Avoiding Temptation

by K. A. Linde

  Jack wore a navy suit with just the top button clasped and a charcoal gray tie. He stood with one hand tucked into the pocket of his pants and the other hanging loose at his side as his eyes roamed the packed room.

  Lexi and Ramsey made their way over to his family crowded together. She wasn’t sure what his parents thought of her. Sometimes, they acted like they thought she was nice, but more often than not, they acted like she was this weird growth that had appeared at their son’s side. She wasn’t sure what she had to do to get their approval or if anything would ever be enough. Maybe if she started working for Bridges as an attorney—no, she would rather die than give in to that!

  “Ramsey! You’re finally here,” Bekah said with a big fake smile. “We thought maybe you were held up with Parker.”

  Lexi glared at Bekah. Yes, she knew that Bekah was just trying to get a rise out of her, but damn, did Lexi want to throat-punch her for saying anything at all.

  “Is Parker not here?” Ramsey asked.

  “No, she hasn’t shown up yet either.”

  “Yes, where is that Mackenson girl?” Ramsey’s father roared. “She was supposed to be here earlier, like you were.”

  “I have no idea,” Ramsey said, shrugging his shoulders.

  “She always has been a little flighty,” he mused. “At least I know that I can trust her to get a job done.”

  Ramsey stared forward at his father, like he was a pig that had just sprouted wings and was about to fly around the room. His father didn’t give out compliments lightly, and to hear one about Parker and not directed at him must have been torturous. The clear implication in his father’s words was that he couldn’t always trust Ramsey. Even though he had done everything his father had wanted, Ramsey still had to deal with this type of behavior. Lexi wished they could just walk out.

  “I’m sure she’ll be around,” Lexi said, leaning into Ramsey for support. “I’m going to go find the restroom. Come with me?”

  “I have to stay here,” he said softly through gritted teeth. “Come back to me quickly.”

  “Okay,” she said, wishing he had taken the out.

  Lexi pulled Ramsey down to her by the front of his suit and kissed him on the mouth. He smiled against her lips as she showed him just how much he meant to her in that one motion. She pulled back marginally, and he was grinning like an idiot, looking down at her.

  “I’ll be back soon.”

  Lexi waited for him to nod before releasing him, and then she veered away from him to seek out the restroom. She glanced around at all the employees. She recognized so many, but there were far more she had never even seen before.

  She found the restroom easily, but she took her time once she got in there. She didn’t really have to use the restroom, but she didn’t want it to seem like she had just disappeared for no reason. She washed her hands slowly and touched up her makeup before forcing herself to walk back out into the party.

  Almost immediately, Lexi saw Cierra out of the corner of her eye and walked over to her, waving as she approached.

  Cierra was in a short black sequined dress with high heels to match, and her boy toy was in a black suit with a skinny black tie. He was cute with a baby face, and he didn’t seem to see anything else in the room but Cierra. The girl was crazy if she didn’t think he looked at her like Ramsey did with Lexi.

  “Hey, girl! You look fabulous!” Lexi said.

  “Lexi! Thank you. You look great, too!” Cierra cried. “This is my man, Deon.”

  “So nice to meet you,” Lexi said, taking his extended hand.

  “Pleasure is all mine.”

  He looked like he could be a basketball player. He was tall and skinny but still muscular. Lexi felt miniature next to his towering height.

  “Are y’all having a good time so far?” Lexi asked.

  “There’s an open bar,” Cierra observed. “I’m not sure the party can get much better than that.”

  Lexi laughed. “Yeah, that’s a nice feature.”

  “There you are,” Lexi heard someone say behind her right before she felt an arm wrap around her waist.

  “Oh!” she said, trying to twist out of the embrace she hadn’t been expecting.

  She turned in place and stared up into a pair of hazel eyes. She stopped squirming. Damn, that man was attractive.

  “John,” she whispered.

  “Lexi,” he said with a smug smirk. “It’s good to see you.”

