Hard To Stay

by S. Jones

  “What the fuck, Morgan. What the hell were you doing in here, trimming your cock hair?”

  Brad lifted his chin in my direction causing Lucas to swing his gaze over to me. “Shit, Lexi. I’m sorry I didn’t see you there.” I watched the grin stretch across his face. I wanted to die right there on the spot.

  He bit down on the inside of his cheek then turned to Brad. “Am I interrupting something?” He asked a little too cheekily.

  Brad lifted a scolding eyebrow. “You want to show her some respect, asshole.”

  “Sorry, Lexi.” Lucas walked over and took the seat next to me. As soon as he sat down he stood back up and looked at Brad. “You didn’t just have sex in the chair, did you?” He quipped, pointing to the chair like it was contaminated.

  If looks could kill, Lucas would’ve been dead. Me, on the other hand wanted to shrink into the fabric of the chair and disappear. Brad walked over and smacked him upside the head.

  “I’m not going to tell you again. Show some class.”

  Lucas rubbed the spot where Brad had just hit him. “My apologies. I meant no disrespect.” He said, fighting back his grin.

  Brad crossed the room then leaned up against his desk standing in-between us. He folded his arms and crossed his feet at the ankles. His protective instincts kicked in when he noticed my discomfort.

  “What can I do for you, Lucas?”

  Lucas shifted his seat and scratched the back of his head. His look turned serious. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but,” his weary eyes met mine. “Colton was released today and all charges against him were dismissed.”

  My eyes slid shut. I wasn’t surprised at all. Brad on the other hand, looked ready to murder someone.

  “What did you just say?”

  Lucas rolled his head from side to side then tented his hands underneath his chin. “He’s got some good friends in pretty high places.” He paused, and looked at me. “I’m sorry, Lexi.”

  I feared this would happen.

  Brad rolled up his sleeves and narrowed his eyes. He stalked over to the window and peered out through the small mini blinds. I could feel his body shake across the room. My need to comfort him outweighed my own urge to panic.

  “Brad, I expected this. This is the way it goes with the Hunt family. Let’s just hope he got the message when I made it perfectly clear that there was zero chance of me ever going back to him. He knows I’m with you now.”

  My words brought me no comfort, but I had hoped they would ease some of his concern.

  “You and I both know that he isn’t going anywhere. And if you know me at all, you should know that I won’t stop until his ass is either behind bars or on a plane back to Georgia for good.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Brad

  “I really wish you didn’t have to go.” Lexi’s sad voice cut right through me as she placed a cup of hot coffee in my hands. Everything about this situation sucked. With Colton on the loose, it felt like I was leaving the lion cage open for the days I would be in Baltimore. The only thing that kept me sane was that Lucas and Sawyer had promised to step in and look out for her while I was away. It was taking everything in me to leave when all I wanted to do was stay.

  My free hand landed in her hair as I threaded the soft strands through my fingers. Instinctively, she moved into me and pressed her body closer to mine. I set the coffee down on the end table so I could fully sweep her up into my arms. Her nails dug into my shoulder as she clung to me like this was the last time she would ever see me again.

  Doubt and regret floated over me when I looked down into her baby blues. I dropped my hand on her jaw, feeling a thick knot of emotion move through the room. My entire focus was going to be shit, but what other option did I have? I had no idea how I was going to pull this off, all I knew was that I needed to make it happen.

  My phone pinged in my pocket, alerting me that I had a new text message. I ignored it and continued to stare down at her, feeling my face pinch tight with worry. My fingers trailed down over her shoulder and pulled on the grey NYP worn t-shirt she wore. She blinked up at me causing something soft to ease its way into my chest.

  I cupped her face in my hands as she blinked her tears away. “I don’t want to leave you.” I admitted, not caring if that made me sound weak.

  I knew it was going to be tough, but I wasn’t prepared for it to feel physically painful. The feeling of being split apart was tearing me up. “You have to promise me that you will be safe. If anything were to happen to you…” I felt my voice crack. Nothing else in the world mattered more to me then what I was holding right there in my arms.

  “You worry too much.” She said, slanting her head to the side with a bright smile taking up her whole face. “Nothing is going to happen, except me missing the crap out of you.” She tried to reassure me while I focused on all the things that could go wrong. I had to trust that my friends would keep her safe.

  When my lips met hers, they were greeted with the salty taste of her tears. I was seriously contemplating whether or not I should call my Captain and say fuck it. Nothing was more important than her safety and I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was going to go wrong.

  “I’ve never hated my job as much as I do right now.”

  She trailed a light kiss over to the corner of my mouth one last time before pulling back and resting her hands on my chest. “We can Skype, text, and email every day.”

  I ran my thumb across the top of her brow, liking the way she leaned her face into my hand. I was fully showered, but she wasn’t. I could still smell the scent of our sex from last night on her skin. I felt my lips kick up in the corners.

  “What are you smirking about?”

  “Just thinking about how at least I’m leaving you fully satisfied.” She laughed and smacked my chest. I closed my eyes and inhaled her scent, loving the way her laugh could calm and soothe me all at once.

