A Time for Hope (Lexi, #3)(34)
“So I called Monique and asked if she had seen you, wondering if perhaps you and Chris had other business to discuss. It was then she informed me that you had left two hours ago with a driver she had arranged to an undisclosed location. D is still livid at your diversionary tactics.”
“D will get over it. So you called Steve and he told you where I was?” Admittedly I hadn’t been too hard to find, other than not telling anyone where I was going, I hadn’t gone to any great lengths to cover my tracks.
“Yes. When I found out you were here, I lost my mind Lexi. I thought we had agreed that you would keep away from him? I know you don’t like being told what to do what but this is insanity.” Alex gently brushed his hand against my cheek.
“Alex, I never agreed to anything. I’m not deliberately trying to be difficult but this is who I am. You knew this when you married me. I’m not going to be that girl who is going to sit around and wait for her man to take care of shit.” I knew this was not the kind of relationship Alex wanted but things had been a lot easier when we had first met. How crazy had my life gotten when my past was categorized as easy? Looking around the room we were still standing in, the echoes of Nick’s proposition were still in my mind and the answer was evident. Shit had gotten (to borrow a term from my Groupie Whore alter-ego) Cray-Cray.
“I know Lexi and the reason I love you is because of the way you are. I love your independence and I even love that smart mouth of yours but you’ve got to cut me some slack here.” Alex lifted my chin, his beautiful blue eyes focused on me.
“Let’s get out of here, it seems every time we are in this place we end up fighting. I don’t imagine you got nearly enough rehearsal time and I’m not going to be impressed if I have to explain to the press why you not only look tired but sound tired as well.” I wanted to tell Alex everything, just not here and definitely not now. Soon. Tonight when we would be alone, I made my silent promise.
“Agreed, if I never see this place again it will be too soon.” Alex wrapped his arms around me as he pulled me close. “And I would worry less about my possible fatigue and more about your own. I haven’t forgotten my earlier promise to you and now we have to add make up sex into the mix as well.”
“Yet, we are still standing here. And you think I talk too much.”
“OUT,” Alex smacked me playfully on the ass as he pointed to the door. “I’m going to prove once and for all I’m a man of my word. I’m taking you home.”
Chapter 7 - Full Disclosure
“Alex?” I murmured as my head lay on his chest. My hands restlessly caressed the contours of his taut muscles. This could easily be my favourite time of the day. The two of us, naked, with the gleam of sweat still coating our skin, locked in each other’s arms, satisfied.
“Seriously Lexi? You got to give me at least five minutes baby,” Alex lightly tugged on my hair as a chuckle escaped from this throat.
“Not that, Alex.” I tilted my head so I could look into his eyes.
“Oh? Wow and here I was thinking I had you all figured out! What’s on your mind?” Alex’s fingers gently brushed my arm.
Damn it. I felt the ease of the mood evaporate. Alex exhaled slowly as he continued to stroke my arm. Now I didn’t want to talk about it knowing that the topic of Nick and our discussion was probably going to cause a fall out to rival Chernobyl. New Lexi was beginning to be hard freaking work, but I had made a promise to Alex that I would be honest with him and omission, no matter how you dressed it, was still dishonest. I wasn’t going to be that girl with the closest full of secrets. Lord knows, there was barely enough room for my shoe collection in there.
“So, in the interest of full disclosure, I need to tell you something.”
Alex took a deep breath and shifted nervously underneath me, “You can tell me anything Lexi. I told you once before, nothing you say is ever going to change the way I feel about you.”
There wasn’t going to be an easier way. There was no point half-assing it. I was either going to tell him the whole story or shut the f*ck up and seeing as I had already started, the decision had been made.
“Nick had a file on me.” I blurted out barely taking a breath before continuing, “Riccardo asked him to keep tabs and so he did. That’s how he knew Taylah and how she came to work for him.”
“He’s stalking you?” Alex focused on me intently, “I f*cking knew it. I’m calling DarNell and we are escalating security. I don’t want you to go anywhere near him.”
“He wasn’t stalking me.” Well technically I guess he was, though given we were followed everywhere anyway, I don’t see how different Nick’s fact finding mission is different from the press trying to gain information. Granted, if I’d had to place a bet, I’d say Nick’s resources would be far shadier and more long reaching than your garden variety “Pap”, although I guess, given his motivation, it somehow made it ok?
“Questionable inquiry perhaps, but not stalking. There is no need to worry about Nick, trust me, the way that family operates shit would have already gone down if that’s the way he wanted it.”
“So what, we are supposed to just let him do whatever he wants? Why the sudden need to reach out to you now? Lexi, if you know more, now is the time to tell me.” Agitation bit into his tone though I could sense he was trying to keep a lid on his temper.