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“What goes on between me and my stepsister is none of your business.”
“You could not be more wrong. Everything to do with Piper is my business. Always will be. So you’re going to have to get over this issue you have with seeing her happy.”
“Happy with you, you mean.” Celeste’s hands locked into fists that were so tight her knuckles whitened. “She took my father from me. That should have been enough for her. But no. She wanted you. I saw that six years ago.”
“And you liked that you had something she wanted, did you?”
“What was even better was that you didn’t watch her when you thought I wasn’t looking. My other boyfriends all did. Some even flirted with her. She acted like it made her uncomfortable, but I knew she loved it. You, though … I was so sure you had no interest in her. So sure she’d never have you. But then bam, you were back on the scene and giving her everything I ever wanted from you. Why, Levi? You could have had any woman. They pretty much throw themselves at you. Why did you have to pick her?”
“Because she’s Piper. It’s as simple as that.”
Celeste scoffed. “Don’t give me that shit. You didn’t want a damn thing to do with her until you realized she was your anchor. She never had your attention until then.”
“Wrong. I’ve wanted her since the moment I met her.”
The banshee stiffened. “You lie.”
“No. That’s the God’s honest truth.”
Pain and bitterness rippled across her face. “I’d say you didn’t want her that much if you stayed with me … but you didn’t really stay with me, did you? I felt you pull away after I introduced you to my family. I thought you just got spooked because I wanted you to officially meet them, but it wasn’t that at all, was it? You pulled back from me because of her, didn’t you?” She barked a humorless laugh that dripped with self-pity. “I should have seen it. Tell me what’s so special about her, because I just don’t see it.”
“Celeste—”
“You think she’s good and pure and kind? Really? Then how come she doesn’t care that she’s the reason her stepsister’s mother hasn’t come back?”
“I’d ask if you truly stupidly believe Piper’s to blame for that, but I don’t give a moose’s last shit. I’m not here to give you a therapy session. I’m here to make a few things clear to you.” Levi took a step toward the cell. “I warned you to let her be.”
“And I did.”
“You went to Urban Ink. You tried filling her head with all kinds of crap. You wanted to drive a wedge between me and her.”
Flicking her hand in a dismissive gesture, Celeste gave him a look that called him dramatic. “I said some not-so-nice things, but it’s not like we argued or anything. I didn’t raise my voice. I didn’t touch her. I didn’t threaten her or refuse to leave. If you were that bothered about it, you’d have come pounding your fist on my front door.”
“That’s what you thought would happen. It’s maybe even what you wanted to happen. But I gave you no reaction, and indifference is the one thing you hate. So I’ll bet you were already furious before you even heard that she and I claimed each other as mates.”
“You don’t even know her!” Celeste burst out. “How can you commit yourself to a stranger?”
“It’s you who doesn’t know her. You don’t want to. You’ve made her into an evil villain in your head because it suits you. The only person you’re a victim of is you. You’re the cause of every bit of drama in your life. You create it. You sustain it. You dial it up when you feel like it, just as you did at the bar. You went too far last night, Celeste.”
She snorted. “Whatever I did can’t have been that bad.”
“You’re really going to play the ‘amnesia’ card?”
“It’s true, I don’t remember.”
“Well then, let me refresh your memory. There was the destruction of property, causing a disturbance, attempted assault, and actual assault.”
She sharply leaned back. “I didn’t lay a finger on anyone. I wouldn’t have. No way.”
“You threw glasses, bowls, and even a stool at people. You might not have touched those individuals with your hands, but you sure as hell still harmed them. Then there was the part where you spat at the bouncers. That’s classed as assault.
“You can bet your ass that Knox is going to be pissed. Don’t forget he and Harper own the Underground—if you disrespect the place, you disrespect them. You didn’t even stop at causing damage to the bar, no, you continued down that route by tearing up the cell. Do you really think he’ll take that well? Because I’m thinking no.”
