by Tia Siren
I stared into Hunter’s eyes, completely lost in my feelings for him. He was so strong and so sweet that I knew, no matter what, I was going to be okay. I laid my head down on the pillow and smiled, thinking about everything that had happened just over the last day and a half. I was feeling extremely overwhelmed, but being there with Hunter made everything okay .
“You know, now that we have decided to be together, officially, we are going to have to tell my father,” I said, the dread clear in my voice. “It’s only going to make things easier in the end if we don’t have secrets from the people we love. At first, I’m sure it will be terrible, but after he gets used to it…well, it will seem like no big deal .”
“I know,” Hunter said, sighing. “We will tell him. It will just have to be when the time is right .”
“Okay,” I said, smiling .
I rolled over on my back and stretched my hands above my head, yawning loudly. I didn’t want to get out of bed, but I knew I should be getting back home, and Hunter needed to get ready for work. I pulled myself upright and swung my feet over the bed. Hunter sat up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. He leaned in and kissed the back of my neck, groaning as I laughed and pulled away. If I didn’t force myself away then, there was a good chance I was never going to pull away. I turned around and smiled as he watched me pull on my clothes. Then I looked in the mirror, fixing my wild hair. Hopefully, I didn’t run into my father, but if I did, I didn’t want to look like I had just crawled out of a ditch .
I kissed Hunter on the top of the head and then grabbed my bag on the way out. His cologne lingered on my skin, and butterflies flew through my chest. I leaned against the wall and took in several deep breaths, feeling happier than I ever had before. We had made a commitment to each other, one that would take a lot of faith in each other and a lot of trust. I knew I was ready to take that on headfirst, and although I should have been nervous, I had never felt as calm as I did in that moment .
I rode the elevator up to my floor and exited before thanking the operator and smiling sweetly. I turned the corner and put my key in the door, trying to be quiet since I wasn’t sure whether my father was still there or not. After I walked into the apartment, I turned the corner to the bedrooms and ran straight into my father. I stumbled backward and laughed. I wasn’t sure where the laughter came from, but with my nerves suddenly on edge, it was an instantaneous reaction. He looked at me for a moment and then began laughing too, looking down at the coffee stain now on his shirt .
“Well, I didn’t really want to wear this shirt anyway,” he said, chuckling .
“Sorry, Daddy,” I said, laughing. “Are you going to the office today ?”
“Yes, and I’m actually running late,” he said. “I was a little worried about where you were. I saw you didn’t come home last night .”
I froze slightly, not sure how to answer his question. Part of me wanted to tell him the truth, but the other part, the one not wanting to face anything of any consequence in that moment, started thinking up a lie as fast as I could. I hated this, lying to my father. I loved him too much, but I knew it wasn’t the right time to come clean about everything. He looked at me suspiciously as I stood there, completely dazed .
“Lexi?”
“Huh?”
“I asked where you were last night since you didn’t come home,” he said, furrowing his brow .
“Oh, sorry. I’m exhausted,” I said, laughing. “I was over at Mandy’s place, and I just crashed there on the couch. It was late and I didn’t want to wake you up .”
I stood there nervously, waiting as he ran my response through his head. I could tell he was suspicious and that my answer didn’t quite make him feel any better. I was holding my breath, and my heart was beating wildly in my chest. Finally, a smile broke through his rough exterior as he took off his tie and shirt to go get a new clean one .
“Let me take those,” I said, gesturing at his dirty clothes. “I’ll drop them off at the cleaners when I go down to the lobby in a little bit to check my schedule .”
“Thank you, sweetie,” he said, his face and voice softening. “I’ll just go get changed and be on my way then .”
I waited until he had walked back into his room to let out the deep breath I’d been holding. I folded the dirty shirt and tie and set them on the table before walking back to my room to change my clothes. I grabbed a brush and ran it through my tangled hair, realizing how disheveled I looked in the mirror. I walked across the room and sat down on my bed, thinking about all the things my father had told me. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I was afraid that I wasn’t going to have a choice. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin his and Hunter’s relationship, something that my father had kept close to him for as long as I had been alive .
On top of all that, I was really worried about Hunter’s image. He was a handsome billionaire bachelor that the media had paid close attention to in the past. His charming demeanor and clean record when it came to drama was something that helped him gain trust in the business world and grow his company even more. When they got wind that he was dating someone less than half his age, there was sure to be some sort of backlash. I didn’t want Hunter walking around with people thinking he was some kind of pervert, but there really wasn’t much I could do to shield him from that. Hopefully his charm and class would prevail and people would understand that he was just a person. Hell, if movie stars could date people half their age, why couldn’t Hunter? It didn’t make sense to me why his dating choices had anything to do with his company. It was just another thing that irritated me about society .
Chapter Thirteen
H unter
F inally, the end of the work week rolled around, something that had seemed so far away just a couple days before. I loved my company, but I needed a break with the amount of work we were putting into these new projects. I was barely getting any sleep at night, and I missed having Lexi in my bed when I woke up in the morning .
