Justin shook his head, stuffing his hands deep inside the pockets of his jeans.
I hissed an angry sigh. “I told her fucking no. I’m not letting Alexa get involved in the goddamn club, Justin. Not her…” Before I could reconsider my actions, my fist was busting through the wall of his office. “Fuck!”
“Jesus Christ, man. What the fuck is happening with you? You’re an experienced Dom for Christ’s sake. And you’ve got a virgin sub that wants to journey over into our world. And you’re refusing her? You’re knocking a hole through the motherfucking wall because she wants to play?”
Justin grabbed a handful of ice from the mini-fridge and wrapped it in a paper towel. “I hope to hell you can do surgery with that hand.”
Fuck the hand! How could I explain to my best friend what I was feeling? That everything was different with Alexa? Just the loss of her warm touch had me so tensed up that every muscle in my body felt like they were tied together in excruciating knots. She had me so tight that I wanted to demolish a fucking city.
“Damn it Justin, you know me better than anyone. Venture is your gig. I get that. I respect it. But I have everything I need at home. I’m not changing my mind. I don’t want Alexa here.”
Justin was right. Even though I didn’t visit the club often, I’d done my fair share over the years. And now I didn’t know how to put my feelings into words where Alexa was concerned. I didn’t even understand it myself.
“I see that.” Justin raised an eyebrow.
I was in love with Alexa. Since the first time I’d seen her in the damn doughnut shop, I had a hunger for her that I’d never felt for another woman. Now she was a part of me. She was in my heart. My soul.
“Are you in fucking love with her, Tyler? Has your steel barrier finally been bent?” His eyebrows were both raised as I contemplated a good way to answer his question.
“Have you ever… Have you ever felt so fucking deep about a woman that you truly thought you wouldn’t be able to take another breath if something happened to her?”
Justin shook his head. I already knew his answer. His love was right here—in his work. His childhood had been a complete shit storm, living in poverty with an abusive stepfather and drug and alcohol-addicted mother. He wanted exactly what he’d accomplished. Success and control. In all things.
“No, Tyler. Can’t say that I have.”
A muscle in Justin’s jaw started ticking. Damned if something about the way his eyes darted to the side, along with the strange look in his expression, didn’t look like perhaps my life-long friend may want more than what he’d led me to believe all this time. I wouldn’t push the issue. Justin wasn’t much on talking about his youth or private life. It was best to let this whole conversation disappear.
“Yes. I’m in love with Alexa.”
“Well then, you know what you need to do, Tyler. You know exactly where you need to be.” He motioned toward his office door.
“And it’s damn sure not here.”
Chapter Forty
Tyler
Compelled to know the real Alexa since I first learned she existed, I took Justin’s advice. I’d never run from a goddamned thing in my life. I wouldn’t make this my first.
I stood on her front porch, subjectively rationalizing all her reasons for being upset. Unfulfilled in her past relationship, I’d charged into her life and given her reason to believe she wanted to fall into the role of submissive, determined to reject me if I didn’t act out this newly acquired fantasy of scening in front of a crowd. But, for personal and professional reasons, I’d changed. I no longer craved what she did. Not under those circumstances. But I wouldn’t give up on the woman I loved.
She knew I was out here. I sensed it. Wanting to kick the door down and take her across my knee before fucking some sense into her, that was everything I wouldn’t be doing.
“Let me in Alexa.” I knocked on the door.
The door cracked open and I found myself gazing into the beautiful eyes that I’d damn near gone crazy not seeing. Dressed in a yellow sundress that came right above the knees, the elastic top stretched tightly over her heavenly tits. She was fucking beautiful.
“What, Tyler? Why are you here?”
I walked through the door, pushing it shut with my foot.
“Why? Because you, angel, don’t get to run every time something becomes difficult. You don’t get to act like an adolescent when times are tough. Throwing your temper around like a child,” I said with zero hesitation, “will get you nowhere with me, besides across my knee.”
