Wicked (WICKED #1) | ✓

35

"THEY'LL BE SEARCHING FOR us," Ella murmured against his lips.

"Let them," Levi whispered.

That made her laugh, her voice quiet when she shook her head. "You are bold." She took a step back then, leaning against the shelves as she glanced up at him. "Still, I'm not really planning to have my brother walk in on me kissing, especially if you have to stay with us in one house this week."

"We just finally had some alone time," he said, placing his hands beside her head," I want to get to know you better."

"I feel like I know you plenty with the rumors surrounding you," she said, tilting her head to the right as a smile started to play on her lips," I mean, you have an actual gang."

He groaned as he looked away then. "I never planned for it, people just randomly started following me. I hate crowds and yet they won't leave me alone."

"That sounds like a cult," she said.

"It may be," Levi said with a worried shake of his head," Alex and Will lead most of the things we do, I just tag along when I am forced to."

"And what do you do?" she asked, curiosity coloring her eyes.

Levi awkwardly rubbed his neck, scraping his throat before he spoke. "Mostly it's just people who pick fights with me or the boys because they heard I'm strong or whatever. If they involve a bigger group of people, the gang always gets there as well somehow. I'm convinced Will has installed a tracker on my phone to find my location when I go alone to fights, because they always arrive immediately after."

"So, just fighting?" she said, unsure why he was getting flustered if it was just that.

"No," he said," we attend protests, volunteer and do some charity work as well. It honestly depends on the week and stuff, but I don't know, it just felt so useless to gather and fight all the time. If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't really need a gang."

"Levi Peterson," she said, actually taken aback," are you really telling me you volunteer on the weekends? Because if so, I love it, why aren't any of the rumors ever telling that?"

"I have threatened people for their silence," he said matter-of-factly, before adding," it isn't like doing volunteer work every now and then immediately makes me a saint or anything, nor do I want anyone to think that. I don't know, I feel uncomfortable when people think I'm a good person. Will and Alex search for and plan most of the things we attend anyway."

His discomfort was easy to sense and she grabbed his chin, gently tugging it down so he was forced to look at her.

"Can I tag along next time?" she smiled.

He blinked in surprise, one side of his mouth tugging up slightly as he glanced at her. "Only if you promise not to act like before. I just got to know this more violent side of you and I'd like to see more of it."

"You didn't like my good girl act?" she said, slapping him amicably on the chest," I will let you know I tried very hard for that."

"Yes, I'm sure you did," he said, a hint of amusement in his dark eyes," I have heard stories about you too, Eleanora."

"Do tell me," she said, eyes twinkling," do I breathe fire? Cause men to turn into stone?"

"Both," he said," Sebastian always spoke with so much praise about you too. It always made me curious about the face behind the reputation."

"And?" she said, tipping her chin up," is it just as devilish as you expected?"

He smiled then and leaned towards her again, but she stopped him just in time with her hand on his lips. When he stared at her, offendedly, all she did was shrug, pecking him on the cheek instead.

"You can get another kiss later," she said," let's go inside first."

"It's okay, I can wait," he said as he leaned against the wall behind him, hands in his pockets," I have yet to take you out on a date too after all."

"I found them!"

They both turned around at the same time to spot Alex by the door, looking happy for them as he nodded at Levi. Will was standing behind him, glancing around the garden, Sebastian walking towards them from the door.

"Levi, my man," Alex grinned at him, before looking at Ella and pretending to wipe a tear away," my children are getting married."

"Alex, I'm older than you," Levi said.

"Perhaps physically," Alex said," but mentally I am much wiser, my child."

Levi parted his lips to respond, but Sebastian had reached them then, frowning as he glanced at them. Ella had heard he was intimidating multiple times from her friends, but Sebastian could radiate a certain energy easily, one that said not to mess with him, and right now he was looking more annoyed than ever.

"Jesus, Levi," he said," when I said I'd accept it I didn't mean for you to sneak around with my sister the first two minutes you're in the house."

"She was just showing me around," Levi said," you have a beautiful house, Sebastian."

"Ah, thank you," Sebastian said, slipping up with a smile before he quickly hid that," I mean, no, don't change the subject."

"It's fine, Seb," Ella said," just let us get to know each other. You know Levi and you know me, it'll be fine."

Sebastian still seemed conflicted though and somewhere she understood. In the end she was his little sister and Levi a close friend of his, but she wasn't planning to ignore the spark just to please her brother. If she went with each of his protective whims she'd have choked on the lack of freedom already.

"Let's go back inside to spar!" Will smiled as he placed a hand on Sebastian's and Alex' shoulder," I'm curious to see El fight."

"Yeah babe," Alex said," what do you say to a serious match with me?"

"I'm up for it," Ella drawled," just make sure you won't cry when you lose."

"I'll try," Alex grinned.

Sebastian's eyes cleared up then and Levi nodded at the silent question in his eyes.

"I'll spar with you, Sebastian," he said," it's been a long time."

"A long time indeed," Sebastian said," I wonder if you've gotten better, Peterson."

"The same for you, Martinez," Levi said as he cracked his knuckles," let's hope you haven't gotten rusty."

"I'll be the referee," Will offered.

"I'm excited," Alex said with a wide smile," and I have a fun thing planned for tonight too to get to know each other better."

"And what is that?" Ella said, suspicion clouding her eyes at Alex' weird plans.

"I grabbed five bottles of vodka," he said," so let's play Never have I ever and get wasted tonight, boys." He glanced at Ella and added," and girl."

"Is that why your bag was so heavy?" Levi frowned.

"It was indeed, my child," Alex nodded solemnly," but it won't be for much longer."

"I'm not sure," Sebastian said," we'd have to be quiet so as to not wake my mother."

"We can invite Faiza," Ella said.

"Okay, I'm down. Let's say nine o'clock?"

"Nine it is," Alex nodded.

"If you're still capable of walking then, Alex," Ella smiled sweetly at him.

Alex' lips parted and he shook his head, amusement radiating off him.

"Oh babe, it's on."