Bait

by Mia Carson

  I flopped onto the couch with an exhausted sigh. “Can you stay tonight?” I asked. I hated feeling this way, but having him with me made me feel safe.

  “Yeah. I told you, I’d stay with you until we got this mess with Steve sorted out.”

  “Did you talk to the police?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And?”

  He shrugged. “And nothing. There isn’t a lot they can do since we didn’t actually see who it was, but it’s on record there was a disturbance here last night.”

  “Can’t they, I don’t know, get finger prints off the bottle or something?”

  He smiled and looked down. I suddenly felt silly for asking the question. He looked back up. “First, they’re not going to waste the time or money checking for prints over something like this. Secondly, even if they did, it probably wouldn’t tell them anything. Even if Steve’s fingerprints were all over it, unless he’d been fingerprinted in the past, it wouldn’t show up anywhere.”

  “So we’re stuck? Why can’t the police ever do anything to help when they’re needed?”

  “They do the best they can, Ella, but they have rules and laws they have to follow. Would you want them to come busting in here and arresting you without any evidence, based on somebody’s hunch?”

  “No, but I haven’t done anything.”

  “I know you don’t want to hear this, but legally, neither has Steve. We can’t prove it was Steve here last night.” He caressed my face. “Don’t worry, I’ve already talked to Mom and Dad, and they’re totally on board with me staying with you until we get past this and things settle down again. They also offered to put you and Abby up at their place, if you want to do that.”

  I shook my head. “No. This is fine, so long as you stay the night with me.” I smiled. “I actually hope this doesn’t get resolved too quickly. I could get used to having you here every night, keeping me safe. And warm.”

  “And relaxed?” he asked, his eyes crinkling and his lips pulling into teasing grin.

  “Especially relaxed,” I purred. I licked my lips, nervous about my next question. “Did you check on the other thing?” I asked, trusting him to know I was talking about the paternity kit.

  “No, I didn’t have time, dealing with the Steve thing this morning, but I will.” I guess he could read my apprehension because he smiled and pulled me into a quick kiss. “Don’t worry. Nothing has changed since last night. In fact, do you want me to order it now?”

  I relaxed. “No, that’s okay.” I smiled, swung a leg over him, and settled into his lap. “I can think of something I’d much rather you do,” I murmured.

  He thrust gently at me. “Oh?” he whispered with a smile. “What’s that?”

  I slowly licked my lips. “I think you know.”

  “I want you to tell me.”

  I leaned down, my lips close to his ear. Having him dry fuck me through our clothes reminded me of my lap dance for his nineteenth birthday, and the memory of our innocent naughtiness was turning me on. “As soon as we’re sure someone is asleep, I want you to relax me,” I purred into his ear.

  “How do you want me to do that?” he breathed.

  “In the way only you—”

  “Looks like you’re still spreading it around!” someone yelled from outside.

  The bubbling desire for Levi vanished instantly, and I stood as Levi directed me to my feet. “I’ll call the cops,” I said.

  “No,” he said as he started for the door. “I’ll handle it.”

  “Levi, no! Let the cops deal with him.”

  He ignored me as he opened the door and stepped out. “Get out of here, Steve!” he yelled.

  “How do you like my sloppy seconds, McCormick?” Steve sneered from the road, a beer bottle held loosely in his hand.

  “Go away or I’m calling the cops!” I shouted as I looked around Levi’s broad back.

  “It’s a free country. I’m on a public street. I’m allowed to be here if I want.”

  Levi trotted down the two steps to my driveway and marched toward the road. “Get out of here or the cops will be the least of your worries,” he warned as he stopped, only the narrow ditch at the edge of the road separating them.

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “I told you what would happen if you didn’t stop harassing Ella.”

  “Fuck you, McCormick, and fuck the lies you’ve started spreading around town.”

  I trotted up behind Levi and took his arm. “Levi, please come back inside.”

  He shook me off. “Afraid, Steve? Afraid the whole town is going to know you for the limp-dicked, chicken shit you are?”

  “You think you’re such hot shit! How’s it feel to be fucking the bitch I got pregnant?”

