I shook him off. “No thanks.”
“Do as I say.”
“Hey! Stop yelling at her,” Alfie demanded.
Grayson turned on him, something feral and animalistic in his green eyes.
Alfie yelped as Grayson latched onto the side of the passenger window. The metal of the door creaked.
“You better keep the fuck driving,” Grayson said, the promise of violence laced in his words.
“Sure thing, mister.” Alfie floored the gas, and Grayson jumped back.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I backed away from him.
“You don’t understand,” he said, lips thinned.
“No, I get it,” I shot at him. “You keep calling me crazy, except you’re the one that’s crazy. You need help.”
I was still backing away.
Grayson advanced, singly focused on me. It was unnerving.
“You have to come with me where it’s safe,” he crooned. “I’m not going to hurt you, Lexi.”
I knew he wasn’t—knew that he wasn’t his father, but between his anger and the cold and the look in his eyes when he had shaken me, I was spooked.
“I’m going home, Grayson, and you should too.”
“No.” He shook his head again. “No, I can’t. I can’t.”
I backed away a few more paces then turned.
“Don’t follow me.”
26
GRAYSON
Ipicked up the basket and watched Lexi. Every instinct in me wanted me to follow her, to protect her.
“Your instincts are corrupted,” I reminded myself.
And yet …
I kept walking, but not home.
I saw her at the end of the block when I turned a corner. I trailed her east, keeping her in my sights, but not letting her notice me.
Anyone who saw me would just think I was someone carrying home their groceries.
I trailed Lexi to a run-down apartment building. After watching to make sure she made it inside safely, I was finally able to relax and force my feet to take me home.
When I returned to my study, I sent an email to Anthym informing her that I’d decided to take a surprise visit to our southeastern plants and had her arrange the plane and hotel.
I didn’t want Lexi to feel uncomfortable in the office around me, but more than that, I didn’t trust myself around her, didn’t trust myself to be able to sit in my office and pretend to be normal while she was just outside the glass, perched on her desk,bringing me snacks, leaving me notes. And I definitely couldn’t risk surprising her in the penthouse again.
Work was exactly what I needed to take my mind off of Lexi Collins.
