Aching for His Discretion (The Discretion Dynasty #1)

57. Teegan

Chapter fifty-seven

Teegan

W aking up on Levi’s couch in his office, I rubbed my eyes softly as they adjusted. The only light in the room was from the lamp on his desk that illuminated his broad figure sitting in the chair.

He looked over at me as he toyed with one of the rings on his fingers and beckoned me over with his other hand. Standing up slowly from the couch, I approached his desk slowly, his eyes darkening slightly as he gazed at me. After I rounded his desk, he pulled me over gently, allowing me to sit on his lap comfortably.

“How did you sleep, Tesoro?” he asked, and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

“Fine...” I whispered, and he hummed, his hand running up and down my leg softly.

“I hope I wasn’t too rough with you,” he whispered, and I shook my head.

“No... it was perfect,” I replied honestly, and he placed a small kiss on my head.

“You’re perfect,” he muttered, and my eyes glanced over to the closed basement door. My face flushed at the memories of just a few hours ago, and my heart raced slightly as I thought of whether Jacob was alive.

I wasn’t sure how Levi would have handled the situation, and for some reason, I didn’t want to know. Looking back over to him, I watched as one of his hands leaned over slightly to grab the envelope on the desk.

“I have something for you,” he continued, and my heart fluttered as he handed it to me. He held me closer to him as I looked down at it. “Open it.”

Slowly but surely, I tore open the flap and pulled out the letter. Glancing down at the folded paper, I opened it cautiously and read the page. A few seconds had gone by… then a minute... then most likely ten.

Levi didn’t say anything as he simply watched me, waiting for me to speak when I was ready. But what could I say? What could I say when the paper I read was an invoice for my largest loan?

Medical school isn’t cheap. I couldn’t work due to studying, and my parents couldn’t afford both my tuition and living expenses. I took out loans for my entire four years and had to use them to pay for everything in my life.

I was planning to pay them back after residency with the help of a small trust fund my parents had for me. Though it would have taken me ten years, I would have paid it off. But now, there was no need.

Looking over at Levi as he continued staring at me, I pondered for a moment. Sometimes, I have trouble understanding how much power, status, or money he has. To me, he’s Levi, Mr. Amante, my first true love, but to others, he’s a business owner, a mafia boss, the devil.

$450,000 PAID

It was all that was written in large bold on the invoice. I didn’t even know what to say. “Thank you” wasn’t enough. It felt like I was in debt to him, and it was true for many different reasons.

I owed him my life for taking care of me, for protecting me, for cherishing me, for loving me, for everything he has done for me. We had our ups and downs, and through all of it, he was still willing to learn, change, and grow for me and for our relationship.

“Levi,” I whispered, practically out of breath, and he tilted his head.

“Tesoro.”

I breathed in deeply as he wiped the fallen tear that came from my eye.

“You saved me, Teegan,” he whispered, and I shook my head as tears continued to fall.

I tried not to sob. “It was only a bullet wound in your arm. You would have been okay,” I whimpered, reminiscing about the first time we met.

He smiled as he placed a small kiss on my cheek. “Not that sweet girl,” he chuckled, and I wrapped my arms around his torso as he continued, “ You saved me, Tesoro. Everything I am, everything I can be, everything I will be is because of you. I realized that without you, life is meaningless. Nothing in this world amounts to what you are and what you will become. You were born to help people. And in the midst of studying and working to save the lives of others, you saved mine. It’s only right I return the favor in some way.”

“It was only a bullet wound,” I cried out again, and he sighed as he shook his head.

Pulling me closer, he said, “Tesoro, it’s more than a bullet wound, and it’s more than half a million dollars... it’s you. You’re priceless.”

“You’re insane,” I whispered, shaking my head, and he chuckled.

“Well, why do you think I went to see a therapist, baby?” he joked, and I hit his shoulder as I shook my head. After a moment or so, he became a bit tense as he spoke again.

“And I wanted to keep this other surprise hidden, for another few months or so. Maybe even a year, but…”

I pulled away as he opened his top drawer, pulling out a small velvet box that made my eyes widen in absolute shock. He placed it on the desk, and I simply stared at him as he looked at me almost nervously.

“I have something else for you that’s definitely worth more than half a million dollars,” he said truthfully, and we sat in silence as I simply stared at him in utter shock.

“You’d think I was even more insane if I told you I purchased it at the same time I purchased your necklace,” he admitted, and I was sure you could hear a pin drop in the room.

“Levi,” I uttered, unable to formulate any other words. “We only knew each other for a month,” I whispered in utter disbelief, and he nodded.

“Which is why I gave you the necklace first.”

“You spent over half a million dollars on a ring,” I whispered.

“In cash, yes.” He nodded, and I continued looking at him.