  Coming to her senses real quick, Lexi pulled out of his arms and stood up straight. She could feel Cierra’s and Deon’s eyes on her, but she couldn’t meet them.

  “You, too. Have you met Cierra?” she asked, pulling them into the conversation. “She works at the medical wing.”

  “Ah, I don’t believe I have,” he said, shaking her hand and then Deon’s.

  “John works for Global. He was one of the people in charge of getting the hospital up and running in time,” Lexi explained.

  “Wow, nice gig,” Cierra said, glancing at Lexi again.

  “Well,” Lexi said awkwardly, “I’m glad y’all could make it. Come find me later.”

  “All right, Lexi.” Cierra gave her a disapproving look.

  For someone Lexi had known for only a few short weeks, she sure had Chyna’s stares down.

  They left Cierra alone with her man, and Lexi and John wandered slowly toward Jessica, who looked stunning in a square-cut coral dress that hugged her frame to her knees before fanning out to the floor.

  “You look…God, what’s the right word?” John said, eyeing her up and down appreciatively. “Stunning…radiant…”

  She shook her head. “No need to continue. I get it. Thank you.”

  John was in a light gray suit with a dark royal blue tie. Whatever cologne he was wearing tonight was musky and intoxicating. It made her head spin a little.

  “I haven’t seen much of you lately,” he said.

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “Ah, with that Elisa girl?”

  Lexi ground her teeth together. She knew that John would know about that. Everyone knew about it…but she really didn’t like to talk about it.

  “I haven’t even thought about it,” she spat out.

  “It’s just us. You don’t have to lie.”

  “Look, I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said stiffly. “I should actually go find Ramsey now.”

  “He’s just up there with Parker,” John said, gesturing to the front of the room.

  Lexi’s head snapped up. God, she hadn’t been gone that long, had she? It shouldn’t have been a surprise to see her here…or them together, but it still was. Not to mention, Parker looked striking in the very casual, effortless way she always exuded.

  She had on a forest-green dress with small swirls of black in it that accented her figure and slimmed her already trim form. The thin straps cut into a shapely V in the front before the dress dropped to pool at her feet. Standing next to Ramsey, it was clear she wasn’t wearing high heels because she still barely came up to his shoulder. Her brown hair was down, past her shoulders, and in a natural just-got-out-of-the-shower wavy style. Her freckles were evident against her pale skin, even from where Lexi was standing. The only true adornment that Parker wore was the bright cherry-red lipstick on her lips. Lexi had never really seen her in makeup before, and the lipstick made her look startlingly pretty.

  “Is Ramsey’s tie green?” John asked into Lexi’s ear.

  “Yes,” she said softly.

  She hadn’t thought about it. His tie was green. They matched—again. Ugh!

  “They’re so cute together, huh?”

  “Not working,” she said, stabbing a finger into his chest. “And you can cut it out. Now.”

  John laughed. “I was kidding around. Someone is defensive.”

  “I’m not defensive. I’m just…you’re talking about things you don’t understand. So, it’s better if you keep your nose out of it.”

  “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean t
o upset you,” he said, reaching for her arm to stop her from walking away. “I was seriously just messing around.”

  “Fine.”

  “Are you excited for Chyna?” he asked, hitting on a topic he knew she would gush about.

  “Of course I am! I can’t believe this is all happening for her.”

  “Adam told me that you are the maid of honor.”

  “That’s right,” Lexi said. As if there were another choice.

  “Sounds like I get to walk you down the aisle then.”

  “Oh,” she said, letting the words sink in. “You’re the best man.”

  That should have been obvious, too, but for some reason, it hadn’t been.

  “That’s right.”

  “Just throw a better bachelor party for Adam than the last one I went to,” she said.

  She saw the comment had thrown him off guard, and it made her smile.

  “You’ve…been to a bachelor party?”

  “And I thought you knew everything about me,” she said with a wink before turning and walking away. Let him mull over that one.

  By the time she made it back to Ramsey’s side, his father had launched into a congratulatory speech, thanking everyone for being in attendance and for their dedication to the company.

