Mr. Big Love: The Mr. Big Series: Book Two

by Lund, S. E.

  ALEXA: I don't want to intrude if you were planning a marathon...

  CANDYC: Nah, I've already watched it three times, just want to watch it again since I have nothing else to do. Frankly, I'd be happy for the company. Besides, I want to see pics of this apartment you two bought.

  ALEXA: Okay. I'll be right over. Just have to call down and get the limo service to send a car. Luke's already using one, so our usual ride won't be available.

  CANDYC: Must be nice to just call up a limo and have it outside your door.

  ALEXA: I'd be just as happy to take the trains, but given what happened to you, Luke wants us both to be extra-careful.

  CANDYC: I was just teasing you. I'd love having a limo drive me around. Enjoy it for me, will ya?

  ALEXA: I will. Have you eaten? Luke's getting Korean BBQ for him and Dana and now I can't get it out of my mind.

  CANDYC: Korean BBQ sound fantastic. Bring it!

  ALEXA: Okay, I will. See you soon. **Smoochies**

  CANDYC: **Smoochies** back at ya!

  I ended the conversation and called the limo service, requesting a car out front asap. The dispatcher said there would be a vehicle out front in fifteen. In the meantime, I called the security company to let them know I was going out and where. Then, I called the Korean place and put in an order for pick up. I'd get the limo driver to swing by and we'd pick it up before going to Candace's.

  After I placed the order, I brushed my teeth and hair and made myself more presentable. Then I went down stairs to wait for the limo. My bodyguard was waiting on the street when I came out the front door of the hotel.

  "Ms. Dixon," he said and nodded at me. "Limo's not here yet. Care to wait in the lobby and I'll come and get you when it arrives?"

  "Sure," I said and went back into the lobby. I really hated all the security in my new life, but realized it was necessary. With Blaine still at large, there was no telling when he might show up, hoping to hurt me or someone I cared about. I didn't begrudge all the measures put in place to protect me, but sometimes, it was hard. It was this extra step or two that I had to take before I could leave.

  While I waited, I glanced up and down the street outside the hotel, wondering where Blaine was and whether he was still looking for me, to exact some kind of perverted revenge for me leaving him and for everything that happened to him since we broke up. I had thought that I left all that behind me when I moved to Manhattan.

  Now, I had to think of Blaine each time I left the hotel.

  I had a nice visit with Candace, and together, we ate our Korean BBQ and talked about the whole business of Eric cheating, Blaine returning to haunt us and of course, Luke buying the apartment on Park Avenue.

  "What do you think Luke should do? Should he tell Dana?"

  "Haven't we had this discussion before?" Candace asked. "What would you do if I told you I saw Luke going into a hotel room with some woman?"

  I sighed. "My heart would break and then I'd rely on you to help me get through it."

  Candace nodded. "Maybe it's time for Luke to man-up and tell her."

  "He will," I said. "He wants to be one-hundred percent sure first and is going to get his PD to check into it. Then, I think he's fed up with Eric's philandering ways."

  "I don't blame him," Candace said. "Once he has proof, he should tell her the truth. Then, he has to be there to help her get through things."

  "He will be. They're really close."

  It was getting late, so I called the limo service and went home after saying goodbye and making sure Candace was set for the night. When I arrived back to the hotel, the security guard walked me to the elevator and said goodnight. I made it up the elevator and to our room, expecting that Luke would be home before me but he wasn't.

  I checked my cell to see if he'd sent a message to let me know but he hadn't, and that made me nervous. Were things going bad with Dana and that was why he wasn't home already?

  I sent him a text, hoping that he and Dana had just lost track of time.

  ALEXA: Hey, where are you?

  There was no answer, so I gave him some time.

  When he still hadn't answered his cell in ten minutes, I called. My call went right to voicemail.

  That wasn't good.

  I checked through my contacts and found Dana's cell number and called her. She answered on the third ring.

  "Hey, Alexa," she said and sounded happy but tired. "How are you, soon-to-be sis-in-law?"

  "I'm fine, future sis, how are you?"

