“Lex, let’s be honest here, I left for university and I didn’t come back. What you need to know is that I had my reasons, although I can see that in your mind you probably felt like I had abandoned you. I have things I need to tell you, I just don’t think that tonight is the right time. Let’s wait for Anna to come home and then we need to clear a few things up.” He leaned forward and gave me a kiss. He was being vague and I didn’t like it at all.
“Poor Anna.” At the mention of her name my chest constricted and I was filled with grief again. Tears flowed from my eyes and Dylan pulled me into his shoulder holding me tight and caressing my arm. How will I get through this night? How will I get through these next forty-eight hours? If anything happens to her, I will just die.
“Try to sleep sweet Lexi,” Dylan said with a soft voice. I forced my eyes shut despite the burning pain in my chest. Maybe if I slept time would edge by faster.
I closed my eyes and fell asleep in Dylan’s arms. His familiar scent made me feel like I was safe, even though there was a small voice in the back of my head that told me I should never get too comfortable.
Chapter 22
Back to Reality
Lexi
“Hmm, Lex, you should wake up,” Dylan mumbled with his raspy morning voice. I was nice and warm enjoying the body heat emanating from him, I didn’t want to move. Unfortunately, after my peaceful night sleep I was slapped in the face by reality and my heart felt like it was being crushed again thinking of how Anna must have passed her night in fear, or worse.
Dylan wrapped his arms around me tighter, my back was to his front and he pulled me in close, Whoa! I’d better move back, I thought to myself as I felt his morning hardness press in to me. “Sorry,” he said cocking his head to the side.
I turned around to face him. His lip was cocked up on one side and he had the sexiest devilish grin I’d ever seen. “You’re not sorry,” I giggled.
“You’re right. Guilty as charged. Can you blame me though, waking up to your backside pressing in to me is like a dream come true.” His eyebrow lifted and dropped and his cocky grin continued. Oh, how I wanted to put my hands on that face and bring his lips towards mine. “I know Lex, don’t worry, I can be a complete gentleman even when it comes to you. Let’s get Anna back safely and….” he trailed off placing a kiss on my forehead. Then he got out of bed leaving me craving more of him. I couldn’t help but watch his perfect behind in his boxer shorts as he made his way into the bathroom.
“I don’t think I can bring myself to go to school, not without Anna,” I called out.
A moment later, he bellowed, “I think you should. You need to get back into your usual schedule and you don’t want to miss any more than you already have. This is your last stretch until exams.”
Och! He’s right but I can’t imagine how I will focus. A few minutes later he walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. I turned into a female dog in heat, I was panting and salivating with an open mouth. We had had crazy passionate sex in the car months ago, but I never got him naked. Damn, damn, damn. My skin suddenly felt heated and prickly as my eyes dropped lower and lower toward….oh my! That delicious trail leading….
“Hmmhmm,” Dylan cleared his throat with a cocky grin. Was I really just gawking at him? He looks pleased with himself. I quickly straightened out my shoulders and brought my gaze back to eye level.
“Dyl, they were threatening me in that letter too, do you really think it’s safe for me to go outside?”
He walked past me into his walk-in closet and grabbed a white t-shirt off the shelf. “I was up thinking last night after you fell asleep, I really think that until you have to testify you will be safe. They can’t try to abduct you too. If you don’t show for the hearing tomorrow morning that will send alarm bells everywhere.” He turned away from me and dropped his towel to the floor giving me a very nice view of a behind that looked like it came off of a Greek statue. As wet as this man made my panties, I couldn’t pull my mind away long enough to stop thinking of poor Anna, wondering where she was and what she was feeling in this moment. He quickly slipped on a pair of black boxer briefs ending my show.
“That makes sense,” I nodded but my emotions were unpredictable. Without notice I began to sob again and I felt embarrassed about not having enough control to keep my shit together.
Dylan was by my side in an instant. “She’ll be okay Lex, my gut tells me she’ll be okay.” He rubbed my back trying to soothe me. The problem was that the only thing that could calm me down now was seeing Anna in one piece.
