“I meant from the game. It’s not for me anymore. It’s not what I want to do.”

“Screw what you want to do,” my father bellows. “You have commitments, and in this family, we honor our commitments.”

“I didn’t commit to anything,” I remind him. He’s made my decisions for me for so long he’s stopped checking with me to make sure I’m on board. “Whatever it is, cancel it.”

“That’s not how this business works, Levi,” he bites out. The men at the table look back and forth between us, like this is a tennis match. “Contracts have been signed. If you don’t show up, guess who gets screwed. Me!”

“Then send me the bill.” I’ve said what I need to say and it’s clear this conversation is going nowhere fast. Reaching the end of my limits, I shove my chair back, stand up, and signal for Vista to do the same. My father watches the exchange, his face growing red.

“If you walk out that door, I’m cutting you off. Both of you,” he snarls, his warning clear.

Vista’s feet stop moving and her eyes widen in fear. Approaching her from behind, I let her feel the heat of my body against her back as I lean into her. “It’s okay, princess. Whatever he’s promised you, I can match it.”

The last thing I’m going to do is let him suck her into his poisonous world. He only got this far because he’s a master manipulator. Everyone falls under his spell or gets trampled. I’ll be damned if Vista falls into either category.

It’s one thing for me to walk away. The worst my father will do to me is write me out of his will and cut me off financially, but I have plenty of my own money. I don’t need him to stand. As shitty as he’s been to me, my father has set the world at my feet. I’d be a liar and a bastard if I claimed not to appreciate what he’s done for me. But that doesn’t mean I have to continue to allow him to abuse his station. It’s time for me to be my own man, and, interestingly enough, it took being with Vista to realize it.

The door slams behind us as we leave the conference room. A woman I assume is Becca steps off the elevator carrying a load of takeout bags. When she sees Vista and me approaching, she moves out of the way and greets us with such a cheery disposition that I instantly feel bad for her, because her day is about to go down the drain.

“He was really upset,” Vista says, her voice small as we ride the elevator back down to the ground floor.

“That’s his natural state of being.” When the doors open, I guide her out with my hand at her elbow. The need to touch her—in any small way—is becoming habitual. The feel of her on my skin is addictive and I find myself needing to be near her, to feel that connection, however little, in any way that I can. “What you saw back there was nothing. My father can be a real son of a bitch when he feels like it. Today was a good day.”

Parking at the curb directly in front of the building, we pause in front of my bike to strap on our helmets and get situated. Vista runs her teeth over her bottom lip, a nervous habit I’m beginning to recognize as meaning that she has something on her mind that she wants to say.

“Spit it out, princess.” Kicking my leg over the bike, I hold it steady so she can climb on.

Only, she’s still standing on the sidewalk. “If this was a good day, then I feel sorry for you.”

Fuck. I can tell where this is going, and I don’t want her sympathy. Scowling at the traffic flowing by, I tell her, “Don’t. I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to be.”

Hearing those words causes an ache in my gut. I can’t remember the last time anyone has cared enough to…well, care. I don’t know what the hell to do or say in response, so I use the only tool I have left at my disposal—irritation. “Get on the damn bike, Vista. It’s lunchtime and I’m starving.”

Her gaze seems to see straight through me and, unable to handle the intensity of it, I jerk my head for her to get on the damn bike already. Shaking her head, she grabs hold of my shoulders, slings her leg over the seat, and settles in behind me. I close my eyes at the feel of her soft curves melting into me.

Slow deaths, that’s how she’s killing me.

Pressing the start button, the engine rumbles to life, and I give the throttle a twist to make it growl. This bike is a demon on the road, and right now, I need to feel its power beneath me. “Ready?”

Her chin on my shoulder and her hands laced tight around my abdomen, I feel her nod. “Yes!”

I look both ways, searching for an opening in the traffic. Just before I pull out, I hear her voice in my ear. “Just for the record, I’m really proud of you for how you stood up for yourself in there.”

A sliver of warmth—happiness, maybe—snakes through my chest, and I feel the corner of my mouth turn up as I release my grip and we shoot off.

15

Levi surprises me in the most unexpected ways. Up until this morning, I thought he was a bullheaded jerk who was happy living in his father’s shadow and having his life mapped out for him. Admittedly, his ability to stand up to David and take control of his life was impressive. Now, as we step off the elevator of U of C Medicine’s children’s branch, he’s delivering another surprise.

If I thought Levi Black was a shallow son of a bitch before, he’s proving me wrong in a big way now.

The hospital is reserved for children with varying medical problems. I’ve always avoided places like this because they make me sad. The very reason I got into the field I did was so I could help someone recover from an injury, but a lot of these kids are never going to recover from theirs. Some of them might not walk out of here at all. It’s depressing, but Levi is displaying the total opposite reaction. As he pulls me along down bright hallways, he’s energized in a way that I haven’t seen before. It’s as if he can barely contain himself.

I understand why when we reach a large room at the end of one of the corridors. It’s wide open and filled to capacity with children and their families. As soon as they see Levi, cheers and clapping begin. At first, I think this must be a meet and greet, but it’s not. Just as I notice the giant banner painted on the wall, Levi leans in.

“Welcome to the Levi Black Foundation.” A brilliant smile lights his face, and I watch as he goes forward to greet everyone with open arms. I stand back as the crowd swallows him, stunned.

It’s amazing what he’s doing. A foundation? I knew Levi donated to charities, but I always assumed that was done for him, not by him. I certainly had no idea he had his own foundation. It gives me a little laugh, though, that it bears his name. It’s such a Levi thing to do.

As I look around, I notice that the room is decked out in state-of-the-art equipment. There are several televisions, computers, video game systems, an air hockey table, and a station full of toys set up for all ages. There’s so much that I can’t catalogue it all, but I think I understand what he was going for here.

This is a retreat for the kids, and Levi made it happen.

“So, it’s usually more low-key, but what do you think?” Leaning with his shoulder against the wall, Levi surveys the room. Now that they’ve each had a chance to meet him, the kids are busying themselves with the toys.

“I think it’s great. I didn’t know you had your own foundation. You’ve been busy.”

Digging his hands into his pockets, he stares off in thought. “It’s just a pet project. Something to keep me busy. The kids seem to enjoy it.”

It’s so unlike him, to be so nonchalant about this. I’m not used to humble Levi. I watch him as he watches the kids and I wonder, who is Levi Black really?

“What made you decide on a children’s foundation?” As popular as he is in the sports world, he could have done anything. Why kids?