Page 96 of Twisted Trust

After helping Scott brush his teeth and change, I tuck him into bed and kiss his forehead. “Now make sure you get lots of sleep because tomorrow Levi is taking you to get your very first grown-up suit. How exciting is that?”

“Yay!” Scott cheers tiredly. “Will Uncle Cameron be there too?”

My heart squeezes in my chest. “Oh, honey, remember Uncle Cameron won’t be at the wedding because he’s not around anymore? He’s had to go very, very far away.” No sign of Cameron in so long has broken my heart. The mystery around his disappearance appears to have no end, so I’m trying to prepare Scott for the inevitability that he will never come back.

“But I saw him!”

“No, sweetie. It must have been someone who looked like him.”

“Not true,” Scott insists with a yawn. “I saw him in the picture.”

“Then it must have been an old picture, baby. I’m sorry.”

He insists a little more but tiredness catches up with him and Scott quickly falls asleep nestled into his pillows. I kiss his forehead again and watch him sleep for a few minutes, then I make myself scarce.

Back in the kitchen, Chip hands me a hot cup of coffee. “Levi’s home,” he says quietly. “I’m going to take Marcella to bed.”

“Thanks, Chip. And thank you for entertaining Scott.”

“You never have to thank me for that. He’s a good kid.” Chip ruffles my hair and heads off to the lounge while I walk back through the apartment and find Levi in his office.

“Well, hey, handsome,” I say, leaning against the doorframe.

Levi, perched and leaning over his desk, glances up over his computer and a warm smile immediately touches his lips. “You’re still awake.”

“Mmhmm. Wedding planning.”

“How exciting.”

“You’re mother’s enjoying it,” I say after a sip of coffee. “I think that’s the main thing.”

Levi scribbles something onto some paper, then he turns out the desk light and walks toward me. “My mother enjoying our wedding isn’t my concern. You are.”

“Me?” I bat my eyelashes. “You don’t need to worr—Levi! What happened to your hands?”

As his hand covers mine over the cup, I see an array of bruises and cut flesh along his knuckles that look painfully fresh.

“I was working.”

“Working?” My eyes narrow and I grab his other hand with mine to examine his knuckles. “Jesus… Are you okay?”

Levi brushes my concern away by lightly grasping my chin and kisses me. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me. Although I’m more concerned about your drinking coffee so late at night.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I’m not.” His smile turns teasing. “But if you really want to scold me about my work, maybe we can take the argument to the bedroom?”

My concern for his well-being is quickly overridden by a rising warmth in my gut. While maintaining eye contact, I take a deliberate sip of my coffee. “Fine.”

Levi takes my hand, tangles our fingers together, and leads me down the hall to our bedroom. His implication of tiring me out makes me drain my cup by the time we reach our room. I set it down on the drawers by the door as Levi unthreads his tie.

“Did you have a good day?”

“Talking about my day won’t stop me from worrying about yours,” I murmur as I turn his hand over in my palm and study his injuries. “But yes, my day was okay. Although Scott was asking about Cameron again. I don’t know how to make him understand, but he said he saw him in a picture, so he’s back to being convinced that he’s around.”