Tell Me Your Fears

Chapter 8: Levi

Holy hell, this girl.

I don't know how it's possible, but she managed to blow me away tonight.

The best things in life often comes from the unexpected.

And tonight was the most unexpected s**t to ever happened to me. She is the most unexpected s**t to ever happen. I never danced, ever, I didn't lie about that. But there was something so inviting about her. So captivating that for once, I let myself loose. Only after I called Ruby to take care of Peralta's men.

"Goddamnit, Levi!" he yelled into the phone. "When I said to stay in your room, you stay the f**k in your room."

"You must be confused about our employer-employee relationship," I deadpan. If I was someone else, I would have castrated the head of my bodyguard detail for speaking to me in such a manner.

In a world where most people drop to their knees and kiss my ass, it's refreshing to have him and Janessa treat me like the normal asshole boss that I am. They don't take my s**t, yet still give me the respect that is owed.

"You must be confused about the f*****g target on your back. Where are you?"

"I'm surprised that's not the first thing that came out of your mouth," I taunt just for the hell of it. Yeah, I like to have a kick with my team.

"Are you safe?"

"Yeah. But I need you to do something for me." I look back to the center of the park where Robyn was swaying her hips without a care in the world.

God, she's never looked so hot than seeing her let herself loose.

"Should have thought of that before turning your phone off."

I roll my eyes. Ruby, ever the dramatic motherfucker. But I'm the one who hired the stern motherfucker, so who's more dramatic between us? "So you can track me like you're doing right now? No, thanks." I check my watch. "You have my phone pinged for a whole minute now. Peralta's men are somewhere within the vicinity, Anka's one of them so you won't have trouble identifying the group of small d***s running around. Deal with it."

I hear shuffling on his side of the line. "What the hell is he doing there?"

Robyn. But I don't want him to know that especially since I still don't know exactly what her involvement with him is.

"Just get it done. And when you see me, keep your distance." I look back to Robyn who has her eyes closed now, smiling like there's no tomorrow. "I'm with someone and I don't want to scare her."

I end the call and follow Robyn, dancing without a care in the world.

Eventually, we got tired after almost an hour of dancing so I'm walking her back to her car at the bar she worked at. My phone pinged and I check the message from Ruby.

it's done.

I pocket my phone feeling relieved Robyn was safe. For now.

I readjust her backpack on my shoulder as we silently walked, exhaustion bagging down our shoulders.

The feeling of eyes targeting my back was strong but I resist looking back knowing my guards are close behind.

"So, do you ever get threatened?" her voice cuts through the silence. My arm was still around her waist holding her upright. Though, that's just an excuse. I can't seem to get my hands off her now, loving the feel of her body.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

I wonder how it would feel to have her wrapped around my . . .

"I mean, you're a young man who's basically winning at every game thirty-year-olds could only dream of. You're bound to make enemies at some point, right? You can't tell me there aren't people who are threatened by your youth."

The ten bodyguards on my back would attest to that. Nonetheless, I say, "Not that I would know."

As fun as I had tonight, I still don't know Robyn well enough to divulge her into my life. With the occupation I have, trust is a commodity I can't be handing out just as easily as I do with insults.

"Really? Is that why your guards are following you since we left the park?"

I did a doubletake. "How did you—"

"I can feel them burning a hold through my back. I don't mind, though. It makes me feel special. Like the president's daughter or something."

But you are special, I wanted to say but think against it.

"But, of course, I can't go back to your hotel room now."

"Why the f**k not?" I instantly whine like a three year old. It's pathetic. I clear my throat.

Robyn hides the faintest smile at my reaction. "Because, Mr. High Profile, it's the walk of shame out of your hotel room that I don't look forward to. With the guards and all."

"I can dismiss them," I mumble, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden trying to make futile attempts of making her stay the night. Truth was, I'm not ready for this night to end.

Robyn smiles, and I just want to put her in a jar keeping her with me forever. "You're cute. But I'll have to pass this time."

Something deep in my gut tells me there's more than just a simple walk of shame that she's worried about.

"So, there's a next time?" I ask, hopeful.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Keep dreaming, lover boy."

We pass a motel, Robyn's eyes lingering a beat longer before we cross the street over to my hotel. The bar just right next to it in an alley.

"Your pulse is so weak."

"It's the frigid air," she excused.

"No, I have a feeling it's not. You're not used to emotions are you?"

Robyn casually shrug. "Maybe nothing really sparks my interest enough to make my heart hammer down on my chest."

"Wonder what would happen when I do this?" Our steps slow down as I lean down, my lips brushing her ear.

I can feel her heave a deep breath, her pulse thrumming increasingly. Loving the way her body responds to my touch, I lean further down to her neck, leaving feathery kisses before nibbling the spot behind her ear. Robyn sighed, her eyelids fluttering close.

To my surprise, Robyn stops at the front entrance, eyeing the security guard manning his podium and I pull away from her. For a moment, I'm hopeful he changed her mind and decided to spend the night with me. But she shifts away from my hold.

