by Evelyn Vox
“Do you hear me, Lexie?!”
I didn’t. I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t hear his yelling, didn’t hear the dogs barking. And I certainly didn’t hear it when the front door beeped. Neither did Brian.
“These fucking dogs,” he hissed, kicking Donnie.
She flew back with a whine that broke through my haze. Coco growled and bit Brian’s ankle. He cursed, moved to kick her, and I snapped. I slapped him across the face with every ounce of strength I could muster.
“Don’t you touch my babies! I shrieked, raising my hand again.
“Your ‘babies’?” Brian roared, advancing on me, and pushing me back with rough shoves. “You care more about these fucking dogs than you do about having my babies.”
My heart pounded with adrenaline and my body seized with fear. I didn’t know what to do. This kind of emotion, this kind of fight, it was beyond me. It wasn’t like Derek’s smoldering intensity, nothing like his sexual spark of domination.
No. This was real and scary, and I fleetingly wondered if Brian was about to hit me. Was I about to become one of those battered wives? His eyes were livid, his rage a living, palpable thing. He’d fully flown off the handle. The dogs were back up, growling and snapping at his ankles. His eyes landed on them and protective instincts made me kick him. It was one thing to rough me up. But my dogs?
That I would never forgive.
My foot made contact with his shin and Brian stumbled. But his hand flew out as he lurched back around and pushed me so hard I fell.
I hit the floor with a dull thud, wincing. Donnie and Coco immediately crowded me, growling and snarling as Brian steadied himself and advanced. It all happened so fast. One second I was down, scared for myself and my dogs. The next, another kind of enraged growl filled the room. Huge hands appeared around Brian’s shoulders and threw him across the room.
Derek stood in front of me. He stood between me and Brian, just like the dogs. All three of them bared their teeth at my husband. My lover’s hulking form was rigid with a rage unlike any I’d ever seen. He looked back at me, and the look in his eyes was truly terrifying.
Derek moved on Brian. New fear churned in my gut as I wondered if he was about to kill my husband. He opened his mouth and spoke in a voice that rung with the promise of violence.
“Get the fuck away from her.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
DEREK
Traffic actually wasn’t too terrible. I guessed that was the perk of leaving early—I just missed the Friday rush-hour. It was starting to pick up as I drove around their block and looked for parking. By the time I parked and strode into their building, it wasn’t even seven-thirty yet. I called and texted Alexandra to tell her I was early, but she didn’t answer. I wasn’t about to wait around until eight, so I walked in the elevator and rode up to the penthouse. I hoped I wasn’t about to barge in on another precious date, but I figured I’d knock first, and see myself out if it was a problem.
I mean, I tried to tell her after all. It wasn’t my fault she didn’t answer me.
The second the elevator opened, I heard shouting and barking. Panicked, angry barking. I stiffened. What the fuck was going on in there? I didn’t bother knocking. I punched in the code, waked in, and saw Alexandra on the ground, the dogs protecting her as Brian reached for her.
My Goddess.
On the floor.
Terrified.
Crying.
Hurt.
Attacked.
Instincts, primal and male, surged in my blood as the beast took control. The world turned red. My focus landed on the threat. Brian. His attention was so much on her that he didn’t see me coming. I savored the feel of his flesh giving way to my steel-like grip on his shoulders. Not holding back, I heaved, and threw him far away from my Venus.
The man clattered to the ground, sliding on the wood floor until he hit the wall. It shuddered, a small dent in the dry-wall crumbling in around him. Those runty dogs had gained some esteem in my eyes as they stood by me and growled at the man on the floor.
“Get the fuck away from her.”
Brian gaped at me, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. I glanced back at Alexandra. She was shaking, crying, but didn’t seem hurt. My focus snapped back to him when he finally spoke.
“What the hell is he doing here? You said he wasn’t going be here this early,” he spat, trying to look behind me at Alexandra.
I blocked his view of her.
“How dare you,” I growled, my voice shaking with fury.
Alexandra sobbed, her breaths nothing more than wretched, heaving gasps. Brian stood up. He dusted the dry wall off his pants and looked behind him at the damage. He was more worried about the fucking drywall than he was about his wife. I didn’t hide the hatred I felt as he turned to me. Back straight and chest puffed out, he leveled a hard look my way. It was the manliest I’d ever seen him.
“I think you should go,” he said, walking towards me, towards her.
I couldn’t stop myself. The fury swelled and bubbled inside until it felt like it was going to burst from my skin. I closed the distance between us with a shove. He staggered back, his face a mask of indignation.
“Like hell I will,” I said, getting right in that stupid, fucking face of his. “Like hell I’m leaving her here with you.”
The man was shocked and angrier than I knew he was capable of getting. To my surprise, he didn’t back down.
‘This is none of your business.”
My hands curled into fists and my arms twitched with the urge to pummel him. My words came out strained as I fought the desire to throttle him. Like hell it wasn’t my business.
“You hurt her,” I ground out, still staring him down.
He scoffed. “I wasn’t hurting her.”
“You’re fucking delusional.”
“This is rich coming from the man who violates and beats her on a regular basis.”
