“Why? I’m safe here.”
“It’ll make me feel better if you’d just come closer to me.” He motions with his hand to move away from the glass.
I look at the bodyguard, then back to Jude. Images of the ex-driver flood my brain. It’s best I do as Jude wants, because any smart ass remark from me has the potential for getting more people hurt. This is so frustrating.
“Okay.” I leave the coolness of the window, and head over to the table set with crystal and china. Sitting in the chair opposite Jude I glance down to expensive plates in front of us.
“What would you like to drink?” Jude offers.
Seconds later a male waiter arrives with a cart filled with juices, water, and silver pots. “Coffee, juice, or perhaps I can get something else for you? Hot chocolate? Tea? Something alcoholic?” The young waiter looks to Jude, me then back to Jude.
“Lexi?” Jude encourages.
“Orange juice, thanks.”
“Coffee, black,” Jude says in a deadpan voice. Just like his soul.
The guy gets our drinks ready, then wheels the cart out. “Why are we here on our own?”
“Because I’m not a fan of people. They always let me down, and I’m not partial to the looks and stares.”
“You being self-conscious is the last thing I’d ever expect you to say.”
“Do I strike you as self-conscious? I just don’t like people in general.”
Drawing my brows together, I can’t help but think how he’s been with me. Although this situation is wrong, he hasn’t mistreated me or man-handled me. But being out in public, also makes me think of another question. “Jude, what if someone recognizes me?”
“What do you mean?” He sips his coffee.
“Are you serious? You’ve taken me. My Mom is a judge, an influential judge. I doubt she’d be sitting around doing nothing. I’m positive she would have pulled every favor she could in order to find me. And with facial recognition software so readily available, and me out in public, who knows how many people have already recognized me and have alerted authorities.”
“No one will alert police,” he casually replies like I’ve said nothing alarming.
“And you know this for sure?”
The waiter wheels in another cart and stops beside the table. He places no less than eight dome-covered plates on the table, then leaves without saying a word.
Jude uncovers all the plates; each being revealed more delicious than the one before. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, muffins, crepes, and French toast. “Yum, but is there any fruit?” I ask.
“Is that what you want? Some fruit?”
“Your chef is feeding me well, but yeah, I need some fruit.”
Jude turns his head to look at the bodyguard, and flicks his wrist at him. He leaves, closing the door behind him. “He’ll get you fruit.”
“Thank you.” I grab a blueberry muffin and nibble on it. My stomach is still rolling from the violent image of this morning. “Jude, I’m scared,” I honestly admit.
“Of me?” I think for a minute, then nod my head. “I don’t want you to be scared of me, Lexi. Ever.”
“But I am. By your own admission, you said you only trust one person and don’t want anyone knowing the full extent of your business. And there’s going to be a time, when I’ll know. Regardless of how I know, through a vision, or by being witness to it.” I look off to the side and sigh. “I’m going to know. Which means, my life expectancy has dramatically decreased.”
He lets out a roar of a laugh and reaches over to the French toast. He takes the entire plate, pours maple syrup over it, and starts to inhale them. “You have nothing to worry about with me.”
“You say this like you know for sure. Like you said about no one recognizing me and calling the police. How do you know, Jude?” My tone increases as frustration overtakes.
“Because I have the police in my pocket.”
Bad trumps good.
“Of course, you do.” A small part of me knew he’s capable of something so grand. Another question comes to mind. “Is my Mom part of the people in your pocket?” Tears sting my eyes. I don’t want to know if she is. I’m begging and praying he says no.
He shakes his head. “She can’t be bought. A lot of people have tried. She’s straight.”
Relief overtakes me. As much as I know my Mom is a good person, since I’ve been with Jude, I’ve seen a different side to life. A side I never want to be part of, but unfortunately I am.
The bodyguard enters the room, and brings over two large plates with an array of fruit. “They’ll bring more, boss,” he says with his deep, gravelly voice. This guy has the look of the devil in his eyes. He can hurt someone, and not care.