"You should probably get back." She turns around, staring at something behind me.

Not something, someone.

I follow her gaze and see one of Ruby's rookies standing behind a giant potted bush without a hint of any subtlety at all.

God, I'm going to kill him.

"I'll walk you back."

"Jesus, it's only a few steps away. I'll be fine." She covered her irritation with a laugh.

I shake my head. "Can I at least get your number?"

Robyn hesitates. I already know her answer before she could give it to me. "Sometimes, being ephemeral is more special than being a permanent speck in someone's life."

Philosophical bullshit.

I open my mouth to speak but think otherwise.

This is for the better. Right now is not the time to be developing close relationships with my current standing position of a moving target. Though, I can't say having her tonight wasn't a breath of fresh air.

She reached inside the pocket of her coat taking out a set of keys. My set of keys including my rental.

Her face held no embarrassment or remorse when she hands it back to me. "Figured I'd sell it for a hefty price."

"Are you always a thief?" She shrugs. "When did you change your mind?"

"When we sat at that restaurant."

"Why?"

"Didn't feel like I needed it anymore."

"You sure it wasn't because I persuaded you?"

She scoffed. "With what? You're f*****g gluttony. You munched on your platter like it was the last f*****g meal of your life."

I don't smile knowing if I did, it would only go to waste. I'm not going to see her after tonight anyway.

Without saying anything, I nod then walk away. My feet took me up the stairs and stop in front of the revolving door when she calls out.

"You'll remember me, Levi Pavlov, just as I'll treasure this night forever."

My chest pangs at the thought she had just as much fun as I did tonight. It wasn't under normal circumstances, but I think that contributed to the experience.

"Goodnight, President's Daughter. May the stars lead you to wherever you need to go."

Her face falls then. But I don't decipher what it meant because I was already inside the lobby and out of sight.

I take one last look at her through the window, seeing her still standing there staring at the entrance. It must have been a minute before she begins to move, sure that I was already on the elevator.

She takes off her coat and that's when I see the watch she wore on her wrist at least two sizes too big for her, yet it didn't fall off her wrist. One of the many things she stole in her life, I'm sure.

I walk back to the elevator pressing the button that goes up despite not wanting to. Is Julian still in my room? That was the whole f*****g reason I went to that bar tonight, to miss him just a fraction of a second or the least go back to the hotel drunk out of my ass to f**k up the impending conversation that is yet to be had between us.

Went to a bar to solve one problem, I went home with another. f*****g Robyn.

My foot taps on the marble floor repeatedly. No, I'm not curious about her watch. And I'm most definitely not curious about why she went back on the direction we came from when the bar was on the opposite side.

Nope, I'm not f*****g curious at all. I tap on the button repeatedly, growing irritated that it's moving too slow.

Goddamn that f*****g watch.

I turn around and make a break for the door hoping to still catch her.

It's not even branded or something. Why the f**k would she steal a worthless watch?

I see the back of her head as she crossed the street.

Is it her brother's? Father's? A former lover's?

I follow her trail, keeping a good distance. I take out my phone and shot Ruby a text telling him where I was and not to f**k up like his rookie did moments ago.

Shit. Is she going back to her boyfriend's? I should have asked her first before parting ways. Now I can't push the thought out of my f*****g head.

Robyn doesn't know she has a tail when she entered the parking lot of the dingy motel we passed not long ago. My eyes zero in on her wrist as she pushed the handle bars of the entrance door open.

Fucking watch.

She doesn't take the elevator like other people eve if it's only two-storeys up. Of-f*****g-course. Robyn is not like the usual bunch.

I take the stairs two steps at a time just in time to see a door at the far end of the hallway close.

Is she here to see someone?

I don't recall seeing any cars at the lot except a beaten down Honda.

Is she living here?

My feet take me to the point of no retreat as I bang on her door.

Heart pounding furiously.

Breath racing a mile a minute.

And it all stops when I see her on the other side of the door.

I expected her to lash out on me for following her. Frown, kick, scream, anything unpleasant so I'd have a reason to go back to my hotel room and forgot she ever existed by tomorrow.

But all I received is a dumbfounded look. "What are you doing here?" she gasped.

She's not telling me to leave.

My eyes briefly scan the room silently hoping she was there to see a boyfriend so I'd have a reason to leave her the f**k alone.

But all I see is a neat kempt bed and a single open suitcase with her s**t piling on the floor.

"What's with the men's watch?" I snap. "Hate to break it to you, but it's closed fist away from falling off your wrist."

She kept quiet, too stunned to speak. Her eyes tells me everything.

She's not going to tell me to leave.

"f**k it," I whispered and closed the gap between us.

Her lips burned, like a forbidden fruit fresh from a hot furnace.

No wonder Adam didn't resist. It tastes so damn good.

Robyn moaned, letting me push her back as I kick the door with my foot shut.