  "Good," she said, and I heard little James crying. "Just giving my little one a bottle. Your fiancé just left me about fifteen minutes ago, so I imagine he'll be home soon."

  "Oh, good. I was calling because he didn't answer his phone or texts and I was worried."

  "Because of that Blaine creep?" she asked.

  "Yes, because of Blaine the Creep. I hope he had a bodyguard with him tonight."

  "I have no idea," she said. "I know he had a limo drop him off. I'm sure he'll be home soon."

  "How are you doing? How's little James?

  "Perfect, if a little sleepy. But that's part of the package, so I sleep whenever I can."

  "Good," I said. "I'll pop by and see you on the weekend."

  "I can't wait!"

  We said goodbye and then I sat there for a moment, wondering when Luke would arrive home and why he hadn't texted me. It was unnerving.

  For another half an hour, I moved between my laptop sitting on the desk to my cell when I sat on the sofa, trying to distract myself but keeping an eye on my text messages in case Luke contacted me. He still hadn't responded to me after an hour had passed and I had it.

  I called the limo service. The dispatcher answered and wouldn't say anything about Luke's whereabouts.

  "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but we're unable to confirm the location of our clients. It's against our privacy policy."

  "But he and I are part of the same contract."

  "Yes, but our contract is with Mr. Marshall."

  "Can you at least tell me if his limo driver is back?"

  "Unfortunately, no I can't."

  I ended the call, frustrated with my inability to find out where Luke was.

  ALEXA: Luke, please respond to me. I'm so worried about you.

  Nothing.

  Finally, at about ten o'clock at night, I got a text.

  From Luke's lawyer, Peter Moran.

  P.M. MORAN, ESQ.: Hello, Alexa. I'm Luke's attorney. Luke asked me to text you and let you know that he's been arrested and is currently in the jail awaiting his preliminary hearing for disorderly conduct. He got into a fight with his brother-in-law Eric and both of the men were arrested and taken into custody. His hearing should be in the morning at 11:00. I expect he'll be released on bail soon after.

  ALEXA: Oh, my God, is he okay? What happened?

  P.M. MORAN, ESQ.: Details are still sketchy, but I spoke with Luke and apparently, police are pressing charges against both Eric and Luke, so they are both being held awaiting their hearings. I expect charges to be dropped against both of them, given the circumstances, and if not, both will be charged with a misdemeanor disorderly conduct and fined. Apparently, both men were shouting threats to each other before the first punch was thrown on the street outside of the Lowell Hotel.

  ALEXA: Oh, no! Will it go on his record?

  P.M. MORAN, ESQ.: I fully expect charges to be dropped against both men. I suspect that police wanted to make a point with them, but you never know how a judge may respond to two grown men, brothers-in-law, getting into a drunken fight.

  ALEXA: I know that Luke has been unhappy with Eric. Apparently, he's been cheating on Luke's sister, but I never thought they'd get into a fight.

  P.M. MORAN, ESQ.: Luke claims he was only defending himself and Eric threw the first punch, but witnesses said the two men exchanged insults before the fight started. Both were considered combatants as a consequence.

  ALEXA: Oh, dear. Thank you for contacting me.

  P.M. MORAN,
ESQ.: I'll let you know when Luke is released on bail.

  ALEXA: Thank you for letting me know. I've been worried sick about Luke.

  P.M. MORAN, ESQ.: No problem. Is there any message you want me to give to him when I see him tomorrow?

  ALEXA: Please tell him I'm sending my love and will see him when he's released.

  P.M. MORAN, ESQ.: Will do.

  I called Dana right away.

  "Dana, have you heard about Eric and Luke?"

  Dana sounded totally confused. "No! Oh my God, what happened? Were they in a car accident?"

  "No," I said. "They're both in jail in the 18th Precinct."

  "What? Why?"

  "They got into a fight," I said and made a face, because now I'd have to tell Dana why they would get into a fight.

  "How could they have gotten into a fight? Eric's out of town..." At that point, Dana must have realized that Eric wasn't out of town after all. "Oh, my God. He wasn't out of town."