The dismissive tone in his voice set me off. I grabbed his collar and pulled him towards me. My face was a snarling mess in his as I stared him down. I let the monster shine out. “Get. Out.”
His eyes flinched away at the animal he saw living in mine. Good.
“This is my apartment.”
Since when did this man have a spine? I raised my fist, so ready to have it meet his face at last, but a soft grip on my bicep stopped me.
“Derek,” Alexandra said, voice hollow, but firm, “stop.”
She stepped between us, a hand on each of our chests, and pushed us apart. Sorrowful, beautiful eyes looked at me, at Brian.
“He’s right. You need to go,” she said to him.
“This is my apartment,” he repeated, blinking wildly. “You can’t make me leave.”
“I can if I call the cops and threaten domestic abuse.”
Her voice shook and her lower lip trembled, but her gaze never left his. It brimmed with anger and strength. I was so proud of her in that moment.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Look!” She gestured around us. Towards the dogs still doing everything they could to put distance between her and Brian. To the wine drying on his shirt. At the dent in the wall and the picture frames that now hung crooked, one dangling by a single wire. “Get out and come back when you can talk to me like a human being.”
Brian looked around, shook his head, and stalked away. He grabbed a jacket and left the apartment without a word, slamming the door. The picture frame clattered to the ground, glass shattering.
My hands moved to her. I touched her face, her shoulders, every where I could, examining her arms and fingers for any sign of injury. When they found nothing but flushed skin and a thundering pulse, I pulled her into me and held her tight. I was never letting her go.
“If he hurts you…,” I said as she sobbed into my chest, “if he ever fucking touches you like that again, I will kill him.”
She shook in my arms. I stepped back, glass crunching under my feet, and lifted her up. It didn’t se
em right to put her in their bed, so I walked to the sunken-in living room. I sat down on the sofa, keeping her in my lap. The dogs jumped up, surging towards her. She sniffled, smiling weakly as they licked the salt off her face.
“Good girls,” she told them, giving them affection and comfort in return.
“Remind me to get them one of those giant bones next time I’m at PetSmart,” I said, patting them on the back.
Brian was lucky Alexandra had a penchant for French Bulldogs. Aries would have ripped his throat out if he’d pulled that shit around him.
“What happened?” I asked, when she’d calmed down.
“I shouldn’t talk about it. Not with you.” She looked away from me.
But I grabbed her chin and turned her face towards mine. I kissed her softly on the lips.
“You need to tell me or else I might kill him anyway,” I whispered. “I’ve never been more terrified in my life than when I saw you on the ground like that.”
I shuddered at the memory.
“Alexandra, I need to know what happened.”
She sighed, but nodded, and told me everything. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. What kind of backwards sicko was Brian?
“Let me talk to him,” I said, “I’ll tell him you’re the real deal.”
She looked away. “I don’t know if that would help.”
“It can’t hurt to try.”
My Venus snuggled in close, head resting in the groove of my arm. I traced my fingers along her skin. I frowned when they reached her shoulders. Hand-shaped bruises were beginning to form around them. I cursed myself for not punching his fucking face in. I was dangerously close to losing my shit, so I forced myself to focus on her. Alexandra didn’t need me hunting Brian down and making him pay for what he did. No, she needed me to take care of her.
“What do you want to do?” I asked, kissing the top of her head. “What do you need right now?”
She returned the gesture and kissed my chest through my shirt.
“I need wine, chocolate, and a movie.”
“Done.” I got up, hating to part from her even for a minute. “You pick the movie, I’ll get the rest.”
I eyed the way she shifted. She was clearly uncomfortable in that stupid dress.
“And I’ll bring your pajamas.”
Alexandra giggled, and hope bloomed in my chest. All that mattered was her smile. It made me think she’d be okay after all this. I grinned at her and stowed away to the kitchen. I didn’t care what she said, I had a few choice words to say to Brian. Her unhappiness was a physical pain in my chest. How could he stand to deny her what she wanted the most in this world?
How the hell could he think it was a bad idea to send her to school?
I shook my head as I grabbed glasses and an unopened bottle of red. The man was a fucking moron. I searched the cabinets until I found her stash of chocolate peanut butter cups. I swooped into the living room and dropped off the goods as Alexandra flipped through movies on her AppleTV.
I tried not to groan when I saw the ones she was considering. In her bedroom, I opened drawers until I found a pair of comfortable-looking, soft pajama pants and a tank top. I eyed Brian’s expensive suits hanging in their closet and wondered if it would be worth it to take scissors to them later. I was almost out the door before I eyed the plush comforter on the bed and snatched it up as well.
Titanic was queued up, ready to play, and I laughed. I should have known.
“It’s my favorite,” she said, giving me wide, pleading eyes. “Please?”
“I can’t say no to you, Princess,” I said, handing her the clothes.
She smiled, got up and stripped down to change. There was nothing sexual about it, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I didn’t hide the fact that I appreciated her body. She caught me eyeing her and blushed.
“I don’t think I’m in the mood for any of that tonight,” she said, her voice small.
“Come here,” I demanded, patting my lap.
