by K. A. Linde
Bekah chuckled one more time. She turned, as Lexi brushed past her and just as Lexi put her hand on the door she said maliciously, “Not to mention my brother played his part perfectly.”
Lexi stopped with her hand on the door ready to pull it open. She took a deep breath and willed herself to leave. She knew Bekah was antagonizing her now, and she needed to get out before she got suckered in. She twisted the handle attempting to keep her curiosity at bay. But she couldn’t keep it at bay. “What does Ramsey have to do with this?”
Bekah smirked knowing she had caught her interest. “Oh, you know Ramsey,” she said shrugging.
Lexi looked at her as if she had no idea what she was talking about. “Bekah,” she said warningly, “I’m tired of this bullshit. Just tell me what you obviously want me to know.”
“Honestly, I never would have imagined Ramsey to be such a good actor.”
“What was he acting about?” Lexi asked afraid to get the answer. There were so many things that could go wrong with this conversation. She wasn’t sure what had happened over the past week, but she had begun to trust him. It was a scary feeling for her to allow someone else into her life, but Ramsey was beginning to grow on her. She couldn’t imagine what it would mean if Bekah told her something that would shatter yet another relationship. Lexi wasn’t sure if she could handle that at this moment in time.
“Really, Lexi, can’t you answer that question? The way you were putty in his hands really worked in my favor to be honest.”
“Ramsey?” Lexi asked doubtfully.
“Yes, Ramsey. What? Did you think he liked you? He is my brother. Who do you think he would choose if it came down to it? Oh, come on, that’s a stupid question, he would choose me over you. It was really easy to convince him to fuck around with you.”
No, Lexi couldn’t believe it. Ramsey wasn’t a pawn in his sister’s game. He would never play her like a fool. What did he have to gain from Bekah’s game?
Bekah continued, “Then planting Jack in the perfect location to witness everything that was going on. Of course I had to leave you and Jack alone some so that he could get pissed off at you. Just enough for you to have a rift and then let the trust issues, which you already have, blossom into true anger.”
Lexi didn’t know Ramsey all that well. They had only been hanging out this week and if he had been under Bekah’s influence the entire time, then it was all a lie. Both of their public kisses had been in front of Jack. Only a day after her date with Ramsey, he had gone straight to Jack and told him that they had been together. No wonder Jack had thought there was something going on. Bekah and Ramsey had set them up.
“It was almost too easy how it worked out.”
Lexi’s heart was racing as she turned to face Bekah. She knew that something had changed between her and Ramsey in the past week. She hadn’t even really been aware of it herself. She had started to like him. Even with everything going on with Jack, she had somehow found her heart could still beat. And it didn’t feel manufactured. Was it wishful thinking to believe that he had really had true affections for her?
“Oh, do you care about him?” Bekah asked sounding demented.
“I can’t believe you,” Lexi finally decided. Her voice lacked the conviction that she wanted to feel. Ramsey, at least, she thought she could count on. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because something about him seemed so sincere. Maybe because they had seemed genuinely interested in each other when they spent time together. Maybe because she had some means of self-control around him and still found that she was attracted to him. But could all of that been from acting?
What did she really know about him? He didn’t work for Bridges Enterprise, and she didn’t know where he did work. She didn’t know where he had gone to school or if he had gone to college at all. She knew he had a trust fund and was around during much of the day. He had a nice ass.
Yeah, that was about it.
Great.
“Again with the not believing me. I have no reason to lie to you. And I can tell you care about him,” Bekah said reading her reaction carefully. “You don’t even know my brother. You have no idea what he is like. He has shown you one side of him and you fall all over yourself about him. Everyone always does, which is why I was certain if you gave into him even a teensy little bit that you would be lost. And look,” she said pointing at Lexi, “you are so very lost.”
“You have every reason to lie to me. You’re pissed because Jack wanted me. So you had to attempt to sabotage our relationship. I don’t think Ramsey is involved. You’re just trying to ruin every part of my life so you can have some part of yours,” Lexi spat at her. She had been right the first time she met Bekah. She would never ever like this backstabbing bitch.
“Well, I’m not lying to you. Jack didn’t want you. He had this crazy idea of you from six years ago. Neither of you are the same people, and you’re just stupid to think you could make it through everything that you have been through.”
“Just because you are jealous of what Jack and I had doesn’t mean you have to be such a bitch.”
“It’s not being a bitch when you are telling the truth. For instance, Jack has no interest in you. My brother has no interest in you whatsoever. Well, except maybe to fuck you. I told him that was fine,” she announced nonchalantly.
Lexi cringed away from Bekah’s words. No. This could not be happening to her. She had almost slept with Ramsey. He had been so eager to get with her when he could tell she was broken and in tears. Could this be all that it was? Had he only been seducing her hoping to fuck her and leave? “I may not know your brother very well…”
“At all,” Bekah interrupted.
“But I know that the way he was around me was not some kind of act.”
