“Lexi, you’ve never done this before, have you?” I shook my head at him, embarrassed by my admittance to him.
“No, I have done other things, but not this...and I’ve never—”
He growled, sliding up, kissing my shoulder gently before tugging on the skin with his teeth. “You have no idea how happy that makes me hearing you say that.” I blushed at his words and he laughed quietly at me before sliding back down and continuing with his mouth on me. I felt it, I was almost there and I bucked forward, pushing him off me. I kissed him, devouring his lips with my own. I pulled at the band of his boxers and slid them down him. He groaned at what I assumed was my forwardness. I grasped his erection, sliding my hand along it and he moaned into my mouth as he deepened our kiss. He guided us down to the bed so he was hanging on top of me, but not touching me anywhere but my lips and I stopped what I was doing.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Lexi?” I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck, forcing him down onto me. I jolted at the contact of his erection against my panties. He used this chance to slide them off of me and started to undo my bra. He discarded my underwear to the floor and brought his mouth to my breast. A loud moan left my mouth at the contact. I felt him at my opening, but he didn’t push, so I grabbed his backside and pulled him toward me, showing him what I wanted. He got the hint and slowly inched inside me. I stilled at the pain at first, but once he slowly picked up a rhythm, I was getting lost in the pleasure. His hands were everywhere, touching me and his mouth was absorbing every moan like it was my last. Before long I was nearing my climax and I tried to slow him down.
“Let go, baby.” With his words I was pushed over the edge and he wasn’t far behind me, groaning with the pure pleasure of what we’d just done. My eyes were heavy and sleep began to take me.
As I began to drift into sleep, I heard Nolan tell me the words I never thought I’d hear before tonight. “I love you, Alexis.”
Chapter Seventeen
When I woke the next morning to an empty bed I felt a sting in my heart. He left me alone after what we’d shared, knowing it was my first time. How could he do that to me? I began to spin in my own emotional turmoil and insecurities. He was probably just in the apartment somewhere. I sat up to get out of the bed and I saw a note next to me with the name “Alexis” written across it. I rushed to open it and smiled to see it was from Nolan.
Alexis, I wanted nothing more than to be here with you this morning and every morning here after, but this couldn’t wait. I will be back in as soon as I can. Please, for the love of God do not walk out of this room without some clothing on as I called Tory to come stay with you while I was gone. I doubt you want him to see you in that state. He’d have a lot of questions as to why you were walking around naked looking for me. I know I never want anyone but me to see you like that every again. Remember I love you.
Nolan.
I got dressed and headed to the kitchen in search of something to eat and was startled to see not only Tory sitting in here but Clark and a few of the other men. “Did everyone get out okay, last night?” Clark nodded, but it was Tory who gave the update.
“As soon as they realized you were gone, they left us, and went in pursuit of you. Only some bruises and scrapes on our men.” I didn’t ask if the men were harmed because I didn’t want to know. I had enough on my plate as it was. “I think we should go back to the Oasis. I have some things I need to handle,” I said plainly.
“Nolan wanted you to stay here. Since only there aren’t many of us know about this place, I think he might be right.” I nodded grudgingly, not wanting to anger anyone right now.
I heard my phone chirp and I ran over to it, hoping it was a message from Nolan. It wasn’t, and my blood ran cold as I saw the picture and caption, all color draining from my face. It was a picture of Lissa and she was tied up.
If you want her to be seen again alive, you will meet us at by the old tracks at dusk. Ignore this and I will kill her.
As much as I hated Lissa for what she did, I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to her. I started shaking uncontrollably. Looking at Tory and Clark, I turned the screen in their direction. “Change of plans. Call the team, we have a meeting with Maxwell.”
* * *
After I caught everyone up to speed, it was chaos with men running in every direction. I picked up my phone and called Nolan. “Nolan, he has Lissa and I have to get her back. Try not to worry. I have Tory and the team. I don’t want to worry about you, so stay away until I contact you again. Go back to your dad’s place and stay there. Please, just listen to me. I can’t get through this if I’m worrying about you. I’ll call you soon. Stay safe.”