“I don’t think I can go to school because I can’t stop crying, Anna….Anna…she’s the only family I have besides Ashley.” When I said the words Dylan squinted his eyes. I hadn’t meant to hurt him, but I’d only had those two to rely on for a while now. “Sorry, that’s not what I meant.” I looked up to him guiltily, he was being so supportive of me lately, my comment wasn’t fair.
“You don’t need to apologize, don’t you think I know I let you down? I know, I know Lex, I have some explaining to do. Right now I think you should get dressed. I’m coming with you to school, I promise I won’t let anyone near you.”
***
Dylan accompanied me to Falconer Hall and we found two seats at the back of the lecture hall. I placed my backpack on the table in front of me. My head was filled with pressure and I leaned forward to rub my temples.
“Hey, everything will be okay,” he said with a small smile.
“I wish I could believe that, it doesn’t even feel right coming to this class without her,” my stomach began to turn and I was hit with another wave of nausea. I tried long cleansing breathes because I knew this wasn’t the place to get sick.
“I know, but you’re doing good. Stay strong, by tomorrow afternoon I’m sure this will all be over,” he said as the professor slowly tapped the microphone at the front of the class.
I wish I could be as optimistic as Dylan, but I felt like my whole life had gone astray. Why would this situation be any different? “I hope you’re right,” I replied grimly.
The professor began to speak, he was older and monotone, and it was pretty rough getting through one of his classes. Dylan looked over to me grimacing and I couldn’t hide the smirk that erupted on my face. I pulled out my laptop and took notes, while Dylan played on his cell phone.
“I could never be a lawyer,” he grumbled.
“Excuse me sir, what did you ask?” The professor asked pointing his finger at Dylan.
“Uh…I’m…good…just dropped my pen on the floor,” Dylan answered nervously as I slid slowly down in my seat. A long ninety minutes later, the lecture was over. The truth was that it was pointless to come. I couldn’t focus on a word the professor said.
“I don’t know how you do it Lex.” Dylan threw his arm over my shoulder. Luc’s attack and now the situation with Anna had really thrown me off. I didn’t feel like myself and I think Dylan understood. I think that’s why he pushed me to come to school today. So that I would be forced back into my old routines with him here to support me. I was grateful for his support but nothing about this routine felt okay. I would have preferred the fetal position back in his bed until Anna was returned.
I looked up to him knowingly, I was clearly here for the wrong reasons. “I need to get some notes from a friend at the front, give me a minute,” I said, turning away and walking down the steps of the lecture hall towards Lindsay, an old classmate of mine. I felt like a bundle of nerves and self-conscious as I walked down the steps of the lecture hall.
I got my wits enough about me to say, “Hey, Lindsay.” I came up to her from behind. Her head tilted up.
“Oh hi Alexis, how are you? I haven’t seen you in class in a while,” she smiled kindly. She was a pretty girl with big brown eyes and short brown hair. She was very studious and formal, her button down sweater and pearl earrings were a perfect indication that she was both well organized and focused.
“I ran into some pe
rsonal problems,” I answered quietly. “Everything is good now.” I notice her gaze land on my right eye and it made me feel self-conscious that she noticed my new scar. It was easy to hide the wounds that were not visible, but the visible ones…well they made me feel shame. My mind drifted back to my high school years, and all the tricks I used to hide the scars my mother left behind.
“Can I help you with something?” Lindsay asked sweetly pulling me from my thoughts.
“Yeah, sorry,” I nodded my head. “I was wondering if I could borrow your notes from the past few weeks?”
“Uh sure, just be careful, I have all my subjects color coordinated,” she blushed. Of course you did. I did too. My life may have been a mess, but my notes were organized to a T.
“Of course, don’t worry, I’m the same, I like everything organized,” I grinned and she passed her binder to me.
“Will you be in Professor Crawley’s class later?” she asked, her cheeks still blushed.