Alexandra bounded over, curled up next to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I planted a kiss on those bee-stung lips.
“We don’t have to have sex.”
“I feel like it’s wrong, to be doing this with you,” she admitted. “Cuddling and a movie.”
“I’m not leaving you alone.” No way. There was no way. “So tonight we get to snuggle under a blanket and watch your horrible movies.”
She giggled and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
“And tomorrow,” I said, nipping her earlobe, “I get to fuck you until you can’t see straight…if you want.”
“Mmm,” she purred, her hands sneaking under my shirt to rest against my skin. “I think I’ll definitely want it.”
I pressed play and sat back as the penny whistles began.
LEXIE
The tears welled in my eyes.
“I’ll never let go, Jack,” Rose said, kissing his frozen hands as he sunk into the depths of the Atlantic.
Every time, this movie got me every-damn-time. Just when I was struck by how beautifully sad it all was, Derek snored, loudly. I laughed and cozied up next to him even more. I think he passed out right when the ship hit the iceberg. Shame he’d missed all the action after suffering through the romance.
For me.
I still wasn’t sure how to process the events of the evening. I probably wouldn’t know for a long time. But I did know that I was glad Derek showed up when he did. I was glad he was here to keep me company.
He was an immeasurable comfort. I didn’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t gotten here early. I refused to believe Brian would have actually hurt me, but I met a side of him I’d never known tonight.
That part of my husband was a stranger to me. Who knew what he was capable of? I’d known him for six years, and I’d never seen even a hint of the person he became tonight. It was a shock. I guessed I didn’t know my husband as well as I thought I did. I didn’t know where he went tonight or what he was doing, either. I had a guess, though. I’d bet my teeth he was at Club Midnight.
And Derek…who knew he could stomach three hours of romance and disaster? It was hard not to empathize with Rose a bit. I was a woman, chained to the expectations of those around me, told to behave a certain way and punished when I didn’t. It was hard to watch the scene where Cal overturns the table at breakfast. I empathized way too much with her then, when she was shaking and crying on the ground.
But then there was Derek. He was my Jack Dawson, telling me to fly free. I hiccuped around a sob as I watched Rose and Jack’s reunion on those grand-stairs. I only hoped I wouldn’t have to let go of Derek.
I snorted. Oh get a grip, Lexie. As if you’d ever not share that damn door with him.
Encompassed by his warmth, I closed my eyes. Donnie and Coco sat next to us and added to the coziness. Despite all that happened tonight, a small smile graced my lips as I fell asleep.
“Well, isn’t this a Kodak moment.”
My mouth was dry. My eyes felt exhausted and puffy when I woke, still worn out from all the crying. Derek and I had passed out on the sofa. The Titanic menu was still on the TV. Brian stood in front of us, arms crossed, and Donnie growled at him. Derek shifted beneath me.
Brian scowled. “We need to talk.”
“Yes,” Derek said, voice gravelly from sleep, “I’d love to hear why you thought attacking your wife for wanting to go to school was a good idea.”
Brian’s eyes went cold as they turned to me.
“You told him.”
“I—what was I supposed to tell him? After he found us like that?” God, it was way too early for this crap. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Look. I’m going to make some coffee, and then we can sit down like adults and talk about last night.”
I left the two men bristling at one another. I prayed I wouldn’t return to a murder scene as I dragged my feet into the kitchen. I started the coffee, fed the dogs and was sure to give them a little extra food in thanks for las
t night. When I returned with a steamy mug of coffee in my hands, I didn’t find a blood bath. Just Brian and Derek glaring at one another in tense silence.
And I knew. It hit me so hard I almost dropped my cup. This was it. The moment it all ended.
Oh, no.
“I’m done with this arrangement,” Brian said after I sat down, hammering the nail in the coffin.
Derek went rigid. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I don’t want to share my wife with you anymore, Derek.”
“Why?” I asked, trying to keep my composure.
“You’ve crossed every line with him.” Brian turned to me, and I had a hard time meeting his accusing gaze. “He’s the one who put this crazy idea of going back to school in your head.”
Was that why he’d reacted so horribly last night?
“Have you seen her work?” Derek asked, and I could tell he was trying to keep his voice level. “She’s amazing.”
Brian frowned as he looked at me. “You’ve shown him your work?”
“Not much,” I admitted. “Only a few things.”
That was a lie. I showed Derek almost all my work, but Brian didn’t need to know that.
“Brian.” Derek’s voice was patient. Slow, like he was trying to get Brian to see reason. “I’m a contractor. I know what I’m talking about when I say she’s got the raw talent to make it in this business.”
“Bullshit,” Brian snapped. “You’re just trying to butter her up. Make her turn on me.”
I gaped at him. He couldn’t be serious. Derek had a similar look on his face, though he looked like he was on the edge of his control.
“Show him,” he ordered through clenched teeth. “Pull up the design software I got you, show him your projects.”
Oh shit. Brian’s outrage was palpable as the words sank in. I never told him about Derek’s other birthday present.
“What software?” Brian asked, his voice too quiet.
I glanced at Derek. It was his turn to have an ‘oh shit’ look on his face.