Reservations

As he got out, he felt the curious stares of the people hanging out on the street. He looked around, making eye contact with some, wondering why it seemed like no one was at work or school, before ducking his head and walking toward the front door. This neighborhood in no way matched the man he’d been watching for well over a week. The fact that Levi didn’t wear a white tank top or a hoodie and bagged out jeans was vastly different than ninety percent of the guys on this street. Thane took the stairs, dodged the broken step, and forced himself to follow through when all he wanted was a moment to fully comprehend this newest piece to the complex puzzle that was Levi Silva.

He knocked. The door opened to a younger version of Levi standing before him. He was scragglier than Levi, his clothes most definitely hand-me-downs, his hair sticking out every which way. Thane registered the slight sprinkling of freckles along the bridge of his nose then the fierce, frowning woman standing behind him. She was a little bitty thing. Looked nothing like Levi or the boy in front of her, so much so, he wasn’t sure she was part of the family.

“We belong to the St. Rita’s Catholic Church,” she said sternly.

That was the comic relief he needed as he looked down at his zipped jacket and pressed jeans. “I’m actually here because…” He stopped midsentence. Okay, no he couldn’t say that. “No. I’m here for…” Thane just stopped again and pulled the folded envelope from his pocket. Whether Levi planned to take his offer or not didn’t matter. This family clearly needed this money more than he did.

“I’m Levi’s boss. This is his house, correct?” The boy’s face turned as serious as the woman’s, and he gave a single nod. “He left his bonus at work. I wanted to bring it to him personally.”

He extended his hand, and the boy took the offering.

“Are you with the coffee shop or PT clinic?” the woman asked, her smile growing as the kid began unfolding the envelope. Thane almost missed the only two employment references she gave him. Did they not know about the club?

“Logan’s got to stop throwing his dirty socks under the sofa. He’s at that age where he smells like a burrito…”

From the front door, Thane could see the small, odd-shaped living room that was barley big enough to hold a sofa and a TV. Levi came through one of the openings, carrying a bowl and a pair of socks. His hair was wet. He had on a pair of cut-off sweatpants and a T-shirt that molded to his perfect frame. He looked like an ad from a workout magazine. His presence in the room dwarfed everything. He looked so out of place. Yet all Thane could manage to do was to rake his gaze up and down that irresistible body, cursing his dick when it plumped up at the tempting sight. It didn’t go unnoticed by him that he hadn’t wanted to shower ever again in fear of losing Levi’s irresistible scent. Apparently, Levi didn’t share the sentiment.

When Levi’s gaze lifted to the door, he stopped dead in his tracks. Panic and something he couldn’t quite make out crossed his handsome face. Levi lowered his gaze to his hand that held the socks before lifting again and colliding with Thane’s.

“He brought your bonus,” the boy announced happily, as if it were a surprise on Christmas morning. The kid stuck his hand inside, pulling out the bundles. “It’s five thousand dollars! You made a five-thousand-dollar bonus?” he asked excitedly.

Everything changed on Levi’s already anxious face. Heat flooded his features, and his brow cocked as his now angry gaze fixed on Thane. “No, I didn’t, Luke.”

“He says you did. Come in…” the woman said, stepping back and grabbing Luke’s arm to pull him out of the doorway. Levi’s family dynamic grew more intriguing, and Thane started to take a step inside. The bowl and socks were carelessly discarded as Levi rushed to block his way.

“He can’t stay.” Levi glared at him, the abruptness in his voice caused him to take a step backward.

“Levi!” the woman chastised. Thane saw the respect Levi had for her. The care he took as he rolled his shoulders and schooled his features before turning back to the woman Thane assumed was Levi’s mother.

“Give me a minute, Aunt Linda. Please.” Levi stared at her. She stared at him, and for a minute, he thought she was going to argue, but in the end, she nodded and shut the door behind Levi, showing the respect was mutual. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“You left without a word,” Thane started in immediately, because he honestly had no idea where to begin. Since he’d driven into this neighborhood, hell, since he’d first met Levi, he’d been so off balance and now completely unsure of everything he thought he knew about the man staring angrily at him.