“What if we’d stayed broken up?”

“Then I would have something to remember you by,” he responded, and I looked at him incredulously.

“I’ve never even worn it.”

“But I’ve envisioned you in it…”

“And you’ve had it for the last three or four years.”

“It’s what got me through our breakup period… Well, alongside the cameras, the tracker, and the frequent updates that told me how you were doing,” he continued.

I couldn’t speak. I didn’t even know what to say. Picking up the box slowly, I looked down at the ring that was practically blinding me.

“Though I’d like you to wear it now, you don’t have to. Not until you’re ready.”

“Ready for what?” I whispered, though I knew the exact words that sat on the tip of his tongue.

“Ready to say yes when I ask you to be my wife.”

I sighed as I placed the box on top of my medical school loan receipt.

“Say something, Tesoro...” he practically pleaded as I stared down at my gifts that sat on his desk for a few more minutes.

Looking back over at him, I laid my forehead against his as I shook my head.

“I should say no... We’re supposed to be going slow. I should be mad at you for bringing this up as we work on fixing our relationship. I should be mad at you for spending so much money on me. I should be mad at you for so many things, Mr. Amante. But…” I whispered, and he hummed as I felt his hand run through my hair.

“But...” he muttered.

“But all I want to say is yes,” I whispered, and I giggled at his eagerness as he placed a kiss on my lips and pulled me even closer to him. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I sighed blissfully as he rubbed his hands up and down my waist.

After a moment or so, he spoke. “Your father was the first to know about the ring,” he said, and I furrowed my eyebrows.

“How long has he known?”

“Years… but he never gave me his verbal blessing,” he started, and my heart fluttered as he picked up the ring from the box and slid it onto my left ring finger. “The day we left their home after Christmas was the same day he told me I’d gained his trust and his respect to be with his daughter.”

“Is that why you had that dust in your eye when you came back to the car? You know, when you were tearing up?” I teased him, and he put his face in the crook of my neck as he sighed.

“You’re going to have to let me live this down someday, Tesoro…”

“Hmmm, someday, but today’s not that day,” I laughed as I ran my hand through his hair lovingly as he tried to hide his smile.

Many Months Later

Sitting in the bathroom, I remained relatively still as Levi continued knocking on the door. We were back in my apartment in Maryland as I obviously had to come back to work.

Levi had been staying in my apartment for the time being and occasionally flew back and forth to New York as much as his work needed his presence. I only had a few months remaining to complete my residency training, and Levi had recently shown me his rather expensive plan for the next two or three years.

The plan involved buying our dream home and starting my private practice. As much as I tried convincing him that I would be fine working in the hospital for the first few months or years out of my training, he, unfortunately, was having none of it.

Eventually, I found myself caving as he made excellent points about not wanting me to be overworked and having the freedom to provide care to families without worrying about costs and expenses.

However, I noticed I’d been a little off lately. This morning, I woke up with severe nausea and fatigue. I’d thrown up a few times in the last few hours or so and found myself to be more moody lately. I would have noticed it sooner if I hadn’t taken my frustration out on my very compassionate and understanding fiancé and future husband. He acknowledged and supported each of my increasingly irrational mood swings. He never once criticized my feelings or told me I was being unreasonable.

But I caught myself last night before I started an argument and had an epiphany early this morning. As an OB/GYN, one would think I would have the most self-awareness of my own body, yet the three consistent positive pregnancy tests that sat on the sink counter said otherwise.

As a result of the shock, I’d been stuck in the bathroom, unable to face Levi, who was growing increasingly worried on the other side of the door.

“Tesoro. If you don’t let me in, I am going to fucking break down this bathroom door,” he seethed, and I contemplated whether or not he was telling the truth. Not wanting to risk the damage, I walked over to the door and opened it slowly. He looked down at my tear-filled face and caressed the side of it.

“Tesoro... baby, tell me what’s wrong.”

I shook my head as I sniffled softly. “I didn’t mean to yell at you yesterday when you brought me the wrong cheese from the grocery store.”

“ Amore ... You could stab me in the chest, and I wouldn’t be upset with you, let alone when you rightfully get angry with me for buying the wrong thing.”

“I wasn’t the only one upset,” I muttered, and he looked at me, confused, as I placed his hand over my abdomen softly.

“Silas or Eden were more angry than I was,” I cried as I wiped my tears, and he froze for a moment as his eyes left mine and landed on the three positive pregnancy tests. Keeping one hand on me, he picked up a test and let out a small smile as he read the results.

“Silas or Eden,” he whispered, and I nodded as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He hugged me gently and shook his head.

“I love you so much, Tesoro,” he whispered, and I placed a kiss on his shoulder.

“I love you more, Levi.”