That wasn’t the point, but Levi let the issue go, considering her co-workers would be there soon enough. Instead, he leaned a hip against the counter and moved on to a different and more personal topic. The one that usually ended with a rejection. It was a good thing he didn’t have a fragile ego.
“So, any plans for the coming weekend?” he asked as he casually hooked his thumbs into the utility belt around his waist. “Saturday, specifically?”
The corner of her mouth quirked slightly at his indirect way of asking her out. “Just working.”
He tipped his head curiously. “No days off?”
She hesitated for a moment before responding. “I do have Sunday off, but that’s my day to do stuff.”
Stuff. Which sounded like an excuse to him.
“What about fun?” he countered easily. “Ever take time for that?”
“It’s been awhile,” she admitted softly.
He didn’t miss the quick flicker of sadness in her gaze that made him want to reach out and touch her, to use his thumb to smooth away the crease that had formed between her brows. Resisting the urge took more effort than he’d expected. “Then how about you say yes to a date with me, and I’ll remedy that for you. I’m all about having a good time with a pretty girl,” he added with a wink.
She opened her mouth to speak, and certain a denial was about to spill out, he quickly held up a hand to stop her. “Wait. Don’t say anything.” She pressed her lips back together, and even though her gaze was wary, he continued on while he still had a bit of leverage. “I want you to really think about your answer this time, instead of automatically turning me down, because one more rejection might just crush me.”
Light laughter escaped her. “I truly doubt that.”
He leaned across the counter so he was a bit closer. “But do you really want to take that chance?” he teased.
He’d meant to make her laugh again, so that she’d lower her guard a little more. But instead, her doubtful gaze searched his expression, looking for answers he didn’t know the questions to until she finally asked.
“Why me?”
The uncertainty in her voice caught him by surprise, but his response was immediate and sincere. “Why not you?”
“Because girls like me . . .” She shook her head and glanced away, but not before he saw the pained look in her eyes. “Never mind.”
He wasn’t going to let her off so easy. Not with a statement like that. “Girls like you . . . what?” he persisted.
She released an exasperated sigh and met his gaze again. “I just think you and I come from different worlds, or opposite sides of the city, as the case may be.”
He arched a brow. “And you’re basing that assumption on what, exactly? Me being a cop?”
“Yes,” she replied with a nod.
Little did she know, the respectable image he presented to the public as a police officer hid a wealth of deep, dark secrets—along with a past that was grim and twisted and would undoubtedly horrify her if she knew the truth. It was those memories that reminded him much too often which side of the city he’d grown up in—the shitty, hellish side where he and his brothers had struggled every single day to survive.
But he didn’t tell her any of that because it didn’t matter in the scheme of wanting a date with her. Instead, he flashed her a persuasive smile. “Sweetheart, there’s a whole lot more to me than just this uniform and my good looks,” he teased. “But the only way you’re going to find out who I am out of this uniform is to say yes.” And yeah, he’d deliberately given that comment a double meaning she clearly didn’t miss. “So, just think about that for a few minutes, and when I come back, hopefully you’ll give me a different answer.”
He pushed away from the counter and walked down one of the snack aisles. But instead of getting Nick’s Snickers bar and their drinks from the cooler, Levi headed toward the back of the store to use the men’s restroom first. He took care of business, washed his hands, and just as he was drying them with a paper towel, he heard a loud male voice yelling from somewhere in the store.
Immediately concerned, he slipped from the restroom and moved silently down the hallway to assess the situation. He glanced around the corner and felt his stomach lurch when he saw a tall, lanky man in his mid-twenties up by the front counter, with a gun pointed directly at Sarah as she opened the cash register, the terror on her face nearly gutting Levi.
Jesus fucking Christ. With only seconds to make a decision, he moved back into the hallway and used his shoulder mic to report a 10-31, robbery in progress, to Nick and dispatch, then turned off the radio so the suspect wouldn’t hear any response. Retrieving his gun from his holster, he ducked below the shelving to keep his presence concealed. Then, slowly, he moved toward the front of the store so he had a better vantage point before confronting the man. His heart pumped hard and fast in his chest, along with a rush of adrenaline, and all he could think about was Sarah and making sure she got out of this situation safely.
“All the money, now, bitch,” the guy screamed like a crazed person hopped up on drugs. “You’re going way too fucking slow, and if you don’t hurry up I’m going to blow your fucking head off!”
He heard Sarah make a soft sound of distress, and knowing he at least had the element of surprise on his side, Levi stepped out into the open, gun raised, and pointed it at the man’s chest. “Police, drop your gun!”
The suspect immediately turned at the sound of his voice, the weapon he was holding now aiming straight at Levi. The man’s hand moved slightly, and without hesitating, Levi pulled his trigger just as the perp opened fire and two individual shots rang out.
The impact of the bullet striking Levi’s body armor hurt like a motherfucker and forced him back a step. Somehow he managed to catch himself before he fell on his ass. The other man wasn’t as fortunate. Levi’s shot nailed the guy in his right shoulder, causing him to drop his gun as he screamed in pain.
Still reeling from the hit, Levi nevertheless moved to take the robber down, but Nick came barreling through the doors and beat him to it. Within seconds, his partner had the suspect face down on the ground and was securing him in cuffs, which gave Levi a moment to catch his breath, considering he felt as though he’d been hit in the rib cage by a baseball bat.