“It’s okay,” I encourage her softly, and she puts her arm on the back of the couch.
“It was therapeutic, I think, for all of us. I told them how sorry I was for missing all of the most important events in their lives and then, in return, they told me they were sorry for not being there for me. For not seeing the signs, for not pushing it more. Zara and I basically sobbed to each other for a full five minutes before I was even able to finish and then she said that she felt guilty for not seeing it.” She chuckles. “Matty had some other choice words about going to Phoenix to kick his ass and Sofia said she could make sure no one knows it’s him. His exact words were ‘If I see this fucking clown anywhere, he’s going to have a broken nose and a busted lip, and then I’m going to knee him in the balls just for fun.’” She smiles through the tears.
I can’t help but smile at that. “I’ll help,” I tell her and she laughs. “I’ll drive the getaway car.” She smiles as she puts her elbow on the back of the couch. “How did that make you feel?”
“Stupid,” she admits, “like I knew what Trent was saying half the time was wrong, but then I doubted myself and all my choices without his input.”
“It’s what they do, it’s like they tell you how you should do things and then turn it around and make it seem like it was your idea.”
“Yes.” She shrugs. “I’m just sorry I didn’t see it sooner.”
“Everything happens when it’s supposed to happen,” I tell her.
“It was that night,” she says softly, “hearing what he had to say about my father.” She shakes her head and the tear that she has kept at bay this whole time escapes, and my other hand comes up to catch it. “It was like you threw cold water on me.”
“Lexi,” I say her name softly, the ache to kiss her is almost too painful to bear, “you beat him at his own game.” I cup her cheek in my hand. “For the rest of his life he’s going to know he lost the best thing to ever happen to him.” I stare into her eyes and take a second before I let go of her face.
“Thank you, for everything.”
I nod at her; not sure I can be in her space much longer. I get up and she follows me. “I should get home and get my things sorted.”
“Of course,” she says. “Do you want me to pack up the roll?”
“No.” I shake my head. “You have it.” I wish we could be eating it in her bed after I fuck her senseless. “Thank you for the tour,” I say when I get to the door and take a step to her to hug her. I wrap both arms around her, closing my eyes and feeling her in my arms; it’s my own brand of torture. “Have a good night,” I say when I finally let her go and walk out the door.
She stands at the door, watching me drive away, her hand held up with a smile on her face, my heart feeling like it’s being crushed in my chest. “This is not good for you,” I tell myself, “and it’s not good for her.” I swallow the lump down, knowing I’m going to have to just walk away from her. “You have to let her go.” The thought alone crushes me. “You just have to hope she comes back to you.” I blink away my own tears. “But even if she doesn’t, you know she’s finally fucking safe, and that means everything.”
twenty-seven
Lexi
My phone beeps and I look down.
Marley:
I have to give them an answer on Monday. Let me know if you can talk tomorrow.
I’m about to answer her when the phone rings and I see it’s Kylie.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Kylie says. “Is that enough time?”
“I’m putting on my shoes now, and I have to grab my jacket,” I huff out, tying my shoelaces. “I’ll be outside, you don’t even have to stop. Just open the door, I’ll jump in.”
“Open the door.” She snorts. “I thought you would challenge yourself by jumping through my sunroof.”
“Ohhh, that’s even better,” I joke, standing up when both white sneakers are tied. “See you soon.” I hang up the phone, walking back into the bathroom. I pick up my perfume and spray some on my shirt, two on each side of my neck, and then one on each wrist. I step into the spare bedroom, taking one more look at my outfit of black jeans that fit me tighter than they did last week, and I can’t help but smile big. The black T-shirt is tucked into the front as I grab the short, blue jean jacket, putting it on and rolling the cuffs before grabbing my small black Chanel bag and putting it across my body.
“This screams, yay sports.” I turn and see how good my ass looks in these jeans. “I hope it also screams, please grab my ass, Kirby,” I mumble, then stop thinking that when I hear the sound of the horn honking. “Shit.” I run out the front door. “Sorry,” I say and she looks at me, “I was trying to find my shoes with springs so I could jump into your SUV.”
She can’t help but laugh at me as I get into her SUV and then lean over to kiss her cheek. “You look so good.” I look at her cargo jean pants with a white, long-sleeve shirt that shows off her stomach, a baseball hat on her head with the Warriors logo across it. At the side it has his number 77 and his name stitched in it. “Like the hat.”
“I stole it from Kirby,” she states, pulling out and making her way over to the arena. “I wore it to see if he notices,” she says and I shake my head. “I bet you five hundred dollars he doesn’t.”
“I’ll take your word on it.” We laugh as we talk about what we did after leaving each other not too long ago. We’ve been spending more and more time together and, I have to say, she’s quickly becoming one of my favorite people.
“Where are you going?” I ask her as she drives up to a garage door.
“It’s for the players and family members.” She looks over, taking out her parking pass and scanning it. We drive down the ramp, and when we stop, it’s near a valet booth, one guy in a red jacket is instructing the four guys who are running around. One of them comes to my car door while another goes to Kylie’s side. He hands her the white ticket and I wait for her to see where to go.
