A Time for Hope (Lexi, #3)(33)

“Hey can you step out and give us a few minutes?” I looked over at DarNell. I really didn’t want to have this conversation with an audience.

“Alex, you good?” DarNell looked over at Alex who didn’t move his eyes from me as he nodded silently. “I’ll be right outside. Leave the door open.” DarNell joined Steve out in the hall pulling the door with him leaving it slightly ajar.

Alex remained in the center of the room. While he stood completely still, his whole body seemed tense, like a tightly coiled snake ready to strike.

“Please calm down Alex.” I moved closer and ran my hands over his chest, “You are freaking me out.”

“What did he want?” Alex didn’t respond to my touch, his tone matching the coolness of the room.

“Are you mad at me?” I steadied my hands, feeling the pounding of his heartbeat through the thin fabric of his t-shirt.

He dipped his chin so he could look me in the eyes. “Tell me. What. Did. He. Want?”

“Why are you acting like this? I am fine. He didn’t even shake my hand. Why are you trying to make me feel like I did something wrong!” I gritted my teeth as I pushed against his firm chest. Despite my valiant attempt it did nothing to move him from his spot. Now I was pissed off.

“How am I supposed to react?” Alex spat out, “What?! I’m supposed to be ok with some guy taking my wife into a locked back room? Tell me! Tell me how I am supposed to be ok with not knowing his intentions or not being able to get to her if she’s in trouble. Not to mention you didn’t tell anyone where you were going. Tell me how in your mind it is going to get any other reaction than the one you are getting cause I have to tell you Lexi, I am f*cking seething right now.” His hands fisted at his side.

Despite our close proximity he didn’t reach out for me. He made no attempt to hold me. I knew he was a jumble of emotions right now and seeing him like this was killing me.

“Alex, I love you. I love you so much but you can’t keep doing this. You have to know I will be ok. You are so angry right now and I don’t know if it’s at the situation or me! We were making progress. God, Alex you made love to me this morning and now you won’t even touch me.”

“Why won’t you tell me what he wanted? Who is he?” Alex’s voice softened as he gently shook his head. “Lexi, please don’t keep secrets from me.”

“Nick is Riccardo’s brother. He said he was looking out for me and that I had a big mouth.” I didn’t think now was the time to reveal the rest of our conversation, especially not with DarNell and Steve looming at the door.

“He doesn’t need to look out for you, I am looking out for you.”

“I don’t need anyone looking out for me. I am not a f*cking child!”

“When are you going to understand that having someone to look out for you doesn’t mean you are weak? Lexi I thought we went through this with Dr. Hart.” Alex grunted impatiently.

“Probably around the same time that you understand that I’m not going to fall apart and lose the moody bullshit.” I shot back indignantly. I didn’t mean to snap but I did. It was like beating my head up against the wall. I wasn’t going to change, neither was Alex. Gahhhhhhhh! Why was this so f*cking difficult?

“Nick was right about your mouth!” Alex relaxed slightly. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to be amusing or merely making a point.

“Don’t start agreeing with the man now.” After everything Alex had said, he was now siding with his purported nemesis over my propensity to talk a lot? That was me, uniting unlikely associations over a mutual appreciation (or lack thereof) for my smart mouth.

“Just cause I agree with him doesn’t mean I like him. He’s whose brother?” For the first time since he had entered the room, Alex’s voice wasn’t hostile.

“Riccardo, though I had never met Nick before last night.” In fact I hadn’t met any of his four brothers. There was no reason to. I was not the kind of girl you took home to Mamma anyways, especially not back then.

“Riccardo? The threesome guy from Rome?” Alex’s brows knitted as he fished for clarification.

“Yes, Yes. Are you constantly going to bring up the whole threesome thing? Gee for a rock star you are easily impressed. Surely your escapades have been more exciting than mine.”

A slow smile spread across Alex’s lips, he was still angry but at least now he didn’t seem so completely-out-of-control-furious. I moved close again, daring to touch him.

“So now you are more reasonable, explain to me why you were so desperate to get a hold of me that you needed to bust in here like the five-0 on a drug bust in Compton?”

“The five-0?” Alex laughed. “Your down time watching reality television has really affected your vocab. Matt had been trying to get ahold of you, he needed approval for something. Anyway, he tried to call you and when you didn’t answer your phone he’d assumed you had left for the day and made your way to James and Hannah’s. He imagined you weren’t able to hear your phone over the noise of the band so called the house.”

The scenario was quickly taking shape in my head, where neither Matt nor Alex knew of my whereabouts, which would lead them to start panicking. It was not what I had intended, honestly I didn’t think I was gone that long.