The Stand Off

by Z. Stefani

“Yes I will,” Lux agreed with a smile. She had just grabbed her plate from Kiki when she received an email alert on her cell phone. Her happiness faltered when she realized it was from Dean Blake.

  To: Lux Hart

  From: Dean Blake

  Subject: Reschedule

  ____________________

  It’s been rescheduled. You have three weeks at which time I will demolish my part of the building. There will be no exceptions this time.

  -Dean

  To: Wrecking Ball Man

  From: Lux Hart

  Subject: Good Luck

  ____________________

  Before or after you’re running from the governor?

  -Lux

  She wished she could send him a picture of her middle finger instead of her tart reply.

  To: Lux Hart

  From: Your Landlord

  Subject: Reschedule

  ____________________

  I don’t run from anyone. And stop gloating; your 15 minutes of victory is almost up. I should start charging you rent.

  -Dean

  To: Slumlord

  From: Lux Hart

  Subject: You wish

  ____________________

  Gloating ;)

  -Lux

  Lux slammed down her phone and growled; her smile was completely inverted.

  “What’s wrong?” Pixie asked.

  “Call the private detective and schedule another appointment,” Lux barked louder than she meant.

  “Okay,” Pixie nodded and grabbed her cellphone.

  ***

  Dean looked at his laptop screen to see Lux’s last message.

  He wasn’t sure what pissed him off more… the word “gloating” or the damn winking, smiley face after. He imagined Lux’s sexy lips turned up into a smug smile, and he felt his cock begin to pulse. He knew what to do with smug smiles; he had a better job for those lips.

  “What I would do to you if I could get my hands on you right now,” he murmured as visions of making Lux submit flashed through his head.

  He sat back in his chair and stared at the computer screen for a moment. This wasn’t over; he’d make her pay for all the trouble she’d caused him, and he’d make her pay for that fucking smiley face, too.

  Dirt on Dean

  Lux and Pixie went downtown to visit Private detective Clifton Branch. He had a small office between the bowling ring and a pizzeria. He was a smart man who seemed to know a lot about everyone. When Lux first met him, she was worried because he appeared too young to be a good detective. However, all of her doubts were laid to rest once Clifton quickly produced pictures of Dean and the governor’s wife.

  They walked into his office to find him smiling widely behind his old wooden desk.

  “Well hello ladies; to what do I owe this pleasure?” he asked, looking directly at Lux.

  “I still can’t believe you’re this close, and we’ve never run into you before,” Lux said as she walked over to sit in the chair before his desk.

  “Well it’s a good thing we finally did.” Pixie smiled as she sat in the other chair next to her sister.

  “I guess the block is bigger than we thought.” He smiled back.

  “I need more evidence,” Lux cut to the chase.

  “Straight to the point… I like that,” he said with a pleasant smile directed at Lux.

  “I need something better than before,” Lux told him.

  “Better than the governor’s wife?” Clifton asked; his eyes wide with shock.

  “Yes, and I need it as of yesterday,” Lux declared.

  “Wow, you’re just as demanding as your sister,” Clifton smiled.

  “She’s way more demanding than me,” Pixie shook her head as she twisted her lollipop in her mouth.

  “Let me guess: Dean didn’t bat an eye when you showed him the pictures?” Clifton asked Lux.

  “You expected that reaction?”

  “He’s a tough one; he doesn’t take well to threats. So it didn’t work at all?”

  “It was enough to get the demolition postponed.” Lux sat stiffly in the chair.

  “Well that’s a start. He’s never postponed anything to my knowledge. The problem is he’s legendary for being a womanizer. His behavior is so shocking, we’d have to expose something real big to out shock the shock he’s already caused,” Clifton explained.

  “Or we just need to find something that he wouldn’t want exposed,” Lux suggested.

  “If only we could find out how his mother really died,” Clifton said in a soft voice.

  “Don’t tell me you’re one of the murder conspiracy theorists?” Pixie asked.

  “If we could find some evidence against his father, I can guarantee that you’d get your building back.”

  “No absolutely not. I don’t want to dredge that up,” Lux told him. She was determined to do whatever was necessary to keep her building, but she would not do that.

  “That story is brought up annually,” he said.

  “I don’t care, it won’t be brought up by me,” Lux informed him as she raised her chin stubbornly.

  “There has to be something,” Pixie interjected.

  “There was a rumor that he had an affair with his brother’s ex-fiancée,” Clifton informed them.

  “As in his rock star brother Vaughn?” Pixie suddenly smiled like a schoolgirl with a crush.

  “Yes, Vaughn.”

  “I love that man; his music touches my soul.” Pixie purred.

  “Good, get the proof.” Lux told Clifton.

