Chapter 41
Gabriel
I’m startled awake by a buzzing sound. I blink my eyes frantically trying to remember where I am. “What time is it?” I say with a sleepy voice. Peering around my office I hear the buzzing behind my head again. I reach behind me and pull my suit jacket out from under my head. Digging around the pockets, I find my phone. When it buzzes again, I answer. “Hello?”
“Gabriel?” asks a panicked Lexie.
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“We’ve been frantic. Your door is locked and you haven’t answered your intercom. Maintenance is here and they’re about to break down your door. Thankfully, Katya let me try to call you one last time.”
She let her call me? “You don’t have to answer to Katya. You’re my girlfriend. You can do what you want.”
I’m met with silence on the other end of the phone. “Well, anyway, could you please open your door so they know you’re not dead in there?” she lets out a small laugh.
“Yeah. Sure. I was just asleep. Long night last night.” An attempt at a little innuendo fell on deaf ears. Or ears who didn’t want to hear it.
“Whatever. Just open your door, please.”
I bring my legs over off the sofa and onto the ground. Groaning as I push myself up, I step to the door. When I open it, I see why Lexie was concerned. There are three guys in coveralls and tool belts standing next to Katya. One of them is holding a Sawsall, another an ax, and the third one has a power drill. They’re geared up enough to build an ark. “I’m fine. I fell sleep. Long night. You guys can take off.” Mumbling, the men head to the stairwell just to the right of my office. I look over at Lexie who turns a lovely shade of pink. She knows why I had a long night.
“Well, you’ve missed two client meetings and the guys in the Pit needed you this afternoon,” snaps Katya with hands on scrawny hips. When she first started working for me, I thought she was attractive. Not anymore.
I look down at my watch. Two twenty-five. “Wow, I slept the day away.”
Still standing like a little general, “You did. You wasted a lot of people’s time today.”
“Oh. Now you listen here, Katya. Since when do you…” I don’t get to finish my statement because I see Lexie in the corner of my eye waving one arm out to stop someone, her head shaking side to side. “Great. What now?”
“No. You’re not allowed in the office. Remember?” Lexie is holding her arms out forming a ‘t’ with her body in an attempt to keep Christine from breaching the area beyond reception.
“You think you can stop me?”
I pick up my pace trying to get to Lexie when I see the unthinkable. Christine lowers her shoulder like a linebacker on a football team ramming it into Lexie. Taken off guard, Lexie’s arms swing around in frantic circles attempting to keep her balance. Not easy on those high heels, I’m sure.
She nearly catches her balance when Christine places both of her hands-on Lexie’s shoulders pushing Lexie back with a great deal of force. I watch in slow-motion as my sweet Lexie falls backward. I get to her but it’s too late. She’s landed flat on her back, mere inches from the edge of the reception desk. Any closer and she would have hit her head.
I slide down to the floor so I can get close to Lexie. She looks dazed. Turning to Katya I yell, “Get security up here, now!” I shout so loudly everyone in the entire office had to have heard. Katya doesn’t move. She’s staring down at me and Lexie. “Now!” I shout again.
“Lexie, baby. Are you okay?”
She pushes herself up until she’s seated on the floor, wincing as she goes. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
I look up and see Christine. She’s got her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. “Gabriel? Baby?” whines the insane Christine.
“Don’t move.” I tell her angrily. As soon as security gets here, I’m calling the police. I want Lexie to file charges for assault and Katya and I will bare witness.
