Alex brushes my hair back out of my eyes and gazes at my black dress. "You look lovely tonight."
I grasp the lapel of his jacket, pull him closer, and kiss him. "Thank you, and you're handsome, as always. You missed the real fireworks in the office today—Jake and Lisa." I keep my voice low even though I know Jake can't hear me from the driver's seat.
Alex raises his eyebrows. "Really?"
Nodding, I chuckle. "Lisa was checking out his gun."
Alex throws his head back and lets out a boisterous laugh, which sends tingles straight through me.
"Okay, so we need to discuss something." I'm hopeful that Alex's good mood will last through this conversation, although I'm pretty sure he's not going to be happy with what I'm about to say. "Now that John's been fired, I should probably go back to my place."
The beautiful smile instantly evaporates. His eyes darken and snuff out the bright sparkle. "No, it's not safe."
I squeeze his hand. "He lost his job, and he knows we're serious now. Jack's got my back at the office. I think John's done with this game."
Alex shifts in his seat. "Except he threatened your life before he left the office today."
Thanks, Jake. Snitch.
Grabbing my hand, Alex sighs. "Stay with me until we can track him down and keep him under surveillance."
Why do I feel like my life is one man dictating required preventive methods because of another's man's obsession with me? I’m trying desperately to remember this is what I wanted—to feel safe, to allow Alex to cocoon me from the danger that John poses. But I can’t help but feel my independence is slipping away. I have no control over my life or my decisions anymore.
I also can't ignore the measures John is taking to get me back. Or destroy me.
Alex grazes my cheek with his fingertips. "Come on, Kylie. I'm trying to keep you safe, but you've got to meet me halfway."
He's right, of course. I have to get past the paranoia that I'm losing myself again or allowing a man to control my life. Alex is not John. John wants to hurt and humiliate me. Alex wants to protect me. And he has only ever made me feel special, desirable, and respected.
"Okay," I sigh. "This is me meeting you in the middle. I'll stay until you find him."
Alex smiles and kisses the back of my hand as we pull to a stop in front of the restaurant.
The maître d' shows us to a large round table in the center of the dining room. Three men are already seated when we arrive, and they immediately rise as soon as they see Alex.
Alex places his hand on the small of my back. "Gentlemen, I'd like you all to meet my girlfriend, she'll be joining us for dinner."
The men all nod and smile as Alex continues the introductions.
Bruce Baldwin, a tall, good-looking man, barely takes the time to shake my hand. It's obvious he's more interested in speaking with Alex than wasting time or energy on me.
Rick Manlan is next to Bruce. He's quiet and reserved, and I detect a British accent. He's either severely jet-lagged or extremely pissed off. And he doesn't seem any more interested in me than Bruce.
Next to me is a short man with a wispy comb-over named Peter Johnston. I'm briefly heartened when he smiles at me, but his clammy hand hangs on to mine a little too long, and his gaze is stuck on my breasts.
Alex pulls my chair out. "Shall we sit?"
I'm completely dumbfounded. I'm not sure what surprises me more—that Alex never offers anything about me other than my girlfriend title, not even my name, or that no one seems to notice or care.
Halfway through dinner, I'm falling asleep. The boring business discussion, while being completely ignored by Alex due to Bruce commanding all the attention, nearly has me in tears. I'm also highly perturbed that I seem to be little more than a space-filler at the table and entertainment for the balding little Yoda next to me who is continuing to stare at my breasts. He has a creepy, leering smile on his face, leaning a little too close to me, "I didn't catch your name."
My skin crawls.
I force a smile but don't look at him. "It wasn't offered." I'm past the point of being a dutiful girlfriend, and I am spiraling headfirst into bitch from hell.
"Well," he continues, apparently not interested in my name, after all, "if you're free next week, I have another one of these dinners I must attend. I would love for you to join me. I promise to make it worth your while." He places his hand on my knee, and squeezes.
What the fuck?
I jerk away from him, ready to slap the little troll across his creepy face. And then it hits me. These men think I'm just another one of Alex's fuck buddies. They're not interested in me because they know they'll never see me again. After all, in these circles especially, it's probably well known that Alex uses a woman one time and then tosses her out.
Creepy Peter obviously has no issues with Alex Stone's sloppy seconds.
And that's it! I am done!
I place my hand on my forehead to stave off the immense throb in my head.
Alex leans closer to me. "You okay, Kylie?" he whispers, his voice laced with worry.
All I hear, however, is my name ringing in my ears. It's the first time I've heard it since we've been here, and I'm seriously bent. "I have a migraine."
"I'll take you home, then." He rubs my back, clearly concerned and completely oblivious to my current mood.
"No, you stay. I'll have Jake take me home."
Alex peers at me, anxiety all over his face.
"I'll be fine. Besides, it'll be quiet there, and I can get rid of it faster." I smile feebly and hope it masks the fact that I'm mad as hell.
It works.
Alex stands, helps me up, and offers my apologies to the group. We walk in silence out of the restaurant. Jake pulls up with the SUV, and I climb into the backseat.
"I won't be long," he murmurs, and gives me a quick kiss on the side of my head before closing the SUV's door and heading back into the restaurant.
"Jake, take me to my place," I instruct as soon as we are a block away from the restaurant.
My blood is on fire, burning me from the inside out. I will not be made to feel like a two-bit whore while Alex sits there and lets it happen.
Jake eyes me in the rearview mirror. "Do you need something from there?"