“Yes, I’m sure you can delude yourself into believing that, but that is the truth. That is the truth you have been looking for since you got here. Jack is mine,” Bekah told her taking a step forward. “He does not want you. Ramsey is my brother and he would do anything for me,” she said stepping forward until she was standing directly in front of Lexi. “He doesn’t want you either. Thanks for your help.” Bekah grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. “Please escort yourself off of Bridges property. You are no longer welcome here.”
“You’re kicking me out?” Lexi asked glancing out the hallway and then back at Bekah. “I believe we have more to discuss here you filthy whore.”
“No, I think my work here is done,” Bekah said smiling. “Gwen, if she doesn’t leave, call security.” And with that Bekah stalked right through the door and into her own office.
Gwen hopped off her chair, anxious to rush Lexi out of the office. Lexi’s mouth was hanging open still from Bekah’s monologue, and she was frozen in place. “Miss,” Gwen muttered angrily.
“Oh, right,” Lexi said closing her mouth and exiting Jack’s office. She took her time walking down the hallway and into the elevators. The steel metal enclosure took her to the bottom floor, and she strode across the marble tiled floor. Her phone dinged just before she reached the sliding doors. She sighed heavily and pulled back from the outside world. She fished her phone out of her purse and clicked on the new text message.
“Delivered your luggage to airport already. Meet me there, chica. Heart you,” read Chyna’s message.
Lexi smiled to herself, grateful for Chyna’s loyalty. It was so nice not to have to worry about at least one part of her life. Chyna had been a true friend throughout it all. She swore as soon as they made it back to New York she was going to treat her best friend to a wonderful dinner and lots of wine.
“You’re still here,” Lexi heard someone approach her.
She slowly turned to face the man who had dashed all her hopes and dreams of a real relationship into a million pieces. He had walked out on her again leaving her alone with that stupid diamond ring, except this time it was attached to someone else’s finger. This was the last person she had wanted to see…the last thing she had wanted to encounter
before she left for New York. He had finally made up his mind about her. He had made his decision to be with Bekah, not her. There was no reason for her to ever speak to him, because God knows they could never be friends.
“Yes, I’m still here,” Lexi told him not able to keep herself from glaring.
“Can we talk?” he asked looking at least mildly apologetic.
“No,” she said turning from him and walking through the double doors. “Taxi please,” she told the attendant on duty.
“Come on, Lex,” Jack pleaded.
“Just don’t,” she said holding up her hand.
“Your cab, miss,” the attendant said as the yellow car pulled up in front of the colossal set of stairs.
“Thank you,” she said sliding into the seat as he opened the door for her.
“Lexi, you have to listen to me,” Jack said following her into the taxi.
“I’d rather not,” she said emotionless. She would be happier if she never saw Jack again, if she never had to hear his smooth voice or listen to his charming words. She would certainly be happier to go about the rest of her life knowing she had received the necessary closure she had so desperately been seeking while in Atlanta. “Get out of the cab,” Lexi demanded pointing her finger toward the door.
“Hartsfield-Jackson,” Jack said to the cab driver throwing a few twenties across the seat to keep him from opening his mouth.
Lexi glowered at him as the cabbie followed his instructions. “What the fuck is your problem? What are you even doing here? You have a fiancé inside. There is no need for this conversation. I got the gist of it with the diamond,” she growled.
Jack looked apologetically at the cab driver who was glancing backward through the rearview mirror anxiously. “It’s not what you think, Lex.”
“First, don’t ever call me that again. I hate it,” she said crossing her arms over her chest. In fact, she had only ever liked it when Jack said it. The way it came out of his mouth made it sound so sexy. But that was the last thing she wanted now. “And second, waste your time with someone who wants to listen to you like your fiancé, or your secretary, or hell, even your apartment attendant. They all seem very interested in you.”
Jack colored slightly at the accusation, but Lexi noted, he didn’t deny anything. “I know you probably never want to speak with me, but I can’t end it like this.”
“Oh, you can’t? Well, I don’t give a fuck. If you didn’t want it to end like this, then you wouldn’t have fucked me in the hallway at Turner Field less than twelve hours before proposing to someone else,” she said not caring that the cab driver or anyone else was listening.
“I know,” he said nodding his head.
“I don’t think you do or you would have taken the slap in the face to mean stay the fuck away from me like it was meant.”
“I told you I can’t leave it like this. I was blinded by my jealousy over you and Ramsey. I couldn’t even believe you when you said nothing was going on. We said we’d never lie, but neither of us trusts the other.”
Lexi kept that fact that he had been lying to her all along to herself. He would disagree with the statement and there was no need for him to try and convince her otherwise. He was right. She would never believe him. He wouldn’t have chosen Bekah over her in the end, if he had really wanted to be with her. He would have cut his loose ends. He would have tried to make it work. He would have loved her the way she deserved to be loved. No, he had lied all along and she could never trust his word again. It had been broken once before, when they had first begun, and she had been stupid to believe in him to this day.
“You don’t trust me, right?” he asked mournfully.
“Stupid question,” she quipped.