  I swallowed and chewed my bottom lip, trying to use just the right words.

  "No, he was in town. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but earlier today, Luke called me and told me that he couldn't have supper with me because he was going to your place. He said that he saw Eric going into a hotel on 63rd. and Madison -- the Lowell Hotel."

  "Let me guess -- he was with a woman."

  I cringed. "Yes."

  I heard Dana sigh heavily. "That bastard. That cheating bastard."

  "I'm so sorry, Dana. I know Luke was really upset when he realized that Eric told you he was out of town, when he was really still in Manhattan and staying at a hotel with some woman."

  There was silence on the other line for a moment.

  "Dana -- are you okay?"

  Finally, she cleared her throat, and her voice sounded close to tears.

  "You know, before Luke left, he was acting strange. He kept asking me all these questions about how often Eric went traveling on business, and how I was doing, how happy I was. I couldn't figure out why, but now I understand. He was trying to find out if I knew or suspected."

  "He felt really bad and didn't want to tell you that Eric was with a woman until he knew for sure, just in case. It's not the kind of thing you want to be telling your sister."

  "No, I guess not. I wouldn't want to be the one to tell him if you were cheating, but I would."

  "He felt bad because you just had a baby. It's a delicate time of your life."

  "I just can't believe he'd do it," she said, her voice low. "I caught him cheating last year and told him that if he ever strayed again, I'd divorce him. I should have known he would do it again. Once a cheat, always a cheat."

  "I'm so sorry..."

  "It's okay." She sobbed, and I felt so bad for her.

  "Oh, Dana. Do you want me to come over and stay with you?"

  "I'll be fine."

  "Seriously, if you want, I can come and stay there. I hate to think of you all alone with the baby. I could come over and help out, make sure you can sleep."

  "It doesn't make any difference. I'm nursing so I have to wake up when he does anyway."

  "You don't pump and make bottles?"

  "Yes, but I wouldn't want to make you get up and feed him. It's not fair."

  "It's not fair what happened to either of us."

  She sighed. "I've been prepared for it, never really feeling sure about Eric ever since I caught him paying for an escort for some out of town trip he actually went on."

  "Oh, no, I'm so sorry."

  "Yeah, it was before I realized what he was capable of and when I found the receipt that he'd forgotten to hide at work, I checked it out and realized he'd used an escort service. I almost divorced him at that point, but he was so contrite and promised he'd never do it again, so I relented. I was just pregnant and the thought of being alone with a baby was too much for me to face."

  "You must be so upset."

  "I'm more angry than upset," she said. "Listen, tomorrow, I'm going to call my lawyer and get divorce papers started."

  "Seriously?" I asked. "So soon? Don't you want to talk to Eric first?"

  "I don't need to talk to him," she said, her tone icy. "I might as well get it over with, right? He cheated on me at least twice. Who knows how many more times?"

  I thought about Lexxi911 and should have told her about it, but I decided to let Luke do that.

  We talked for a few more minutes and then said goodbye. I was surprised at how well she took it, but I guess she had this shred of doubt about him and so when she heard the truth, she was upset but ready.

  When I went to bed, I thought about Eric and Luke fighting and hoped Luke's lawyer was right and nothing worse than bruises and a fine would come of it.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Luke

  That sonofabitch...

  I sat in Dana's living room and listened to her talk about Eric's trip to Chicago and how he'd called her the previous night and told her about the quaint bar he'd visited close to his hotel and how lonely he'd been without her and how he missed helping her look after their baby.

  At least the bastard knew how he should have felt, even if it was all a big fat lie.

  "He's been in Chicago since Monday?" I asked, holding in my anger.

  "Yes," she said and sighed. "Kristie's been staying with me to give me a hand, and let me sleep, so I'm fine being without Eric for a few days. It's probably good for him, too, since he's not been getting as much sleep as before and still has to work until late in the evening

  "What project's going on in Chicago? I haven't been involved in the company for a while and don't remember what's happening there."