I hung up the phone and I wanted to hit something badly. How could such an amazing night turn into such a horrid day? “Lexi, I think you should stay behind. This may be a trap to get to you.” Clark had become my big brother throughout this mess I’d gotten myself into.
“If I don’t go, he will kill her, Clark, and what if he planned that you wouldn’t bring me? He knows you’d want to protect me, so he might be expecting that. Unfortunately, all we can do is continue to play this game of his.”
Time sped by and before I knew it we were getting into the SUVs to head to the meeting with Maxwell. Something didn’t feel right as I had left Nolan a message and he hadn’t so much as messaged me back. What if I did the wrong thing and he was working with Maxwell? After last night I had no doubt he loved me, but would he betray me if the price was right? No, I didn’t think it would be money to motivate him. He was nearly as wealthy as I was. Whatever he had to take care of was more important than all this chaos. As much as I wanted him here with me, he was safer at a distance.
One, because I didn’t want him to get hurt, and two, I didn’t know which side he was truly on.
We pulled into the location and Maxwell was already there with his gruesome looking men. My team emptied from the SUVs and I got out with Clark tied to my side. Jax and Cohen looked nervous and it flashed to rage when they tossed Lissa out of the car. She fell to the ground and looked so unlike her usual self. I heard her crying and I wanted to run to her, but Clark had his hands on my shoulders, with Tory looking back, giving me a look I knew better than to mess with.
“Maxwell, I can’t believe you’d bring her into this. She has nothing to do with this. You broke the contract. If you’d been honest about it, I would never have taken the contract. You misled me and I made sure my weapons would be in safe hands. If you had wanted them for what we agreed on, I wouldn’t have had to use the disable codes, Maxwell.”
“If you weren’t so intelligent and just a pretty face like I’d hoped you were, she wouldn’t have had to be here. You were nothing but trouble from the start. You want her alive, you’re going to enable those weapons, or I will kill her.” I looked to him as he pointed a gun at Lissa’s head and she flinched as her wailing became much louder. I heard the click of the safety coming off and my whole body went cold.
“Don’t. I’ll do it, but only for the ones in your possession. I won’t give you the others, take it or leave it, but either way you’re not leaving here without a fight.” He laughed and it was one that only gave me a gut retching horror feeling.
“I will agree to your terms...for now, child, but I will be back, you can count on it.” I moved to go get Lissa, but Clark held me in place and he nodded to Blake to go retrieve her. Before he did, one of those men from Maxwell’s team pushed her into the ground and she grunted at the pain.
“I will not do it if you harm her again.” I narrowed my eyes at Maxwell and he laughed before turning and getting into his car with his men in tow.
I rushed over to Blake, who now had a battered and filthy Lissa in his arms. “Lissa, I’m so sorry you were brought into this, I promise he will pay for this.” I had no intention of giving him those codes, but I would enable those weapons so they could be turned on but not used without my initiation coding. As we got in the SUVs, it was just Jax, Cohen,
Blake, Tory, Clark, Lissa and I. The others were following behind us to the Oasis. I knew this wasn’t over, but I had to say and do what I did to get Lissa back. As much as I hated what she did to me, she didn’t deserve this. Pulling out the tablet, I started the coding and send it off so the weapons were turned on, but still unable to be activated. The whole car was in silence until I told everyone what I’d just done. “I’m not giving him what he wanted, they’ve been turn on but not armed, and they are still useless.”
Jax spun around in his seat to look at me with horror all over his face. “What does that mean?” I shook my head at him, telling him he didn’t want to know, but his eyes told me there was no way I was not answering that question.
“They pretty much glow and look pretty, but won’t go boom.” I laughed at my childish answer, but no one was laughing with me. “I couldn’t do it, but I had to get Lissa back. I’m sorry, guys, but this isn’t over.”
There wasn’t a noise until I looked back to see Lissa crying hysterically and she told us that they were going after Nolan. “They know if they get him, you’ll give them whatever they want. They want to ensure you give them what they want. He’s their insurance that you will.”