I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, where I shaved and showered, but I took my time doing so. It was Friday, and I deserved a little bit of relaxation just like everyone else at the office .
When I was done with that, I picked out a nice Armani suit, a dark teal button-up, and a dark gray tie, nodding in approval at myself in the mirror. I did my hair slowly and methodically, not wanting to look like a mobster with slicked-back hair. When I was done, I made a cup of coffee and put it in a travel mug, not wanting to deal with the lines at the café, especially since Lexi didn’t start working until the afternoon .
I walked quickly through the lobby, nodding at George, the doorman, as I walked through. I climbed in my waiting car and headed off to the office, ignoring the chaos of people out in the city. It was getting close to the peak of tourist season, and I was glad I never had to drive myself through that mess .
When we pulled up, I sighed, staring out at Patrick standing in front of the building. I sat there for a moment, staring at him before he could realize it was me, trying to figure out what the hell he wanted. He looked cleaner and more put together this time, but he also had mischief in his demeanor. I took a deep breath and stepped from the car, keeping my eyes on the ground and away from Patrick. I straightened my suit and tipped the driver before turning and walking toward the doors. As I approached, I attempted to walk right past him, but he stepped in front of me and smiled .
“Good morning, Patrick,” I said, looking down at my watch. “Out here harassing people on the corner like a hobo again ?”
“Cute,” he said, grimacing. “You think you are so smart. Look, I’m here to talk to you about something you are going to think is really important .”
“All right, I’ll bite. Give it to me .”
“Not here,” he said like a crazy person. “Come have breakfast with me .”
I sighed deeply and shook my head. I didn’t have time for whatever stupid game it was that he was playing. I could tell he had something he really wante
d to talk to me about, but going to breakfast with him was just a waste of time. His threats were weak, and I was really exhausted with fighting back against him. There was nothing he had to tell me that I had any interest in listening to. At least, that was what I thought .
I pushed past him and chuckled, watching his face grow angry. I walked toward the doors, contemplating sending security out to handle him, but I figured it was a waste of company dollars. As I reached for the door, I stopped upon hearing the words he yelled out over the crowd .
“You sure about that, Hunter? It’s about Lexi .”
I whirled around and looked at his snide smirk, anger growing in my belly. I walked quickly toward him, grabbed him by the collar, and pushed him backward. Just like the coward he was, he put his hands up in the air and couldn’t look me in the eyes .
“Calm down,” he said .
“Never speak her name,” I growled. “Do you understand me ?”
“Sure, sure,” he said as I let go. “I suggest you come to breakfast with me, though .”
I stood there staring at him angrily before nodding my head, agreeing to hear him out. We made our way down to a small diner off the beaten path and grabbed a booth at the back. I didn’t order anything. I just sat and stared at him as he talked to the waitress. I would give him another couple minutes before picking him up and tossing him out into the street .
“No appetite?” he asked .
I reached across the table and grabbed him by the tie, pulling his face down against the table. He looked up at me in a panic as I stared him angrily in the eyes. He reached up and grabbed my wrist, not breaking eye contact .
“You might want to let go,” he said .
“What do you want?” I let go of his tie and watched as he loosened it, irritation on his face .
“I want you to reinstate me,” he said, sipping his coffee .
“And why the hell would I do that ?”
“Because if you don’t, then I’m going to go to your bestie, Kam, and let him know you are fucking his daughter behind his back,” he replied. “Oh, and the media for good measure .”
“You fucking little worm,” I replied. “Do you know how many people’s lives you will ruin with that information ?”
“I don’t give a fuck,” he whispered. “You ruined my life when you decided it was a good idea to go to the board behind my back and get me kicked out .”
“I don’t get it,” I said, leaning back. “You have all the money you will ever need. Why do you want the job back? You never did anything with it when you had it .”
“Because it is rightfully mine,” he said, gritting his teeth. “And I’m tired of watching you get all the glory for a company that was started by both of us. You need someone to give you shit from time to time, and that someone is most definitely going to be me .”
The waitress walked over and placed the food and ticket down in front of Patrick, smiling at him sweetly. He picked up his fork and started to eat, glancing up at me every now and again. He was enjoying watching me sweat, and I had to admit, he might have just had me over a barrel. He took a deep breath and sipped his coffee, that same smirk leaking out across his mouth .
“You will never get away with this,” I said angrily .
“Does that mean it’s a yes ?”
“Hell no,” I said. “You aren’t going to run my life .”
“All right,” he said, shrugging his shoulders and picking up his phone. He dialed a number and put it on speaker phone .
“This is Elizabeth at the New York Times,” the voice on the other end said .
“Yes, I have an exclusive story about a famous business owner and his very young lover,” he said .
I sighed and reached forward, ending the call. He smiled at me and went back to eating, occasionally glancing up at me again. I stood up from the booth and buttoned my jacket, staring down at him. I pulled some cash from my wallet and threw it on the table to cover the bill .
“I’m not saying yes yet,” I said. “I need to think about it .”
