The Pros of Cons

8 | A Cop Broke Into My Apartment

TONI

"Bloody hell. I don't know about this, Levi."

"Come on, Tones. Down it."

"I shouldn't."

"You should."

I should. Damnit. I threw back the shot of warm whiskey, barely welcoming it past my throat. I shuddered. I shouldn't be doing this. I hated that I felt that way — like I had a conscience. I don't know why, but I couldn't get Conlins out of my head. 

I felt guilty. 

I finally managed to come to an amicable agreement with him, and I was betraying that trust by being where I was. Was one small night of rebellion really worth losing that trust? Was there trust to even lose?

Perhaps, I was being soft. It's not like I owed Cons anything — or him me. We simply came to a compromise over a very small issue. I wasn't blowing anything by being here... was I?

"Can you stop sulking?"

I looked over to the guy who brought me here — the guy who I low-key was in love with but never would admit. Levi. I knew deep down it was one of the reasons why I came with him tonight — to make him happy. I was just starting to realize that I did it mostly for that reason, and not really for myself at all.

"I'm fine. I just... can't stop thinking."

"About what? How could you possibly feel unsafe here?" he asked, raising his voice above the pounding music.

"It's not that... it's just..." I didn't know how to explain. I don't want to ruin my newly found trusting relationship with a cop? Levi would have actually thought I had brain damage.

"Will you be terribly upset at me if I go? I just don't feel right being here and I don't want to ruin your night."

I braced myself for his disappointment — and the overwhelming feeling I usually got whenever I feel like I've let someone down — but Levi's face held anything but sadness for me. And somehow that made me feel worse.

"I'm sorry, Tones. I thought this would help."

"Please don't apologize. This means the world to me that you did this." I pulled him against me into a hug, praying to God he would reciprocate it. He did. "Thank you for this."

He held me for little longer before pulling away. "I don't want to leave you alone tonight. Let's go home."

I shook my head. "No. Please don't leave for me. You love this stuff. I'll be fine, I promise," I lied. I probably wouldn't be fine. I hated the idea of leaving Levi alone in a room with a hundred beautiful and single people looking for affection. I knew he wouldn't bring anyone home, but somehow I knew it would make me feel worse if I knew he went somewhere else.

"Toni, I'm not letting you go home alone. At least let me..." Levi's voice trailed off when suddenly his gaze fell behind me. The way the light hit his face in that very moment made him look a shade paler — or maybe it's because he actually did go pale. A deep pit of despair funneled its way within my stomach. Oh no.

"Didn't think I'd fancy a night out with y'all? I'm offended."

Kez's voice was loud and clear over the club music. Like a dog with a guilt-ridden face, I turned around to face him. I opened my mouth to say something but he held up his hand, cutting me off instantly.

"Save it," he said. "Come on, let's go. Mr. Montgomery why don't you find your own way home? Since ya' don't seem to give the slightest damn about our protection services — free to you, might I add. Not free to the taxpayers paying for your ass." Kez turned to me and continued. "Unfortunately, for you, I can't just leave your ass behind. Otherwise, it's my ass on the line — not like it isn't already," he muttered. "Let's go, Harvie."