Page 18 of Resisting Your Love

A dreamy smile covered my lips as Levi and I strolled through the mall.

It was packed today. I guessed everyone was trying to get in on last-minute Christmas shopping, like Levi and me.

Even the stores were packed. Some were so crowded that the lines led out of the store.

It was crazy in the mall around this time of year.

Christmas was eight days away, and we were out shopping in this madness.

I had nobody to get anything for, but I was going to buy something for Levi's mother and father.

My father and I hadn't made up yet. Mimi and I weren't talking either.

Since what occurred between us on the phone, I decided to let our friendship cool off.

She was sticking up for Joel when he was in the wrong.

Speaking of Joel, he had been blowing up my phone.

Even when I blocked his old number and told him to stop calling me, he found more ways to contact me.

I hadn't mentioned it to Levi yet, especially with the way things went down the last time.

I hated that it felt like I was keeping things from him, but I didn't know what else to do.

We were happy, and I didn't want to ruin that.

"Aye." Levi nudged me, gaining my attention. "I said, did you want to eat while we are out or wait until later?"

I shrugged slightly. "I'm not hungry right now, so later. I'm still full from breakfast."

This morning, we cooked breakfast together. While I cooked the bacon and sausages, Levi managed to make the waffles and sliced fruits to go along with the meal. It was so good, and I was happy to be walking it off.

"Okay, cool. I'll order out later, then. I don't feel like cooking anything, and I am sure you don't either?"

"It doesn't matter. Since I am learning how to cook, I like it more now. So, if you want me to cook, I can."

He chuckled. "That was all you had to say. Do you have any idea what you want to cook? Since you love that damn TikTok so much, has it given you any ideas?"

I blushed, knowing I had saved a lot of recipes. "Yes, I want to try to make a baked spaghetti."

Levi nodded his approval. "Oh, hell yeah. Add some garlic bread and corn on the cob, too. That will be our meal for the night."

"You have yourself a deal."

I beamed, ready to go home to cook for my man. There was no telling how long we would be out today, but I didn't care. Whenever I was with Levi, I felt protected and safe.

Later that night, I was in the kitchen cooking when my phone rang.

I paused in cutting the bell peppers and went to the sink to wash my hands.

Once I dried them, I went to the phone to see who it was.

It was a number I didn't recognize, so I sent it to voicemail.

As I continued to cook, the same number kept repeatedly calling.

I grew uneasy, feeling I knew who it was. I wish he'd leave me the hell alone.

Just as I was about to turn the phone all the way off, Levi stepped foot into the kitchen. Damn, this wasn't good at all. There was no way I could turn back the hands of time and tell him about Joel calling me from the start.

"Someone is blowing you up, I see," he voiced.

My heart hammered as I stared at the expression on Levi's face. His eyes were cold and hard as veins popped out of his neck. I wanted to go to him and grasp his face in my hand and kiss the look away.

I laughed shakily. "It's no one important. Trust me."

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the kitchen wall.

"You want me to trust you..." He dropped his arms at his side and lifted an eyebrow.

"...When you can't tell me who it is that's calling you.

" He scoffed and commenced pacing. He was like a lion, pacing from one end of the kitchen to the other.

"Start fucking talking, man. The longer you keep your mouth shut, the more pissed I get. "

I jumped from the thundering tone he spat at me. My heart was breaking in two at the thought of what was about to take place. "It was Joel," I rushed to say. "I don't know why he's still calling me."

Levi stopped his pacing long enough to shoot me a furious look. His nose flared as he balled his fists at his side. I took a step back, and my heart was beating so hard. It felt like it was going to come out of my chest.

He dropped his head and bitterly chuckled. "Of course, it's him, and you're not answering."

I could feel the fury rolling off of him and wanted to run for cover, but I stayed put. I had to get through to him.

I gulped, trying to swallow the lump that was clogging my throat. "I have no reason to answer Joel's calls. He's dead to me." With my shoulder slouched, I bowed my head to my chest. Why won't he believe me?

"If he was dead to you, you would've answered the phone and let him know that."

I bit down on my bottom lip, not knowing how to answer that. I felt him recoiling himself from me and didn't like it. Tears brimmed my eyes as my nose burned. My face grew heated as my lips trembled. This was crushing my soul.

"Man, this isn't getting anywhere." I heard the sadness in Levi's voice mixed with the anger that was still consuming him.

My eyes bucked out of my head as my mouth moved, but no words came out of it.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I stammered over my words.

"What about the contract?" I wanted to add, what about me?

I couldn't care less about the contract or even the arrangement.

Levi couldn't walk away from me like this when I didn't do anything.

He laughed humorlessly, turning his cold eyes on me. From the look alone, I took a step back as if he struck me. "Damn, the arrangement, and damn you, too. The only thing that's between us is the contract." With that, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.

I stood there stunned again as a sob slipped from my mouth.

I buried my face in my hands and gave in to the tears that wrecked my body.

What the hell was I going to do now? Levi wasn't trying to hear anything I had to say.

I was being truthful with him, and he still didn't care.

Did he really just break up with me? Tear after tear escaped my eyes one by one.

I tried to muffle my crying, but it was hard.

My heart had shattered into a million pieces.

The man I loved had walked out on me and our relationship.