Back at Harvey's house, Levi runs a bath for me. I watch him in silence, changing the temperature and adding soap. Once he was done, he stood in front of me and I follow after him, getting up from the closed toilet. Levi looks down at me, question filled his eyes.
"Stay. Please?" My voice is quiet, more fragile than normal. I don't like how small it makes me feel.
His eyebrows crease like he's thinking it over before he nods, subtly, and takes a seat where I was.
I slowly remove my clothes, one piece at a time. Peeling off my underwear, I hear Levi take a deep breath before averting his gaze.
He doesn't ask me anything or even bring it up as I wash the visible dirt from my body. The water turns a light pink color and my wounds sting when I sweep the cloth over my legs. They've all stopped bleeding but the bite mark on my hand is very perceptible and bruising badly.
Levi grabs a towel for me, wraps it around my body and carries me out of the tub. "You don't have to carry me. I can walk."
"I know." Placing me on the bed, he goes back into the bathroom and comes out with a first aid kit. He kneels in front of me and takes my hand in his, flipping it palm out. Levi stares at the marks, guilt all over his face and it tugs at my heart. He lowers his head on my lap. "I should've been there."
My free hand instantly goes to his jaw, forcing him to meet my . "Stop. Don't do that to yourself."
I knew he would blame himself. And it's not his fault. I wish I knew earlier but now that I know that Iris would've never stopped trying to get rid of me. She would have kept bothering us and I never wanted it to come to this but she's gone now. It's not Levi's fault that Iris had psychological problems and it's not his fault she attacked me.
"I should have never went to California, Kara. If I hadn't, you wouldn't be hurt and the death of Iris would be on me. That's not a burden I want you to have to carry." He explains. He cleans the wound on my hand very gently that I almost can't feel it.
"You had no choice. You have a commitment to your gang, I understand that."
Levi doesn't respond at first and instead gets up to hand me his black sweatshirt. I hesitantly slip it on and put on a fresh pair of underwear before climbing into bed.
He soon joins me after taking off his shirt and pants. He pulls my waist in closer, holding me as if I would runaway. "You don't deserve this. I promise that I will give you the life that you were meant to have."
Shifting around to face him, I place my lips on his warm ones and run my fingers through his hair. "I just want a life with you," I say. He kisses me be back, intensely.
...
The next morning starts off somewhat peaceful. I would never admit it out loud but I feel relieved that I no longer need to worry about Iris. She's out of ours lives for good.
I know it's wrong to be even a little bit pleased about someone's death but I can't help but feel like that. There's nothing standing in the way of Levi and I being happy now.
"How did Ben get your number?" Levi asks me as he walks back into the bedroom with a plate of pancakes in one hand and my phone in the other. He must've picked it up for me in my dorm.
"I gave it to him."
He sets the food down in front of me so I can start eating and jumps beside me on the bed. "When? I know he didn't get it the last time we all hung out."
"I ran into him at the diner on campus and he invited me to his football game. I went yesterday with Mel and Lucas right before..."
"Hm. He didn't try anything did he?" He looks at me, his brow slightly creases. He's worried and he shouldn't.
If I tell Levi that his friend made a pass at me, I know what he will do. I don't want to upset him with something that's so irrelevant.
Don't lie.
"He did." I mutter.
Levi stands from the bed. "What?"
"I didn't let it go anywhere. He flirted with me and then tried to kiss my cheek but I stopped him from doing anything. I said goodnight and went up to my dorm and that's when it happened." I get up and move in front of him but Levi is already getting dressed. "Where are you going?"
"Where do you think, Kara?" He aggressively puts his shoes and jacket before opening the door.
"Don't, Levi!" I grab on his bicep to stop him from walking out.
He whips around to face me. "Ben fucking tried to make a move on my girlfriend while I was gone and you don't want me to do anything about it?"
"No, I don't! I stopped anything before it even happened, you need to calm down."
"Fuck that." Levi unlocks his car door and gets inside. Standing beside the car, barefoot in only his sweatshirt, I watch Levi drive off.
I spoke too soon.
Levi's POV
When Kara told me what happened I instantly felt nothing but anger. I try not to let my irritation control me but I can't ignore this.
Ben is a person I have known for a long time and used to consider a friend. He knows Kara is mine and yet he flirted with her while I was away. He tried to kiss her. I'm beyond angry right now.
