by Susan Stoker
Midas walked them into her apartment and locked the door behind him before he took her shoulders in his hands and backed her up so he could look into her eyes.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I’m just glad to see you.”
“Don’t bullshit me, Lex. Something’s wrong.”
She sighed and sagged. “It’s been a long day.”
Deciding to change tactics, Midas grabbed her hand and led her to the bed. It was too early to go to sleep, but since she didn’t have a couch, the bed would have to do.
He set her down, and she smiled up at him. “You that eager for some lovin’?” she teased.
Ignoring her, Midas leaned down and took off his boots. “Scoot over,” he told her.
She did so without a word, and Midas sat next to her. He plumped the pillows behind him, stretched his legs out, and pulled her toward him.
Lexie came willingly, melting against him with a long sigh.
For several minutes, neither spoke. Midas just stroked her hair and held her tight.
“How was your meeting?” she asked after a while.
“Long,” he said. “Talk to me, love.”
“I’m okay,” she said. “It’s just been a stressful day.”
Fine. So he’d have to pull what was wrong out of her. He could do that. “Did Magnus make it here okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you get a chance to talk to him much?”
“Not really. He went right to work on the audit.”
“How’s Ashlyn?”
“Fine. Why?”
“Just wondering. What time did you get home?”
He felt her stiffen a bit against him and knew he was getting closer to finding out what the hell was wrong. He hated not being able to immediately fix whatever had happened.
“I stayed a bit later since I knew you were in that meeting. That pipe in the kitchen finally burst, and we had a lot of water to clean up.”
“That sucks,” Midas said.
She shrugged.
“So you left later…did you eat something?”
Lexie nodded.
Right, so he obviously sucked at figuring out what was bothering her. Midas decided to quit beating around the bush. “You need to talk to me, Lex. What happened? And don’t say nothing. You’re not yourself, and it’s freaking me out.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just been a lot of things today. Magnus was… I don’t know how to explain it. Just different from the man I’d gotten to know through emails and our few phone conversations.”
“How so?”
“More formal, I guess. I mean, I didn’t expect him to dance a jig when he met me, but I wouldn’t have minded a hug or something.”
“He might’ve felt weird doing that in front of others.”
“I know.”
When she didn’t say anything else, Midas kept probing. “You said it was a lot of things. So what else?”
“The sink. Magnus. Not seeing you before now. Theo. Walking home…” Her voice trailed off.
“Walking home?” he asked, not liking how she’d stiffened when she’d said that.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“What happened?”
“Magnus walked me home because there was some sort of ruckus outside right before I left. A guy followed us for a while. He said some mean things. Magnus hit him and that was that.”
Midas felt helpless, and he hated the feeling. Knowing Lexie was downplaying what happened wasn’t helping. “And Theo?” he asked.
“He was in the alley across the street. Magnus said he’d seen him staring at me throughout the day. I don’t know why he was there, but what if he’s been following me home for a while now? I just… I hate feeling afraid of anyone we help at Food For All. It’s not like me, and it’s unfair to them.”
“It’s not unfair if someone is an actual danger to you,” Midas said.
Lexie didn’t say anything, just stared up at him.
He could see the frustration in her eyes. One of the things he liked best about Lexie was her positivity. Her sunny outlook on life. What he’d seen as naivety at first, something that had concerned him, he now recognized as her innate kindness, a natural part of who she was. She balanced out his overly cautious, cynical self. He also knew she wanted to trust Theo…but that didn’t mean he had to.
He wasn’t all that surprised that Theo had been lurking around in a dark alley, watching her. And he definitely wasn’t happy about it either. “I’ll pick you up from here on out,” he told her.
She shook her head against him. “We both know that won’t always be possible. Look at what happened today. You’ve got work and stuff you can’t get out of.”
She was right. “Fine. But if I can’t pick you up, I’ll arrange for someone else to.”
Lexie picked her head up and put her hand on his cheek. “I appreciate that. More than I can say. But I’ve never relied on a guy for anything before in my life, and I don’t want to start now.”
“I’m not just some ‘guy,’” Midas retorted. “And there’s no fucking way I’m gonna let you keep walking home by yourself when men are harassing you, or if Theo is out there watching you.”
“I usually have Jack or Pika walk me home if they’re available,” Lexie told him. “And Magnus was really a great help today. He hit that guy and didn’t act like it even hurt him at all. I know it had to, because that guy was huge and Magnus’s knuckles were bleeding. I love that you want to protect me, but you can’t always be with me. I need to figure out how to keep myself safe. Today was just…a lot. I’ll be my usual positive self tomorrow. Promise.”
Midas picked up the hand on his cheek and kissed her palm before resting it on his chest. Lexie put her cheek against his shoulder and snuggled into him.
He’d heard what she said, but he was still going to do whatever he could to take better care of her. She was right, he couldn’t always drive all the way downtown from the base to pick her up when he was working, but he knew a lot of people, he could call in some favors.
Hell, he bet if he told Baker what was going on, the man would drive down from the North Shore every day to pick her up and take her home.
