I looked at Landyn and his expression was that of utter agony. His head was bent and he kept running a hand harshly through his hair.
This was not Landyn’s fault so I told her, “Trish, you know damn well that this isn’t his fault.” My voice was unyielding.
Her eyes swung my way.
“He left you alone to fend for yourself again, Lex. You guys had a fight and he left you again. I bet he didn’t even call you before you ended up in the hospital, and now that something tragic nearly happened to you, he’s all over trying to make it right. Don’t you see? He’ll leave you again when things get rough and I don’t want to see you hurt anymore.”
In more ways than one I knew she was right. But it didn’t feel right.
My head was pounding and I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t know if it was my feelings, the baby or both that were making me queasy, but there was no doubt I was going to throw up. With a glance at Lan, my hand flew to my mouth and I muttered “excuse me” right before running to the closest bathroom.
Once I finished puking up everything in my stomach I sprawled out on the bathroom floor. I didn’t care if it was dirty or not. I felt miserable.
I was going to assume Landyn would take care of Layla while I was out of commission for a bit, and Trish was a big girl; she could take care of herself.
That much was obvious.
I got up on my knees slowly and turned on the water to take a nice hot bath. I needed to relax.
Ugh! I can’t take a hot bath because of the baby.
Whatever, warm bath it is.
I checked the closet and found what looked like very expensive towels. I pulled out what I needed. As I started to undress there was a knock at the door.
“Baby, are you okay in there?” Lan asked. I didn’t want to answer, but I knew if I didn’t he might come in here and I needed to be alone.
“I’m fine. I’m just going to take a quick bath.” Wow, even I could hear the lie in my own voice so I knew he would too. He didn’t respond. I got in the water and put a rolled up towel behind my neck.
Eventually I passed out.
I woke feeling weightless and cold. I was shivering. I opened my eyes and saw that I was in Landyn’s arms.
“Baby, you fell asleep in the water and I panicked when you didn’t answer me.” He stood me up on unsteady legs, grabbed a towel and started drying me off. Luckily my hair wasn’t wet.
“You’re shivering, Lexi. Fuck. I knew should have come in here sooner, but I didn’t want to upset you more.” He sounded really disappointed with himself. He wrapped the towel around my body, picked me up like a bride and carried me back to his room. I wrapped my arms tightly around him and spoke against his neck. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to relax a little bit. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep.”
When we made it to the bed I noticed the covers had been pulled back. He took off the towel and laid me down naked in the middle of the bed. He undressed, climbed in after me and tucked my body into his. He was amazing.
“Where’s Layla?” I asked quietly.
“She’s with Trish. That was the only good thing about you falling asleep in the bath; it gave me a chance to straighten some things out with Trish. Layla’s helping her move in to the apartment.” I turned my head and looked at him questioningly. I was curious to know what they talked about.
His hand cupped the side of my face and he gave me a soft peck on the lips. “I told her we’re getting married. I made it clear to her that I was never leaving you again or fucking this up. If you try to leave me, you wouldn’t get far. She was hesitant to stay in the garage apartment because of everything she said to me, but I told her I didn’t care. I know she was just looking out for you and I can appreciate that. I convinced her to stay.”
“I trust you,” I whispered to him. His amber eyes lit up and the corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile. “I know you do, and I’ll work hard to keep it. I love you, baby,” he responded.
I scooted closer to him. “I’m still cold.” His arms constricted around me and he threw a leg over both of mine. I could also feel his erection prodding against my backside.
“I want you inside me,” I whispered.
I felt him shake his head. “Baby, you’re exhausted. You just fell asleep in the bath. We can play later.” Well that wasn’t going to do. “I don’t want to have sex, I just want to fall asleep with you inside me,” I requested softly.
“Lexi,” he growled my name, warningly.
“Please,” I whispered. I felt his mouth at my shoulder. He pressed a tender kiss to it before working his way to my neck. I felt his hand moved between my legs and he began to caress. “That feels so good Lan,” I breathed.
