“Our boss!” Brian nearly shouts, stealing the big reveal from Steven, who glares at him.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
I feel both hot and cold, my hands clammy and trembling. This is so unfair. What are the odds of those two ending up in the room right next to Lex’s?
This is so fucking bad.
In my life, I’ve known my fair share of embarrassing moments, but this one takes the cake. I want to disappear, to justpoof, vanish into nothingness. Leaving the table abruptly and showing I’m upset isn’t an option, so I have to endure it.
Mistaking my silence for astonishment, Steven continues. “So now, we’re trying to guess which one of these ladies was with him last night. We established she has to have some sort of limp going on after what he did to her, so it’s our main clue. Also, she’s got to be a total babe.”
“Maybe a limp is a bit much,” Oliver notes, still not on board with this.A limp really isn’t too much, no…
“Dude, you weren’t there. You didn’t hear it. It was kind of muffled, but I swear, the man has got to be a sex god or something. It was insane like, bed banging on the wall for two hours straight, and nonstop, ‘Aah… Yes! Oh, God, yes! Ooh… Ah,’” Brian imitates with a high pitch. A few surrounding people take an interest in our table, intrigued.
If all the blood hadn’t drained from my face, I’d be poppy-red right now. If that’s how I sound, how is Lex not shoving my face into a pillow?
The guys won’t drop the subject, and I try my hardest to appear unfazed, even though I’m dying inside. Oli tries to veer the discussion to another topic a few times, arguing it’s Lex’s private life, but it does nothing. My appetite is gone, so I push my food around, eating very little from my massive tray.
“Whoever was that hoe with him,” Mason says at some point, sipping on his Earl Grey, “she a lucky bitch.”
“Okay, how about we change the subject? Lex got laid. Good for him. Let’s not shame a woman for it,” Oli intervenes. I could kiss him for always doing the right thing.
“Here he comes!” Brian excitedly says, ruining his efforts.
We turn in the direction he’s looking, and I spot Lex, wearing a charcoal two-piece suit with a black shirt underneath, the first two buttons undone. As always, he’s stunning.
“Good morning, everyone,” he greets us when he reaches us with his tray, suspiciously joyful given his usually stern attitude. He sits opposite me, and while I look away, I sense his gaze on me.
The guys salute him back, and there’s a moment of silence while Lex digs into his breakfast. They’re all burning to ask him about his night, and I don’t even have to wonder which one will break first.
“So, how was your night?” Brian asks. Almost immediately after, Mace kicks him under the table.
Oblivious to the awkward ambiance, Lex drinks a sip of coffee to help swallow his mouthful of buttered toast. “I slept nicely. Thank you for asking.”
He’s in a remarkably good mood. An evening of sex makes him delightful to be around, doesn’t it?
“But you didn’t sleep much, though,” Brian insists, ignoring Mason, who kicks him again.
Lex scans each of us, now aware that something’s off. I can’t give even the slightest hint to the guys, but I try to pass on all I can in our silent exchange when our gazes cross. “What do you mean?” he asks Brian.
“Well, Steven and I were moved next to your room, and we heard you had some feminine company.”
Mason facepalms, Oli closes his eyes with a sigh, and Steven shakes his head. Joseph isn’t missing any of this, reading lips and enjoying the free entertainment. I’m thankful for Lex being so clever and quick-witted because, after a short instant of shock, he doesn’t turn to look at me. Thank God for that, because it would have been a dead giveaway.
He stays silent for a moment, seemingly unaffected, his stern face impossible to decipher. I’m starting to know him pretty well, though, and I can sense he’s pissed. My suspicions are confirmed when he finally speaks, giving Brian a dangerous glare.
“Was there a fucking question?”
It’s the first time I’ve heard Lex swear in front of them, and the shock on everyone’s faces tells me it’s a very rare occurrence.
Brian turns pale, torn by confusion and embarrassment. “I, umm… We—No, not really. It’s more of a… an observation,” he stammers. Lex doesn’t answer, but he gives a look that makes it abundantly clear what he thinks of his “observation.”
Lex is very private, living in a fortress of an apartment with his own AI to ensure no one knows what happens inside. I can easily imagine how having his intimacy laid out for all to see—or rather, tohear—doesn’t sit well with him.
The joyful mood is gone, replaced by awkward silence. Eventually, the guys filter out one by one until only Lex and I are left.
He empties his plate with harsh gestures, and when he finishes and puts his cutlery down, I bend forward with an understanding smile, even though I’m not sure I’ll ever truly understand the man.