“What are you smiling about?” Lexie asked suspiciously.
“I was just thinking about asking Baker to pick you up when I can’t.”
“The Baker? Yes! Do it!”
Midas blinked in surprise. “I thought you’d put your foot down and tell me I’m being ridiculous,” he admitted.
“Okay, it is ridiculous. But I’ve heard a lot about him from Elodie, and I’m curious.” She shrugged a little sheepishly.
“You want to meet him?”
“Well, yeah. Of course.”
“Then I’ll make sure that happens,” Midas said. The more he thought about it, the better the idea seemed. Baker wasn’t a man who suffered fools easily, and he’d be more than happy to keep his ear to the ground for any threats against Lexie. He hated violence against women, and Midas knew once he found out what Lexie had been through, she’d have another champion.
“Why do I suddenly feel uneasy about this?” Lexie asked, giving him the side eye.
“I don’t know. Baker’s cool.”
“Midas?”
“Yeah, love?”
“You make everything better just by being here.”
Fuck, he loved her. “I feel the same. No matter how long my day’s been or how hard a mission is, knowing you’re here waiting for me gets me through.”
“You hungry?” she asked softly. “I can make you something.”
“No. I’m fine just as I am,” Midas said. His mind was racing with what he needed to do the next day. He needed to talk to Natalie about Theo. And definitely Baker. If anyone could find out what the hell Theo’s deal was, it was that man. He could probably even find the guy Magnus had punched as well.
Midas also wanted to meet Magnus. He would’ve been there today if the emergency meeting hadn’t come up.
> “You’re thinking really hard,” Lexie accused after a moment.
He chuckled. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. You just go ahead and think. I’ll just do my own thing here.”
Her hand slowly moved down his chest and played with the buttons on his uniform pants. Looking down, Midas saw her grinning as she continued to lie against him.
He grabbed her hand in his and said, “Are you okay now?”
Lexie looked up and nodded. “Promise.”
“I’m sorry you had a hard day and that I wasn’t there for you.”
“You’re here now,” she said.
“I am,” Midas agreed, then scooted down until he was on his back. Lexie laughed when he rolled them until she was under him. He lowered his mouth and loved that he could feel her smile against his lips.
When he lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. “I love you, Lexie. I hate that you were scared today. I’d kill anyone who dared fuck with you like that asshole who followed you today. And if Theo lays a hand on you, he’ll wish he hadn’t.”
She shivered, and Midas regretted his words for a second, until she spoke.
“Why is you being all alpha such a turn-on?” she asked.
“Because it means I love you.”
“And I love you,” she returned as her hands slipped between them to tug at the button at his waist once more.
“Something you want?” he teased.
“Yes. You,” she said, completely serious now.
His head dipped again as he went to work making his woman forget her shitty day.
Magnus settled into the king-size bed in his ridiculously expensive hotel room. He didn’t ask the Food For All board if his choice was all right. Lodging was included in the expenses for auditors, and no one had specified where he had to stay or what the budget was.
Today had gone better than he could’ve hoped. The asshole he’d hired to harass Lexie on her way home had done exactly as he’d told him to do. Magnus had felt Lexie’s tension, and he knew she was scared. He’d gotten to play her hero and gain her trust.
The fact that he’d spied the bat-shit crazy Theo in the alley across from her building had been icing on the cake. He’d planted the seed that he was following her…so it would be no surprise in a day or so when the mentally ill man attacked her.
The only loose end was her boyfriend. The Navy SEAL. But he knew from talking with Lexie that he dropped her off in the mornings, then headed for the Naval base.
He hadn’t come to town with a definitive plan in mind, but things were working out better than expected so far. Food For All was in a shitty part of town, and Lexie was stupidly oblivious to the dangers around her. Perfect. He hoped to get Theo in the right place at the right time. Magnus would arrive at the building first thing in the morning, observe the man’s routine, then make his final plan.
His palms itched, and Magnus inspected them. They didn’t look any different than they had this morning, but he could literally still feel that homeless man’s dirty flesh on the skin of his palm. Could feel the struggle as he’d tried to suck in air and couldn’t.
Except when he thought of what had happened, it wasn’t a bearded man’s face he saw in his mind. It was that bitch’s.
She was too naïve. Too perky. Too fucking happy.
How she could be happy when he’d been left with an empty void inside him, Magnus didn’t know. Out of everyone in the world, Lexie Greene was the very last person who should feel happiness. She should always be as terrified as she’d been tonight. Should feel fear and dread every damn second of her pointless life.
The only consolation Magnus had was the fact that the last thing she’d ever experience was terror. Just as Dagmar had.
Satisfied that things would work out just as he hoped, Magnus closed his eyes. He really was tired from traveling, then working all day. His internal clock was all fucked up. But soon he’d be back home, and maybe, just maybe, Dagmar would be able to rest in peace. And in return, the gaping cavity inside Magnus would begin to heal.
