She offered him a weak smile and then turned to stare out the window. Mark sighed. He knew this visit with Cindy would dredge up Lexi’s old demons. But he didn’t anticipate this. He just hoped she believed him when he said he’d be there for her. I love her. I’ll love her forever no matter what happens.
»»•««
Chloe wove one sheet of paper between another as she sorted the contracts into alphabetical order. Once she was done all she would have to do would be to set them in the feed tray of the copier, hit the start button, and wait for the duplicates to print. If I hurry, I can get these in the mail today. It’ll shock the promoter that he has them early for once.
She cringed as her stomach flipped. She couldn’t seem to shake the nauseated feeling she’d had for the past two weeks. Maybe it was time to call her doctor at the Mayo Clinic. She didn’t want to adjust her meds. She was stubborn like that. But she couldn’t handle this feeling much longer either.
She grabbed the stack of paper and stood to cross the office to the copy machine. She was greeted by Avery’s big smile.
“Hey, what’s up?” Chloe questioned, being careful to face her deaf friend before turning to drop the papers in the feed tray.
“Not much. I have a question for you.”
Chloe turned back to her as the machine hummed to life. “Shoot.”
“Want to go to lunch?”
“Sure. I won’t be much of a lunch companion. I have no appetite. And I threw up again this morning.”
“Oh, no. I was hoping you’d be past this.”
“Me too. And Max. So, where did you want to go?”
“That’s the thing. I think we should go find Lexi and take her too.”
“Lexi?”
“Yeah. I think we should get to know her better. Mark is head over heels for her.”
Chloe picked up each stack of papers and crossed back to her desk. She carefully folded the original documents, stuffed them in an envelope then licked it closed. She rummaged for a stamp. “So Mark’s little lecture got to you, huh?”
Avery’s head lowered as she scuffed at the cement floor with the toe of her sock. “No. Rico did. He spent all night pounding on the punching bag in our spare room. He does that when he remembers what his uncle did to him. Chloe, if my husband trusts her in this, then so do I. And I think we should welcome her into our little family.”
Chloe remained quiet until Avery lifted her head again. Then she nodded. “I think you’re right. Any idea where she might be?”
“I remember Mark saying something about her staying at his place while he sleeps so she’s safe from her ex. So let’s start there.”
“And if she’s not and we wake Mark up?”
Avery cocked a grin eerily similar to her husband’s. “Hey. We’re trying to become friends with Lexi. The teddy bear will have to forgive us.”
Chloe laughed as she picked up her purse and the now stamped envelope. “Of course you think of everything. Let me drop this off in the mailbox outside and we can go.”
“We’ll take the Jeep. Rico’s with Max anyway.”
Chloe followed Avery down the staircase to the matted area below. They slipped their shoes on and stepped outside. She hurried to the mailbox as Avery strode to the Jeep. Before Chloe could jog back to the vehicle, Avery was already at the curb.
As usual, the drive was quiet. Chloe watched as Avery studied the road. Ever since she started driving again, the deaf girl was hypersensitive about everything while she was behind the wheel. It didn’t stop her from humming to herself though.
The two women wandered up the walk to the townhouse. The sound of barking only lasted a moment or two. Avery glanced at Chloe. “Someone’s up.”
Chloe nodded and knocked softly on the door. Moments later it was pried open.
Lexi peered out of the crack. She opened it a little farther and leaned against the door frame. “I’m sorry. Mark’s asleep,” she told them.
“That’s ok,” Chloe answered. “We’re here for you. We want to take you to lunch.”
“Me? Why me?”
“We want to get to know the woman Mark has fallen in love with.”
“By a few of the things Mark has said it doesn’t seem like you do.”
“We know,” Avery chimed in. “We were worried about Mark, that’s all. We apologize for how we acted. We really would love to get to know you better.”
Lexi stared silently at them for a second. Then she smiled. “Sure. Lunch sounds like fun. Let me get my purse.”