“Fine. No problem,” he said, chuckling. “I will meet you back here at the same time next week for your decision. If you don’t show, I call them back immediately .”
I nodded angrily and walked out the door and down the street. I was livid, and I wanted to go back there and beat the ever-loving shit out of Patrick, but I knew that was not a good idea. The last thing I needed was a story about me beating him up for no apparent reason at the same time the media was latching onto me for dating someone half my age. I hated being threatened and backed into a corner. And I hated having people invested in my personal life. Lexi had become one of the most important people in my life, and there was no way I was going to let some disgusting pig wedge his way between us. At the same time, I had to think about everyone involved in this scenario. They all had something to lose from Patrick coming out to the press .
I walked down the street and then stopped, turned, and walked through an alley. I stood in front of a dumpster and punched it as hard as I could, screaming out in anger. I never felt this unguarded and helpless to make a change. Even if I decided to let Patrick come back, I couldn’t make that decision without the board’s approval. I shook my hand and bent over, grasping my knees and trying to get my heartbeat to slow. I was going to get Patrick, no matter how all this turned out. He’d just made an enemy of me, and he had no idea what that meant for him .
Chapter Fourteen
L exi
T he music was loud, and the lights were strobing throughout the entire club. I had promised Mandy that she and I would have a girls’ night out, and we ended up deciding to come to the Expose Club. I liked it here, especially since my father was well-known and I never had to wait in line to get into the club. Mandy liked it because she could let loose, have some drinks, flirt with hot guys, and release all the tension from her grad school stresses. It was definitely a good use of our time on a Saturday night since everyone had been on edge about everything lately. Even the last time I had talked to Hunter, he’d sounded like something was wrong, which weighed on me. However, as Mandy and I danced around the club, taking in the scenery, I let all of that go and tried to enjoy myself. Mandy didn’t go out like too often, and I wanted to make sure she had a good time .
We started with several drinks, did some dancing, and then took a moment to drink more when we bellied up to the bar for some shots. After some more time out on the floor, we danced through the club and back into the bar, laughing hysterically as we approached a couple seats. I sat down, sweat beading on my forehead, and ordered another drink. Mandy pulled up the chair next to me and ordered a water, causing me to roll my eyes .
“What?” she asked. “If I don’t stay hydrated now, I’m going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow .”
“For some reason, I don’t think one glass of water per every three Jack and Diet Cokes is going to do you any good,” I said, chuckling. “But nice try .”
“Hey, it’s worth a shot,” she said, clinking her water against my drink. “So, how are things with you and Hunter ?”
“Things between us are amazing, but I’m starting to think it would be a good idea to tell my father,” I said .
“Really?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “We’ve pretty much told each other we’re in it for the long haul. We both thought about breaking it off, but neither one of us could bring ourselves to do it. We care too much about each other .”
“Good,” Mandy said, causing me to furrow my brow. “You two are happy. That’s good. I mean, at first I didn’t really take it seriously. I thought it was just some fling between you and an older man, but now I’m seeing that there’s more to it than that. Look, Lexi, I just want you to be happy, and safe, and make decisions that are good for you. If you want to tell your dad, then do it. Even if he reacts poorly, you’ll still have Hunter, and he’ll still have you .”
“Wow,” I said, laughing. “Thank you. It feels right to have you on our side on
this. You are my best friend, and I couldn’t imagine going through this without you. It’s been lonely as it is, having no one to talk to about the things I’m going through. Without our few minutes of talking, I don’t know if I could have kept it up .”
“I’m glad you did,” she said. “You are finally happy and relaxed. So, let’s go dance and get me to that same place !”
She jumped up from the chair and grabbed my arm, pulling me back toward the nightclub on the bottom floor. I followed her, grabbing her waist and dancing to the music as we went. It was a really great night with a lot of dancing, a lot of alcohol, and no stress whatsoever. We both ignored the men trying to hit on us and focused on having a really good girls’ night together. It had been a long time since I was able to let my inhibitions go and just have fun. I was always looking over my shoulder, wondering what I was doing wrong, and questioning whether my father was going to look down on me for being young and reckless, as he liked to call it .
When the night was over, we were both pretty drunk, but Mandy was worse than I was. I hailed a cab, and we climbed into the back, giving the driver Mandy’s address. We leaned into each other, giggling and talking the entire ride .
“I love you,” Mandy said, sighing. “You are like the sister I never had .”
“I love you, too,” I slurred. “Can I tell you a secret ?”
“Always,” she said, slapping my leg .
“I am head over heels in love with Hunter,” I whispered .
“I knew it,” she yelled. “I knew it! Aww, I want to be head over heels for someone. Damnit !”
“Hopefully someone you don’t have to sneak around with,” I said, laughing .
“Yeah. I’ll keep my sights off my father’s friends.” She giggled .
The driver looked through the rearview mirror at us and laughed. I pointed my finger at him and sloppily leaned forward. He smiled as I tapped him on the shoulder .