  Levi smiled. “Yeah, you’re a big man, getting an unconscious woman pregnant. Is that how you get off, raping a helpless woman?”

  “She wanted it,” he sneered.

  “Yeah, that’s why you had to wait until Cat drugged her.”

  “That’s a fucking lie!”

  “You know it’s true, and now the whole town is going to know. Steve Calhoun, rapist. How’s that sound to you?”

  “You can’t prove shit!”

  Levi smiled. “Maybe not, but people don’t need evidence to believe something, do they? Ella found that out, and now you’re going to find out.”

  “You keep fucking with me and you’re going to regret it!”

  Levi flicked his fingers at Steve. “Come on, take your shot.”

  “Levi! No!” I cried.

  Steve’s eyes flicked between me and Levi. “Not with a witness.”

  Levi smiled, his eyes never leaving Steve. “Go back inside, Ella. Steve and I have business.”

  “No! Not unless you come with me!”

  “Go inside,” he repeated.

  “No! I’m not going!”

  Levi looked at me a moment, then back to Steve. “She won’t talk. This is between you and me. Come on, big man, or are you all mouth and no dick?” Steve didn’t move, and Levi chuckled. “Just what I thought. You’re nothing but a pussy. Now I know if Ella had been conscious she’d have kicked your ass.” He turned his back to Steve. “Come on, let’s go. He’s not going to do anything. He doesn’t have the balls.”

  “Levi!” I shrieked as Steve charged us.

  Levi whirled, pushing me hard as he turned. I stumbled and fell from his push but scrambled to my feet and out of the way, the two men colliding as Steve swung the beer bottle at Levi’s head. Levi ducked under the blow, causing the bottle to hit him on the back with a thud I could hear even ten feet away. Levi bellowed in pain, but he kept pumping his legs, pushing Steve back until they slammed into the side of the Dodge with a crash, their impact hard enough to cave in the side of bed. Steve roared as his truck rocked on its springs from the collision.

  I’d left my phone on the table beside the couch. I should’ve run, grabbed my phone, and called the cops, but I was frozen with fear. Levi took a step back as he grabbed Steve by the shirt and loaded up to punch Steve’s lights out, but when he stepped back, his foot went into the ditch and upset his balance. He stumbled back another step, dragging Steve with him. Steve swung at Levi with the bottle again, the glass container thudding into Levi’s shoulder.

  Again, Levi cried out in pain, but he never released his grip on Steve’s shirt. He pivoted with the blow, planted, and fired a right straight into Steve’s face. Steve’s head snapped back like it was on a spring as he stumbled backwards and fell, the bottle bouncing from his hand as he hit the ground. Levi went down after him. Steve was bleeding profusely from his mouth, but he wasn’t out of the fight yet. When Levi landed on him, Steve stiff-armed him, spoiling Levi’s aim, allowing Steve to duck Levi’s follow-up blow.

  They rolled and tumbled a moment, their hands clawing at each other as they grunted and hissed, before Levi popped to his feet, dragged Steve up by the shirt, and drove a brutal right into Steve’s stomach. Levi had used his back and legs fo
r the punch, and the impact of his fist almost lifted Steve off the ground. Steve whooshed out air as he doubled over and stumbled back, his arms covering his stomach, but Levi wasn’t finished. He took two steps forward, grabbed Steve by the hair and hauled him upright.

  “This is for raping Ella!” he snarled before driving another hard right into Steve’s gut. Steve dropped to the ground with a groan. Levi reached down and hauled Steve back to his feet. “This is for still fucking with her,” he growled before launching a left into Steve’s stomach. Steve stumbled back and fell before rolling onto his side into the fetal position, his arms tight around his stomach. He was clearly done, but Levi wasn’t. He rolled Steve to his back and knelt over him. Steve held up his hands, trying to block, but his movements were frantic and uncoordinated.

  “Levi! No! He’s had enough!” I screamed, afraid Levi was going to kill him.

  “And this is for lying about her for all these years,” he snarled before driving another right into Steve’s face.

  “Levi!” I shrieked, hurrying toward him to prevent him from beating Steve to death.