“I plan to be, see you then,” I said taking her binder and heading back up the stairs towards Dylan.
“Let’s go get some lunch, yeah?” Dylan smiled, taking my backpack from me.
“I could get used to this…you coming to classes. Lugging around that heavy backpack for me around campus.” I knocked him lightly in the shoulder, he beamed looking down at me. His phone beeped in his hand and my stomach somersaulted. Could it be Anna?
“Who is it?” I asked noticing that Dylan’s eyebrows had furrowed and he was grimacing.
“Blanchard,” he snapped. “He wants me to pass you the phone.”
“Well pass it to me Dylan, maybe he knows something about Anna,” I said extending my hand. Dylan reluctantly placed the phone in my hand and continued to pout. I quickly swiped the screen as my heart rate surged.
“What is it Lex? You look like you just saw a ghost.” Dylan’s lips were turned down.
“Oh my, Dylan, what if something happened to Anna?” My hands began to shake and tears erupted, filling my eyes. I thought I was doing good today. Clearly I was wrong.
“Here, give me the phone,” Dylan said taking it from my hands.
Luc: Are you okay? I know this must be hard for you.
Dylan’s jaw tensed and began to pulsate. “He wants to know how you are,” he said passing back the phone and scowling.
Lexi: I’m worried, do you know anything? Please. Please don’t let them hurt her.
Luc: I’m sorry Alexis. I spoke to my father, he said she was okay and that they haven’t hurt her. His word is his word. I need to see you.
Lexi: I’m at school
Luc: I know
“What the hell?” I looked around feeling a shiver crawl up my spine, someone was watching us.
“What is it?” Dylan asked with a worried look on his face.
From down the path on the right I spotted Luc making his way toward us holding his phone in his hand, with a guilty look on his face.
“Hello Alexis,” he said solemnly, then his gaze moved to Dylan and he gave him a cold nod. My eyes widened as I stared at Dylan, willing him to stay calm. He was in enough trouble as it was where Luc was concerned.
“We need to talk,” Luc said looking between Dylan and I.
“Okay,” I answered, causing Dylan’s jaw to pulsate even more. Shit!
“Dylan, can you give us some time, I can meet you back at your apartment later,” I said hesitantly knowing that he wasn’t liking this one bit. He didn’t understand that I needed the space to help him.
“Lexi,” Dylan bit out. “It’s not safe.”
“I will bring her back to you,” Luc cut in.
“You mother fucker, you think she’s safe with you?” Dylan's pulsating jaw turned into cold hard rage, his face reddened as he moved inches from Luc’s face. I took a step forward coming between him and Luc and he looked down at me incredulously.
“I’m sorry Dyl, but I need to talk to Luc. I don’t believe he will hurt me and then I’ll come home to you,” I said with a more insistent tone. I knew I was hurting Dylan right now, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to get Luc to drop these charges against Dylan and I needed the truth about where I stood with Luc’s family and if they planned on killing me when this was said and done. As the thoughts moved through my mind, my throat began to tighten like it had the night before in Dylan’s apartment. I began to feel lightheaded and my inner self appeared willing me to get my shit together. It was not the time to fall apart.
Dylan passed the backpack to me along with Lindsay’s binder. “Here. Keep my phone with you. I will be at the condo if you need to call me,” he muttered before strutting off angrily.
Chapter 23
It’s Hard To Let Go of the Past
Dylan
I can’t believe after everything she had been through that she was willing to give that prick the time of day. Just looking at his smug face made my blood boil. I knew I couldn’t take him out in the middle of the law school grounds, but every muscle in my body was straining wanting to inflict him with pain. It made me crazy that I felt this way because I had always considered myself a pacifist.
I walked down the cool streets back to my apartment as it began to rain. I was a fucking idiot, I should have told Lexi the truth about why I stayed away, I kept on procrastinating and that left the door open for that sick fuck. I could see how badly it hurt her that I never came back for her. I had to come clean to know where I stood with her. I had to know if she would be willing to forgive me and if we still had a chance.
