“Shut up. You love that I’m now your sister, and you know it,” Jazz says, turning her attention to me. She holds out her hand to shake. “It’s nice to meet you.” She smiles. She looks so sweet. Like your typical, beautiful girl next door.
I shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you too. I’ve known Maddie for a long time now and have heard her talk about you from time to time.”
“All good, I hope,” she says with a grin, looking toward Maddie.
“Oh, look,” Valerie says, looking toward the four men. “They’re going back to the garage.” She feigns surprise.
“Levi has never been here before. Bennet just has to show off those race cars to anyone who will look,” Maddie laughs out, pouring herself a glass of sangria. “Want some?” she asks, holding up the glass pitcher full of wine and fruit.
“I’d love some.” I scoot a glass her way, and she fills it up.
“Val, are you sure you don’t want any? It’s your first time away from the baby. Enjoy it a little,” Maddie says. Her eyes bounce from Valerie to me. “She had a baby months ago, and this is the first time she’s managed to get away.”
“Not true. You know Callan tricked me into getting married. You guys helped to babysit,” she argues.
“Oh, wow. You left long enough to get married. I know you’re not a big drinker, but have some wine with us. It’s yummy.”
Valerie laughs and caves, handing her glass over.
“I love your house, Maddie. It’s beautiful out here,” I say, picking up my drink and taking a sip of the fruity-sweet mixture.
“Thank you. I love it too, but it was all Bennet. I didn’t do anything but pick out the color scheme.” She shrugs. “That man has good taste.”
“Of course he does. He couldn’t pass on you, could he?” Jazz bumps her shoulder against Maddie’s.
“So, Jazz. Do you have any kids?” I ask, hoping to get to know them better. I don’t have any girlfriends nowadays. Any I did have, Nick made sure to chase away years ago.
She nods. “We have a boy and a girl.”
I look over at Maddie. “So, Mads. When are you getting started?”
She rolls her eyes. “God, not you too.”
My mouth drops open. I didn’t realize it was a sensitive subject.
“It’s not you. I’m just harassed every day by these two. Bennet and I, we’re just not ready to settle down. I know it sounds stupid, given that we’re married, but we like being able to pick up and take off any time the mood hits us. We just want to stay young and free, and not be tied down by screaming babies and whiny kids.”
I laugh. “I love that, Mads. It’s like getting married and having kids is just expected. Like, if you’re a woman, you have to have a baby. I like that you’re breaking social norms by living the life you want.”
“Thank you.” She nods and smiles widely.
“How long do you think it’s going to take these guys to put the food on the grill?” Jazz asks, motioning toward the guys as they come piling out of the garage, all with a beer in hand.
Maddie laughs. “Let them have their fun. They don’t get male bonding time often. Would you guys mind helping me in the kitchen? Maybe if I get started, so will they.”
We all stand up, taking our drinks as she leads us all toward the kitchen.
The guys are walking back toward the grill, and Levi reaches out and catches my hand in his, holding me back.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asks with a smile.
I nod. “Yeah, I’m happy to be outside and with people that are cool.”
“If you start to get anxious or anything, just let me know, and we’ll go.” He leans in for a kiss.
“Thank you, but I think we both need some fresh air. Go hang out with the guys. I’m going to help Maddie get things ready in the kitchen.”
Before I can walk away, he pulls me in for one last slow kiss.
I walk into the kitchen to find the three of them moving about like they all live here. I set my glass on the island. “Okay, what can I do?”
Maddie stops and looks around the kitchen. “I’m seasoning the steaks, Jazz is getting all the burger fixings ready, and Val is making the kabobs. You could make a salad?”
“Perfect. Levi is a vegetarian, and I’m making my way there,” I add on.
“Oh,” Maddie says, freezing. “I didn’t know that.” She opens the doors on the refrigerator. “I hate that I don’t have anything that doesn’t have a dead animal on it.”
I laugh at her bluntness. “It’s okay, Mads. A salad is fine.”
She sticks her head into the freezer and digs around, coming out with a box of soy burgers. “Found something.” She waves the box in the air. “I obviously don’t do the shopping around here.” She laughs. “These must belong to the maid. But she won’t mind.”
“It’s really not a big deal,” I offer, but she insists.
I start making the salad and listen as the girls talk around me. They seem to be very close. It makes my heart hurt to listen to them, knowing I’m missing something in my life. I don’t know why I didn’t see all the things that being with Nick cost me before, but I wish I had. I’ve missed out on so much by staying with him as long as I did. I need a best friend to chat with, to have fun, and hang out with—someone that understands what I’m going through. My closest thing to a friend is Levi, and I’m in a relationship with him.
Just thinking that I can finally introduce Levi as my boyfriend makes me smile. I was always embarrassed to introduce Nick as my boyfriend. He’d either act like a pompous ass and flaunt his money, or he’d chase away any women by hitting on them and making inappropriate jokes. Levi doesn’t do any of those things. He makes it clear that he doesn’t see anyone but me, even before we made it official.
“What are you smiling about over there?” Valerie asks.
I look up, and Maddie’s mouth drops open. “I know. It’s not what she’s thinking about. It’s who. Am I right?” She tilts her head to the side, smile stretching wide.