  Levi was starting to stand as I arrived. I grabbed his arm and pulled him away before he could hit Steve again. Steve rolled over and got to his hands and knees, blood pouring from his shattered nose and lips, clear he wanted no more of Levi. Levi shook me off, took the two steps to Steve, put his boot in his opponent’s side, and shoved him back to the ground.

  “Stay down,” he growled.

  Steve held up a hand in surrender and rolled over to sit in the ditch, wiping his face. Both men were covered in mud, beer, and blood, but Steve was clearly the worse off of the two.

  Levi shook his right hand and flexed it as he grimaced in pain. “Stay away from Ella and Abby, or the next time I’ll kill you,” he snarled. He glared at Steve for a long moment before he turned to me. “Better call the police.”

  I’d called Mom as soon as I hung up with the police. The police beat Mom and Dad here, but not by much. Dad must have put his foot down on his Chevy to get here so quickly. While Mom and Dad stayed inside in case Abby woke up, the police questioned all three of us, and Steve was facing assault and battery charges. He was sitting on the bumper of the ambulance as the paramedic patched him up. The medic recommended taking him to the hospital, in Abilene, but Steve had waved them off. Word was going to be all over town that Levi had kicked the shit out of him, and he probably didn’t want it said that Levi had put him in the hospital.

  “You don’t want to press charges?” Officer Jordan Keno asked Levi for the second time.

  “No, so long as he stays away from Ella and Abby.”

  Officer Keno looked at me. “Do you want to issue a restraining order against him?”

  I wanted to, oh how I wanted to, but I trusted Levi, and he suggested that I not. “No. Not unless he keeps harassing me.”

  Keno nodded and glanced at Steve. Keno had joined the Hamlinton PD after Levi left for the Air Force, but Levi was a McCormick and everyone knew them. “You must have a punch like a gorilla,” he said with a smile.

  “That has been a long time coming,” Levi said, glancing at the ambulance. “I tried to ignore him, and then I warned him, but Steve isn’t the brightest crayon in the box.”

  Keno nodded. “While this was clearly self-defense, officially I have to warn you about taking the law into your own hands. You should have contacted the Hamlinton PD and allowed us to deal with him. Judging by his face, you probably won’t have any more trouble out of him, but if you do, contact us and let us handle it.”

  “Unofficially?” Levi asked.

  “Make sure you don’t kill him.” Keno grinned. “The paperwork is a bitch.”

  I smiled as Levi chuckled. “Understood. Hopefully this is the end of it.”

  “How’s your back and arm? You sure you don’t want the paramedic to check you out?”

  Levi whirled his arm and twisted his back. I could tell he was in pain, but nothing was broken. “No, I’ll be okay in a couple of days.”

  “I think I’m done here. I’ll have a little chat with your buddy over there and explain to him how the only reason this isn’t going bad for him is because you’re choosing not to make it bad for him. If he has more than two brain cells to rub together, he’ll get the message.”

  Levi nodded. “Thank you, Officer.”

  Keno nodded at us. “Mr. McCormick. Ms. Johnson,” he said before he turned and made his way toward the idling ambulance.

  Mom and Dad were watching through the window as we approached. Levi was still a mess, and he smelled like a brewery. He was going to need a bath before he climbed in my bed.

  “Everything okay?” Mom asked as we stepped into the trailer.

  “Yeah.”

  “Is he going to jail?”

  “No,” Levi said.

  “Why not?” Dad asked.

  “Because we didn’t press charges,” I said.

  “Why not?” Mom asked.

  “Because I didn’t want to give him anything to complain about, and I wanted him to owe me one. I kicked his ass, and if he’s smart, that’s where it’ll end,” Levi explained.

  Dad nodded, his lips pursing in understanding. “You showed him you were tired of his shit, and now you’re willing to let it go.”

  Levi nodded. Mom and I looked at each other and I rolled my eyes. Men were strange creatures sometimes.

  “You’re not hurt, are you?” Mom asked. “You look the mess, and you stink of beer.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’m a little sore where he hit me with the bottle, but I’ll be okay.”

  Mom’s lips thinned. “I hope this ends it.”