  “Maybe that was my plan all along.” She teased. “To make sure you left fulfilled. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about you seeking comfort from someone else while you’re away.”

  I knew she was joking, but I still pulled my lips together in a tight frown. “You’re crazy if you think I would ever stray from you. I know what I have and I don’t ever plan on fucking it up.”

  She rested her hands around the collar of my dress shirt then straightened out the wrinkles. I felt my lungs expand when she stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips to my chin.

  “That’s good to know because I plan on keeping you around a little bit longer.”

  My grip tightened on her hips as I poured my gaze into hers. “You promise?”

  “Scout’s honor.” She said, then pushed me towards the door. “Now stop being so dramatic. You have to get going.”

  I picked up my duffle bag by the door. Lexi walked over, placing the coffee cup back in my hands. My eyes glanced around the room once last time as I rolled through my mental checklist.

  “I love you.” She said, bringing her lips to mine and letting them linger there. I pushed the hair off her face and tried to ignore the worry wreaking havoc on my nerves. Her blue eyes seemed so tired and I knew she was putting on a brave front for my benefit.

  The loud knock on the door had caused her to pull away from me. “Open up, love bugs. I know you’re in there.” Lucas called from the hallway.

  I rolled my eyes and pulled the door open to let him in. Lucas breezed past us and took a seat on the leather couch and lifted his mouth in a smirk. He spread his long arms out along the back of the cushions and pushed the coffee table out with his foot to make room for his long legs.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll protect your lady while you’re away. It’s time for you to get going, Romeo.”

  I fastened my bag over my shoulder, took one last look around and walked out. I watched the city disappear in my rearview mirror as I drove away, hoping I wasn’t making a giant mistake.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Lexi
r />   Abby leaned against the counter while I rearranged our takeout containers on the table. Lucas was officially off duty and had to leave for a hot date. I was happy that I had her and Lily here to keep me company, but I still felt guilty for inconveniencing them both.

  “I’m going to change real quick so I can get comfortable before the movie.” I lifted my eyes to Abby’s brown and white polka-dot dress that reminded of the one Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman.

  “Go right ahead, I’m almost finished.” She picked up her overnight bag and went into the bathroom while Lily uncorked a bottle of wine next to me.

  I hated feeling like I needed to be babysat, but it was nice having them both around. I didn’t have a lot of friends, so I was really looking forward to our little ‘girls night’.

  “So, how many times has my brother called you today?” Lily asked, pouring wine into the glasses.

  “Just a couple.” Her eyes narrowed slightly like she knew I was full of shit. “Okay.” I laughed, “It’s been more than a couple.” More like a half a dozen times, but who was counting.

  She shook her head, balancing the wine glasses on the tray. “Damn, my brother has it bad for you.”

  I scattered the containers and paper plates on the coffee table. “Not any worse than I have it for him.” I admitted, jumping up to get the paper towels so we could start our movie. I grabbed my phone off the counter and snuck a quick glance at the screen. I was disappointed to see that there were no missed calls. It was going to be a long two days.

  “Oh my God, here she goes; she’s going into the red room of pain. God, why can’t Christian Grey be real?” Abby exclaimed, between bites of her sesame chicken. “Do you think guys can really fuck like that? The longest I’ve ever had a guy last was probably five minutes, and that was only because he took his little blue pill right before.”

  “What the hell… how old was this guy?” I asked, setting my chopsticks down on my plate.

  “My age.” She shrugged. “He had severe anxiety issues, I guess. And I felt kind of sorry for him. He was easy on the eyes, but he had a small dick. No more than four inches at best.”

  Lily snorted next me. “Probably explains his anxiety issues.”

  Abby pushed her against the shoulder. “Go ahead, make fun of my shitty sex life. At least my rabbit gets the job done.”

  I laughed and picked up my water taking a huge gulp. We had been sitting here for hours. Lily and Abby had both had their fair share of wine. Me, not so much. My stomach had been off all day. I wasn’t sure if it was something I ate or the stress that had taken over my life. They however, were determined to not let the two bottles of wine go to waste.

  I giggled, watching Abby demonstrate how she would let Christian Grey tie her up. My cell phone buzzed and Brad’s name flashed across the screen. “I’ll be right back.” I said, jumping off the couch to take the call. I walked into my bedroom and shut the door.

  “Hey!” I smiled, lying down on the white plush down comforter and resting my head against his pillow. I loved that it still smelled like him.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” Just hearing his voice made me feel better.

  “How’s Baltimore?” I asked, leaning up on one elbow and looking at the clock on the wall. It was late. He had to be exhausted.

  “Today was a cluster-fuck, but I don’t want to get into it.” I could tell he was frustrated.

  “I wish I was there to make you feel better.” I hated hearing him sound so stressed, especially seeing there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.

  “Me too, sweetheart. So, are the girls there with you?”

  A laugh shot out of my mouth. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “Why do you say it like that?”

  “Nothing, we’re just watching a movie and they’re both hammered. It’s been an eventful evening so far.”

  “Have you been drinking? Because I’m not sure I want you intoxicated if I’m not there to take advantage of you.” I could hear the smile in his voice, causing one of my own to break out.