I nod. “Levi and I made it official. We’re a couple.”
Maddie jumps up and down. “I’m so happy for you. I’ve known this was coming for months. Now that you got that asshole out of the way, you can be truly happy.”
“I hope so. In a way, I feel like I’m getting a whole new life. I mean, Nick was so controlling. He chased off every friend I had.”
“I’ll donate mine,” Maddie offers, causing everyone to laugh.
“We’re happy to welcome you to the group. But I gotta warn you; they’re all crazy,” Jazz says, her eyes stretched wide.
15
Levi
I’m having a good time drinking and talking with the guys. But what I’m really enjoying is being able to watch Dani having fun. It’s been too long since I saw her smile like that. She went from one miserable situation to another by being trapped indoors and never being able to go anywhere alone. I’ve done all I can do to keep her happy, but after a while, I’m sure she feels like a prisoner because of Nick.
Once all the food is done, we all sit at a long patio table and fill our plates.
“Valerie made veggie-only kabobs for you two,” Maddie says as she leans over and grabs an ear of corn. “And the burgers on that far tray are soy.” She smiles.
“Thank you, Maddie,” I reply, placing one of the kabobs and a soy burger on a plate and handing it to Dani. I’ve told her many times that there is no need for her to change her eating habits, but she insists on converting to a vegetarian diet, and I think she likes the results she’s getting.
Once everyone has their plates made, we start eating and talking about everything from past stories to what everyone is going to be doing with this year's vacation time. Bennet offers to rent a yacht and take us all out on a week-long adventure. He made it very clear to Maddie that it can only last a week. I’m not sure what the joke is there, but I don’t bother asking.
As the sun begins falling in the sky, all the food gets put away,
and a big bonfire is lit. The beer is going down easily, and everyone is laughing and having a good time. There’s country music playing in the background, and the wind blows slightly, keeping us cool with the hot fire burning nearby. I walk up behind Dani and wrap my arms around her. She leans her head back against my chest, and I press a kiss to the top of her head.
“Are you having fun?”
“I am. Thank you for this.” She turns in my arms and looks up at me. Her dark eyes are brightly lit up with the reflection of the fire dancing in them.
“You’re beautiful. Do you know that?” I ask, brushing a strand of blonde hair away from her face.
Her face lights up, turning pink even in the darkness of the night. She lets out a giggle. “I am not. You’re embarrassing me.”
“Nobody is even paying attention to us.” I nod toward the rest of the group. They’re all talking, kissing, or watching the fire.
She glances over at them quickly, then moves her lips to mine. I kiss her soft and slow but deep, not pulling away until she knows that what I’m feeling for her is more than casual.
“Want to have some fun?” she asks, pulling away but catching my hand in hers as she starts walking backward toward the house.
“Where are we going?” I ask, following her, but glancing back at everyone else to see if they notice.
Nobody pays us any attention as she leads me around the far side of the garage, into the darkness. When we’re out of everyone’s prying eyes, she leans her back against the metal building and pulls me in for a kiss.
“Mmmm,” I mumble, moving my lips with hers, happy that she dragged me out into the darkness.
“We gotta hurry,” she whispers, hiking her leg up over my hip while her hands fall between us, freeing me from my jeans.
I pick her up against me, moving her panties to the side while I guide myself into her with one hand. The moment we connect, I’m overwhelmed with wanting never to leave her. She’s hot, tight, and perfect. She’s intoxicating and mesmerizing all at once. She’s like a mix of the perfect high and heaven all at once. She’s my piece of heaven on earth, placed here just for me.
As my thrusts become hurried and more powerful, her nails dig into my back, and she calls out. I can’t hold back the quiet moan that escapes my lips when we both finish together. I don’t pull out yet. I can’t move. I can’t even find my legs at the moment. I just lean my forehead against hers and stare into her eyes.
“I love you, Dani,” I whisper.
Her lips turn up in the corners. “I love you too, Levi,” she replies, pulling my mouth back to hers for a deep kiss.
The sound of a twig snapping pops in the distance, and we both quickly pull apart.
“What was that?” she whispers.
“I don’t know,” I mumble, pulling out of her and positioning myself back in my pants as I set her back on her feet to straighten her dress.
I walk around the corner of the garage and see someone running away.
“Hey!” I yell, taking off after him. But by this point, he’s already several hundred feet in front of me.
I run over the gravel driveway and into the street. All I can see is blond hair covered by a black hat. He’s tall and wide and wearing a black T-shirt. Without a doubt, it’s Nick.
I run until I can’t run anymore. Finally, I give up, resting my hands on my knees as I bend at the waist to catch my breath. Bennet comes to a stop behind me.
“Was that him?” he asks.
I nod. “I think so.”
“Come on. I don’t want to leave the girls alone,” he says, motioning toward the house.
I stand up, and we walk back to the fire, where Dani is now standing between Maddie and Damon. When she sees me walking over, she moves to my side.
“Was it him?” she asks quietly.
I turn and pull her against my chest. “I think so. All I saw was blond hair and black clothes.”