I pulled her against me, her small fist pushing at me and literally knocking the fucking wind out of me as she plowed her hand into my chest.
“Is this where we are now, Alexa?” I reached for her again, taking a seat on her couch and molding my fingers into her sides where I’d pulled her between my legs. “I thought we were stronger than this. I thought we were a pair moving forward into something wonderful for the both of us.”
She let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re a Dominant, Tyler. You take submissives. It’s what you do. Why do you continue treating me differently?”
“Correction, Alexa. I took submissives,” I said hoarsely, stressing the past tense. “I don’t want you as my submissive. And I treat you differently because you are different. I want so much more from you. From us. Yes, angel, I strive for control. I insist on being the top. But you, Alexa, have been challenging that power since day one.”
And there. I’d said it. Admitted to letting a woman convince me and change my perspective on ways I’d lived my entire adult life.
“I’m a different man with you. And I’m not acting out with you in Venture. I’m no longer willing to risk my career. I’m not backing down on this, sweetheart.”
“This from a man who just a few short weeks ago admitted to binding my cousin so tightly that it left deep marks in her skin? You were certainly willing then.”
I rallied with myself at how to respond to her comment, her sharp tone of voice that would bring out a deep anger if I wasn’t so desperate to make her understand my reasoning.
“How many times do I have to tell you that’s my past?” I hissed. “We all fucking have one. And you, Alexa Bohmann, will never be Becca. And why is that? Because I’m in love with you. I want something more. Something greater. In the past, I ran like hell from the unforeseen. Then a beautiful creature scalded me with hot coffee and changed my entire perspective. Ever since that day, I’ve known deep down that I’m through running. I want to give you everything you want … in the comforts of our home. We’re a couple, angel, and you’ve said more than once that you want that deep linking connection.” I lifted her wrist, kissing her knuckles.
“That connection involves compromise. Without it, our relationship is nothing. See this one thing my way, angel. Let me give you everything you want … on my terms.”
Her eyes shot to the floor, struggling with this conversation. Wrestling with that red-hot temper that was dying to show its ugly face. Seconds later, she looked back up, her gaze on me for long seconds before reaching for my hand.
“Maybe, just maybe, the hard as nails Tyler Yates is a lot sweeter and has a much bigger heart than he leads people to believe.”
“Only for you, angel.”
She gave me a coy smile.
“Okay. Being with you your way is better than the alternative, because I love you, too.”
I smiled, quite possibly for the first time since our last conversation. For the first time in my adult life, I was filled with promise and prospects of a future.
And it felt wonderful.
Chapter Forty-One
Tyler
My return phone calls done, I could finally take a break and swallow down a quick lunch. My mother had called this morning. The old man wanted to see us. They’d called from Kansas to tell her my dad had come around and was alert and remembering. Overly distressed as they’d labeled it, he was insisting he needed to see his family. Well, fuck you! My
mother was pleading that we go.
“Please, Tyler. It’s important to me. Maybe this would help Mason.”
I wasn’t fucking going. I put my foot down at my mother’s request. There was nothing I hated more than seeing her hurt, but I wouldn’t subject my little brother to that man again. Reluctantly, she agreed.
Tonight was our family night for Chinese food. I sent Alexa a quick text.
Hi, baby. Up for Chinese with Mom and Mason tonight?
There was a light knock on my office door.
“Come in.”
“Tyler, there’s a Katherine here to see you. Do you want me to send her back?”
Christ! The middle of my work day, I barely had time to eat my chicken salad sandwich. This was the last thing I wanted to do.
“Okay, send her on back. Thank you, Angela.”
My office door flew open. What the hell!
“Tyler, I need to talk to you.”
I held my tongue as Katherine marched in my office without so little as a knock. Her green eyes were scorching. No doubt she was pissed. I’d seen that look more than once.
“I have fifteen minutes before my next appointment, Katherine. So tell me what I can do for you.”
