His older brother inclined his head to confirm Levi’s suspicions, but Clay didn’t press for more details, even if his gaze was brimming with curiosity about the woman he’d met at the hospital. Instead, he changed the subject, which really didn’t change the direction of the conversation at all since it was all about Sarah.
“So . . . you’re not one to ask for favors,” Clay finally said as he leaned back in his leather chair and regarded Levi speculatively. “What’s up?”
Levi got right to the point. “I need you to hire Sarah as a cocktail waitress at Kincaid’s.”
Clay’s mouth opened, then shut again, clearly taken aback by the unexpected request. And clearly shocked that Levi’s favor was all about the woman they’d just been discussing.
Finally, after a few quiet moments had passed, his brother spoke.
“Why do you need me to hire her?” Clay asked.
His brother didn’t hesitate to point out the strong and direct language Levi had used when most people would have asked the question in a more casual manner, like, “Would you be able to hire Sarah?” The word need implied an emotional connection to Sarah, as well as a personal stake in what happened to her.
And he couldn’t deny that he felt both of those sentiments.
Clay was waiting for an answer, and Levi knew he owed him an explanation, which would also help his brother to better understand the situation. “For starters, Sarah works at the Circle K where I was shot.”
“She was the one who was getting robbed the night you were there, right?” he asked, remembering what Sarah had told him at the hospital.
“Yes. The asshole had a fucking gun pointed to her head,” Levi said, uncaring of how protective he sounded. “The mart is also in a shitty part of Englewood, and I’d feel much better if she worked somewhere . . . safe.”
“Where you can keep an eye on her?” Clay asked with a raised brow.
“Where she’s surrounded by people I trust,” he clarified. “Also, she’s been living in a motel for well over a month, and it’s the kind that rents by the hour because that’s all she can afford.”
Clay winced, his expression immediately sympathetic, because they both knew all about the sacrifices a person had to make when they were scraping every penny to get by. “Jesus.”
“And last night, her room was ransacked and robbed,” Levi went on so Clay would understand how dire Sarah’s situation really was. “Whoever went through the place tore it apart and stole all the money she had. And she didn’t have much to begin with.”
“And she’s still staying there?” Clay asked incredulously.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Of course not.” Levi looked Clay in the eye from across the desk, realizing how much he was about to reveal about his personal life—which was something he didn’t share openly. Not even with his brothers. It was all part of that control issue of his and learning at an early age to hold everything inside. “Sarah is staying at my place.”
Surprise flickered in Clay’s eyes, and a lazy smile kicked up one corner of his mouth. “Damn. And here I thought I was the only one in the family with the White Knight Syndrome.”
Levi’s brother was known for helping those who were down on their luck in some way, like the damsel in distress he’d rescued, who’d landed in his bar months ago in an attempt to escape marriage to a man she didn’t love. Now, that same woman was Clay’s wife.
“Don’t worry, your nickname, Saint Clay, is still intact,” Levi assured him with a teasing grin. “Unlike you, I don’t make it a habit of rescuing women.”
Clay tipped his head curiously. “The fact that you don’t make it a habit, yet this woman seems to be the exception, is what intrigues me.”
Levi had grown up being the one who always analyzed people and situations, and he realized that he didn’t like being on the receiving end of his brother’s scrutiny. “I’m just trying to help Sarah through a hard time, not marry her,” he said sarcastically.
Clay’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “Yeah, well, take it from someone who knows firsthand. Helping the right woman isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Things had worked out well for Clay, but for as much as Levi was coming to care about Sarah, she’d made it clear that she wasn’t staying in Chicago much longer. And while a huge part of him didn’t want her to leave, Levi also knew that he had no right to ask her to stay when he’d never been able to sustain a long-term relationship with any woman before. The last thing he wanted to do was lead Sarah on only to break her heart somewhere down the line. None of which meant his stomach wasn’t in knots at the thought of her taking off and him never hearing from her again. He’d just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.
Levi also had no desire to elaborate with Clay, so he brought the discussion back to his original purpose for being there at the bar. “You never answered my question. Will you hire her?”
Clay rubbed a hand across his chin as he considered the request once again. “Does she have any experience working in a bar or waitressing?”
“Did Samantha?” he shot right back, reminding his brother that his wife had never worked any job before walking into Kincaid’s that fateful night.
Levi had no idea if Sarah had ever worked in a bar or a restaurant, but he wasn’t about to let Clay use any lack of experience on her part as an excuse not to hire her.
Clay chuckled. “Point taken.”
Leaning forward in his chair, Levi braced his forearms on his thighs. “Just give her a chance to prove herself. That’s all I’m asking.”
“You care about her,” Clay murmured. The words were a statement of fact and not a question.
Yeah, Levi cared, probably more than was wise, but he wasn’t about to confirm or deny his brother’s comment. “Sarah’s had a rough life, she’s struggling right now, and I just want to make this one thing easy for her.”
Clay nodded in understanding, because if there was one thing his brother was very familiar with, it was the hardship and struggle to survive and get by. “Then consider her hired.”