  It always came back to that.

  Ramsey slung an arm around Lexi’s shoulders and smiled down at her lovingly. She caught Parker staring up at him, but when she noticed Lexi looking, she turned away abruptly. If Lexi weren’t so suspicious, it would almost make her feel bad for Parker…almost.

  The speech concluded, and everyone applauded. Music filtered in through the speakers, and that was the signal for everyone to begin dancing. Ramsey handed her a drink, and she took a relaxing sip of it. This was how things were supposed to be—easy and relaxing.

  Parker waved at her, but she didn’t come over and say hi. Instead, she turned and walked toward Bekah. Lexi didn’t blame her, and she was glad that Parker had gotten the hint.

  “Dance with me?” Ramsey whispered.

  Lexi nodded, setting her drink down on a table and falling into his arms. The music had a hip-hop beat, but they didn’t care as they swayed back and forth in each other’s arms. Lexi rested her head on Ramsey’s chest and closed her eyes, savoring the sweet smell of peppermint.

  They stayed like that for three more dances before Ramsey was pulled away to discuss business with some associates who would be leaving soon. She remained at his side through the entire boring interaction though, and when he was finally able to walk away from them, he was carried into another conversation. They were swept around the room in a different kind of dance as they sought to accommodate all the guests who wanted his attention. The room started emptying out as the people who had to be into work the next day saw the hours ticking away. Ramsey said good-bye to one couple and then moved to say something to the person behind him, but he stopped dead in his tracks.

  Lexi had been staring elsewhere, but she felt the shift in his mood immediately.

  “What are you doing here, Elisa?” he growled.

  Elisa. Fuck!

  Lexi had never met her in person, and Elisa was every bit of what she had expected. She was average height, a couple of inches taller than Lexi, with bleached out blonde hair and a rail-thin frame. Lexi could see some of her ribs in her chest. Her lips were pinched together, and she looked like she might attack. How she had ever gotten inside wearing a skin-tight pink dress that barely touched the top of her thighs was beyond Lexi.

  “How dare you not return any of my text messages or calls! How dare you threaten to sue me, Ramsey! How dare you say that all the things I said were a lie!” she said, rearing back and slapping him clear across the face.

  The crack across his cheek silenced the people standing in their vicinity. The DJ blasting music through the speakers drowned the rest of the room out.

  Lexi’s mouth dropped open at the sight, and Ramsey looked ready to backhand the girl right back.

  Ramsey grabbed Lexi’s wrist and pulled her behind him slightly, blocking her view.

  “Elisa, you need to get out of here now,” he said, his voice deathly serious.

  “I’m not fucking leaving until you tell me what the fuck you’re going to do about all of this shit! My lawyer dropped me because of your fucking bullshit. He said he couldn’t prove that what I’d said was true, but fuck, I know that I had your dick up inside me without so much as a condom between us, baby. I had your cum inside me, and you fucking fired me as soon as you were done with me!” she shouted.

  Lexi gasped—as did almost everyone else nearby. She tried to wiggle out of Ramsey’s death grip, but he wasn’t having any of it.

  “Let’s get your facts straight,” Ramsey said through barely contained hatred. “You were a stripper. You took off your clothes for money. I never, ever would have touched you or any other girl in my establishments. You can ask Lola. You can ask any other stripper who worked for me. I wouldn’t go anywhere near you, especially without a condom.”

  “You fucking say that now when you’re working for your daddy,” Elisa said with a snort. “In front of all these people who didn’t know who the fuck you were back then.”

  “Oh my fucking God,” Lexi cried.

  She yanked on her wrist, but Ramsey wouldn’t let go.

  “Who is that? Your new pussy?” Elisa spat.

  “Get out of here, or I’ll call the police.”

  “Hiding your little kitty-cat from me? Afraid she’ll see the truth when we’re talking?” Elisa purred.

  Lexi wiggled free in that moment and walked around Ramsey to glare at the bitch who had made her miserable for the past two months.