“I don’t need any more.” I eye the giant selection on the plate.
“They’ll be in with more in a minute, boss.”
I must be invisible. That’s what it is.
“We don’t need any more,” Jude replies to the big guy and he leaves the room, closing the door again.
I pick at my food, while my thoughts are consumed by my parents. I’m thankful they’re not in Jude’s pocket. They’re good people. I always knew they were, but Jude confirming it eases my heart.
“Where are we going now?” I ask as the car pulls up in front of a tall building with no name on it.
“You need sunglasses. We’re getting you sunglasses.”
“And pads and tampons.” Jude shudders again, and I can’t help but laugh at his reaction. “I’m sure you’ve had plenty of female company in your life, Jude.” I mean, he’s tall, he has the sexiest, most compelling eyes, not to mention his jawline. Snap out of it, Lexi. “You can’t tell me you’ve never held onto a girl long enough for a cycle of her periods.”
“First, you’re way too open in talking about . . .” He makes a circular motion toward my stomach and his face turns up in a grimace. “And second, I’m not a ‘let’s have a relationship’ kinda guy.”
“Ewww. Imagine the diseases you could have,” I automatically respond to his comment and return his circling motion toward his crotch region. “And second, my parents have brought me up to be open and honest with everything.”
He shakes his head; his lips turn down, and he’s clearly revolted by the whole ‘period’ thing. “You can’t go talking about things like periods.”
“Why not? It’s part of a female’s life. You had to know this would come up at some point considering you . . . you know . . . kidnapped me!”
“It’s not how I imagined it to be.”
“Sorry, buddy, you’ve got to deal. Just like I have to adjust to living with a sociopath who thinks it’s okay to beat people up, you have to deal with living with a female who will bleed once a month until the day I die.”
“Don’t you go through menopause? You’ll stop bleeding then.”
“Jude, really? Look at this lifestyle you lead. Do you honestly expect to live long enough to see me reach menopause?”
Jude looks at me, his face scrunched in question. He looks back out to the building and runs his hand through his hair, frustrated. “Look, do you want these damn glasses or not? I’m not sitting here arguing with you about when my life will end.”
“Fine,” I say, opening the door without taking any notice of oncoming traffic. Jude quickly exits the car, completely amused. “What are we doing here anyway?”
“How did you get through life? I swear you don’t listen. Sunglasses.” When I get to the pavement I notice Jude putting on gloves, again. “Come on, I don’t have all day.” He holds his hand out to me. I don’t want to take it, but I do because I don’t want a repeat performance of the driver from this morning.
We enter an incredibly plain building and he leads me past the concierge who gives him a small nod and passes him an electronic keycard. Jude keeps walking at his fast pace, and I’m nearly running to keep up with him. “What’s the hurry?” I say almost breathless.
“Keep up,” he playfully barks as
he looks over his shoulder to me.
We head down a long, isolated corridor, and suddenly my heart stops beating. “Wait up!” I halt my movements.
“What?”
“I’ve seen enough criminal shows to know you’re about to bump me off, right?”
“What is it with you and death?”
“Well, look around. The corridors are isolated. You’re wearing gloves, which normally would scare the shit out of me, but combined with being in such a rush, I think you’re taking me somewhere to kill me.” Completely illogical, yes, I know.
“Of course, which is why I fed you first, so you die with a full stomach.”
“Where you’re taking me, is it a room lined with plastic sheets?”
“I swear to God,” he mumbles, continuing forward.
“If there’s plastic sheets, can you at least pre-warn me? No, wait. Don’t warn me.”
“Stop talking.”
“No! Warn me. No . . . don’t. Shit, Jude. Are you going to kill me or not?”
“No, but I’m going to tape your mouth if you don’t shut up.”
“So, no killing then?”
He swipes the card at the door, and we leave the building and enter the back of another using the same swipe key. “No killing.”