Chapter Nine
While Levi was gone, Sarah finished cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast and watched a few shows on TV, keeping an eye on the time since she was scheduled to work tonight and needed to leave in a few hours. If Levi didn’t return soon, she was going to have to figure out where the nearest bus stop was so she wasn’t late for her shift. He might have insisted that she call him if she needed anything, but she had no idea what errands he was out doing or how important they were, and she didn’t want to be an inconvenience.
She’d spent years making it on her own and figuring out ways to improvise in less-than-ideal situations. Lately, her life had become such an upheaval of events, one right after the after, and she was just trying to push through the chaos like she always did. That was one thing she was good at, putting one foot in front of the other despite whatever circumstances or obstacles were set in front of her. And ever since losing her parents, she’d encountered a lot of stumbling blocks, and endured a wealth of heartache, too.
Sarah curled her legs beneath her on Levi’s soft couch and released a weary sigh. Not because she was physically exhausted, but emotionally she felt utterly wrung out. She was so tired of struggling every single day, of making wrong choices that led to even more misery. The horrible situation with Dylan being her latest bad decision, all because she’d let down her guard and believed the promises he’d made. Or rather, the lies he’d told her.
And here she was again, falling back into that same familiar pattern with Levi. Yet, even as that thought entered her mind, she had no doubt that he was a man of his word. In the past week alone, he’d proven himself in a multitude of ways, protecting her and keeping her safe when she once again had nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to. He’d asked nothing in return, and no red flags waved in her face. And, if she had to admit the truth, there always were red flags. No, there was no comparing Levi to any of the guys in her past who’d taken advan
tage of her.
She trusted Levi implicitly, and it scared her just how hard and fast she was falling for him, even as she tried to keep her emotions out of the equation, which was becoming more and more difficult with every passing day. Heck, she’d been fighting her attraction to him since the first day he’d walked into the convenience store and flirted with her. Having spent time with him outside of work, and after everything they’d shared in the past twenty-four hours, she couldn’t deny her feelings for him were intensifying quickly.
He was the kindest, most caring and honorable man she’d ever met despite his own damaged past, and even though he was helping her right now and seemed willing to let her stay here with him as long as she needed, she’d learned from experience that nothing this good could last forever. It never did. Something always happened to remind her that she wasn’t worthy of being loved, which connected to another deep fear of hers, that she didn’t deserve to be happy, not when she’d been the only one to survive the fire that had killed her entire family. Even after all these years, the guilt and grief still had the ability to consume her and fill her with overwhelming sadness.
The sound of someone entering the house from the garage pulled her out of her dismal thoughts. She glanced down the hall just as Levi walked into the kitchen carrying a flat cardboard box and a plastic grocery sack. She moved off the couch to join him, inhaling the delicious, savory scent of the pizza he’d brought home with him, a treat she hadn’t enjoyed in way too long. Her mouth watered when he opened the lid and she saw the pepperoni, mushrooms, and gooey cheese toppings.
She took down two plates, realizing how comfortable she already was in Levi’s kitchen. In his home.
Don’t get used to it, her subconscious taunted, and she quickly squashed the thought before it could depress her.
She handed him one of the plates and took a slice of the pizza. “Why is it that I’m always eating when I’m around you?”
“I’m just contributing to those extra pounds you need to gain,” he said, reminding her of their conversation this morning and where he preferred those curves—her hips and butt. “And I figured you hadn’t had anything for lunch, so this should hold us through the night so we don’t have to worry about dinner.”
She was so used to not eating on a regular schedule that skipping meals happened all the time. “I’ll definitely have a full belly when I go to work tonight,” she said happily.
He looked at her for a long moment as if he wanted to say something, but instead he glanced away and served himself a few pieces of the savory pie. They both leaned against the counter near one another, content to eat their pizza right there in the kitchen.
After a few bites, she broke the easy silence that had settled between them. “Did you get all your errands done?”
“Yes.” He held his plate with one hand and reached into the front pocket of his jeans with the other. Withdrawing a small wad of bills, he handed it to her. “This is yours.”
Tentatively, she took the money, completely confused. “Mine?” She shook her head and frowned, trying to wrap her mind around how he could have gotten the stolen money back. “Where did you get it?”
“It’s not the money that was missing from your room,” he said, dispelling that notion. “But I did stop by the motel’s office to report the break-in and get you a refund on the rest of your week’s payment since you’re not staying there any longer.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “I’m shocked they gave it back to you.”
He shrugged, as if it weren’t a big deal. “The guy needed a little motivation to hand over the cash, and I gave it to him.”
Setting the money aside, she grinned in amusement, certain she knew what the motivating factor had been. “You flashed your badge and played the big, bad cop, didn’t you?”
He chuckled unapologetically. “I might have.”
“Well, thank you,” she said sincerely. “I appreciate it.” It wasn’t much money in the scheme of things, certainly not as much as had been stolen, but every dollar made a difference to her and her future.
They finished their pizza, and even though she got the impression that other things were on Levi’s mind based on his contemplative expression, he didn’t share whatever had him distracted. She helped him wrap up the leftovers in tin foil and put them in the refrigerator. While he took the cardboard box outside to the trash, she set their plates in the dishwasher and wiped down the area, enjoying the domestic chores.
