipe.” The elder Fletcher’s face was an interesting shade of red. “I’ll ruin you.”

“You can try.” Levi nodded at the papers spread on the table. “Those are copies. Feel free to keep them. They outline all your activities, both illegal and questionable. If you persist in harassing Linda, those details will be made public.”

Levi shut his briefcase and continued, “If you think to take more drastic measures, please be assured that if anything happens to me, these papers will be made public immediately. Plus,” he paused for effect, “I have several associates who would make it their life’s work to take revenge on my behalf. There would be nowhere in the world where you would be safe.”

“Who are you?” Linda’s brother asked in a strained voice.

“Not someone you want to make an enemy of.” Picking up his briefcase, he headed for the door. “Oh, and you can forget getting your friend at the bank to call in Linda’s promissory note. I paid it off this morning. The building belongs to her now.”

“You paid off the building?” Dyson seemed shocked by Levi’s pronouncement.

Levi shrugged. “It was no problem.”

Dead silence surrounded him as he left the room. These men understood money and power, and they now understood they were minnows and he was a shark in the larger scheme of things. They’d back off because there was nothing to be gained and way too much to be lost.

To be certain, he’d leaked certain documents to the IRS. All three of them would soon be too busy scrambling to save their own asses to worry about him and Linda. Her inheritance was lost to them. They’d have to find other ways to get out of their financial troubles.

Cynically, Levi expected both Dyson and Linda’s brother to announce engagements. They were both seeing very young, very rich young ladies at the moment.

The flirtatious Ms. Blakely was at her desk when Levi emerged from the inner sanctum of Fletcher, Fletcher and Dyson. He glanced around. “Where is Ms. Fletcher?”

She shrugged. “Someone was leaving when I came back from delivering today’s mail. It was a woman in a burgundy suit.”

“Thank you.” He left the office, swearing under his breath. Linda hadn’t waited for him. He was certain she hadn’t believed her father when he’d said that he was after her money. But had she truly believed him?

Or maybe it was his past that had made her run.

Levi ignored the pain in the vicinity of his heart. No matter what happened, Linda was safe from her family. Even though she didn’t know it yet, the building was now hers. There was no way anyone could ever take it from her.

Why did she leave?

Was she hurt? Angry? He had no idea.

Tonight would map his future. He and Linda had to talk. He might not know where she was now, but he knew where she’d be later today. He hailed a cab and headed for the airport. The quicker he got home, the better.

Home. Somewhere along the line, Jamesville had become home. It wasn’t so much the place as the people who lived there. Linda was home to him. Being with her had given him a sense of place he’d never had in his entire life. He’d fought in hellholes around the world for lesser causes. He wasn’t willing to lose Linda without giving it everything he had. He only hoped that after they talked tonight, he still had a place to call home.