  “Just leave,” Lexi said fiercely. “Just get out of here. You’re only embarrassing yourself. You’re fighting a losing battle, and the only thing you’re going to get out of this is a restraining order if not something more severe.”

  “What? You think you’re a fucking attorney or something, kitty-cat?”

  “Yes, actually, I am. And you’re nothing more than a stripper who got knocked-up by someone other than my boyfriend. You’re nothing more than an embarrassment. You can’t keep crying wolf and expecting people to take you seriously. My advice is to get far, far away from me, Ramsey, this facility, and the entire Bridges Enterprise, or we will take legal action,” Lexi said. “There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If you keep harassing us, then I’ll take you to court myself. And I don’t lose.”

  “I bet you don’t,” Elisa said, rolling her eyes.

  Lexi could see a shift in her demeanor, a sense of unease.

  Elisa took a step back as if she were going to walk away peacefully, but then she grabbed a drink sitting on a nearby table and threw the liquid at Lexi. Luckily, it missed her face, but it landed all over her brand-new dress.

  Lexi’s mouth dropped open in shock. Had Elisa really just thrown a drink at her? The liquid sank into the material, and Lexi felt sticky all over at once. Lexi knew almost immediately that the dress was ruined. Another expensive beautiful dress was ruined at a party…and this time, it wasn’t even for something fun.

  People rushed forward as one. Parker was at her side, and then Cierra was there, too. A few other people ran over with napkins and towels to try to clean off the dress, but Lexi knew it was useless. When she glanced up, Ramsey was walking with two muscular bouncers. They had picked up Elisa, who was kicking and screaming, and they were now carrying her out of the building.

  “I’m fine, I’m fine,” Lexi said, shaking people off of her.

  But she wasn’t fine. Her hands were trembling with anger. She was trying desperately to hold it together in front of all these people.

  Lexi walked over to a table and held her hand up to keep people at bay. Everyone stayed back, except for Bekah. For some unknown reason, she thought Lexi might actually want to talk to her. She had thought Bekah was the last person she wanted to see, but she was pretty sure that, for now, that spot was reserved
was Elisa. Jack hovered just off Bekah’s side—not really involved but not really out of it. He didn’t seem to know where his place was.

  “I can’t believe you treated her like that!” Bekah said.

  “What?” Lexi cried.

  She was covered in some type of liquor, and Bekah was chiding her for how she had acted?

  “Ramsey had it under control. If you hadn’t said anything, she would have just left. Why do you always have to have the last word?”

  Lexi’s mouth dropped open. “Are you joking?”

  “Just because you can’t handle something that happened in Ramsey’s past doesn’t mean you can ruin the entire party with your antics,” Bekah threw the words at her.

  They landed all over Lexi’s body like a punch to the gut.

  “Why don’t you just shut the fuck up?” Lexi snapped.

  She couldn’t hold back her anger—not now, not after what had happened with Elisa. Lexi visibly straightened and glared at Bekah. Lexi’s dress was soaking wet from the crazy lunatic who was trying to tear apart Ramsey, and Bekah had the gall to yell at Lexi.

  Lexi just couldn’t take it.

  “You didn’t even care that your fiancé had cheated on you before he proposed. You don’t get to be involved in this at all,” Lexi said, her voice barely above a whisper but so threatening that it might as well have been deadly. “So, why don’t you just go scamper off and worry about your marriage or something equally useless?”

  Bekah’s eyes were on fire, and she was visibly seething. “You don’t get to talk to me like that, you little bitch. You weren’t good enough for Jack, and you’re certainly not good enough for my brother—”

  “Bekah,” Jack snapped, moving in between them, “just leave her alone.”

  “What?” Bekah nearly screeched. Her nose was scrunched up as she stared at Jack in shock.

  “I said, leave her alone. You don’t need to attack her like this right now. It’s bad enough that someone wrongly accused Ramsey, and she’s dealing with the aftereffect. You don’t need to lay into her, too.”