She pulls back slightly. “If it was him, then he knows. He knows about us. Can you imagine what he’s going to do now?” Tears fill her eyes, but they don’t fall.
I pull her against me. “Shh, we’ll be fine. The house is under lock and key. Everything will be fine. Okay?”
She nods but looks scared. Her eyes are darting around like she doesn’t trust that he won’t come at her from any direction.
“You want to go?”
“Only if you want to. I don’t want to ruin a good time.”
“Come on. Let’s get you home.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and tell everyone goodbye before climbing into the car.
When we get home, I pull the car into the garage, and we get in the elevator. I let us into the apartment and lock the door behind us.
“I’m going to take a shower. I feel like I need to scrub this night from my skin,” Dani says, walking down the hallway.
“I’m going to check the footage. I’ll join you when I’m done.”
I open my laptop that’s on the kitchen table and pull up the feed. I rewind it back to the moment it was installed. There’s Dani and me moving about, getting ready to leave, and then we walk out the door. I hit the fast-forward button. Moments after we leave, there’s movement on the balcony, and I click on the kitchen feed so the video blows up to full screen.
Someone climbs over the edge, and they walk up to the balcony door. He twists the knob, but it’s locked. He digs around in his pocket, pulling out a key. But since I had the knob changed, it doesn’t fit. He gets mad and kicks the wooden portion of the door, then peers inside. Nick’s face is nearly pressed against the glass. His eyes are narrowed, and his jaw is cocked. I’ve known him long enough to know he’s pissed off. Since he can’t get in, he turns around and leaves.
Every hair on my body stands on end when I rewind the video and pause on his face. How the fuck did he get a key? I quickly stand up and rush to the entryway table where I keep my keys. I pick them up out of the bowl and look through them. I have a key missing. But how did he get it? Had to have been one of the times he was over here. Is it possible he got in before I thought to lock that door?
Suddenly, I no longer feel safe in my apartment. I don’t feel safe having Dani here. I have to put an end to this.
I call the police, and they’re walking in just as Dani walks back into the room.
“What’s going on?” she asks, fear filling her eyes.
I point at the computer screen, and the moment she sees his face, she sucks in a loud breath and covers her mouth. “He had a key?”
I nod and clench my teeth.
I know there isn’t anything the police can do. I didn’t catch him in my house. But I’m hoping that him coming this close to where Dani lives will be enough to have something done since she does have the order of protection.
“Levi, I—” She’s shaking her head back and forth, tears filling her eyes.
“I know,” I say, pulling her against my chest.
“My earrings. Do you think he took my earrings?” She reaches up and feels her bare earlobe.
“I don’t know. I mean, if he did, that means he was in our house last night. While we were in the bathtub or asleep.” What if I locked him into the apartment, not out of it? What if he watched us? Watched as we kissed and touched in the bath? Watched as we rolled around in bed for hours? I’d say that would be enough to push anyone over the edge: watching as your best friend fucked the woman you love.
“I don’t want you staying here, Dani. I’m going to take you someplace safe.”
“But where? He followed us to Maddie and Bennet’s. He’ll follow us wherever we go.”
I pull out my cell phone and call one of my best friends from college.
“Well, look who we have here,” she answers.
“Hi, Mia. Listen, I need a really big favor.”
“You? Mr. Big Shot calling to ask me a favor?” She’s teasing. She’s always teasing.
I laugh. “Yeah, my girlfriend is having a little trouble getting her ex to leave her alone. He’s
been in our apartment. Anyway, could she stay with you until I have things straightened out?”
“Oh my God. Of course. I’m sorry. I just thought we were joking around like we always do.”
“It’s fine, Mia. Listen, he followed us to our boss’ house tonight. So I’m worried that if I bring her over, he’ll just follow us there too.”
“I’ll come and get her,” she offers.
“Thanks, Mia. I’ll talk to security and get them to let you in the garage.”
“Okay, I’ll call when I’m pulling up.” Without another word, she hangs up the phone, and I slide mine back into my pocket.
I look up to find Dani leaning against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest.
I take a deep breath and let it out. “Come on. Let’s go get you packed.”
“I don’t want to leave, Levi. I don’t want to stay with some old girlfriend of yours from college.”
“What? It’s just Mia. We never dated.” I pull her against me. “I just want you safe.”
“And then what?” She pulls away and holds her arms up at her sides. “I’m out of here, and then what? You’re just going to sit around waiting for him to show up again?”
“Yeah, basically.”
She scoffs and shakes her head, causing her blonde hair to fly out around her.
“Do you have a better idea?” I ask, feeling the anger and anxiety fill my chest. “Something has to be done.”
“What if he hurts you?” she asks, softening her tone as she closes the distance between us.
“He won’t,” I promise. “Come on. Mia will be here soon.” I take her hand and pull her down the hall.
16
Danielle
When Levi’s phone rings, he hands me a jacket and a hat. “Put this on and pull your hair up under the hat.”
I take the items he’s handing over and pull them on. I look down at myself in gray sweatpants and a black jacket. I want to laugh. I feel like a celebrity going through an airport, expecting people not to notice me because I’m wearing a hat.
My Best Friend’s Ex: Make Her Mine-Book 4 Page 11