Suddenly, he pulled away. Looming over me like a predator. “Flip over and hold onto the headboard,” he growled.
Fuck.
My stomach clenched violently.
I complied, liquid lust coursing through my veins. Levi ran a hand from my neck down my spine, slapping my ass. “Perfect,” he murmured, before gripping my hips and slamming inside me.
“Yes,” I cried, pleasure rolling through me.
This... this was what I’d expected.
Over and over Levi slammed inside of me, rattling my bones and stealing the air from my lungs. Somewhere in the back of my mind, part of me wondered if he was punishing me for making him feel... But as an intense wave of pleasure crashed over me everything melted away, until there was nothing but the sounds of our moans and bodies colliding together filling the room.
It didn’t matter that it felt like more. Or that Levi had sung lyrics into my ear as he fucked me. He was a rock star with the world at his feet, I was his lowly assistant.
And this...
This was one night only.
My eyes fluttered open. The first thing I noticed was I wasn’t in my own hotel room; the second, was the rock star sleeping soundly beside me.
Memories of the night before flooded my mind. Levi had fucked me into the early morning hours. He was insatiable. My body was well used and sore, but I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips.
I’d spent the night with Levi freakin’ Hunter.
He stirred beside me, his hand brushing my hip. My breath caught. I didn’t want to wake him and do the awkward morning after thing. Not when this needed to end here.
It had been an amazing night.
One amazing night that I would lock away and only allow myself to think of occasionally.
“I can hear your thoughts from over here,” he murmured. “What time is it?”
“A little after eight.”
“Too early.” Levi rolled onto his side, burying his face into my shoulder.
“I should go—”
“No,” he countered, “you should stay.”
“Levi, that’s not what we agreed.”
“Ssh, intern. It’s early and I need my beauty sleep.”
Intern.
I internally groaned. We were back to that.
Until I felt his lips curved against my skin. “Stop overthinking everything.”
“It’s kinda my thing,” I admitted.
“And here was me thinking I fucked all your things right out of you last night.” His crass words sent a bolt of lust through me.
Silence settled over us and I allowed myself to enjoy this moment. Levi was curled into me like we were a couple. It made my heart ache, knowing it was just a beat. A stolen moment in time we’d probably never get again.
But for now, I would bask in it.
“You really want to leave?” he asked, lifting his head.
“What?”
Levi rolled his eyes. “I know you heard me.”
“Fine. No, I don’t want to leave. But this isn’t a good idea.”
“You’re scared of me.” A strange expression washed over him, and for a second, he looked so vulnerable and nothing like the cocky, reckless rock star I knew him to be.
“Scared... you think I’m scared of you?” I chuckled. “Levi, I’m not scared of you. Quite the opposite actually. I’m scared of what I feel for you.”
My confession hung between us. Levi didn’t speak, just watched me, his narrowed gaze searching my soul for what, I didn’t know.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated, Phoebe.” He ran his nose along my jaw, awfully close to kissing me.
Although, I knew there would be nothing awful about it.
“I like being around you.”
I snorted at that. “We’ve barely spent any time together.”
He cocked a brow. “I was balls deep inside you just a few hours ago.”
“Oh my god, do you ever stop?”
“I just... I like this thing we have going.” He gave me a half-shrug.
“Levi, we don’t have a thing.”
“But we could.” He flopped onto his back and let out a frustrated sigh. “Don’t you ever just want it to stop?”
I pushed up onto one elbow, letting my fingers trace the lyrics on his shoulder. I couldn’t make them out without closer inspection, but I knew they would be important to Levi. Because I didn’t need to watch him half as much as I did to know music, his art, was everything to him.
“That feels...” He eyes shuttered, before opening and settling on my face. “You make everything quiet, Phoebe.”
God. It was the best and worst thing he could have said to me. Because as he stared up at me with a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, I felt my resolve crumbling. How could I resist him?
The answer was I couldn’t.
I didn’t want to.
But I also didn’t want to end up broken again.
“Levi, I—”
A knock at the door silenced me.
“We’re busy,” Levi yelled, shooting me a rare smile.
“Levi, it’s me,” Eva’s voice filtered through the door. “We need to talk.”
“To both of you,” Rafe added.
I shot up, ignoring the fact they knew I was in here, because something was wrong. I’d heard it in Rafe’s voice.
“If this is his lame attempt at cockblocking me again, I’ll—”
“Levi,” I said, “it could be important.” Climbing out of bed, I found my clothes and pulled them on. Levi did the same, not bothering to find his t-shirt. Hurrying over to the door, I pulled it open.
“Can we talk?”
“Uh, sure,” I said, stepping aside to let them in.
It wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined this morning going, but then, I hadn’t imagined ever waking up in Levi’s room.
“There’s something you need to see,” Rafe said to his brother while Eva came to stand beside me, lacing her arm through mine.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and my stomach sank.
“What is it?” I asked, my skin vibrating.
“Here.” Rafe handed Levi his phone. “It broke this morning.”
“What the—fucking bitch...” The color drained from his face as his eyes flicked to mine.
“Levi?” My voice wavered.
“I can explain,” he rushed out, running a hand over his head. “It’s not how it looks.”
“Let me see.” Dread snaked through me.
“Phoebe, why don’t...” Eva’s voice was drowned out by the roar of blood between my ears as I moved toward Levi and Rafe.
“Don’t, please...” He let out a guttural scream as he punched the wall.
“Levi,” Eva screamed, rushing to his side. Blood coated his knuckles and splattered the pale walls.
Rafe went to move, but I grabbed his hand. A grainy image stared back at me. My brows creased as I tried to work out what I was looking at. Then I saw it.
The naked woman, the line of white powder on her stomach, and there, leaning over her, was Levi.
A strangled bitter laugh bubbled up my throat.
“Phoebe?” Levi said, regret glittering in his eyes.
“This... this is why I promised myself to stay away.”