I’d played this game with her before. This wasn’t her first time to come to me demanding something. Yet, we both also knew the outcome of most her requisitions—she didn’t get what she wanted.
She slammed her white purse down on the side of my desk, most of the belongings rolling out. Her keys, a mirror, and a piece of purple paper folded in half landed on the corner of the Styrofoam container my sandwich was in. I picked it up and passed it over toward her and watched as she irately returned the rest of the contents back inside the bag. What was with the shaking hands? What had she done this time?
I swallowed back a laugh. Asking would only prolong her visit. Before Alexa, I would have put on my Dom face and asked her what the fuck she thought she was doing, showing up at my place of work without asking first. Today my head was in an altogether different place.
I swallowed down the last bite of my lunch and dropped the container into the trash can.
“I’m waiting, Katherine. We’re down to ten minutes.”
“Are you really going through with this, Tyler? I just spoke to Justin. He said you have another potential buyer for the club.” Her tone of voice was bitter and spiteful.
“Katherine,” I snapped in a patronizing tone. “We’ve already talked about this. You aren’t the right person for Venture. We have in fact found another interested party.”
She smirked as she leaned over my desk, flaunting the cleavage I was no longer interested in seeing.
“Tyler, you can’t be serious. I thought you were just upset with me that day.”
I stared at her, crossing my hands in front of me. I needed a different angle on explaining this. What I didn’t need was her making a long, drawn-out scene in my office. Katherine wasn’t used to being told no. And she sure the hell had no problem causing drama in a public place.
“Katherine, running Venture is a full-time job. It requires hours of time and commitment. I really don’t think you’re willing to spend the necessary time that running a business requires. Justin needs someone that can be hands on. I’ve never been involved with the day-to-day operations, and he’s looking for someone who can be.” There was a light knock on the door.
“Tyler?”
“Come on in, Terri.”
“Your 1:30 is here.”
“Thank you, Terri. I’ll be right there.”
I rose and walked into the adjoining bathroom, turning on the water. Katherine’s hands brushed over my ass.
“Tyler. Please. You’re so uptight. Let me make you feel good before you go.”
I turned around, feeling a sense of revulsion at her touch. I shook my head, a headache building behind my temples. Her hands plunged down underneath the waistband of my scrubs, grabbing my dick. Shit!
“I miss you, Tyler. I miss this.”
I grabbed her wrist and removed it.
“Katherine, we’re over. You need to go. I have a patient waiting.”
“Tonight, Tyler. Can I please see you this evening?”
Hard to believe I’d once actually enjoyed her company, now I felt nauseated by the mere sight of her. I pulled away. The last thing I wanted was Katherine.
“No, Katherine.” I opened the door and walked toward my waiting patient, listening to angry heels stomping against the marble floors as a pissed-off Katherine made her exit.
“Good afternoon. I’m Tyler Yates.”
The middle-aged woman sat in my office nodding as I discussed the steps and benefits in doing jawline liposuction to help with her small jowls.
“It’s a fairly easy process, Ms. Clark. You will most definitely have slight bruising for a couple of weeks and need to wear an ace bandage around your face for a few days. Other than that, the procedure is a very simple one.”
She tapped her nails against the arms of the patient chair. They were pointed and long, painted a light purple.
Fucking hell!
The lilac-colored nails set off a fire in my brain. The purple paper that fell from Katherine’s purse today. I’d seen that goddamn paper before. More than once! It was the same damn paper with white flowers bordering the bottom that I’d seen at her house. It was also identical to what Becca’s suicide note was written on.
Motherfucker!
I finished up my consultation and walked back to my office to send a quick text to Alexa.
Angel, can you get your mom to text you a photo of Becca’s suicide note? I’ll explain later.
My insides were swirling. What the hell had I just now realized? My open-minded thoughts knew this was big. That stationary wasn’t one that just anybody owned. I also knew Katherine loved the color purple. The hairs on my neck stood in erect attention.
