by T Gephart
Alex’s eyes darkened as Lachlan stood up, helped by my mother and Melissa. “You know, I really struggled to wrap my head around what Lexi told me about you people. Why can’t you see what an amazing woman she is? My mother brought me up to be respectful so we’re going to leave even though I don’t believe you are deserving of that concession.”
“You’ll never see them again.” Lachlan wiped the blood from his cut lip, “Will and Ava. You are done with them.”
“You know Lachlan, the thing about children is they eventually grow up and realize the lies their parents told. They end up having their own minds and make their own choices. They find out things their parents did and they make their own judgements. So while I can’t do anything about that right now, I’ll take my chances for the future.”
Alex released his grip on me and allowed my feet to touch the floor. Taking his hand I strode past my dumbfounded family and walked to the “pink” room, wanting to see them one last time.
“Don’t!” Lachlan warned as I took a step toward my old bedroom door. His face was flushed with anger as he tried to hinder my path.
“You touch her and it won’t be a cut lip you’ll be wiping the blood off,” Alex threatened. I’d never seen him so angry. I had no doubt he would seriously hurt Lachlan if he even breathed in my direction, and judging from my brother’s retreat I assumed he didn’t doubt it either.
As I pushed open the door, I saw them sitting on the floor surrounded by hundreds of colourful bricks. They were the two people who didn’t deserve to be causalities in this fall out. Ava looked up, her precious little face aglow with pride as she showed me the simplistic “car” she had made. “Look Aunty Lexi... it goes Vrrrrrroooommmmm.”
Will rolled his eyes, her Lego prowess not impressing him as he showed me his more intricate version of a vehicle.
“Hey, it was so nice to see you today. I know you don’t remember but we met a long time ago when you were both little.” I sat down on the floor beside them.
“Are you going now?” Ava pouted as she sat in my lap.
“Yes this wonderful man I am with he is your Uncle Alex. He and your Aunty Lexi live very far away. Do you know where America is?” My heart broke with each passing second.
Will nodded, “Of course! That’s where Disneyland is!”
“Disneyland?!” squealed Ava, “Do you live near Mickey Mouse?”
I laughed as a tear fell from the corner of my eye. “No but I know his address. One day when you are older, I want you to come visit me and maybe we can go find him together.”
“YES!” Ava laughed in delight, her arms wrapping around my neck as she squeezed her tiny face against mine. “Bye Aunty Lexi!”
“Bye beautiful Ava, I love you.” I struggled as I fought back tears. Will took his turn in giving me a hug, his more reserved and less exuberant than his sisters.
“Bye Aunty Lexi.”
“Bye Will. I love you so much.”
Both Will and Ava resumed their play, unaware of how long our goodbye would be for as I rose to my feet and walked to the door. Alex stood in the doorway, his open arms welcomed me as I approached.
“Let’s get out of here.” I whispered, melting into his chest. Alex nodded as he walked me out the door.
My parents didn’t say anything as we left. They let me walk out the door as I had done so many times before. I’m sure in their mind this was typically me - over-reactive and dramatic. Truth is, this time it was different. I wasn’t just walking out but I was walking away. There was a part of my heart that felt something for these people, whether it was love or maybe it was just something simpler - a habitual obligation but I didn’t hate them anymore. Some relationships are toxic and you can’t feel bad for ending them, despite the ties that held you there in the first place, even if those ties are blood.
Alex opened the door of the car as I silently slumped into my seat. DarNell looked over the seat questioningly but wisely didn’t push it further. Alex climbed in beside me and closed the door, “Take us back to the apartment, we’re done here.”
Yep. We were done here. Well and truly done.
~~~~~~
“Do you hate me?” Alex asked, taking a tentative bite of the pizza slice in his hand.
In the end I didn’t have to eat my mother’s crappy lamb roast, instead I got to lay in bed naked with Alex, eating pizza straight from the box.
“Why would I hate you?” I questioned as I nibbled on my slice.
