Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 152931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 765(@200wpm)___ 612(@250wpm)___ 510(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 765(@200wpm)___ 612(@250wpm)___ 510(@300wpm)
“Levi, answer the question,” Thane encouraged. It took a second as he looked between the three expectant faces to remember the question he’d been asked. Name. His mother’s name. Right.
“Teresa-Jane Silva. It’s hyphenated. No middle name.”
Jason turned back to the assistant, letting her know there were no other changes. Thane started to stand, motioning for him to follow. He did, still lost in the possibilities of how in the world he could afford those payments. They were led through a side door into an empty conference room. Thane flipped on the lights and drew Levi farther inside. An oversized table with six leather office chairs filled the center of the room.
“I want you to stay in here no matter what you hear. I’ll come get you when it’s over.”
“Thane, you can’t do this. I can’t pay that, and I won’t let you pay that to her,” Levi said, rounding to Thane, cutting him off. Thane eased forward, kissing his lips. Not necessarily a romantic kiss. He got the feeling it was an appeasing him kind of kiss to help stop his objection. Levi’s eyes narrowed, realizing Thane did that move quite a bit.
“No one’s ever watched my pennies as closely as you, Red. Promise me. I know if you promise, then you’ll stay in here, but if she sees you’re distraught, she’ll know she can get more from me. Promise,” Thane said right in his face, turning serious as he spoke.
“I’ll wait, but I don’t agree with this,” Levi added, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Noted.” Thane disappeared behind the door, and Levi edged back against the table, staring at the now closed door. He stayed just like that for a good thirty minutes only gathering bits and pieces of the conversation. When the big gentle bear, Jason Hammer, viciously raised his voice a couple of times after his mother did the same, Levi got Jason’s intimidation factor. Outside of that, he heard nothing he could make any sense of.
At times, he couldn’t even be certain they were still inside the office. He dropped his chin to his chest and closed his eyes. He hadn’t even let himself dwell on the heartsick emotion of seeing his mother, knowing she’d kept some kind of tab on him. She had known he was gay. She’d stayed in San Diego, but never came back to see him or his brothers. That hurt, knowing she was in the same city as they were all these years and never even bothered to pick up a phone… The knowledge threatened to crush him. It had to hurt Logan and Luke, and it had to have gutted his loving father. He wondered how much his dad had known. Levi suspected he probably knew the truth, lied to protect Logan and Luke.
The door opened, and Levi looked up to see Thane. He looked tense and rolled his shoulders as he opened the door wider. “We’re done.”
“She agreed?” Levi asked, not budging, his knuckles digging into the table.
“Yes. How are you?” Thane asked, moving closer.
“I’m not sure,” he answered honestly. Thane sighed and came toward him, stepping between his legs.
“This has to be hard to deal with,” Thane said, gently putting his hands on Levi’s waist.
“As I waited in here, listening to her voice, there were so many unexpected layers to her just showing up like this. Part of the reason I’m like I am is because I taught myself to be the best person I could be so she’d come back home. She hated cleaning house. From the day she left, I always kept our house clean just in case she came back, she’d see I wasn’t messy anymore. I wanted her back so badly.”
Thane said nothing. He just wrapped his arms around Levi and held him. Exactly what he needed. Levi closed his eyes and melted against Thane. Minutes passed in their silence before Levi said, “I’m worried about how you can afford everything you’re putting out while taking us on. I’ll work. We saved…”
Thane pulled away, moving back to look Levi in the eyes as he interrupted and said seriously, “We’ll be broke.”
Levi widened his eyes, and the relief running through him caused him to speak without thinking. “That’s okay. Maybe even better for me. I was uncomfortable with all the money you have…”
Thane lifted a hand, pressing a finger to Levi’s lips, silencing him. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Wait. Don’t get your hopes up, Red. We’re broke like getting you a reasonably loaded XT5 instead of a fully loaded Escalade, which I really wanted you to have to drive back and forth to school.”
That silenced Levi. He lifted his brows, causing Thane to chuckle as he placed both his palms on Levi’s cheeks, holding him in place.
Levi pressed his lips to Thane’s expecting to be brief, but this man made him complete. Thane had given him the world.