I close my eyes and rest my head against the seat. "No, I'm staying there tonight."
"Mr. Stone insisted I take you back to his place,” Jake says. "Mr. Sysco's still at large, Kylie. It's not safe at your house."
I groan loudly. "Mr. Stone doesn't own me or dictate my life."
I glance at the rearview mirror. Judging from the grim line across Jake's face, he's not thrilled with the current course of the conversation.
"Fine, take me to Alex's house. I'll call a cab to come and get me." There is a little voice in my head telling me to take some deep breaths and reconsider this rash move. Unfortunately, the rage is louder and telling the little voice to shut the fuck up.
Alex Stone can make another woman feel like shit. This one is done.
Jake doesn't speak to me during the remainder of the ride to my row house. After a sweep of the interior, he makes me promise to call if anything even remotely strange occurs.
I lock the front door behind him, flop onto the couch, and try to remember the last time I was here.
The night John attacked me. The night Alex saved me from a worse beating.
Damn, I hate it when the man is right.
I pick up my cell phone to call Jake and have him pick me up. It rings with a call from Alex.
That was fast. I consider letting it ring through to voicemail, but I know Alex will just keep calling, so I press the answer button.
"I thought we agreed you're staying at my house." Alex's voice booms through the phone.
I'm immediately defensive. A raging demon is awake inside me and ready to fight. "I don't feel much like playing your girlfriend tonight, Alex."
"What the fuck does that mean?"
Is he still at the restaurant?
"It means I had no idea that becoming your girlfriend would cause me to lose my identity and forfeit my name. Do you realize you never gave them my name? They thought I was just another one of your dumb-as-rocks, fuck-'em-and-leave-'em dates. One of them propositioned me like I'm a fucking call girl. So, I'm taking the rest of the night off."
Alex sighs heavily into the phone. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that was happening."
"Well, what did you think was going to happen when I'm introduced as the no-name girlfriend?" I pace around the living room, frustration and my red-hot anger making decisions for me. That's always a bad place to be.
"Baby, I'm sorry. Let me come by and pick you up. We can go home and talk about it."
"I am home."
"It's not safe there, Kylie."
Inhaling, I try to calm down. If I provoke him too much, he'll come through the door and drag me to his house, kicking and screaming.
"I'm tired, Alex, and I'm staying here tonight. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
There's silence on the other end.
"Fine." His voice is clipped. The line goes dead without any further discussion.
Well, this day sucks ass.
My head is killing me, and I'm actually seeing spots. Bed is a really good idea right now. I just want to sleep and forget this day ever happened, especially the business dinner.
I check the locks on the doors, turn off the lights, and head upstairs to my bedroom. I'll deal with Alex in the morning. We both need to cool down.
As I slide between the sheets, my phone dings with a text message from Alex.
I'm sorry I neglected to properly introduce you tonight. It wasn't right and not intentional.
I type a response and send it.
I felt like another one of your whores.
My phone dings.
You're so much more. You're everything. Please forgive me.
I know he means it. And in my heart, I know he would never intentionally disrespect me.
I forgive you, Alex. Just need some time for me. Going to bed. Will call in the morning.
The phone is silent for a moment, and I consider calling to reassure him I'm okay, when it dings.
Good night, Kylie.
I smile and type.
Good night, Alex.
I hold the phone to my chest, willing it to provide me with even a modicum of the relief I usually feel when I'm with him. My chest tightens. I'm being unfair. My pride is hurt, and I'm taking it out on Alex. But the punishment doesn't fit the crime.
Tears stream down my face and onto the pillow. I wish I could figure out where I stand with him. Why is he so protective of me? How can he go from being a man who never dates the same woman twice to wanting only me in the blink of an eye?
He told me he doesn't trust women, believing they only want to be a billionaire's wife. But there are things hidden between the lines, things I can't decipher, and I wonder if Alex can't trust women or can't trust love.
"Hello?" I answer my cell phone, and drag myself out of the semi-unconscious dream state.
"Please let me in." Alex says, his voice full of distress and fatigue.
I'm still groggy, trying to identify reality outside my dream. "Where are you?"
"Front door."
I move through the darkness and navigate around the furniture in the living room. A dark figure stands outside the sliding glass door at the back of the house.
I thought he said front door?
I look back, but the figure's gone, a shadow from my dream. I flip the light on and unlock the front door.
Alex's hair is a rumpled mess, and stress ravages his handsome face. He steps into the entryway, and I close the door. As I turn to face him, he grasps my upper arms, pushes me against the door, and pins me with his body. Before I can react, his mouth devours mine. He smells of spice and oak, and I can taste the sweetness of scotch on his tongue. The combination is heady. The kiss is deep, longing, and I know I need this connection as much as he does.
His hands move across my abdomen, the tips of his fingers slip under the waistband of my pajama pants. I grasp the back of his head, twist my fingers into his hair.
All of the day's stress and tension is coming out in this kiss.
Finally, we break apart and come up for air.
Alex rests his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't sleep. I had to make sure you were safe. God, I care so much about you, Kylie."
All of my feelings from earlier in the night—the dinner, punishing Alex—rush back to me, and I'm a bundle of sexual tension and desire. My body hums, and all I want is for us to be as physically close as we are emotionally.
"Show me, Alex. Show me how much I mean to you."
Alex pulls away from me, takes me by the hand, and leads me up to my bedroom.