“Right. Well, I guess you have no reason to.”
“Yep,” she said popping the final sound and staring out across the city.
“I really couldn’t help it though.”
“Oh, this should be good,” she said sarcastically. “You’re going to tell me how you couldn’t help but propose. Wonderful!”
“No, I was going to propose. Can you just look at me, please, Lex?” he pleaded.
She turned and glared at him. “Do not call me that. Why did you string me along if you knew you planned on proposing?” she asked.
“Well, I knew before you got here that’s what I was planning to do, but then you showed up and I couldn’t think about doing that.”
“Then why the hell did you drag me down here? I was supposed to be here to convince Bekah you were ready to commit to her. You told me you wanted her off your back and that you had no intention of doing it. If you really were ready to commit, then why didn’t you just fucking tell her that and leave me out of it?”
“Because she found the ring,” he cried throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.
“I might hit you again if we continue talking about this,” she threatened.
“She found your ring,” he said more calmly.
“Yes, I fucking realize that moron. The ring that is now currently on her finger. The ring that was meant for my finger,” she said waving her left hand around in the air. “Is nothing sacred, Jack? Go ahead. Please try to explain to me how her finding my ring has anything to do with me being down here.”
“Because she flipped out and was shrieking, jumping up and down, going insane when she found it,” he told her deflecting the glares she was shooting his way, “and then I crushed her when I told her it wasn’t for her.”
“Guess you changed your mind,” she muttered angrily.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Jack, get out of the fucking cab,” she told him. “Sir, can you pull over right here?”
“Ma’am, we’re on the highway.”
“He can walk,” she told him.
“That’s illegal. I cannot let you out of the car until we are off the interstate,” he said zooming down highway 85 toward the airport.
“I’m not going anywhere anyway,” Jack told her.
“Then I’ll get out and hail another cab,” she told him turning back toward the window.
“Lexi, it’s a duplicate,” he told her reaching out and turning her head toward him. She yanked her face out of his reach.
“A...wait…what?” she asked staring in the blue pools of his eyes.
“A duplicate. I had another one made, because I couldn’t give her your ring,” he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a rather familiar black box. He flipped the top up and Lexi stared down at the wedding ring he had almost given her once. It was as exquisite as she remembered with every detail cut to perfection.
“How do I know this isn’t the duplicate?” she asked staring down at the ring and knowing that no one could really duplicate this. The ring itself had an old timey appearance and was completely unlike anything else she had ever seen.
“Why would I go to the trouble of getting you a duplicate?”
“To cover your ass?” she guessed.
“No, to show you that, no matter what happens, you truly will always have a place in my heart,” he whispered tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The cab pulled into the line of traffic in front of the airport.
Lexi pulled her gaze up from the dazzling ring and met Jack’s look. “I appreciate the fact that you have one redeeming quality, Jack, but that is all it is. Just a hint of redemption with six years of disappointment.
“No matter what you do, it will never make up for what happened between us. I will never trust you. I will never again be comfortable around you. I will never look at you or think of you without considering the destruction you have train wrecked through my life.
“I wish you the very best in your future, because without you in my life I think I might finally have a future. And as angry as I am with what you have put me through, I am so very glad that we are now at this moment. This moment means I can move on to bigger and better things without you constantly weighing on my shoulders.
“I will never again
turn a corner in New York terrified that I will run into you and even more terrified that I won’t. I can go into any coffee shop I want. I can hope for love again. A love that will be more than anything you ever attempted to give to me. Because the love I am looking for will be reciprocated one hundred and ten percent. There will never be another someone to distract our affections, because you will not be in the picture.
“So, as sad as this day is for me, as I am losing a part of myself with the loss of you, it is really just the beginning for me. It is like cutting off the spoiled part to get to the juicy center. So, I would appreciate it this time, if you did not try and contact me. Because, as I’m sure you know, I deserve much better. I want everything this time around, and I deserve it,” she said holding her head high as the cab came to a stop in front of the airport terminal. “Take him back to Bridges Enterprise,” Lexi commanded stepping out of the cab.
“Lex,” Jack called hopping out of the cab.
“Don’t call me that,” she cried turning around and facing him. As always Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was crowded with thousands of people destined to travel all around the world. Families were huddled together hugging, kissing, and saying their farewells to their relatives. Lovers were embracing as they came and went through the sliding glass doors. Businessmen and women carrying similar black luggage took hurried steps around the slower passengers. A few heads had turned at Lexi’s exclamation, but she was beyond caring.
“Fine. Lexi,” he said taking a more hesitant step closer.
“What do you want? Because all I want is you finally out of my life,” she spat at him.
“I know, and I’ll get out of your life. I’ll let you live yours. Can I make one last request?” he pleaded.
“Take, take, take. That’s all you do. What more could you want?” she beseeched him.
“Just a final farewell,” he said taking another step toward her.
“No,” she said her voice hitching as his hands reached out and lovingly cupped the sides of her face. “Jack, no. You are engaged,” she whispered.