“Baby, you know once I’m inside you, you won’t be falling asleep.” His fingers continued to work my clit. “I don’t want to fall asleep,” I whispered. Suddenly his hand disappeared. He rolled onto his back taking me with him until my back was flush against his chest. My head was at his shoulder and when I turned to face him he kissed me. He rocked his erection against my sweet spot.
I arched my back to give him access and he entered me. “I love you, Lexi,” he whispered. One hand kneaded my breast softly as the other massaged my clit and it felt amazing. His thighs held my legs spread wide open as he slowly pumped in and out; I met his thrusts.
“I love you too.”
I felt like we had all the time in the world, but I knew I wouldn’t last much longer.
When I moaned his movements became faster.
“I’m going to come soon Lan,” I whimpered.
“I’m right there with you baby.” His voice was rough. I licked my lips. “Fuck, hurry Lexi; I’m not going to be able to stop.”
My inner muscles clenched as I cried out his name and came. “Kiss me,” I vaguely heard him demand right in the middle of my orgasm. I turned my head and he devoured me. “I love you,” he groaned against my lips as I felt him pump once more before he planted himself deep inside me.
After we finished and calmed, he maneuvered us so that our bodies were back in original spooning position except now he was inside me. I was drained. Through my haziness, just before drifting off to sleep, I heard myself say, “I love feeling like I belong to you.”
His arms squeezed me almost painfully. “You do belong to me, Lexi. Just as much as I belong to you.”
Then I passed out.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Baby, wake up.” I heard Landyn and he sounded far away. I stretched and opened my eyes to see Lan sitting on the bed next to me. He was fully dressed and he had a smirk on his face.
“I love watching you wake up,” he said as his hand reached out to trace my bottom lip. I instantly felt self-conscious and moved to run my hand through the rats nest called my hair, but he stopped me. “Don’t. You’re beautiful.”
“Yeah, right,” I mumbled. “Why are you dressed? What time is it?” I asked.
“It’s seven and I got called to come into the office. I have something important to take care of and I’m not sure what time I’ll be back. It would be a perfect time for you to get familiar with your new home.”
He continued to trace my bottom lip.
He was so sweet. “Okay,” I whispered against his thumb.
“Layla’s already asleep in her room and Trish is downstairs watching T.V.” I groaned. “Layla going to sleep early only means she’ll wake up early.” After taking this nap I wasn’t going to fall asleep until late.
“I called your boss and told him you wouldn’t be coming back,” Landyn said, catching me off guard. I jackknifed up in bed. “Oh my God! I completely forgot about work! What do you mean you told my boss I won’t be coming back? I haven’t made that decision.”
“Lexi, that job is too far away from me. If you want to work, work at the bar with me. You can do whatever you want there, bartend, help me with paperwork, sit across from me and look beautiful… I really don’t care. I just want you close.”
�
�Lan, you realize we’ll have to be apart sometimes right?” When I saw the puzzled look on his face I almost laughed. He looked like the idea was offensive. “Lan, there’ll be times when I need to run errands across town, take Layla somewhere or go see my parents. You never know what life will throw our way. What if Trish and I decide to take a girls trip somewhere?”
He lowered his head and got right in my face. It would have scared me if his face didn’t look so soft and relaxed. “Baby. So much shit has happened between us lately that this is not a very good time to talk about being away from me. We’ll jump those hurdles when they’re thrown our way, just not right now.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
He pushed the hair out of my face. “Call me if you need me for anything and keep your phone on you. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Then he was gone.
It was now nine o’clock at night and I was bored out of my freaking mind. After Trish and I made up, we managed to search the whole house in two hours. Looking for what I didn’t know, but it was fun snooping while it lasted. Landyn really didn’t have many possessions other than his furniture and clothes, and we only managed to find one item of interest.