Still, I had no real evidence. Only assumptions. I’d go to her house again. If she was responsible for Becca’s death, I’d pull it out of her. I knew exactly how to get Katherine to talk. I made a promise to Alexa. The incompetent detectives hadn’t been able to come to a conclusion.
Maybe I could.
Chapter Forty-Two
Alex
One more day until Wednesday, my day off. I needed it more than ever. Richard was still acting stand-offish. Polite and friendly, just not his normal self.
My break coming up soon, it was probably time to hash this out with him. The longer it went on, the harder it was becoming to work here. I was certain he probably felt the same. Heartsick to lose a good friend, how could either of us act normal with the way things were between us?
“Candice.”
“Hey, Alex. Thank God things are finally slowing down. My feet are screaming.”
“Mine, too. Hey, I’m gonna go ahead and take my break real quick. I need to talk to Richard for a minute.”
“Sure. Everything okay?”
“Oh, yeah. I just need to ask him about something.”
I walked into the break room and dug my phone from my purse. I had two texts from Tyler. Chinese tonight sounded awesome. I couldn’t wait to see Mason again. I read the second text, which was weird. No idea why he’d want to see Becca’s suicide note, I texted him back and then my mom.
“Hey, Alex. What’s up? Candice said you were looking for me.” Suddenly, I didn’t want to talk to him about this. He looked happy. Damn, he really looked happy.
“Oh, nothing. I wanted to talk to you about getting in a few extra hours, but after thinking about it, I guess I’m probably working enough.” His eyes narrowed. He wasn’t buying what I was saying for one minute.
“Okay, Alex. You know I’ll always work with you on your scheduling.” He winked.
“I’m gonna take off for a couple of hours until the dinner rush comes in.” He wiggled his eyebrows and smiled.
“Oh, really? Well that sounds interesting. And completely atypical. Anything you need to share with a good f
riend?” So nice to see him happy, maybe I was overreacting about all the weirdness between us. He seemed happy as hell.
“Not really. Nothing to share. Not yet.”
“Hmmm. Well, have a nice rest of the day, Richard.”
He turned and left, whistling. I sucked back a laugh. After working here for years, I couldn’t ever remember hearing Richard whistle.
“Candice, do you mind if I cut out early? I’m having dinner with Tyler and his family tonight and I really hate to go straight from work smelling like restaurant food.” I’d covered for her a couple of nights ago so I knew she wouldn’t mind. We were slow today anyway.
“Oh, absolutely. Hey, I’m still waiting on you to fix me up with your brother.”
“As soon as he gets a leave, I have every intention of fixing you up with Adam.” I winked and grabbed my purse.
“A date with a hot marine. Now that’s what I’m talking about.” She smiled. I had a gut feeling the two of them might actually hit it off. Besides the fact that my brother loved brunettes, especially when they happened to be tall and well-endowed, he also appreciated humor in a woman. Candice held all those qualities.
“Thanks for covering. See you tomorrow.” I left, my brother now heavy on my mind.
“Shit!” My car wouldn’t start. “Please don’t do this, Gretta. Just give me a couple of more months.” I closed my eyes and hoped for it to start.
“Oh, thank you,” I said when it started. Tyler had mentioned something about me replacing my car. Hell, I didn’t have money for a car payment and I didn’t want to tap out the very little savings I had, but a newer car was definitely something I needed to consider before long.
Finally home after pleading for my car to keep up, I turned on the shower and pulled out some dark blue leggings and a matching blue tunic top. The weather starting to turn cooler outside, I hoped it wasn’t too early for boots, but hell, this was Texas. Women wore boots year around. Seasons didn’t come into play when we barely had any real winter. Time for a long hot shower, I shaved my legs and washed and conditioned my hair. Still time before I needed to leave, I turned on my flat iron. Tyler liked my hair wavy.
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