The Intern

Chapter 47

Levi

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

I wasn't even aware the words were coming out of my mouth as I turned the case over in my hands and stared at the blank face of the disc again. I'd done this more times than I could count in the past two days and I still hadn't come to a decision. Hell, I hadn't even come close. The most I'd managed to do was to throw it into my desk, but it didn't take long for it to work its way back into my hands. Back into my mind where it seemed determined to stay.

Even if I didn't want to keep it there.

I wasn't sure what to do at this point. Everything I wanted, a life without him and this company, was placed into my waiting hands and yet here I was pushing it away. Refusing it when it was the one thing I could actually say I wanted. Next to Eren, of course. And that was the problem, wasn't it? Doing this meant risking his best friend, and I knew our relationship wouldn't survive a hit like that. He would never trust me again if I betrayed him that way, and I knew far too well what it was like to be on the receiving end. Even if I didn't, I knew full well that I wasn't willing to have a relationship without trust.

Lies and betrayal were the two things I would never allow between us, and it wasn't as if I could expect him to accept them from me.

If I did this, it would have to be with his full knowledge and consent and I wasn't sure he would give me that. Not where Armin was concerned. Not even if the little blonde mushroom was the mastermind behind it all, which apparently he was. It wasn't as if I underestimated him, but I never expected this from him. Of course, it was hard to anticipate this happening when I had no idea he was even aware of this little mess. Not that I should have been surprised. It was Eren, after all. They were best friends and they shared everything.

And if I weren't so sure of Eren's heart, I might actually be a little jealous of that.

Not to say that Armin wasn't a worthy adversary. If I had to lose Eren to anyone, it would be him. It wouldn't be willing, but at least I would know beyond a doubt that he would be happy and loved. Cherished, even. I didn't think anyone could love Eren as much as I did, but I was willing to bet that Armin came close. A little too close, possibly, but that didn't matter in the end. As much as Eren loved him, it wasn't romantic.

I had a feeling it would never be.

But I wasn't about to test any of that by giving Eren a reason to hate me. As much as I didn't want to talk about this tape, as much as I didn't want to ask him for this favor, I knew I had to. I didn't have a choice when it came to this, and it took two days of arguing with myself to arrive at that conclusion. Because I couldn't just ignore it. I couldn't destroy it and not even try. In the worst case scenario, Eren would say no and I would willingly hand over the evidence. And that risk was worth the chance that he might say yes. That I might be able to convince him to use this tape as nothing more than leverage to get Erwin out of our lives.

Because that's all the tape would be in the end. Something to twist Erwin's arm and nothing more. I would never let it get to the point that it would be anything that could harm Armin.

And that wasn't just for Eren. I wasn't about to hurt that boy for my own sake.

Even if he didn't seem to believe that himself.

I tossed the case onto my desk and slid my feet off the wood, leaning forward to press my thumb into the button beside my phone. I didn't bother to wait for the familiar voice to come in on the other end.

"Nifa," I was probably the only one in the whole damn office to call her by her first name, but I had decided long ago that it was far too unique not to. "Call for Mr. Jaeger and have him sent up to my office now."