  “Well it’s just word of mouth,” Clifton reminded her.

  “Tell me it’s not from some scorned girlfriend or some super-stalker groupie,” Pixie scoffed.

  “It is,” Clifton admitted with a look of distaste.

  “Then it’s probably not even true; it’s a waste of time,” Pixie said.

  “Nothing is a waste of time, I am desperate. I will double your money if you can find proof, but it has to be legitimate,” Lux spat.

  “If I could find proof I would be rich; that’s something he would never want to get out. He is very close to his brothers.”

  “If it’s true, then he can’t be too close to them.” Pixie shook her head.

  “That man is neither close nor loyal to anyone… I’m sure of it. From all the wretched tales I’ve heard, nothing would surprise me. He probably did cheat with his brother’s fiancée. In fact, he probably slept with all of his brother’s fiancées, girlfriends, and wives,” Lux sneered.

  “I agree; from what I’ve gathered, he’s a bad man. You’re very astute Miss Hart. I like that,” Clifton said with a smile.

  Lux stared at him blankly for a moment and Pixie almost chuckled, knowing her sister would never recognize the flirty nature of his words.

  “If you’re not doing anything for dinner tonight, maybe I could tell you a few tales about Dean that would surprise you.”

  “I’ve heard enough. All I want is hard evidence,” Lux replied.

  “Then how about dinner so we can discuss the whole case further?”

  “Why waste time with dinner when you can send me an email. You have evidence to find,” Lux said as she rose from her seat. “We have to go. Contact me the moment you get something.”

  “Absolutely boss,” he smiled and saluted her.

  Lux nodded civilly and headed to the door before she turned back to her sister. “Are you coming?”

  “I’ll be there in a minute; I just need to ask him something,” Pixie said with a false smile.

  “I’ll be in the car; hurry,” she said and rolled her eyes as she left.

  When Lux was gone, Clifton began to speak, “She doesn’t like me at all does she?”

  “She’s too worked up and stressed out about this building. Just give her a little time. Remember the faster you get that dirt on Dean Blake, the sooner she’ll start relaxing a bit,” Pixie convinced him although it was a blatant lie. Lux wasn’t the least bit interested in him. Lux was never intereste
d in anyone so if she suddenly developed an interest, Pixie would have picked up on it.

  “I’ll get on it; I’ll get everything I can find.”

  “That’s what we like to hear.” Pixie smiled before she left.

  Once Pixie was back in the car, Lux turned to her and asked, “What was that about?”

  “Oh nothing… just a crush.” Pixie chuckled.

  “Another one of your stalkers? No wonder why he’s so eager to help.”

  “No, he’s not stalking me.”

  “Please don’t tell me that you’re the stalker. You’re not the one with the crush are you?” she frowned as if she smelled something bad.

  “Hell no! For your information my irresistible sister, Clifton has a crush on you,” Pixie accented her last word with a nod.

  “Tell me you didn’t encourage this crush just to get the job done.”

  “Why ever would you think such a thing, dear sister?” Pixie feigned innocence.

  “Because I know you like a book, sister dear.” Lux pursed her lips, waiting for a response.

  “You’re right of course; I did. But you have to admit that he’s cute.” She smiled.

  “No he’s not.” Lux frowned as she drove off.

  “Not even a tiny bit?”

  “No; there’s something off about him,” Lux said flatly.

  “He’s got that boyishly sexy, detective look.”

  “So then you should be the one who likes him, leave me out of it.” Lux shook her head.

  “It doesn’t work like that. Besides, you know that I don’t like men who chase my friends; especially not my sister.”

  “Stop saying that; he’s not chasing me. I think you have your signals crossed or something. It’s probably some reverse pickup approach. I would bet tons of cash that you’re the one he’s really interested in,” Lux snapped, clearly irritated.

  “Then you would lose,” Pixie said flatly.

  “Well let’s just pretend… and let’s not mention it again,” she demanded with a frown and Pixie grinned.

  “It wouldn’t kill you to go out on a date you know.”

  “I’m not going on a date with the private detective. Drop it,” Lux insisted.

  “Not him necessarily… with anyone. You need to date.”

  “I’ve been on a date.”

  “Yeah, for fucking prom,” Pixie mocked.

  “I’ve been busy since prom! Did you forget about The Music Hall? When have I had a day to rest let alone go on a date? What do you want? You want me to grab some random guy off the street and take him to dinner or a movie?”

  “Why do that when you got Clifton right there,” she joked, but Lux didn’t find it amusing.