“For putting you through all this, for making you take me there.” Alex took a long breath, “For bringing up all this shit with your family. I should have listened to you, I shouldn’t have pushed it.”
“You know me well enough to know that I can’t be talked into anything I don’t want to do.” I laughed as I put the slice down and wiped the grease off my hands. “You aren’t responsible for them, you aren’t responsible for the way they make me feel. That’s on them... they are Assholes and they have no place in my life.”
Alex finished his slice and licked his fingers. “Your family really are assholes, Lexi.”
“Nope, my family is here. With you. And the amazing people we share it with- James, Hannah, Jason, Troy and even Dan, that’s my family. Your beautiful mother and wonderful brother Christian, your family, now my family. Not to mention the amazing friends that have been there for me, they are my family. See I have a HUGE family, and everyone in it, wants to be there.” I nuzzled against his chest, the rhythmic beating soothing me.
“I still feel bad Baby, I honestly thought it would be different.” Alex’s beautiful blue eyes were clouded with concern as he gently rubbed my arm.
“I know you were hoping for some magical story book ending, but it doesn’t happen like that in real life. For whatever reason, which neither of us will ever understand, there is some fucked up synapse in these people’s brain which makes them that way. I’m not sorry that you got to see it because I think you needed to. You needed to see that there are parts of me that are ugly. Things that are so natural or normal to you are foreign to me.”
“There is no part of you that is ugly, nor could there ever be.” Alex assured me as he tilted my chin back to kiss me.
His kiss consumed me. There was a desperation in it that hadn’t been there yesterday. It worried me a little. Was this all too much for him? His previous carefree rock star lifestyle now included a wife with baggage... a ridiculous amount of baggage.
I moved the pizza box off the bed and laid back in his arms. I needed to be close to him, I needed to make love to him and for him to make love to me.
Alex studied me as I traced the lines of his chest with my finger, slowly moving down his torso to his deep V.
“Lexi... we don’t have to do this.” Alex moved onto his side to face me. “It’s been a really emotional evening, I’m happy just to hold you.”
“You’re turning me down?” I frowned, craving his closeness.
“No, I just want to make sure it’s what you really want.” Alex’s gaze locked onto mine. “You need to talk to me Baby, I can’t read your mind.”
“Alex, remember the night I took you home after your Dad died?” I hated bringing up such a painful memory.
“Of course. You stayed with me, the whole night.” Alex smiled, his lips resting against my collarbone.
“You wanted to make love to me, saying you need to feel something other than grief. I understand what you meant. That need for a connection. I need that tonight Alex. I need you to make love to me. Please” I rested my hand back on his chest, “Please.”
Alex pressed his mouth against mine, slowly this time, tenderly. His hands swept over my body, exploring my skin as his mouth continued to move over mine.
Each movement was almost painfully slow, despite being deliciously erotic. His hot tongue travelled down my neck as he shifted above me, his fingers continuing to explore my body. “Yes,” I murmured.
As he travelled further south, he took his time, savouring my breasts as
he took my nipples in his mouth one at a time, his tongue twirling around my hardened peaks. My need intensified with each flick. A moan fell from my lips as his mouth released my swollen breasts and trailed kisses along my stomach, his hands parting my legs as he moved further down my body.
“Yes.” I tilted my hips up to meet his waiting mouth. His hot tongue slowly and steadily moved between my thighs. His hands were restless as they continued to travel over my body. His mouth was unrelenting as it swirled and twisted over my core. I closed my eyes as I let the sensation overtake me, my body vibrating as my temperature rose.
I reached for him, wanting to touch him, needing to feel him. My fingers knotted in his mess of blonde hair. His astonishing blue eyes watched me as moans of pleasure escaped my lips.
Every time I was close to the coming, he would slowly back off. He knew my body so well and he knew how to read my cues, what each little whimper meant. I was so desperate with need, my skin was on fire.