I see Ben running back on the track. He's exactly where I thought he would be.
As soon as we make eye contact, he hastily starts to gather his stuff. But it's too late, I'm only a few yards away from him and he knows he can't outrun me.
His eyes widen in fear and I stride over to him. He turns to walk run away but I grip his shoulder and spin him around. There's a loud crunch sound as my fist connects with his face and he falls to the ground.
"Fuck!" Ben holds onto his nose but it doesn't stop the blood from pouring out and running down his arms.
"Did you think I wouldn't find out? I have people all over this goddamn state!" Clutching his collar, I pull him up and struck him again. His head fell back as he coughed up blood, trying to catch his breath.
A few startled, surprised gasps and murmurs in the background but nobody dared interfere.
"You don't deserve a girl like Kara!"
He earned another punch. His lip was busted and eye barely open. "You're supposed to be my friend!"
"I would never be friends with a gang leader." He whispered. "You're trash and you'll probably die soon anyway. I'll just have her when you're gone. You know, I can still smell her in my car." Ben laughs and spits his blood in my face.
"Fuck you!"
I picked him up and slammed him into the gate. Pulling my fist back, I drove it into his abdomen repeatedly. He wasn't conscious anymore but that didn't make me stop. I threw him on the track.
"Levi." I looked to see Chase standing off to the side. He eyes Ben passed out on the ground and my hands. "Someone called the cops. Let's go."
He runs back to his car and waits for me to follow before we both get in our vehicles and drive off.
...
"You can't just beat someone up in broad daylight. If you got arrested, the cops would never let you go!" Chase shouts.
Kara, Chase, and Harvey are sitting on the couch in his guesthouse while I sit on a bench across from them.
"I told you nothing happened. You know I would never let anything happen." Kara stands, frustrated, and crosses her arms.
"It's not about that. He disrespected me! He went after what's mine," I explain. "He mistook me for someone who would think twice about ripping out his vocal cords and beating the shit out of him!"
"Can you guys please leave us?" Kara glances back at Chase and Harvey. "Thanks for finding him, Chase."
He nods and walks out the door.
My uncle leans in to me. "I see your hands. I'd hate to be Ben right now. Good job, kid." He playfully smiles before walking out the door after Chase.
The door closes and Kara frowns at me. She's disappointed. I don't like to see her so disappointed in me, but I'm not the person to ignore what she told me. Someone that was supposed to be my friend makes a pass at my girl and I'm not going to do anything?
Yeah that's not me at all.
"I know you're a gang leader. I've accepted that. I've accepted the life that you're stuck in. But that doesn't mean I don't care when you get violent." She comes up to stand in front of me. "I hate seeing you so mad and angry. Ben's not even worth it."
"You're worth it." I take her face between my hands. "I am always going to fight for you."
"That's the thing, Lev. I don't want you to fight people for me. I could've easily lashed out at Ben for even thinking I'd cheat, but I didn't. Things don't always have to end in violence."
"I know that."
"Do you?" Her eyebrows raise. "You're whole life, everything's been solved with violence."
"I learned to not be like my family and that the situation I was born into doesn't have to be my whole life. I learned that from you. I'm trying, Kara, but I'm not going to magically change into a carefree, passive man. I've been in a gang for years, violence has been all I've known."
"I never expected you to. I just want you to consider the consequences of what happens when you act solely on your emotions." Kara folds her arms around my neck and my hands instinctively go on her hips. "I just want you to be careful. I know you want to defend me and keep me safe and I love you for it, but this wasn't the right thing to do and you know it."
"I'm not going to apologize for beating the shit out of Ben. I won't," I say, firmly.
"I know you won't because you're stubborn." She rolls her eyes. "Please just promise me you'll at least consider the consequences next time."
I know she only has my best interest at heart and doesn't want me in more danger than I already am. "Okay. I promise." I agree because I hate that look on her face. I agree because I know that it was wrong of me to ignore her when she asked me to stay. I agree because it's what she wants. Because there's a truth to her argument. I want her happy. I agree because I love her.
Kara, I know I'm not the man you deserve, but I promise I'm trying to be.
This isn't the life I want.
***
A/N: This wasn't originally going to be a chapter but I did some editing and wanted to show a bit of the aftermath of Iris' death and Ben getting what he deserves lol. I just kind of added this chapter in last minute.
There will be a bit of fast forwarding coming up.