“But you’re taking me around the world. I swear you’re going to kill me.”
He chuckles loudly and tugs on my hand as we go down yet another, cold and sterile corridor. “For the love of God, just shut up.”
He stops at another door, swipes his card, and holds it open for me. We’re in a spotlessly clean room, and instantly my body shivers with excitement that he’s not going to hack me into a million pieces and feed me to the fish.
The small room has floor to ceiling shelves, and is packed tight with boxes stacked on top of one another. “Just checking.” I peer down at the floor, and stomp my feet. “Nope, no plastic. I live to talk another day.”
“Lexi, you’re killing me.” Jude laughs.
“Is this our stop?”
“It is. Now we wait.” He looks at his gold watch, then lifts his head toward the door. As if he’s psychic, the door opens and a really cute, and very bouncy brunette enters. “Stevie,” he says and moves forward to kiss her on the cheek.
This Stevie chick turns her head and lands a kiss on Jude’s mouth. She laces her fingers into his hair and pulls him down to her. Her eyes are open, and she’s looking straight at me. Warning me, showing me exactly the hold she has over him.
He pulls away and I can’t help but glare at her. She’s being a bitch, but who am I to give a crap who he kisses and who he doesn’t? She can have him.
But the knot in my stomach is telling me something else.
“Who’s this, Jude baby?”
I cringe the moment I hear her high-pitched voice. Like nails dragging down a chalk board. Gross.
“This is Alexa. She’s a very good friend of mine.”
Stevie drapes herself around Jude, her eyes travel up and down my body checking me out. We’re just missing the chewing of gum to make her super cliché.
I put my bitch face on, and hold my hand out to hers. “Alexa. Pleased to meet you.”
She hesitantly grabs my hand and I flash Jude a look. One that tells him I’m about to find out every one of her dirty little secrets.
I’m in her bedroom. She’s standing in front of her full-length mirror, fixing her boobs while she’s puckering her lips. She looks like a duck’s butt when she crumples her mouth like that. She grabs her phone, puckers again, pushes her chest out and takes a selfie then sends it to someone. She’s pleased with herself, because she smiles and lifts her brows seductively. Like anyone can see her.
I gaze around the room, and try to move toward her bedside table. I’ve only been able to move in my first vision, and I’ve not been able to do it again. I look down at my feet, and will them to move. They feel like lead, heavy as boulders. But with sheer determination I manage to move, and what feels like forever later, I’m standing by her bedside where she’s placed her phone.
Leaning down, I swipe at her screen, but my hand goes through the phone. “Damn it,” I grumble as I try to unlock it to see whom she’s sent the selfie to.
“Hello?” Stevie says as she turns in her room to face me.
My heart skips a beat, and I hold my breath. She can hear me? No one has ever heard me before.
“Hello? Is someone there?” she calls again, stepping closer toward me.
“Stevie, I’ve been calling you for ten minutes.” An older woman bursts through her door, she’s holding a baby on her hip. “You need to come feed this baby.” Her eyes travel Stevie’s body before she shakes her head. “You’re not going out looking like that.” With her free hand, the woman shakes her finger at Stevie.
“Mom, I found out Jude will be at the club tonight.”
Suddenly I feel sick to my stomach. Is that little baby Jude’s?
“So what if he’s at the club?” her mother barks at Stevie.
“I’m gonna tell him the baby’s his,” Stevie shrieks at her mom. “Can’t you feed her?”
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach and I feel my breakfast lunge toward making a grand exit.
“You think a man like Jude Caley won’t do a paternity test? Then what will you do when he finds out it’s not his? How will you handle that?” The mom tries to give Stevie the baby, but Stevie goes back to touching up her lipstick. “And what about Brenden? He won’t like you chasing another man.”
“Momma, you worry too much. I’m only going after Jude because he has money. And once he accepts Bella as his, he’ll do everything to keep Bella and me happy. Don’t worry, he’ll be eating out of the palm of my hand.” She twirls around as if she’s something special.
