“Fight the power!” I yelled down at them. “Love yourselves. Recycle.”
Joel gently shoved me into the elevator and swiped his card. Then a few minutes later, I was standing shoeless on the sidewalk in front of Richmond Electric.
“Ms. Lexi, let me call you a cab.”
I looked up at the glass tower that loomed above me.
“Grayson is right.” I was sobbing again. “I am bad with money; I can’t afford a cab. Settlement,” I yelled plaintively. “I need a settlement. Can you tell them I’m ready for my settlement?”
“I’m sure they’ll call you, Ms. Lexi,” Joel said kindly while I wept.
“Look, my daughter’s just getting off the night shift. She’s a plumber. If you sit tight, I’ll have her drop you off somewhere, okay? Just wait here a moment.”
I nodded, still making heaving, sobbing gasps.
He patted me awkwardly on the shoulder while I took out my phone.
“Lexi!” my mom exclaimed when the video call connected. “What a surprise! Oh, Orange Blossom,” she cooed, her face a mask of concern. “What happened?”
“I just—” I couldn’t talk, I was crying so hard. “I don’t know.”
“Barry,” my mom yelled. “Barry, something’s wrong with Lexi.”
My dad rushed into the frame.
“We’re going to come get you,” Dad said firmly.
“No,” I choked out. “Please don’t waste your money. It’s been awful here. I know you say that Collinses aren’t quitters, but I want to quit. I just want to go home.”
62
GRAYSON
Marius seemed angry after Lexi had been hauled away.
“What should we—”
“Grayson, just go home,” he said brusquely, “and let me deal with this.”
He handed me my briefcase.
I felt like shit.
Because you are shit.
Her words replayed in my head. She was right though, wasn’t she?
You are just like your father. You had a good thing with Lexi, and you ruined it, didn’t you? You hurt her. You are a monster.
I parked in front of my building and handed the keys to the valet.
“Welcome home, Mr. Richmond,” Nasr called. “By the way, your assistant is up there.”
“Thank you,” I said, rapidly pressing the up button.
She was giving me another chance. Lexi was going to take me back. I just needed to figure out what to say …
But it wasn’t Lexi waiting for me in the kitchen when I dropped my briefcase on the floor.