The plastic sack he’d brought in with him earlier was at the far end of the counter, and she grabbed the bag and reached inside to put away whatever he’d bought. She pulled out a black box of Magnum condoms just as she heard Levi walk back into the kitchen.
She glanced up at him with wide eyes and he gave her a sexy grin.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, humor lacing his tone as he approached her. “Too presumptuous of me?”
After what had happened this morning between them—in bed and in the shower, she didn’t blame him for purchasing the protection. With her staying here under the same roof as him, they both knew that sex was inevitable.
But she raised a brow and couldn’t resist teasing him a bit. “Presumptuous because you bought the condoms or because you got the Magnum size?”
His laugh was low and wicked as he pinned her against the counter purposefully, his eyes blazing with heat and desire as he looked down at her parted lips. “Sweetheart, you had your hand wrapped around my hard dick this morning, and as much of it as you could handle in your mouth. Maybe you need a reminder of what you’re dealing with?”
The question was more like a salacious dare, and her body responded with a rush of moisture between her thighs. “Yeah, maybe I do.”
He dipped his head so his warm breath touched the shell of her ear. “Then let’s get you reacquainted with the length and width of my dick so there’s no doubt in your mind about the size.”
Grabbing her hand, he pressed her palm against the fly of his jeans and curled her fingers around the substantial erection already forming. “And since your hand and mouth are having a hard time remembering the exact dimensions of my cock, let’s see how it measures up in your tight pussy.”
Oh, God. The man’s mouth was so filthy, his words so obscene, and it made her hot and wet as hell. She wanted everything he was offering, except the timing couldn’t be more wrong. “We can’t,” she managed, her disappointment clear in her voice. “I have to leave for work soon.”
The lust in his gaze cooled a few degrees, enough for her to see the uncompromising glint in his eyes as he looked directly into hers. “You’re not going in tonight.”
She stiffened against him. What the heck was he talking about? “Of course I am.”
“No, you’re not,” he reiterated, his expression unflinching. “I made a call to the store manager and told him that you quit.”
She gasped, shock rendering her momentarily speechless as she absorbed what he’d just said. She knew he hated where she worked, but she couldn’t believe he’d do something so rash that directly affected her livelihood. “Levi, I need that job.” Panic immediately settled in, and she tried to move away from him.
He grasped her hips, keeping her right where she was. “Calm down, sweetheart,” he said in a placating tone. “I promise, you have a job. A new one where you’ll be safe and you don’t have to worry about some prick pointing a gun at your head again. You’ll even make more money than you do at the store.”
Her head was spinning as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. “I don’t understand.”
He smiled, though she didn’t miss the cautious look in his eyes as he continued to gauge her reaction. “My brother Clay is hiring you to work at his bar as a cocktail waitress. He pays all his employees way above minimum wage, plus you take home any tips that you make. And he’ll give you as many hours as you want or need, and you start tomorrow night.”
Completely overwhelmed, she stared up at him as the realization
of what he’d done sank in. What he’d done for her. It was such a thoughtful and kind gesture, and it meant so much to her that it was difficult to hold back the tears threatening to emerge. “Levi—”
He pressed a finger to her lips, cutting her off. “Please don’t be mad,” he said in a rush, the look in his gaze so caring it made her heart hurt. “I know I should have asked you first, but I didn’t want to give you the chance to argue or say no. I can’t stand the thought of you working at that store after what happened to you.”
His intentions were so good and pure, and she wasn’t used to anyone being so selfless on her behalf. “I’m not upset,” she said, swallowing back the tightness gathering in her throat. “Actually, I’m very grateful. Thank you.”
He exhaled a deep breath, his relief so profound that the tension in his body eased and he smiled at her again. “It’s a good thing you agreed, because I seriously thought I was going to have to get out the handcuffs and use them to keep you here.”
She didn’t miss the devious look in his gaze, and the thought of being bound by Levi’s handcuffs, and letting him have complete control over her pleasure like he had this morning, sent a secret thrill rippling through her. Now that they had all night together, she wanted to take advantage.
Meeting his gaze, she gave him a sultry, inviting smile as she lifted up on her toes and brushed her mouth against his in a tempting kiss. “Go ahead and cuff me, Officer Kincaid,” she dared in a seductive whisper. “You know you want to.”
“Jesus,” he said on a low, fierce growl that made her shiver with anticipation.
He grabbed one of her hands in his, then picked up the box of Magnum condoms she’d set on the counter and led her out of the kitchen. She thought for sure they were headed for his bedroom, but he stopped in the living room in front of the soft, plush couch.
“Stay right here,” he ordered, tossing the box of protection onto one of the cushions. “I’ll be right back.”
She didn’t have to wait long for him to return. While in his bedroom, he’d taken off his T-shirt and now only wore his jeans and a wicked-as-sin smile on his gorgeous face. His feet were bare, and a pair of silver shackles dangled from his hand.
Dirty Sexy Cuffed (Dirty Sexy #3) Page 11