“Alex!” I moaned, unable to stand it any longer. It was if every cell in my body had been electrified by his touch.
His tongue stopped as the throbbing in my groin grew. He watched me squirm beneath him, I was so close. Without saying a word he lifted his mouth off me and before I had a chance to protest he hovered above me with his rock hard cock at the ready. One quick thrust was all it took, I had been so close that just the friction of him filling me sent me spiralling over the edge. I bit his shoulder as I tightened around him, squeezing and pulsing as the wave overtook my body.
“Aghhhhhhh…Yes...” I moaned as he rocked back and forth against me, my orgasm not ending and yet seeming to build again. Deeper and deeper he buried himself, my body shaking as he moved me in his steady tempo. Each movement he made was controlled and deliberate and drove me completely insane.
“That’s it Baby, I’m going to come with you this time,” Alex whispered as his pace quickened slightly, his hands guiding my hips.
“Alex!” I moaned as I met each of his thrusts with one of my own, staring into his hypnotic blue eyes. “I’m going to come!”
“Lexi!” he groaned as he exploded into me, feeling him come inside me was all I needed to push me over the edge. Riding out the rest of our ebullient orgasm as we continued to rock back and forth.
Our sweat-soaked skin glistened as our bodies collapsed back on the bed. Alex’s arms wrapped around me as I panted softly against his chest. He moved a stray strand of hair from my eyes and his lips parted into a gorgeous, seductive smile as I gazed up at him. We didn’t speak, there was no need to. Everything that needed to be said, was said with that look.
In the past I had used sex as a coping mechanism. I used it for comfort and most of all I used it for sport, but with Alex it was more than that. Our connection went beyond being physical; he understood me. I had been delusional when we met in believing that it was just sex with Alex. I felt it the minute I saw him, I was just too scared to admit it. I had found my other half, now I was a whole.
Chapter 21 – Eyes Wide Open
Our eventful day started in the morning with a visit to my old office at Cole. Kate was her usual self, buzzing around the office, inciting fear into the uninitiated. It was good to see everyone and meet the new faces. It had definitely been time for me to move on. While I had loved working at Cole, there was so much more I was capable of doing and now I had a chance to explore.
I was my own boss, I got to make my own rules and I would rise and fall by my own doing. The responsibilities and the risks were now mine and what’s more there were people who looked to me to lead them.
Anna had recently arrived in New York. I had missed her by a day on our trans-pacific cross over. Matt had informed me she had settled into the apartment well and had already had her initiation with Taylah. Taylah had sent me an email early this morning.
From: Taylah Nixon
To: Lexi Stone
Subject: G’day mate and Shit :-)
Hey Lexi, hope you haven’t been mauled by a Koala bear! I know they look cute but I saw them on the Discovery channel and I reckon those sons-o-bitches would claw your eyes out if given half a chance - don’t believe the hype! Met your girl Anna yesterday and you Aussie girls sure know how to party! Fun times, we are so having Girls night when you get back - you owe me that for getting married without allowing me a chance to throw you a bachelorette party. Not like the baby shower you planned for your friend Hannah either, real booze and strippers! If you don’t have a headache in the morning, I’m hanging my head in shame. No baking either! I attempted to cook after you left thinking I might try it in my own kitchen and I speared my foot with a fucking knife! Needed stitches and a freaking tetanus shot. Dave and I made an executive decision that I don’t do that again.
How’s the husband? Hope you’re allowing the poor man to come up for air! He still needs to be functional when you get back. James will kill you if you break him! :-)
Things here are the same, Dana on twelve wants me to re-do her bedroom and she has picked the most god-awful color pallet I’ve ever seen. I wish I had a nickel for each time these rich bitches had taste - I’d have a solid 15 cents by now. HA!
Ok, need to fly. See you when you get back. Miss ya face!
