~ ~ GAGE ~ ~

In the spare bedroom of Derek's home, I was lying on a lumpy mattress. Not that I had any room to complain. Hell, it was a hundred-times more comfortable than the one back in prison.

But I needed to find my own place. And fast. Living so close to Levi would make things difficult.

Lifting my phone, I scanned through Levi's social media.

Not creepy at all.

Yeah, sure asshole.

But there wasn't a story here to tell. He had a few pictures of him and his friend Jamie and loads of his dog, Rascal. I knew he would love the dog. When Derek had told me about a friend of his who had puppies, I thought of Levi. I had to make him promise he didn't know it was my idea though.

Scanning through the rest of his pictures, he had added a new one, one that he'd painted himself. It was hauntingly beautiful, a picture of a young man, face obscured, but something told me it was me.

I smiled, remembering his room being rammed packed full of art supplies. I thought he had been talented way back when, but this just blew me away.

He had a good chance of getting out of here, riding his talent.

He just needed that push. And that's what I'd hopefully done tonight.

Tossing my phone aside, I put my hands behind my head and breathed out a long-ass sigh.

I thought over the note I'd left. I must have spent the last two days writing the damn thing, trying to get the words just right. Levi was the smart one. Good with words.

At least I didn't put in the part about my parole officer and all the restrictions I faced. I might be free, but not in the true sense of the word.

And that was humiliating, always having to check in and be checked up on.

But at least I had a job. In prison, I found I had a knack for engines, and Derek's brother owned a car mechanic repair shop and that's where I started my first real job. Derek worked there, too.

My eyes shifted to the window when I heard a crack of thunder and the first drops of rain on the window.

A knock on my door had my head turning. "Yeah?" I called out, pushing myself to sit up a little.

Derek opened the door. "Here!" he tossed an envelope my way, landing on my lap.

"What's this?" Picking it up.

He shrugged. "Late delivery."

I turned it over. "Levi." I whispered more to myself.

"Yeah, the kid," he started. "Wasn't even wearing a coat. Think he'd run all the way here. And he looked like shit." He huffed, lifting his hand to scrub across his chin. "I know it is none of my business. But he's waited all that time."

I didn't want to hear this. No one would understand my reasons. Hell, it took me all my time to figure it out. "I'm doing this for him. So he can meet someone good. Have a good life."

"What the hells does that mean, Gage?" It surprised me that he called me Gage. "Someone good? You're a good kid."

I shook my head. "I'm not good. That night was my fault."

Derek blustered. "Kid. That was not your fault, and what you did that night was a good thing." He paused. "The right thing."

He let out a noisy breath. "Read the letter and I hope you come to your senses." He turned around and didn't look back as he shut the door on his way out.

Waiting till I heard his footsteps on the stairs, I carefully opened the letter. As soon as I read it I was gonna carefully place it with all the others. I owned nothing of my own and even if I did, they would still be the most valuable thing in my possession.

Pulling out the paper, I unfolded it.

It read:

Gage,

I don't think you understand how this works. I love you and you don't get to sacrifice your... or our happiness for me again. If you don't come to me, then I'll wait until you do. There will be no one else. Don't you think I've waited long enough?

Yours always, Levi.

Dammit.

This hadn't gone to plan.

But it was nice to see Levi a little confrontational, not the meek, quiet boy I'd known.

I pushed up off the bed. I should have done this in the first place. Face to face. Quit being a coward and explain in person why this was best.

Slipping on my sneakers, I grabbed my coat and headed out.