They watched through the screen door as she stepped away and picked up her purse. She pressed a kiss to Mark’s forehead as he slept stretched out of the sofa. He cracked an eye open. She softly spoke to him. He gave her a sleepy smile and cuddled closer to his pillow. She kissed him once more and then petted Kinnick on the head. The dog licked her affectionately before lying on the floor next to his master.
Chloe and Avery stepped back as Lexi opened the screen door, closing the inside door as she did so. “So, where are we going?”
“What sounds good to you?” Avery asked.
“I don’t know. Anything. I’m starving.”
Avery pressed her keys into Chloe’s palm. “You drive so we can talk about it as we go. I won’t be able to reroute if I can’t read lips.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Chloe agreed. “Lexi, will you be more comfortable in the front seat?”
“I can sit in the back,” Lexi assured. “I’m flexible.”
“Great.”
Chloe held the door open as Lexi stuck a foot on the floorboard to climb into the back seat of the Jeep. Lexi’s amused laugh disappeared as she froze half in – half out of the vehicle.
Chloe frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Lexi didn’t answer. She just stared down the street and whimpered. Chloe followed where she looked to find a man leaning against the hood of a car wearing a T-shirt and pair of blue jeans. His blond hair was ruffled. His face was hard, cold, and his eyes were locked on them.
“Is that?” Chloe asked softly.
“Derek. It’s Derek,” Lexi whispered.
“Who is that?” Avery questioned.
Chloe turned to her and signed.
Avery frowned. “What’s he doing? Stalking her?”
“Lexi, get in. Let’s go,” Chloe instructed.
Lexi pushed off her foot still on the ground and sat in the backseat. Avery hopped into the front seat and took her hand in hers. Chloe pushed the seat back into place, fired up the Jeep, and flew down the street.
“Mark,” Lexi cried. “I don’t know if I locked the door.”
“I watched you lock it,” Avery coaxed.
“Me too. Plus he has Kinnick. He’s fine,” Chloe added.
“Mark’s just fine. Derek isn’t there,” Avery said.
“How do you know?” Lexi questioned.
Chloe noticed Avery’s gaze was locked on the traffic behind them. “Because he’s two cars behind us. He’s following us,” Avery reported, a tinge of anger and fear in her voice.
Chloe looked up at the rear view mirror and cursed under her breath. Lexi spun in her seat and whimpered, and Avery squeezed her hand tight.
“Where are Max and Rico?” Avery questioned.
“New Ulm helping Max’s dad out at the hardware store.”
“I can call Mark,” Lexi volunteered quietly.
“No, let him sleep. We’ll figure this out,” Chloe answered. “But that leaves Dan. Who left this morning for Chicago for a conference.”
“Not exactly.” Avery whipped her phone from her pocket and started texting.
“Who are you texting?” Chloe asked. She let out a small huff when she realized her friend was still concentrating on her cell as she spoke. She waited for Avery to hit send and then asked again.
“My brother,” Avery replied. “Today is his day off. If he’s not busy…” She was suddenly distracted by the vibration of her phone. A smile bloomed across her face. “He’s home. Head over t
here.”
The rest of the ride was quiet, the tension thick between them. Chloe wove in and out of traffic the best she could, trying to lose Derek. Her heart thundered in her chest the entire time. She wasn’t comfortable driving Rico’s Jeep like this. The vehicle was his baby. But she couldn’t let Derek catch up with them.
She pulled up in front of her brother Lindsay’s house, the tires squealing to a halt as they hit the curb. As they all threw off their seat belts and jumped out of the Jeep, she caught sight of Lindsay standing on the porch. The Army Ranger was dressed in a pair of jeans and a white wife beater with a rifle cradled in his hands. Chloe turned to find Derek. He had followed them around the corner but then stopped. By the petrified look on his face, she knew he must have seen Lindsay too.
Lindsay descended the staircase and crossed the yard until he stood among the women. He looked at his sister so she could see his lips. “Where is he?”
