One Night ~ Complete ~ Sample

Eyes

Levi pushed through the doors, holding back his anger. Sam and Kyle? Why hadn't anyone told him? He rushed down the hall, trying to stay away from the couple when he heard a woman down the hall yell out.

"Layla! No running!" Just then a young girl came dashing around the corner. Her black curls bouncing around her shoulders. Levi froze. No way! It couldn't be but...she looks just like her. She ran past him and he turned to watch the little girl jump into Sam's arms.

"Mommy!" Sam picked her up and rocked her back and forth.

"Layla! Did you have fun with gran-gran and Maggie?" She pulled back to kiss her daughter on the cheek.

"Yes! We ate lots of ice cream!"

"Oh really! I bet that was yummy!" She smiled at her. Levi just stood in place. Sam was a mother? Since when? The girl couldn't be that old. She wasn't around when he'd met Sam. Was she? Well, he'd only spent a little time with her and he'd never gone to her house. But no one had said anything when they'd talk to him about her. Kyle walked up to them.

"Kyle!" Layla said and reached out for him. He took her from her mother's arms.

"Hey there sunshine. How has your day been?" He rubbed her back.

"Fun!" The little girl yelled and then she giggled as Kyle tickled her side. Levi turned and strode away from them. He ground his teeth. Was Kyle the father? No, he would have heard about that. Kyle was his friend and Layla had called him Kyle not daddy.

So, who was her father and why wasn't he with Sam? She'd been holding hands with Kyle in the limo. He'd rubbed her thigh. So, obviously, the father wasn't in the picture. What a scum. Another dumbass left Sam. He just didn't understand why no one else could see how amazing she was!

Levi made it to the dining area and found the table with his name card. People were already there, waiting for the bride and groom to make an appearance. He sat down and watched the door. It wasn't long before Sam and Kyle walked in, swinging Layla by her hands between them. Jealousy bombarded his body, making him shake.

He wanted to be the one with Sam. He wanted to be the one helping her raise her daughter! Hell, if he'd never left maybe they'd have their own child. That thought stopped him. No, that was the reason he left. The curse would have taken her life if they'd had a child together and he would have never been able to give her a daughter as beautiful as her. That just wasn't in the cards for the Steel men. It never happened.

Levi watched as they took her to a table and sat her down. They sat beside each other and his gut twisted. Kyle was taking his place beside Sam. The woman he loved. The woman he couldn't get out of his mind and ran through his every dream. The bride and groom entered and everyone cheered for them.

The maid of honor and the best man made their speeches. Then the first dance as spouses. After that another song came on and couples went to the dance floor. Kyle took Layla and put her on his feet. He danced around in a circle with her. Levi stood and went to the bar. He needed a drink, bad. He ordered a whiskey on the rocks and sat there drinking it. When the song ended and he thought they weren't on the floor anymore, he headed back to his table.

He was on his way back when Layla ran into his legs. Levi reached down to steady her, making sure she didn't fall.

"I'm sorry, mister!" She said and looked up. Levi froze. Blue eyes stared up at him. His eyes.

****

Sam rushed over to Layla and scooped her up, away from Levi. "I didn't mean to, mommy." She protested. She looked into Levi's stunned face. It was too late. She knew what he saw. Sam shook her head at him as she swallowed the lump in her throat, then talked to Layla.

"I know, sweetie. It was an accident. That happens. Mr. Steel isn't upset. Right?" She looked up at him. Please, please let him look over it. Don't let him notice.

He looked at Layla again, ducking to catch her eyes with his identical ones. "That's right. I'm not upset. I should have been watching where I was going."

Sam pulled Layla away and started for the door. Her body was shaking with nervousness. "See baby. It's okay." She needed to get her daughter out of here right now. She'd go home and grab her emergency 'go' bag and leave town again. Sam almost ran down the hallway, Layla bouncing in her arms.

"Mommy! Slow down. Gran-gran said no running." She slowed her pace.

"I know, baby. We just have to be somewhere very important." She rubbed her daughter's hair.

"Hey, that man is coming." Layla said. Shit, shit, shit.

"Sam! Sam, stop!" Levi yelled behind her. No, she couldn't stop. She had to keep her daughter away from the heartache. "Samantha!" He yelled. Sam slowed her pace when she saw her mother. Claudia was watching them with a confused look. She went over to her and put Layla in her arms.

"Take her home. It's her nap time." She pleaded with her eyes for her not to question. Thank goodness she didn't and she took off with Layla.

"But I don't want a nap!" Layla cried. Sam took a deep breath and turned around. Levi was right behind her. Staring after his daughter. Then he looked, no, glared, down at Sam.

"Explain. Now." He demanded.

She straightened her back and walked by him. "I don't know what you're talking about Levi. Explain what?" Sam looked over her shoulder as he followed her. She had to keep a straight face.

"Our daughter." He bit out.

She let out a fake laugh. She could pull this off. "Our daughter? I think you're confused, Levi."

He gently grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and look up at him. "Fine then, where's her father?" He challenged, raising a brow.

"Her father ran out on us. He couldn't handle the stress of parenting." She said with ease. This is the lie she'd been telling for years. At first it was hard but now it rolled off of her tongue like her own name.

Levi stared down at her for a moment. She willed him to believe it. "We used caution and protection, Levi. We didn't conceive a child." Sam softened her face, wanting to reach out and touch his face. Feel the stubble that she knew was on his jaw. She looked deep into his eyes that were so like her daughter's, his daughter's. His jaw muscle ticked as he thought it through.

She shook her head slowly at him. "Don't cause yourself any unnecessary worry or stress. She isn't your daughter." He looked at her for a little longer before he nodded his head. She smiled and patted his arm before walking away. She'd done it. She'd been able to keep Levi at bay. Lied to his face even though it hurt more than anything. Sam knew what would happen if he found out though. He was a Steel brother. They didn't have long term relationships and they definitely didn't have children.

Would he just turn away from them? Would he try to pay her off, tell her to be silent? Or would he try to be in her life and when it became too much for him walk away? How much would that hurt Layla? Sam's heart started to ache for her daughter. No, she wouldn't put her baby through that. She wouldn't let a man hurt Layla, the way a man had hurt her.