My heart dropped at her words. No, not Nolan. I frantically tried to call Nolan, but he was not answering. “Nolan, call me as soon as you get this.” I looked around at everyone in complete hysterics, hoping someone would have an answer for me. By their silence I knew that the only person who was going to be making decisions here was me.
“Tory, I want you all to go to him. I can’t have anything happen to him. If they get him, I will have to give them what they want to get him back. I won’t let him get hurt in my game with Maxwell.” Tory had been continuously shaking his head, but I knew he felt the same panic. We both loved Nolan and we both knew that Maxwell would get what he wanted. That just wasn’t an option anymore. It was time he pay for his sins. When Tory still hadn’t said anything, I snapped.
“Tory, tell the team to head to his dad’s now and then you leave.” I’d never spoken to Tory like this and I saw he was torn between protecting Nolan or me. “Nolan needs you, Tory, I can’t let him get hurt like Lucas and this is my fight no one should be paying that price but me.” Jax and Cohen just stared at me like I was speaking in tongue. “Go, Tory. Jax, Cohen, Blake and I will stay with Lissa.” My head was spinning in this fear of what was going on, but one thing in clear. I needed Nolan safe. “No, Clark, you need to go with Tory.” I looked at Tory as he pulled over at the Oasis and I got out of the SUV with him following me. “Tory, I need Clark to go with you, I need you safe too, please.” I was quickly wiping away the tears that were cascading down my cheeks in hopes he wouldn’t see them, but by the pain on his face he had.
“Alexis, I need Clark to keep you safe, sweetheart.” Tory had never called me anything but my name; never sweetheart and I knew what I was about to tell him had never been truer. I stepped toward him and hugged him.
“Tory, I lost my dad, and you’ve become a dad to me. Please don’t let me lose you too. Just take Clark, be safe and keep being a dad to me. I won’t survive this without you in my life. I can’t lose anyone else I love.” I tried to step back, but Tory hugged me tightly.
“I feel the same way, your parents and brother would be so proud of the woman you are. I love you, Alexis. Stay with Jax and Cohen, they will protect you.” With that being said, Tory reluctantly agreed, and hopped in the SUV with Clark beside him. The two people I became to love as my family pulled out, speeding off to save Nolan. Hopefully.
Jax and Cohen guided me inside with Blake and Lissa following behind. I punched in the code and armed the alarm after we were all in, just to be safe. We got into my office and I went to pick up the phone to see if anyone from the office had heard from Nolan or to check his location via his cell phone, when I heard a click that caused me to freeze. I felt Jax and Cohen tense beside me and I knew something was very much wrong. Looking up, I saw what had caused so much distress and I almost jumped back. Blake and Lissa were both pointing guns at us and the look on their faces told me I was not misreading this.
“You work for Maxwell.” It was a statement, not a question. I already knew the answer.
“Oh, Lexi, you’re not very bright, are you? It’s not just us that work for Maxwell.” With those words from Lissa my blood ran cold. I felt my body go rigid as I looked at Jax and Cohen.
There was no way I was getting out of this alive. Shit.
Chapter Eighteen
I started to back away from Jax and Cohen, trying to put as much distance between myself and those two as possible. “Lexi, you can’t believe them, I would never be a part of something that would hurt you, and Blake what in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jax’s words were firm.
I never even thought about the fact that Blake had betrayed me, but I wanted to believe that Jax was on my side. “You know I love her, why would you do something to hurt me by hurting her? I’m your brother.” He looked murderous and I knew he wasn’t a part of this, but Cohen’s eyes were burning holes in the floor.
“Oh no, Cohen, what have you done?” Blake interrupted me before he even had a chance to look at me and respond to what I'd just said.
“Jackson, with the money we will get for handing her over, you won’t even remember and if you do, we will buy you whatever you need to forget. Three hundred million dollars can buy a lot of happiness, even for you.” I blanched at his words and the fact that I was going to be with Maxwell soon enough.