Watching her back there standing with Luc, caused my heart to dip. What if she wanted to stay married to him? What would I do then? She was always meant to be mine, we were fated to be together. I fell in love with her before I even understood what love was and although we’ve made mistakes along our bumpy road I had to believe that everything happened for a reason. That reason being that I should end up with her, not alone. If I’d learned anything over the past seven years it was that Lexi was the only woman for me, when I looked in her eyes I always envisioned a future of family, a future of me and Lexi having lots of children and living happily ever after. Me providing her the family she never had. If Blanchard took that from me I would be lost, he already had my medical degree hanging by a thread, if he took Lexi, I would have nothing to live for.
***
Dylan
First Year Undergrad
“Hey Dylan, stop moping around, we're going to a party,” Brad said, barging into my dorm room.
“Honestly, Brad, do you not believe in knocking? Anyway, we were partying last night. I need to stay in and study. I just got my mid-terms and I’m screwed Brad. I’m totally screwed,” I said leaning back in my chair by my desk. All I could think about was how badly I was fucking up here at Harvard. My parents were paying an arm and a leg for me to be here, and I couldn’t even manage to get a four-point zero average. Since I was a little boy I wanted to be a doctor like my father and follow in his path, but now that I was here I found it hard to focus.
Lexi took my heart and apparently my brain when she got in that car five months ago and drove away. I wanted to go after her, I wanted to call her. I wanted to take a plane home and just go to her, but I couldn’t. She needed her space. She needed time to think about what she wanted and I was hoping she would figure out that she wanted me. In the meantime while I was waiting, I was fucking up, big time.
The first day of school I met Brad Andrews, mister party central himself. As fun as he was, he also became a good reliable friend. I knew this because he put up with my complaining over missing my ex-girlfriend. Fuck! I hated to refer to her as my ex. Brad listened to what I had to dish and well, I listened to Brad and all the crazy family drama he dealt with being part of the Andrew’s family, one of the richest families in North America.
“Fuck Dylan, snap out of it man, we are going to a dorm party down the hall, hot chicks, drinking, it’ll be fun. Let’s be honest, you aren’t going to study in here anyway if I walk away. You’r
e going to sit and mope and think of her…. Besides, we’ve been here what, five months now? It’s time you got laid,” Brad said, smacking me on the back. Brad was a very motivated guy and I knew in my gut he wasn’t taking no for an answer so I went along.
“Fine, let me take a quick shower,” I said getting up from my comfortable reclining desk chair. Brad fell into my vacated spot. He was very popular around campus. Almost everyone knew him around here, especially since his family were big donors to the Harvard School of Business. Brad was working on his undergraduate in business, and I happened to take a business course to fill an empty slot requirement and he was seated beside me. Brad’s plan was to get his MBA, but with all the partying antics he was involved with I sometimes wondered if he would make it past this year. His parents died in a car accident when he was four and his uncle Bryce was raising him, if you could call it that. His uncle was his guardian, he was too busy running Tyson Global to have time for Brad or his own kids. Brad had tons of money so he didn’t care about a career and he had no one he felt obligated to. He was the exact opposite of me.
I was a big brother and wanted to set a good example for Noa and Riley, and of course I was the perfect son, supposedly… valedictorian of my high school class, destined to greatness…blah….blah…blah… always willing to help others, geez! The image people had of me was squandering quickly, and Lexi, my Lexi. The way she pushed me out of her life, the confusion in her eyes. I wanted to be there for her, but my gut told me that this was her time to figure life out, she’d been granted freedom away from her mother, away from the abuse. She needed to figure out what and who she was and what she wanted. It was her personal journey and I couldn’t take that from her. Of course, I’ve never been doubtful that her journey would lead her right back to me, after all she is my destiny.
I opened the bathroom door causing steam to flood into my small dorm room. I walked over to my closet and threw on my usual black t-shirt and worn in pair of jeans. I raked my finger through my long wet hair and I was good.
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