Page 30 of Reaper and Ruin

Neither Levi nor the man noticed me going into cardiac arrest and clutching my purse beneath the table.

Levi moved to get around me, but the other guy was quicker and made his way over to our table before Levi could get very far. Their smiles were wide and genuine, and the two of them embraced hard, colliding like two mountains and slapping each other on the back like they were long-lost friends who’d just been reunited. They were a bundle of smiles and laughter and tumbled words as each spoke over the top of the other.

All I could do was dig my fingernails into the straps of my bag.

Levi eventually turned to me, his arm around the man. “Violet, I want you to meet Lynx.” He lowered his voice so the entire room wouldn’t hear. “He was my cellmate when I was inside.”

Lynx turned pretty blue eyes in my direction.

I instantly felt like I was being sized up. His gaze ran up and down over my body, but unlike when Levi had done it, there was no warming buzz that started up inside me.

When Lynx did it, I wanted to cross my arms over my chest and sink beneath the table. It wasn’t so much that there was anything sexual in the way he looked at me. More that his gaze made me feel like a living specimen, being studied under a microscope.

His gaze felt calculating and scientific. Like he didn’t see you as a person, but more as a weapon in his arsenal that he was deciding how best to use to his advantage.

He held a hand out to me, and for a long second, I considered not taking it.

But one quick glimpse of Levi’s face and the hopeful expression on it told me I couldn’t.

This man meant something to him, and that alone filled me with fear.

But it wasn’t smart to play my cards too soon, so I stood and took Lynx’s hand, making my grip as firm as possible so he didn’t notice the tremble in it.

“It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” Lynx’s fingers wrapped around mine, holding on longer than I wanted him to. “I think your letters were all that kept my boy here going in that last year.”

All I could do was offer a stiff smile. I tried to pull my hand away, my heartbeat spiking when, for a second, instead of letting go, Lynx only gripped them tighter.

I was sure he could feel my palm sweating.

Levi squeezed his shoulder to catch his attention. “You’re out! When? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Lynx gave me one long last look before letting go of my hand and turning back to Levi. “Not long after you, actually. They had a busload of new inmates and nowhere to put ’em. A few of us got brought up early for parole to make room.”

Levi shook his head like he’d never heard anything so miraculous. “Unbelievable. That’s so good. You should have called me!”

Lynx laughed. “On what? Not like you left me a number.”

“Could have found me at the clubhouse.”

Lynx frowned. “You said you weren’t going back to them.” His gaze dipped to Levi’s jacket then raised to his face again. “Guess plans change, huh?”

Levi shrugged. “Things are different.”

There was a moment of silence then Lynx elbowed him. “Listen, I should get back to my group, but don’t be a stranger, yeah? I’ll see you around.”

Levi nodded. “I’m working at the tattoo shop.”

Lynx grinned. “Of course you are. I’ll come in for some new ink.”

“See you then.”

Lynx glanced at me and nodded, and then moved back through the room to his table.

I didn’t miss the way his gaze trailed back to me and Levi though. Levi sat back down happily, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe his luck.

I felt sick to my stomach over the fact I was going to burst his bubble.

I probably should have waited until we were in private, but secrets had never done me any favors, and I wasn’t keeping another one from him even for a minute. I twisted my seat so my back was to Lynx and pulled the folder of Toby’s photos from my purse. “Levi. You need to see these.”