In the top of his closet I found a shoe box filled with things he saved from the time we were together in high school. I still had all my stuff too, but it was currently in Trish’s garage apartment with all my clothes. Apparently Lan asked the movers to come back tomorrow to unpack because he wanted me to get some rest. Trish was going to sleep in one of the guest rooms for tonight.
Seeing what was inside the box immediately made me tear up. The box wasn’t hidden. As soon as you entered the closet, it was on the lowest shelf that sat just above his hanging clothes. I wondered if he looked at it often or if he just recently got it out of hiding since I came back in his life.
Inside there were pictures of us from all of our favorite hang outs. In every picture we looked happy.
There was picture after picture of me smiling or laughing at the camera while Landyn smiled back, not looking at the camera, but gazing at me; eyes always on my face. There were also souvenirs from carnivals we went to, our homecomings, prom and more.
I couldn’t believe he kept it all after all these years.
So I called him.
*****
“Lexi, baby,” he answered in his deep, rough voice. He sounded happy to hear from me. I immediately started crying.
Stupid hormones!
“I love you, and I miss you,” I sobbed into the phone. I suddenly heard things shuffling around in the background and his voice was panicked when he spoke. “Baby, what’s wrong? I’m on my way.”
“No! I’m sorry, nothing’s wrong. It’s just… I kind of… I sort of found your box in the closet,” I whispered hoarsely. I couldn’t even find it in me to be embarrassed that I just gave my snooping away.
He sighed out loud. “Lexi, you scared the shit out of me. You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone through your things-”
He cut me off. “Baby, I know how you are already. Don’t you think I knew you’d sneak through my things? I have nothing to hide Lexi, especially from you. I love you. I kept that box because I’ve always been in love with you. If you notice some of the pictures that are bent, torn or aged, it’s because I took them with me while I was in Afghanistan; they always stayed with me. After some of the things I saw overseas, those pictures were the only thing that kept me sane.”
I hated visualizing him going to war or being in danger. I hated that he had to use these pictures to help him get through difficult times when he could have had the real thing.
“I love you, Lan,” I continued crying softly.
“Lexi, stop crying. I’m trying to finish up and I’ll be home soon,” he said gently.
“Okay, but try to hurry, please. Trish and I have snooped through the entire house already and we’re getting bored. Maybe we’ll search the garage. What about the attic, do you have an attic? Or some kind of secret passageway behind a bookcase? Lord knows the place is big enough to have one.”
He started laughing so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. I guess that meant he wasn’t taking me seriously. “Baby, you have no idea how cute you are. I’ll try to hurry so I can help you get into the attic. Just don’t try to get in there on your own. The last thing I want you to do is get hurt while snooping.” He said all that through his laughter which I thought was a little rude.
“It wasn’t that funny. I was being serious,” I grumbled.
“Trust me baby, I know. I love you and I’ll see you in a little bit,” he said.
“Oh, alright. I love you too. Bye, Lan.” “Bye baby.” We disconnected.
*****
Now Trish and I had nothing to do except watch T.V. which was tiresome. And Trish for some odd reason was acting strange; stranger than normal. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but she wasn’t acting herself.
“Trish, I’m bored.”
“I know, me too. You’d think ‘hot stuff’ would have something to hide that we could find; something juicy, like pictures of other women that look like you.”
“Trish!” I gasped her name before screaming, “That is so fucked up. Why would you say that? And why are you acting so weird?”
She just shrugged her shoulders and waved me away with her hand. “It was just an example. I only meant that we need something scandalous to happen immediately. And I’m not acting weird, I’m just bored.”
“Whatever T, the last thing I need is for something scandalous to happen.”
At that very moment, the doorbell rang. We both jumped off the couch and looked at each other. “Who do you think it is?” I asked T in a whisper not wanting whoever it was to hear me.
“I don’t know, but let’s find out,” she said excitedly, while walking away.
