“No, it’s not open for discussion.” Thane glanced over to see Logan and Luke standing right behind Levi. Linda’s shorter head moved through them to stand beside Levi. “This is as good a time as any. Since I have your attention, your brother and I committed to one another last night. We’re a couple and plan to be one for a long time. I’m part of this family, and I’m done with all this bullshit.” He pointed a finger in the direction of where Levi’s mother had stood. Thane drank several satisfying gulps of water, before dumping the rest in the sink, placing the cup on the counter, certain Levi would have it washed and put away before they left the house. “Had you been at my place like I wanted, she would have never found you. Go pack everything you need for the next few days. We’ll figure out the rest after I make a phone call.” Thane pushed past Levi, going for Luke and Logan, turning them toward their rooms. They were hesitant to go, looking every bit as worried as Levi. “Please go pack. Let’s get out of here.”
Still ignoring Levi, he turned to Linda. “I can get you a room at the hotel so you can be close to them.”
She shook her head, her gray curls bouncing as she fiercely said, “I’ll stay here, keep an eye on things.” Linda kicked into gear, shooing Logan and Luke, who stood right by their bedroom door, watching Levi, probably waiting for his nod of approval. “Come on, boys. I’ll help you pack. Logan needs to get to school.”
“I can miss,” Logan started while disappearing into the room.
“No, you can’t. We have to do everything by the book right now,” he heard Linda say.
“Go pack, babe. We’re not doing this man unto himself crap anymore, Levi. .”
When Levi didn’t readily move, Thane went to him, taking him by the shoulders in a much gentler hold than he thought possible with all the aggravation rushing through him.
“I just had to watch the man I love in one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve ever witnessed. You’re coming with me where you know you should be.” He had no idea where Levi’s room was, but that was all right. Since the kitchen took one opening, Levi’s room had to be down the other. He guided them in that direction. Just as he suspected, Levi’s room was spotless.
“What’d you say to her?” Levi asked, turning, following Thane as he left Levi standing in the doorway and went to the center of the small room.
“I just called her bluff. We’ll see if she bites. For now, I need you to pack.” When Levi hesitated, Thane’s frustration grew. He had to remind himself that Levi was only being difficult because he wanted to pay his own way, handle his responsibilities himself. That helped settle Thane, and he stepped forward, placing both hands on Levi biceps. “I like this look on you with the bill of the hat turned to the back. Your face was made to wear ball caps like this.”
Levi let out an unsteady breath, showing just how stressed he was.
“Don’t get upset. Stop worrying. She doesn’t want Luke; she wants his money and it’s not much.”
“You’re right, it’s not,” Levi started, his head shaking back and forth as if he saw the ridiculousness in her thoughts. “He gets less than eight hundred dollars a month. She can’t make it on that.”
“I needed to know that figure. Babe, get your stuff. Let me go tell Logan to make sure he packs all his school work together. I don’t want you guys coming back here ever, but certainly not for the next few days. We’ll talk this all out back at the resort. I don’t want her showing back up, and she might.”
That spurred Levi into action. Thane left him there, calculating his next steps. That was far less money than he’d initially thought. He wouldn’t even have to move money around to write that check. Once he felt reasonably comfortable in his strategy, he went to the car for some privacy. He needed to talk to his attorney, get his game plan set. Buy him some time to get these guys as far away from California as he could.
Thane arrived at his attorney’s office forty-five minutes early, still surprised at how quickly his California legal counsel, Jason Hammer, had pulled this meeting together. Levi was in tow. He’d seen firsthand the dismal quality of Levi’s wardrobe. His guy lived off vintage T-shirts and athletic shorts with a stack of hand-me-down blue jeans and sweaters he’d bought while living in Maryland. He had nothing but sandals and a single pair of tennis shoes for his feet. For some reason, that had been the catalyst to show Thane just how much Levi gave of himself to keep this family going. The best he could see, Levi’s only splurge was his used smart phone on a cheap month by month plan. Saints had nothing on his guy. The knowledge incensed him more that his mother would try and take from her children who lacked any sort of real foundation due to her own negligence.