  ***

  It had been a long, trying day for Dean. He was short tempered, irritated, and barking orders at everyone around him. Despite his unwillingness, he had found himself dwelling on Lux Hart for the better part of the day. He couldn’t rid himself of the thought of her; he was even having trouble staying focused. He’d never been so distracted before, especially when it came to work. He’d never put any thought, any person, or any one thing before his job. Then again, no one had ever been able to grab his attention like Lux did. Not only had she grabbed his attention, it seemed that she was keeping his brain hostage as well.

  “You’ve spent more time dwelling on this particular female than you spent planning for your upcoming business meeting,” he reminded himself and felt his anger spike at the thought.

  He never dwelled; he simply got even. So why was he so fixated on Lux? He should be focused on besting her, but he wasn’t; even his visions of revenge were not his typical methods. He didn’t just want to punish her and end it there. He had too many different scenarios racing through his head to narrow it down to one.

  Dean’s thoughts were broken by the sound of the turning door handle. He watched as his office door opened and his brother Johann waltzed into the room. Johann strolled across the room and laid an empty folder on his brother’s desk. He then sat down in the chair across from Dean with a smirk on his face.

  “What is this?” Dean asked as he opened the folder.

  “What I found on Lux Hart.”

  “It’s an empty folder.”

  “It signifies what I found.” He grinned as he shook his head.

  “You found nothing?” Dean asked.

  “Absolutely nothing.” He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands up.

  “Nothing?”

  “Nothing. The building was purchased by her mother using her father’s life insurance money. Her father had been renting it before that. They’ve never committed fraud, no crime; they’re even paid up on their taxes. She was a straight A student who never cheated on a test. This chick is like the underground superstar of her neighborhood.”

  “What about personal slander? Have you talked to her old boyfriends or ex-friends? Maybe someone with a grudge that might want to get even with her?”

  “I can’t find any enemies… except for you of course. She has a close group of friends, and they’ve been friends as well as band mates for a long time.”

  “Band mates?”

  “They have a band or did have a band, I’m not positive. I guess Miss Hart is a pianist. From what I’ve learned, she’s pretty good.”

  “Who gives a fuck?” Dean barked although he was slightly impressed. “What about ex-boyfriends or maybe a current one?”

  “No boyfriends, no ex-boyfriends, no girlfriends…nothing.”

  “There has to be a guy somewhere; she’s too pretty.”

  “I thought the same thing and if there is, I can’t find him.”

  “She’s 24; there’s a guy somewhere.”

  “I’ll look again, but that’s all that I could find. Like I said, nothing bad; they’re doing everything by the books.”

  “There has to be something.”

  “I don’t think there is. Maybe we should just look for another area.”

  Dean turned to glare at his younger brother. “Did I just hear you correctly, little brother? Did you just admit to defeat? Did you just suggest that I give up?”

  “No. But there’s a lot of property for sale in this city. Why waste time on this particular one? Besides, I didn’t think you’d want your affair with the governor’s wife to go public before this deal is done. That is, unless you think that she’s bluffing.”

  He shook his head. “No, she’s not bluffing.” Dean could see it in her eyes… she was ready to go to war.

  “Then I guess we keep searching for some dirt. In the meantime, we’ll hurry up and close this deal with the governor.” Johann shrugged.

  “That’s the smartest thing I’ve heard you say since this conversation started.”

  Red Tape

  Lux awoke the next morning in a strange mood. Her nerves were slightly rattled, and she was still irritated, but she was determined to not let it ruin her day. She had a class full of talented children who were eager to learn to play the piano. That thought alone brought a huge smile to her face and lightened her somewhat intense mood.

  “I will not allow Dean Blake get the best of me. I have three weeks to fix this situation,” she chanted over and over as she prepared for her day.

  ***

  Dean was up early, his mind clouded with injustice and revenge tactics. He’d had trouble sleeping. He kept dreaming of Lux and her desperate need to take what belonged to him. He was actually running from her in his dream, and he couldn’t be more livid about it. He wouldn’t take this lying down; there was no way he would be duped by some female with a pretty face. He needed to rattle her cage, and he needed to rattle it hard. The new destruction date hadn’t seemed to faze her; but he had a pretty good idea of what would.

  ***

  Lux had just finished teaching her last class for the day when she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

  “Hi Lux!” Roxanne Reynolds sang with a warm smile on her face. Miss Reynolds was the mother of one of Lux’s favorite stu
dents, Sally Mae. She was a single mother who worked hard to put food on the table. She also happened to be a close friend of Kiki’s.

  “Hi Roxanne,” Lux smiled, always happy to see the devoted mother.

  “I made cupcakes.” She handed her the platter filled with brightly colored cupcakes.

  “Oh thank you, you know how much we love your cupcakes. They are always so beautifully decorated. I swear you and Kiki should open your own business,” Lux said with a big smile.