  I nodded in agreement. “I hope so too. Is Abby still asleep?”

  “Yeah. I closed her door so the flashing lights wouldn’t wake her,” Mom said. “You want to come home with us?” She looked at Levi. “You’re welcome too, of course.”

  I shook my head. “Thanks, but no. Steve’s not going to try anything else tonight, Levi made sure of that.”

  “Then we’re going to go,” Dad said. “Thank you again for taking care of Ella,” he said, taking Levi’s hand and shaking it, adding a slap on the shoulder. I saw Levi wince, but he didn’t say anything.

  “I’d give you a hug, but…” Mom said with a smile.

  Levi chuckled. “I completely understand. I’m hopping in the shower as soon as you’re gone.” As soon as they were out the door, Levi sagged. “Shit,” he murmured.

  I felt a surge of panic. “Levi? What’s wrong?”

  “My back where Steve hit me with the bottle hurts like a bitch! I’m starting to stiffen up.”

  “Why didn’t say something, or let the paramedic take a look at you?”

  “Nothing anyone can do. Nothing’s broken, it just hurts.”

  I clenched my jaw in annoyance. “And you had to be the tough guy. Men!” I mocked. “Let me see.” I helped him get his shirt off, hissing in sympathy at the nasty bruise already forming. Not only did he have the bruise on his shoulder and back, he also had several scratches and abrasions from where Steve was clawing at him. Steve may have gotten the shit kicked out of him, but Levi hadn’t gotten off scot-free. He was clearly feeling it, and he was probably going to be sore as hell tomorrow.

  He went to the bathroom and started the shower. I joined him as he undressed, helping him get his pants down so he didn’t have to bend too much, which apparently hurt. Like his shirt, they were a cold, wet, muddy mess. Undressed, he stepped into the tub, and after a moment’s thought, I began to undress as well. I’d been itching to shower with him, and while this wasn’t what I had in mind, I was feeling incredibly close to him right now. I pulled the curtain back and stepped in. He was standing with the water running over his back. I stepped in close and gave him a lingering kiss.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  “For what?”

  “For protecting me, standing up for me, for…being here.”

  “I’ll always be here for you.”


  I lay my head against his chest. “I know.”

  We stood under the water for a moment before I washed him as gently as I could. As I washed him, he surprised me by getting an erection, and an impressive one too. I’d always heard that sex masked pain, and I considered taking him into my mouth, but as I began to kiss lower, he pulled me back up and into his arms.

  We stood under the water until it began to cool. After a long, slow kiss, he released me and turned the water off before we stepped out of the shower. I dried him first, shivering with the cold, before drying myself. I was still shivering as we moved to the bedroom and crawled into bed, one of us much slower and more gingerly than the other.

  He hissed, sucking air in between clenched teeth as he slowly settled back on the bed. I kept my distance, my eyes brimming with tears, tears he couldn’t see in the darkness. After a moment, I sensed the tension slowly leaving his body.

  “That’s better,” he sighed and beckoned to me.

  As carefully as I could I snuggled in. He hissed once, but when I tried to move away, he held me in place until I relaxed. I kissed him on the chest. The bed was cold, but he was warming me nicely.

  “You think it’s over?” I whispered.

  “I hope.”

  “Me too.”

  I lay still, listening to the thudding of his heart, the heart he’d given to me. I smiled and kissed his chest again. He kissed me on the head. I wanted to taste his lips, but I was afraid to move, afraid I’d hurt him again. I didn’t move, content to lay in his arms for as long as he’d hold me. There would be plenty of opportunities to kiss him in the future.

  With a sigh of profound contentment, I closed my eyes and dreamed of what could be until the darkness of sleep took me.

  Levi

  Six months later…

  Planting season was a real bitch. Dad and I worked until we were too tired to continue, usually around 9 p.m., when we’d shut off the tractors and call it a day. We’d go home, tumble into bed, and start again about six the next morning. I didn’t mind the work, but I did mind it was taking time away from my family. I pulled to a stop beside Ella’s Escape and stepped out of my truck with a groan. Abby was probably already in bed.