Avery pointed down the street. Lindsay stiffened and clutched the gun closer. The movement elicited a reaction from Derek. His car roared as he raced down the street. As he passed them, he shouted a slew of derogatory names, targeting Lexi specifically. The poor girl shuddered.
“He’s a keeper,” Lindsay snarled as he lowered the gun. He chuckled. “Girls, you can relax. It’s not loaded.”
Chloe blew out a sigh of relief. She noticed the other two do the same. Lindsay motioned toward the house. “Let me get ready and I’ll take you lovely ladies to lunch.”
“I’m sure we’re fine now,” Chloe began to object.
“Nonsense. I heard all about this guy. I’m not letting you three go anywhere without me.”
“From who?” Avery protested. “I didn’t tell you much.”
“No, but your husband did.” Lindsay offered a gentle smile. “Rico called this morning before he left. I had a question but I think he was looking more for someone to listen. He told me about this bastard. And he told me about his uncle. If someone bothers my new little brother that much, it’s worth some concern. So why don’t you three make yourself comfortable inside. I’ll only be a second.”
Lexi reached out and squeezed his hand. Tears brimmed her eyes. “Thank you so much for stepping in and protecting us from him.”
Lindsay nodded toward her. “Anytime, hon. A friend of Avery’s is a friend of mine.”
“Unless you want to date me,” Avery joked.
They all started laughing as they made their way up the walk toward the house. Lindsay motioned to the couches and chairs in the living room before disappearing upstairs. The women found a spot to sit and waited quietly for him. Chloe was too shaken to speak. By the way the other two fidgeted in their seats she guessed they were too. No one had ever chased after her like that to do her harm. There was something seriously wrong with the guy.
It wasn’t long before Lindsay reappeared in a T-shirt and pair of jeans. He grabbed his wallet and keys and held open the front door. “What sounds good to you ladies?”
Chloe, Avery, and Lexi just shrugged. Lindsay continued. “There’s a new Thai place just down the road. A bunch of my buddies say it’s incredible. Feeling adventurous?”
“Sure. Sounds great,” Avery answered. “Want to take the Jeep?”
Chloe pressed the keys into Lindsay’s hand. “I’ll hop in the back with Lexi.”
“Then after you ladies. We’ll eat. Then hopefully when we’re done, your husbands will be home so I can have a chat with them about this guy. And Mark too, even though I’m sure he knows all about him.”
Chloe stepped out onto the porch with Avery and Lexi on her heels and strode to the Jeep. Lindsay locked the door after them and followed. He hopped into the driver’s seat and fired it on, causing Chloe to gasp as the vehicle lurched forward and sped down the street.
Chapter Seven
Lexi studied the gym around her suspiciously. Several guys were fighting each other already. Avery and her brother had already disappeared down the hallway toward the locker rooms. She frowned. He finds this fun? Why?
She turned to Chloe as the brunette toed off her shoes. “Do you do this too?”
Chloe grinned at her. “Yes, I do. So does Avery.”
“And you like it?”
“Of course. It’s relaxing.”
“How so?”
“Ever been so stressed out you just want to hit something?”
Lexi cringed. She was always under pressure with Derek now in her life. The only time she felt peace was with Mark. And who knew how long that would last?
Chloe cocked her head at Avery. “Maybe you should give it a try.”
Lexi shook her head. “I don’t like violence.”
“Are you insinuating I do?”
Lexi looked at her as panic filled her. “No. I mean…”
Chloe chuckled. “I find peace when I practice. I work myself to a point of exhaustion. All my troubles go away. It’s true that I train to hit and choke people. But that’s not all I take away from it. And with what I witnessed today, maybe it would be good to learn some self defense. That way if your ex tries something you can take care of yourself.”
Lexi watched as Avery and Lindsay stepped onto the mat and faced each other. Avery fired off a couple punches and then landed a body kick into Lindsay’s ribs.
Lexi’s eyes grew wide. “You train with men?”
“Yes,” Chloe answered.
“I can’t do that.”
“They won’t hurt you. They may look dangerous but the guys here are the sweetest, most gentle guys I know.”
