Chapter 19
Levi
“How long was I out for?”
“About ten minutes. Once Katie started talking to you, you came out pretty quickly. I didn’t know if she was going to work, but I’m glad she did.
“Micah used to be the one.” Zant nods his head. The last couple of times I’ve lost to the darkness, Mi hasn’t been able to help. It upsets her and that makes it worse.
I hate this shit. It’s like the demons just come and smother me. They won’t let me out and no matter how much fighting and yelling, they just keep piling on top of me. I’ve gotten better, but I would love to be able to keep them away for good. To function normally when I get angry. It has everything to do with my parents. I know it does.
When I was home and they would get high, they would beat me. I learned at an early age to retreat into myself. At first, it became a coping mechanism. I would check out. They would do whatever they wanted, and I had no clue until I woke up later. I would have blood and bruises everywhere. That made me angry and after a while, the anger would take me into the darkness too. Now, anything to do with anger, evil, or my parents sends me into the dark.
I take deep breaths to lower my heart rate and then I look at Z.
“So, what do we do now?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t know where y’all are right now, so as long as we keep it that way, you’re both safe. We’ve got to figure it out, though. They don’t give up easy.”
“Yea. Neither do I.”
Suddenly my phone starts to ring, and I pull it from my pocket. I see Ron’s name across the screen and I swipe it to answer.
“Hey man.”
“Levi,” Ron say, out of breath.
“What’s up Ron? What’s going on?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this, but…” I grip the phone as I wait for him to finish.
“The shop was broken into. Your bike.” He doesn’t say anything else and I can imagine him scratching his beard then removing his cap only to put it right back on again.
“What’s wrong with my bike, Ron.”
“It’s all messed up, Levi.”
Again, I feel like I’ve just been sucker punched. This time I feel the darkness coming and I focus. I stay in the light. I hand my phone to Zant, and I run inside. I make my way through the kitchen where Kelly is getting something to drink. She isn’t who I’m looking for. In the living room, Micah and Chance are sitting on the couch, looking at their phones. They aren’t who I’m looking for either. I spin around in a circle searching for her. I need her. I need to find her.
The darkness is coming, and I need her. She brought me back. She needs to help me stay.
“Where’s Kathleen,” I croak out.
Chance stands up quickly and comes towards me. “What’s wrong?”
“I need Kathleen.”
“She’s in the bathroom.”
I spin around and walk down the hall to the bathroom. I try the nob. I don’t bother knocking. The door swings open and she’s standing at the sink. I watch the look of surprise cross her face before she sees the look on mine.
She spins towards me and I whisper, “touch me.” She places her hands on both sides of my face and doesn’t let go. I watch her beautiful brown eyes as they melt like chocolate. Confusion and compassion swim in their depths and I get lost. This isn’t a lost like I’m used to. This isn’t a lost in the dark. This is a lost in the light. A lost in her. A complete lost in everything Kathleen. I heard her earlier say, ‘come back to me’. She has the power to help me stay. I want to stay with her.
I don’t know this girl from Eve, but for some reason, I want to. Getting to know her these two days has been somewhat surprising. I’m surprised that I actually want to know more. Wanting to protect her is one thing. I do that out of nature. It’s ironic since I was a victim of horrible child abuse for years, but it’s the way I am. Wanting to know her is a different thing all together. I don’t let people in. I placed walls around myself a long time ago. Select few have been let in and I have always felt like that was enough. I didn’t have room for anyone else.
Maybe I was wrong.
I start to breath normal again, but she doesn’t let go and I don’t let go of her hands. I slowly move closer to her. Kathleen’s lips are perfect – rosy and pouty. Just how I like them. I want to know what they taste like, but I know we aren’t there yet. I know I’m not there yet. She probably isn’t either. That still doesn’t stop me from wanting them.
She’s only seen the messed-up parts of me. She doesn’t know the good parts, the funny parts, the better parts.
Before I can get any closer to her lips, Nova runs past us. “Don’t kiss her Unc. That’s gross!” she yells.
We both chuckle, but it quickly dies away. “Are you ok?” she says.
“I am now. Thanks.” She slowly pulls her hands away from my face and I immediately miss her touch. I shake it off, grab her hand, and pull her from the bathroom. “Come on. We need to talk. Something has happened, and I need to go back.”
“You mean we?”
Nope. She isn’t going back. She’s staying right here with Micah.
“No. You’re staying here, where it’s safe.”
“What happened? Why are you going back?” She has her hands on her hips and I’d be lying if I said her irritated look isn’t hot.
“Because, the fu…, the guys that want you, messed up my shop and my bike.”
She gasps and slaps her hands over her mouth. “Oh my gosh,” she muffles.
“I want you to stay here with Micah, Kelly, and the kids. Chance, Zant, and I are going back. I think we know what’s going on, but we need to go see. I need you safe. Ok?”
She nods her head and doesn’t even blink her beautiful eyes. They look like they may pop out of her head, but they are still beautiful.
“Please be careful, Levi.”
I grab her hand and walk her back down the hall to Axel’s room. He’s in the living room so I know we will have a little privacy in here. I pull her inside and shut the door.
“I’m going to be straight with you. I think this may have something to do with my father and human trafficking or sex trafficking.” Her eyes grow round, and another gasp leaves her lips. Tears start to swim, and I can’t take it. I grab her and pull her to me. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Why do they want me?” Her arms are wrapped around me and she’s squeezing with all her strength. She needs something to keep her grounded and after she brought me back from the darkness and kept me from another trip, I’m glad it’s me.
“I don’t know that yet. I think it’s about money. I don’t know how everyone is involved, but I’m going to find out.”
She doesn’t say anything else, and we just stand there for a little longer, gaining strength from each other. Completely melting into each other.
We walk back out into the living room and the guys are ready to go. Nova runs up to me and I catch her as she jumps. “Why you leaving so soon?”
“I’ve got to go take care of something, Princess, but I’ll be back.”
“Soon?”
“You know it.” She kisses me on the cheek, and I put her back down. I watch as she walks to Kathleen and takes her hand. They stand side by side, my niece and this woman I just met, holding hands, and I think my heart comes alive.
Zant, Chance, and I walk out and climb into the Demon. It’s time to fight.