Chapter Seventeen
The day after Magnus had arrived was relatively uneventful, for which Lexie was grateful. Midas had dropped her off at Food For All early as usual, and she’d gotten a head start on the day. Magnus showed up not too much later than she had and went straight to the office to get to work. After Stephen arrived and unlocked the doors, Theo had appeared, as was his custom. She’d been worried at first, but he’d taken a seat on the far side of the room while she’d been in the kitchen and hadn’t said anything to her. He rocked back and forth, and even when she put a piece of toast in front of him, with the crusts cut off, he didn’t look up.
Deciding not to confront him about why he was in the alley across from her building, especially when she wasn’t sure how he’d react to an interrogation, Lexie went back to work. She’d never seen Theo in that alleyway before, so she couldn’t really accuse him of watching her when she had no proof.
Midas called around two and said he had the rest of the day off and was coming to pick her up. Lexie headed to Natalie’s office to let her know.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know that Midas is coming to pick me up now,” Lexie said.
“That’s fine. You’ve been working really long hours lately.”
“Will I get to meet him?” Magnus asked from behind the large desk, where he was sitting and looking at computer files.
“If you want to.”
“Oh, yes. I’ve heard a lot about him. And maybe he can tell me more about my brother.”
Lexie mentally winced. She wasn’t sure this was the time or place to talk about what had happened in Africa, but since Magnus hadn’t accepted her offer of dinner, and Midas couldn’t just take time off work whenever he wanted, she supposed there wouldn’t really be another good time.
“I’ll let you know when he gets here,” she told them.
Natalie nodded, while Magnus just stared at her with that penetrating gaze of his.
Closing the door, Lexie took a deep breath. Man, Magnus had turned out to be very different from what she’d thought, based on his messages and from talking to him on the phone. She assumed he was still in mourning, maybe even a little stressed because of this being his first audit.
Lexie headed back down the hall and visited with the men and women who were in the main room until Midas arrived. Luckily, Theo had left by the time he got there. She had a feeling Midas would’ve wanted to have a “chat” with the poor man.
“Hey,” Midas said, coming straight for her.
“Hi,” Lexie said with a huge smile. It was almost embarrassing how happy she was to see him. Midas never failed to make her feel good.
“How’s your day been?” he asked.
“Good.”
He crooked an eyebrow at her.
“Seriously. Good,” she insisted. “Except… I think Magnus wants to have a talk with you about his brother.”
“I’m okay with that,” Midas said.
“Really? I mean, I just figured it would be awkward.”
“It’s not. But I’m afraid he’s not going to be all that impressed with what I have to say. I was with you, not Dagmar, when the attack on the hospital happened, and even before that the Danish special forces took over his care in the field and on the way to Galkayo.”
“True,” Lexie said.
“Come on. Let’s get this done so we can head out. I have a surprise for you.”
“You do? What is it?”
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you what it was,” Midas replied with a grin.
They walked back down the hall toward Natalie’s office, and Lexie knocked once more before sticking her head in. “Midas is here,” she said.
They walked into the office and Midas nodded at Natalie. “Good to see you again,” he told her.
“Same. I hope you’re well?” Natalie said.
“I am, thanks.”
“And this is Magnus. I’ve told
you guys a lot about each other,” Lexie said a little nervously.
As Magnus stood, Midas took a step forward and held out his hand. Magnus looked at it for a beat too long before he shook it.
“It’s good to finally meet you. Lexie has told me a lot about you,” Magnus said.
“Same. I’m sorry about your brother,” Midas said.
Magnus nodded his head in acknowledgement of the sympathy.
“I’m going to slip out and check on things,” Natalie said, heading for the door.
The second she was gone, Magnus said, “I would like to hear about Dagmar and what happened.”
It wasn’t a question, and it wasn’t said in the most friendly tone either. Lexie tensed, but Midas put his hand on the small of her back as if to let her know he had this conversation under control.
“I wish I could tell you something you wanted to hear. But my team and I weren’t involved much in his transport or his care once we got back to the hospital. We were surprised that we were even headed back to Galkayo in the first place. We didn’t learn of the unexpected stop until we were in the helicopter on the way to the LZ in the desert.”
Magnus visibly stiffened. “My brother was ill. He needed a doctor. Immediately. The flight to the US ship could’ve killed him.”
Midas nodded in acknowledgement, but didn’t respond.
“So you know nothing?” Magnus asked.
“I’m sorry, no. I was with Lexie when the hospital was attacked. I didn’t learn of your brother’s death until much later, after we were able to meet up with my team. I didn’t even know the Jaeger Corps had left the country.”
Magnus made a snorting noise in his throat and turned back to his chair. He sat and concentrated on the computer screen in front of him. “It was nice meeting you,” he said absently. “I have much work to do in the short amount of time I have here in Hawaii.”
“Right. My deepest condolences for your loss,” Midas said, then pressed on Lexie’s back as he turned her toward the door.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Lexie said over her shoulder. “Maybe we can go out to lunch?”
“That would be nice,” Magnus said.
When the office door shut behind them, Lexie scrunched her nose and looked up at Midas. “Wow. He was kinda rude. I’m sorry.”