  "I really don't know," she said and shrugged. "He's had to go there three times so far this year so it must be important."

  "It must," I said, debating with myself whether to tell her about Eric and the woman at the Lowell Hotel.

  "So how are you handling being a new mother? Do you feel exhausted all the time?"

  She smiled. "I’m tired, but I've never been happier. All my life, I wanted to be a mother and for a while, I was afraid it would never happen because of my disorder. Then I met Eric, and well, he wanted the same thing. Family. He was willing to try, even if it meant IVF and all those months when I miscarried and when the embryos didn't implant. Honestly, Luke, if it wasn't for Eric, I'd be single and unhappy, without my beautiful baby."

  She smiled and rocked little James in her arms, and I knew that she was too happy for me to tell her -- at least, not at that moment. Maybe someday, but not now. I couldn't do that to her.

  So, I swallowed my confession, and stuffed it down as deep as I could, smiling at her and cooing over the baby while she and I ate Korean BBQ.

  But I knew what I was going to do -- I was going to confront Eric directly. I was going to tell him that if he didn't stop fucking around, I would tell her, and he would suffer the consequence. I was so angry at that moment, but I forced in inside, and it felt like a coiled snake in my belly, waiting to leap out.

  "Well, little sis, I have to get home to my soon-to-be bride and watch the game, but it's been a slice." I bent down to kiss Dana on the forehead and then stroked James's cheek.

  "Thanks for coming by," she said and smiled up at me. "I love visits from my big brother. Anytime you and Alexa feel like coming over, please do. Eric's going to be away a lot over the next while, so I'll appreciate the company."

  I let myself out, catching a glimpse of Dana with James in her arms, and my heart felt heavy. She really had no idea that Eric was a cheating bastard. He was going to be away a lot in the next while, was he?

  I might have to do something to change that. Eric would have to give up the pussy on the side if he wanted to remain part of our family. There was no way Dana would stick with him if she found out he was cheating on her.

  I called down to the limo service and waited at the front door until the limo pulled up, my mind laser focused on what would happen next.

  "Where to, Sir?" the driver as
ked when I got in the back.

  "The Lowell Hotel on 63rd. and Madison."

  "Yes, Sir."

  I leaned back against the seat and exhaled, trying to let my anger dissipate so I didn't lose control when I faced Eric. I was going to confront him, and the rest was up to him. If he kept on cheating, I'd tell Dana.

  Maybe this time, he'd take my threat seriously.

  We pulled up outside the hotel and I called Eric's number, waiting for him to answer. Finally, on the third ring, he answered.

  "Hey, Luke. What's up? I'm currently out of town. Is something wrong with Dana?"

  "No, she's fine," I said, my voice low and definitely not happy. "I want to speak with you."

  "I'm in Chicago," he said, but I could hear a waver in his voice like he was afraid. "On a business trip."

  "Oh, someone thought they saw you earlier today on Madison Avenue," I said, making something up on the fly. "So, I figured you'd come home from Chicago early. I was hoping you could pop down to O'Toole's for a drink and update me on Marshall investments, since that's your bailiwick."

  "No, actually, I'm in Chicago still until Friday, sorry."

  "What hotel are you staying at?"

  "In Chicago?" he asked, and I could tell his mind was working. "I always stay at the Hilton downtown. The business has a contract with them."

  "Yeah, that's what I thought. Okay. Let me know when you get back in town and we can meet and discuss business."

  "Sure," Eric said and he sounded relieved. "Anytime."

  "Goodbye," I said and ended the call.

  Then I waited.

  Sure enough, within fifteen minutes, he and his call-girl or girlfriend left the Lowell Hotel and he waved down a taxi, depositing her in it, not even kissing her goodbye. He glanced left and right before crossing the street to a vehicle parked there. I saw my opening and left the shelter of the doorway in which I was standing and walked up behind him.

  "You fucking bastard," I said. "You cheating sonofabitch."

  He turned around, and his expression was almost comical if I hadn't been so angry. He held up his hands, key fob in one and his suitcase in the other.