T x
PS you need to move back in. The penthouse is opening up end of the month. Messy divorce and they have to sell- I told the agent that I’m pretty sure it’s haunted so I can score you a good price! Love ya xxx
I did miss living next to Taylah. Alex’s apartment complex was more upmarket and consequently attracted more “conservative” residents. Maybe it was something we could consider? A fresh start, somewhere neither of us had history and we could build new memories. A clean slate.
We had decided to return back to the apartment just after lunch. Jackson had been pretty enthusiastic about getting Alex to go check out his band’s SALT’s new material so had invited us out to a gig later tonight. Usually, I would be super excited to go out and see a live band, especially given the high calibre the Melbourne music scene usually offered, but I was still a little drained from yesterday’s exhausting showdown with my family.
“Go hang out with Jacks, Baby. I think I’m just going to go to bed early.” I smiled as I lay across my couch kicking off my shoes.
“Lexi, I can stay home with you if you aren’t feeling well?” Alex looked concerned as he knelt beside me.
“No, no... I’m not sick. Just feeling a little off. Drained. I’m fine, I promise. I just don’t feel like going out but I want you to go. I think it would really mean a lot to Jackson and I know you will have a good time.” I protested.
I didn’t want to turn into those couples that had to spend every waking moment together. It was important that we still did things by ourselves and maintained our old friendships. The biggest mistake I had made in my past was losing my sense of self. While I knew there was no danger of that happening now, Alex couldn’t be more different than him, I wanted this to be healthy - for both of us. Besides I really was ok, just physically tired.
He looked at me hesitantly, “Are you sure? Did you want me to call someone to come stay with you?”
“Alex, look at me! I don’t need a babysitter. I am fine, really - I am seriously ok. You can’t second-guess me and it’s ok for me to be by myself. Remember I used to live here by myself for years? I will be ok.” I reassured him.
“Ok.” He conceded, grabbing his phone to call Jackson while I curled up on the couch and closed my eyes.
~~~~~~~
The trill of Alex’s phone woke me as I looked around, confused about where I was. The room was dark. As I glanced around I realized I was still in my lounge room, my arms and legs stiff from being curled up in one position for so long.
I couldn’t see or hear Alex and the apartment sounded empty as I reached for his phone on the coffee table.
“Hello” my voice croaked as I pulled the phone to my ear, the buzzing noise of silence greeted me.
“Hello?” I ask
ed again, checking to see I didn’t accidentally hit the reject button when I answered. It was then I noticed the screen identified who the call was and that we were still connected.
“Marcy, what do you want?” I sneered into the phone. I really wasn’t in the mood for her bullshit tonight. Really, when was this bitch going to give up? What did she want and why the fuck couldn’t she just leave us alone?
“Well, you really do have Alex on a short leash, don’t you?” Marcy seemed to have grown a pair since the last time I’d spoken to her. “I never thought I’d see the day Alex Stone was pussy whipped.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh Marcy, really? I’m sure Alex will be so glad you called to check on his welfare. Oh wait? He doesn’t want to have anything to do with you. He left you. So take all the cheap shots you want at me, but the reason he isn’t talking to you has nothing to do with my pussy and everything to do with yours!”
“Lexi, look. I know you two are married and I really don’t want to start trouble. I just want to talk.” Marcy’s voice wavered as she changed tactics.
“So, talk.” I sat up and stretched my limbs, part of me wondering if she had attempted to call Alex previously and he hadn’t told me.
“Not on the phone.” Marcy sputtered, “I want to talk to you in person. Just me and you. We can work this out like two adult women.”
“Marcy, as much as I would love to have a girlie chat with you, that isn’t possible. We’re away at the moment.” Did she think we were going to sit down with hot chocolate and paint each other’s nails? What drugs is this chick on?
“Yeah...I know... You’re in Melbourne, right?” Marcy responded.
How the fuck did she know that?! I stupidly looked around excepting to see a camera and Ashton Kutcher jumping out telling me I’d been Punk’d!
“Yes, we are. How did you know that?” I asked, not sure I was going to like the answer.