“Stevie, this is ri . . .”
And I’m back in the store room, Jude’s watching me, and Stevie turns her back.
My throat is parched, and my knees wobble from a sudden onset of weakness. “I need to sit,” I whisper hoarsely as my legs nearly give. I sway and Jude catches me before I fall.
“Are you okay?” he asks kneeling in front of me.
Stevie turns to look at me, snarling and rolling her eyes. “She’s fine,” she snaps.
“I’d like some water, please?” I smile at her, making her sneer even more.
“Get her some water, Stevie,” Jude growls at her.
If looks could kill, I’d be dead a thousand times over from the intense glare Stevie is aiming at me. Thankfully, she leaves, but not before lifting her top lip at me, almost baring her teeth. Freak.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Jude asks.
“I moved.”
Standing from the kneeling position, he steps backward a step. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve only ever been able to move in the very first vision I had, and the rest since then feel like my feet are glued. But I managed to move. I wanted to see who she texted that ridiculous selfie to.”
“Here’s your water, princess,” Stevie throws a bottle of water at me, but Jude catches it before it hits me. And let me tell you, she was throwing it at me to make sure it caused a bruise.
I don’t see the look Jude’s giving her, but I can tell by the way her face quickly drops from smart ass diva, to humble and embarrassed girl. “Show me our ten most popular women’s sunglasses,” Jude demands.
Oh, that’s right. We’re in the back of the sunglass store Jude owns. I look around and notice the brands. “Of course,” I say and rub my hands over my eyes.
“Of course, what?”
“Can we just get these glasses and go?”
He steps toward the door and looks out. Then comes over to me, squatting in front of me. “What did you see?”
“Um, where should I begin? Well, she has a daughter named Bella, and Bella’s only a baby. She’s going to try and hook up with you tonight at some club and convince you Bella is yours.”
“Why would she do that?”
> “Because of your money, but she’s seeing some guy named Brenden.”
Jude smiles and then chuckles to himself. Stevie walks in carrying a tray of sunglasses. She stops when she notices Jude laughing, and me staring at her.
“Do you wanna try them on?” she asks me rudely, though her eyes are on Jude.
“No need, we’ll take all ten.” He takes a money clip out of his pocket and hands her a wad of cash.
“I have to ring it up.”
“We’ll wait.”
She takes the stack of cash and leaves again. He doesn’t say a word to me the entire time she’s gone. But I can tell by him scrubbing at his square jawline, and the smile on his face, that he’s thinking.
She returns a couple of minutes later, and hands him his change. “Thank you,” Jude says sliding his gloves back on. He grabs hold of my hand, squeezing it, and winking at me. His smug smile speaks volumes.
“Are you going to the club tonight, Jude?” she asks in her cutesy, saccharine voice.
The hair at the back of my neck stands. Nails . . . chalk board. She makes me so sick with her fakeness.
“I was considering it.” Maneuvering the bag with all the sunglasses, he reaches for the door handle.
“Do I get a kiss before you go?” she asks, making me want to vomit. “Just a little kiss, Judey.”
“I just threw up in my mouth,” I mumble. Jude turns to me smiling. He gives me a slight wink and turns his attention to Stevie who’s inched closer to him.
“Lay one on me, sugar.” He turns his face, offering her his cheek.
She rises on her tiptoes to reach Jude’s tall frame, and kisses him on the cheek. Her lips staying a touch too long. My skin crawls as my stomach knots. I can’t stand her.
He pulls away and turns to me. “It might be best if you look after that baby of yours instead of trying to trick me into becoming her daddy.”
All the blood drains from her face. Her cheeks pale, and her eyes widen. A small chuckle rips through me. “You okay, Stevie?” I ask, in a way to convey how I’m actually laughing at her.
The Gift: The Butterfly Effect, Book 1. Page 13