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“I wish he never would have joined. I wish he were here every day. I wish it were me instead of him.” The impact her words had on him was vicious.
Cupping her jaw, he lifted her head. “You wish he were here and you weren’t?”
“Some days.” She admitted.
“What about me, Hayes?” He had to show her she had someone to live for.
“The guilt eats me alive, Levi.” Her bottom lip quivered as she spoke, and he couldn’t help kissing her lightly. “Heaven help me. When I met you,” she licked her lips, “I didn’t know what to make of you. Then you kept putting your foot in your mouth, and I knew Ryder would have loved you. Even after giving you the third degree.”
“Yeah?” He liked that she thought that.
Nodding, she continued. “He was such a hardass. He pushed me, some days, to the point I wanted to stomp all over his face.”
“Sounds like my brothers and me.”
“He’d be the same age as you now. He was always older than his years, though.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.” His lips twitched in amusement when she side-eyed him.
“He missed out on so much. Love, marriage, kids, life. I wish he were here, Levi.” Her last words were murmured as she looked up to the sky again.
“Hayes?” Her mother came out the door to check on them.
Standing up, he said, “Evening, Mrs. Morrison.”
“How are you, Levi?”
“Good, ma’am.”
“How was dinner?” Her question was directed at Hayes, and a crinkle in her brow showed she knew something had happened.
“Good, Mom. Would you be willing to help Mrs. Hogan with a party for Levi’s older brother and fiancée?”
“Of course, honey.” The older woman smiled, seeming genuinely interested in helping. Maybe even a little relieved.
After giving her the information his mother had requested, Levi bid the women good night and made his own way home. Thoughts of Hayes’ pain heavy on his mind.
Chapter Thirteen
You are my favorite distraction.
She was out to kill him. Levi would swear by it. He was preparing for his fight with Tiny in only a few minutes, and he still hadn’t heard back from Hayes. Her mother had called his, and they’d met up the day before to talk about plans, but nothing had been said about her daughter.
Between working at the shop and training, he hadn’t had time to go see her. After a dozen phone messages and even more text messages, he got the feeling she was ignoring him.
“Hey!” Casper snapped as he taped up Levi’s knuckles. “Get the girl out of your head.”
He didn’t even respond because for the first time, Casper was right. He needed to shake her from his mind. As his trainer left the locker room, there was a loud banging on the door. Pulling it open, he saw Brett and Alyssa. “What are you guys doing here?”
Alyssa looked worried as Brett answered his question. “Thought you might need something.” Levi was confused until he stepped to the side and Hayes stood behind him.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he fought back the excitement of her coming to watch his fight. Though, he was fucking pissed she hadn’t answered any of his messages.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Brett pushed them both into the room before closing the door and leaving them alo
ne.
Turning his back on her nearly killed him. “For what?”