“No. I mean I just can’t.” Lexi felt herself tremble. She had thought Derek was the sweetest guy she ever met. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
Chloe laid a comforting hand on her arm. “How about just Avery and me? We could train on our own. We can even do it after hours if you want. I have an in with the owner. I’m kind of sleeping with him.”
Lexi couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Speaking of the owner, it looks like Max and Rico are back.” Chloe nodded toward the glass double doors. “And Mark is with them.”
Lexi turned. A smile blossomed. Just the sight of Mark made her safe. He must have seen her because she could see his brow crease. He jogged ahead of the other two men and yanked the doors open.
“Sweetheart, what are you doing here?” he questioned as he let the doors go. There were a couple grunts behind him. The rest of the gym stopped and stared at the word “sweetheart”.
“Thanks for holding the door there, Mark,” Rico quipped.
“Stop whining, Choate.” Mark took Lexi’s hands in his. “Is everything all right?”
Before Lexi could say a word, Lindsay and Avery strode to them. Lindsay tugged his gloves off as he approached. “Mark, Rico, Max, we have to talk.”
“About what?” Mark looked at Lexi. “What’s going on?”
Lexi’s voice was soft. “Chloe and Avery came over to take me to lunch. Remember?”
“Vaguely. Things were hazy from sleep. I remember ‘lunch’ and ‘bye’.”
“Well, Derek was outside. He was stalking us.”
Lexi could feel Mark’s hands tense up beneath hers. “That son of a bitch.”
“He followed Avery, Chloe and me as we drove away.”
“Avery called me,” Lindsay interjected. “I instructed them to come to my house. I waited for them outside. He took off after he saw my gun but not without firing off some names at Lexi that no man should ever say to a woman.”
Mark sighed then pulled a hand free to shake Lindsay’s. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“Happy to help, Mark. But be careful. This guy is dangerous.”
“I know. Believe me.”
Lindsay nodded at both of them before he and Avery returned to the mat. Lexi looked up to find Chloe telling their story to Max and Rico. Max’s face was like stone. She didn’t even want to know what he was thinking about Derek chasing after Chloe too. Rico glanced at Lexi, his eyes
softening. She remembered what Lindsay had said about his uncle. She had to admit, it was nice to have a kindred spirit, someone who knew what it was like to be terrified of someone they once cared about. She turned her attention back to Mark.
“I meant to bring you here. What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s nice.”
“It’s probably not your cup of tea.”
“I’m getting used to it. Chloe offered to teach me some things.”
“That's awesome. Chloe’s great. I’m sure she’ll be in the octagon soon.”
“You will be in the octagon soon, too.”
Mark grinned at her. “In a couple weeks. My second professional fight. I’m competing for a number one contender’s spot.”
“I remember the picture on your phone.”
“Oh yeah. That’s right.” Mark blushed. “Want the grand tour?”
“Of course.”
She held Mark’s hand tight as he wove her through the building. He stopped to show her everything and he introduced her to everyone. There was no possible way she would remember all those names but Chloe was right. Everyone she met was polite and friendly.
As they returned to the front desk, Mark pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I need to get ready for practice. You can stay and watch and I can take you home.”
“My parents will be home with Logan soon. They get him from preschool.”
“Let me drive you home then. I can be a little late. I just need to toss my stuff in my locker.”
“All right.”
He jogged down the hall with his bag in his hand and returned a few moments later. He threaded his fingers between hers to hold her hand tight.
“Mark, we start in a little bit,” Max reminded him. The couple glanced up to the walkway outside the office where he stood.
“I know. I’ll just be a few more minutes. I’ll be back.”
Before Max could say anything else they slipped out the door.
»»•««
The supermarket was unusually busy for a Wednesday afternoon. Lexi slipped the handles of the plastic sack onto her wrist and nudged the cart into its row. She glanced at the endcaps of potato chips, cans of pop and other picnic items. The weather was certainly warming up. A picnic with her two favorite guys sounded nice.
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