“Hey! Hold on. Let me grab that bat we found, you never know. What if Ryan got out of jail and that’s him at the door.”
“Lex, Ryan wouldn’t know where Landyn lives and he sure as shit wouldn’t ring the doorbell. Hurry up and get the dang bat.”
I ran, got the bat and met Trish at the front door. “Ask who it is,” I whispered to Trish.
“Okay,” she whispered back.
“Who is it?” Trish yelled so loud I jumped.
“It’s Detective Adam Bryant with HPD!” the guy behind the door yelled back in response. Trish didn’t even look my way before opening the door. I stood behind her and I watched as Detective Bryant’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
“Are you planning on beating me with that bat?” he asked with a hint of sarcasm.
I immediately let the bat fall to my side; embarrassed. “Sorry. I didn’t want to take any chances,” I told him.
A sudden look of remorse crossed his face and then, just as suddenly, his head dropped and he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. He shifted on his feet uncomfortably.
I knew right away that something was wrong. I glanced at Trish who was staring at hottie Detective Adam Bryant in wonder, but I disregarded her and spoke, “Come on in Detective. We were actually just starting to die of boredom here, but you look like you’re about to shake things up.”
He gave me a small, regretful smile, but that small smile lit up his entire face. Sweet baby Jesus, he was hot! I looked to Trish again who had yet to move from her spot. “Trish, snap out of it,” I hissed her way.
Finally her eyes hit mine. “I thought you were lying about him when you told me. I didn’t think there could be anyone as hot as Landyn, but he’s gorgeous,” she whispered excitedly back to me. I rolled my eyes at her.
Yeah, Detective Adam Bryant was nearly just as hot as Landyn, but in a slightly different way.
His black hair was in a buzz cut; almost bald, but he wasn’t balding. He had a slightly rounded face with high, chiseled cheek bones and his skin was completely smooth. He had a baby-face. He had bright g
reen eyes and straight, bright white teeth. The best part was that he was also built very similar to Landyn. He was huge; had to be at least six-foot with muscles pulling at his suit. The only bad thing that I could see was that he wore the same damn buttoned-down shirts Ryan did. Ugh!
All of a sudden he cleared his throat. “Ladies.”
Shit! He caught us both undressing him with our eyes. “Sorry, come on inside,” I said in a small humiliated voice.
His smile grew huge. “Is your boyfriend here?”
“No, he had to go to work for a few hours.”
Abruptly his smile was wiped clear off his face and frown replaced it. “Interesting he would leave you alone so soon after what happened.”
I didn’t like what he was insinuating. “Excuse me?” I asked ready to kick his ass out the door.
“I just didn’t realize how much of an idiot Landyn was. If you were mine, I would never let you out of my sight.” While he spoke, his eyes roamed over my face and down my body.
“Holy shit,” I heard Trish say in the background.
That broke me out of my spell. “I don’t think you know what you’re talking about Detective. Look, why don’t we skip all the suggestive comments and move into the living room. Then you can tell me why you’re here.”
I whipped back around and headed that way.
Once we all got comfortable on couches, he dropped the bomb. “I really hate to tell you the bad news, Ms. Martine.”
I shook my head at him. “Just call me Alexis, or Lex.”
He nodded. “Well, Alexis, Ryan’s been bailed out. He was released a few hours ago.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, so what does that mean? And did you ever find out about the other woman that filed a report against him?”
“First, what this means is that Ryan is, as of right now, free. He’ll be free until his scheduled court date and more than likely until his sentencing, as long as he remains out of trouble. I spoke with his parents and they’re trying to get him help. From what I’ve discovered so far, he’s apparently had depression and anxiety issues all his life. He’s been on numerous antidepressants since childhood, which actually makes things worse since a body will build up immunity to them over that amount of time. He also stops taking his medication when he feels he’s got a handle on himself and that’s when he has anger and rage episodes like what happened with you. It’s also very similar to what happened to the other woman.”
Lexi, Baby Page 12