  My head rested against his pillow. Hearing his voice only made the hole in my heart grow deeper. “Don’t worry.” I shook my head. “I haven’t felt all that great, so I’m nursing a strong glass of ice water.”

  I heard him sigh into the phone. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. Try to get some rest.”

  “Lexi.” Lily called from the other room. “Tell my brother you’ll call him after the movie’s over. The good part’s coming. She’s about to get some backdoor action.” I heard the pair giggling conspiratorially.

  My gaze lifted to see Abby resting against the doorjamb with a smirk that stretched all the way across the room. She held up a wine stopper and mouthed, “butt plug.”

  I rolled my eyes, and shooed her away with my hands, hating that I had to cut this conversation short. “I have go, the girls had to pause the movie and they’re waiting for me.”

  “I’m glad you’re having fun. What movie are you watching by the way?”

  There was a long pause on my end of the phone.

  “Lexi.” He pressed for an answer as I twisted my ponytail around with my fingers and cringed.

  “Umm, Fifty Shades of Grey!”

  Brad snorted through the phone and I pictured his warm chocolate eyes dancing with amusement. “I hope you bought the movie so we can watch it together.”

  His warm, flirty tone slipped right inside my belly. “Not a chance. I’m not watching that with you.”

  “What, you’ll watch porn with your girlfriends, but not your boyfriend? Kind of kinky, I like it.” I should have known he wouldn’t let me off easy. My eyes squinted across the room and I saw the girls laughing on the sofa. As soon as I got near them all I heard were the words, condom, extra-large and Gage. Time to disconnect the call.

  “Come on Lexi Lu…” Lily slurred out, motioning me over to the couch. Her wine was tipping sideways as she struggled to bring it to her lips. Abby was parked in the chair with her head twisted to the side studying the remote as if she had forgotten how to use it.

  “Is that my sister?” Brad asked, pulling me back to our conversation.

  I laughed into the phone while cradling it to my ear. “The one and only.” I confirmed, leaving out the fact that she was half-baked and spilling white wine all over his couch.

  “I’ll let you get back to your fun. I miss you.” Those three little words caused my heart to flutter. Separation sucked!

  “Miss you too.” I said, feeling my heart grow heavy, hoping this stupid movie would take my mind off of things. I thought talking to him would make me feel better when in fact it only made it worse.

  I heard Brad turn the TV on in the background. “If you need me for anything, especially after watching the movie, you call me. I might be able to help you work out that sexual tension.”

  I slapped my hand against my forehead and bit back my smile. “You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

  His throaty laugh worked its way into my bones. “Not a chance. Love you, sweetheart.”

  “Love you more.” I said, feeling myself getting worked up. The thought of him not lying next to me tonight was finally sinking in.

  “Hang up the damn phone so we can get back to our movie; he’s about to whip her ass fifty ways to Sunday.” Abby yelled, loud enough for Brad to hear. He just laughed.

  “I’ll leave you to your movie. Behave and I’ll talk to you later. I’m going to bed. I’m beat.” He sounded exhausted, and I wished I was there to take care of him. Three more days, I reminded myself. I’ve got this.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Lexi

  Walking into the living room my eyes noticed a few things. First, the Chinese food had been left out all night. Second, Abby was draped over the couch, with an arm and a leg dangling off the side (she looked dead). Lastly, there were three empty wine bottles surrounding an empty bottle of Jose Cuervo that I was pretty sure was unopened when I went to bed.

  Afte
r picking up in the living room and nearly gagging at the smell of the leftover Moo Shoo Pork, I walked over to the couch and shook Abby’s shoulder. “Abby, it’s 7:30, you have to get up for work.” The only thing I got was the sound of her snoring. I applied a little more pressure and whispered in her ear. “Abby! Wake up.”

  She raised her head, and her left eye slowly opened before her head crashed back down on the sofa. “Go away and stop shouting.” She grumbled, before throwing the pillow over her face. I debated what I should do. She was obviously very hung over.

  My feet slowly crept over to the guest bedroom and I quietly opened the door. I peeked inside and saw Lily passed out, hugging her pillow with a saucepan lying next to the bed. Slowly, I leaned my head over to see if she had indeed gotten sick. I was relieved when I noticed it was empty. “Gosh,” I said, scratching my head. “Looks like I missed all the fun.”

  I made one last ditch effort to wake Abby up for work. When my attempts failed for a third time, I decided to give up and get myself ready. Being the good friend I was, I called in and let them know that she wasn’t feeling well, which wasn’t a total lie.

  The ringing of my cell phone could be heard from the other room. I moved quickly knowing exactly who it was. I answered just in time. One more ring and I would have missed it. “Good morning.” I said, smiling into the phone.

  “How are you feeling today?”

  Sighing, I sat down on the bed and rubbed my eyes. Even though I’d slept for a solid eight hours, I was still exhausted.

  “The same. I just feel run down, like I’m starting to get sick, but it hasn’t fully kicked in yet.”

  “Maybe you should stay home and rest.” He suggested, as I walked over to the closet. I pulled out a grey wrap dress and bent down to retrieve my black sandals.