“Doesn’t matter, you won’t get your money, Blake. I will die before I give up my codes. I knew that it would come to that when I started this. They will never have what they want from me and you’re a fool for believing in this scam.” I heard Lissa snicker and I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Cute, you’re right, you will die, but that’s why we had Cohen here come in and work with you.” I turned away from Jax and looked at Cohen, hoping he would deny it, but when his eyes looked up and met mine, I knew she was telling the truth. I looked away quickly, hoping he didn’t see the hurt in my eyes, but this realization of a betrayal I truly did not see coming hurt.
“Lexi, it isn’t what you think, you need to let me explain.” I shook my head furiously with all the hurt beaming from my eyes to him.
“I trusted you, you continuously told me not to trust Nolan, that he’d never change. All the while you were working against me. You knew what they did to my brother.” Just then the doors swung open and Maxwell came in with his men following behind.
“Ah, I see, that cat is out of the bag, Cohen. My dear, I hope you’ve come to understand I will get what I came for.” I turned away from Cohen and looked at Jax, waiting to see if he had any direction as to what I should do. When I saw his face and how lost he was, I knew he didn’t have a clue what to do either.
When his eyes met mine he saw in them what I was about to do and I could see the pleading in his eyes for me not to. He mouthed, “Please, don’t be stupid.” I gave him a look, trying to show him how much I loved him for being there for me. I saw in his eyes that he knew what was about to happen. That this was goodbye. I knew he loved me, but he was going to hate me for what I was about to say. I couldn’t stop. All I saw was red. My anger was getting the best of me and I didn’t care what I lost. They’d already taken everything away from me, anyway.
“You better have come here ready to kill me. You will never get the coding. I wasn’t the stupid child you thought I’d be and go blabbing to your goon where to get the coding. It’s in my head and it will stay there. You killed my brother. He was the only person I had left. Kill me, Maxwell, because other than walking out of here, that is your only other option.” He looked taken back and tried to recompose himself, but I saw through it. He failed miserably, the anger was shining through.
“Cohen, tell me you have something? Tell me this little bitch isn't right?” He shook his head.
“I wish I did. At least you wouldn’t have a need
to kill her, but she’s right, she trusted no one enough to tell them and I’ve tried cracking it. She is much like her brother and father. But it’s even better than their coding had been. I suspect they are the only ones who could have taken down her code.”
The anger was fanning off of Maxwell in every direction and I saw him growing tired of this already. “Listen, young lady, you will do as I say or I will have you killed.” With a flick of his hand, the boys were taken by his men and tossed into a utility closet in the room. I felt hands on me and I was being pulled backward. I landed in a chair and his men began to tie my feet to the legs and my hands behind my back against my butt. I looked around, searching for help, but none could be found.
I heard Cohen and Jax yelling for me and the fear in their voices was deafening. “Lexi.” My emotions were in overdrive and I wanted to cry out to Jax but I couldn’t, it would give Maxwell too much pleasure. So I turned my attention straightforward and stared at him, showing him that I had no fear. I knew this was coming when I started this game with him. I knew I’d die.
“Alexis Storm, your feeble attempt to stop me is only that. I will get what I want, so let’s cut to the chase and get down to business. Give me the codes and agree to continue to supply me with what I ask and I will let you go free. Now give me what I am asking for.” I thought carefully as to what my next words were going to be. I heard my brother in my head and how he’d answer a question like this.
“Fuck that shit!”
I felt his hand come down hard across my face, but I did not flinch, I looked right into his eyes. “You will never get what you want from me. Never.”
“Please, Lexi, just give him what he wants and he will let you live. It’s not worth your life.” I had forgotten that Blake was here and it appeared Maxwell had too. He turned and gave a signal to one of his men. My eyes went wide with shock as the resounding “bang” went off. I closed my eyes as I heard a crash as his body hit the floor. I did not cry or scream, but I heard Cohen and Jax go ballistic behind the door. They were most likely assuming it was me that had been shot, but I didn’t have the voice to reassure them it hadn’t, not that I could. Jax was going to be hurt either way, Blake was his brother and Cohen had become friends with Blake as well. Even with his betrayal, I couldn’t hate Blake. He barely knew me and the money was all he saw. It may have been greed that consumed him, but he didn’t deserve this.
Determined & Derailed (Storm Corp Book 1) Page 11