Alexander is not leaving as quickly as I thought he would. In fact, his movements have slowed quite a bit. Out of the corner of my eye I can see his shadow lurking in the hallway. He’s so damn tall and commanding, it’s hard to ignore his presence.
I fix my gaze on the bookshelves in front of me and try to ignore the urge to turn and run into his arms.
He takes a couple of steps toward me, seemingly unsure if he should approach. I let out a loud sigh and he takes that as his cue to walk over to me. Alexander lowers himself to his knees so we are eye level.
Even in the dark, in the twinkling lights, I fall into the damn rabbit hole like I always do. I lift my hand and brush his forehead, cupping his beautiful face in my palm. He relaxes into my skin and lets out a sound of defeat.
“I don’t want to run anymore.”
“I don’t want you to run anymore.”
“I’m still mad.”
“That’s okay.”
He is so afraid of being alone and unwanted. At the first sign of an argument he goes running. But here we are, reconciling like two adults. We may be okay after all.
At least I desperately hope so.
chapter TWENTY-EIGHT
Today has been a strange day. Alexander left early for the office. It was the first time he didn’t wake me before he left. We didn’t talk anymore last night. I let him “think” on the chesterfield while I went to bed. When I woke up at seven, he was gone.
He also cancelled his lessons today, saying he had some important meetings uptown that couldn’t be rescheduled. If there is one thing I found to be true about Alexander Asher it is that the Juliette Academy is the most important thing in his life.
The fact he cancelled classes is alarming.
I left the school early today to make my flight. Alexander wanted me to take his private plane home but I told him it was a gross waste of money. I can fly commercial just like the rest of the world. I did, however, concede to letting his assistant Cecilia book my ticket for me. I have a five o’clock flight out of Newark on United.
A little after two, I walked my suitcase down the stairs and onto the curb in order to hail a cab. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Devon there, but I was really hoping he wouldn’t be. Instead of arguing, I handed him my suitcase and climbed into the front seat.
So, here I am with Devon driving us through the Lincoln tunnel and we emerge in New Jersey. I don’t know my way around the Garden State but when I started seeing signs for Teterboro Airport instead of Newark, red flags go off in my head.
“Where are we going?”
“To the airport,” Devon answers in a straightforward manner.
I scowl at him. “Which airport?”
Devon bites down on his lip and doesn’t answer.
I cross my arms and push my back into the leather seat and huff in frustration. I have a really good idea where we are going. My suspicions are confirmed when we pull into the private flight terminal outside Teterboro and end up next to a private plane with the name ASHER on the side.
“No. I can’t—” I look at the time. “I have a flight at Newark in two hours.”
Devon shakes his head and opens the door. “No, you don’t,” he says before exiting the car.
I can’t believe him. It’s bad enough the man has been ignoring me all day. Now I know he lied to me about the commercial flight and is making me take his very extravagant private plane.
Okay, I understand how this sounds.
Ungrateful.
I hear it in my own voice.
I pull out my phone to text Alexander but don’t know exactly what to write. It’s not like he’s been communicative today. In fact, it’s been radio silence. I put the phone away and step out of the car when Devon opens my door.
A woman greets me at the bottom of the stairs leading onto the plane. I give her a shaky smile and climb up the staircase. When I’m inside the plane I’m completely taken aback. Creamy ivory leather seats line the cabin, eight in total. A shiny birch veneer dining table matches the veneer accents throughout making it feel like I’ve stepped onto Air Force One. I peek in the back of the plane and see a bedroom with a full-size bed and a bathroom.
