“Oh… I… thanks?”
He shrugs and shuffles awkwardly, wincing as he looks down the road back toward the community center.
“Do you need a ride home?”
“No!” I shake my head, berating myself for shouting. “I’m okay… I like the walk and it’s not far.”
He hesitates. “Are you sure?” he asks, biting his lip.
I shouldn’t be focusing all of my attention on his lip biting, or his muscles, or his eyes. I need to get away from him: far, far away.
“Yeah… I…” I take a step away from him and hook my thumb over my shoulder. “I better be going.”
He watches me, a small smile kicking up the corners of his lips as I back away several more steps. “Right. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” I frown before my brain catches up with me. Work, Lexi. He means he’ll see you at work. “Yeah, tomorrow.”
I stick my hand up in an awkward wave and spin around, putting too much force into it and nearly taking myself out. I right myself and laugh awkwardly, still feeling his eyes on me as I practically run down the road and turn the corner that leads to Livvy’s house.
By the time I make it to the path, I’m out of breath. Why did I just practically run away from him? He was only offering me a ride home, but the thought of being in that small, metal box he calls a car has my pulse racing.
Not only that, but I don’t want him to know where I live; it may seem silly, but I want to keep the anonymity. At least that way I know I can try and control all my crazy thoughts and not have them consumed with him all the time.
I just can’t work out whether I’m scared of him, or the way he makes me feel.
“Lexi?” I jump at the sound of Cal’s voice and snap my head up to where he stands by the front door. “You ever coming in? Or are you going to stand out there all night?”
He smirks and I laugh. “No… I… never mind.” I walk into the house, slipping past him.
“We’re out back,” he tells me and I nod, making my way through the kitchen and out onto the back patio.
“Ahhh! Here she is! Where did you find her, Cal?”
“She was contemplating life on your front lawn.”
Livvy smacks him on his arm and then giggles before picking up her glass of sherry.
“How much has she had?” I ask Mal.
“Too much.” He chuckles. “Here, come sit between me and Cal.” He pats the seat between them and I smile, walking around the table and sitting down. “Nice jacket.”
“Huh?”
“Looks familiar,” Mal says, turning his eyes toward Cal and wiggling his brows up and down.
“Mal,” Cal warns, but his eyes look at the jacket. “Stop it, I can see the wheels turning inside that brain of yours.”
“What?” Mal shrugs innocently. “I didn’t say a thing!”
“Mmmhmm. I can hear your thoughts from here.”
Mal lifts his hand to his lips and makes a zipping and then locking motion before throwing away an invisible key behind him.
“I’m confused,” I moan, my hand resting on my forehead. “It’s a friend's jacket.”
“A friend?” Mal asks. “You know I think I know—” He curses and reaches down to his leg, his eyes narrowed on Cal.
“Stop it,” Cal grinds out. “Leave it alone.”
“But—”
“I said leave it.”
They both stare at each other, narrowing their eyes and confusing me even more. I look down at the jacket, the smell of Evan surrounding me. Do they know Evan? Is that what they’re talking about? I frown, about to open my mouth to ask if they know him.
“How was work, lovely?” Livvy asks, her words slurred and her eyes drooping, cutting off my train of thought.
“It was good,” I answer. “I’m tired though, so I think I’ll hit the hay.” I start to stand up but Mal’s hand lands on my shoulder.
“Don’t go yet! The party's just starting.”
“I think I’m gonna head home too,” Cal announces, standing up. “I have an early case in court tomorrow.”
“Awww! You two are party poopers! Looks like it’s just me and you, Livvy!”
I shake my head and take Cal’s offered hand to help me up. “Thanks.”
He winks in reply and we both make our way inside. “Sleep well,” he says as he walks to the door.
“You too,” I answer.
“Oh, and, Lexi?”
“Yeah?”
Cal wrings his hand on the doorknob before sighing. “Don’t keep people locked out because of your past. Never be afraid to be who you are, who you are is more than good enough. If anyone has a problem with that, that’s their problem, not yours.”
I stand in shock and watch as he walks out without another word. Why would he say that?
I shake my head and move my attention back to the patio where Livvy and Mal are laughing their heads off. It may not be your typical family, but that’s what this is. My new family.
A loud crash wakes me and I shoot up in bed, trying to get out as fast as I can but getting my legs caught in the covers. I push my hands out in front of me, bracing myself for the impact. I miss face-planting the floor by a few centimeters before I hear the unmistakable sound of male voices.
The adrenaline pumps through my body as I untangle myself and grab the first thing I can, holding it up as a weapon and pushing my door open as quietly as I can.
I tiptoe down the hallway and toward the kitchen where the voices are coming from. Leaning my back against the wall, I count to three and take a deep breath before shooting around the corner.
“Hey!” I widen my stance as the two men freeze with their backs to me. One standing in front of the stove and the other by the sink. “Don’t move!”
They fling their hands up in the air in surrender and I search the kitchen. It’s like a bomb has gone off in here. Food splattered along all the counters. What the hell kind of robbery is this?
“Who are you?” I ask, my voice low and threatening. “Don’t move!” I scream when they start to turn.
“Lexi?” Livvy’s groan comes from the end of the hallway and she appears a few seconds later. “What the hell.” Her eyes look around the kitchen just like mine had.
“Call the police, Livvy.”
“I think I will.” Her back straightens and a smirk spreads across her face. “Who comes into someone’s home and makes breakfast? There has to be some kind of law against it. Look at my poor kitchen!”
The two guys groan and start to drop their hands before spinning around.
“Happy to see us, as always, Gran.”
My head whips back and forth between these two guys and Livvy, trying to work out what the hell is going on while warning them not to move again. They freeze, but I have a feeling that they’re just entertaining me at this point.
“Livvy?” I ask in a whisper. “What’s going on?”
“These two buffoons are my grandsons!” She walks over to them, slapping them both upside the head. “You should have told us you were coming! You’ve scared Lexi half to death.”
“Well she scared us too!” the one with dark hair cut close to his scalp says. “Look! She was gonna beat us with her sneaker!”
I look down at what I’m still holding in my hand as a weapon and frown. I wouldn’t have gotten far with one of my Chucks, but I damn sure would have tried my hardest. I have a pretty good aim and I’m sure that I could have at least hit one of them with it.
“It was the first thing I saw.” I shrug. “I could have thrown it at you?”
“See that, Gran? Look how violent she is! She hasn’t even been introduced and she already wants to beat me.”
I gasp and look up into his clear-blue eyes. “I would never, I swear, Livvy. I didn’t know—”
“Goddamn it, West! Must you always be such a Neanderthal.”
“Me?” He gasps, his hands grasping at his chest. “You wound me.”
“Ahh shut your big mouth an
d come and give me some love.”
He chuckles and takes a giant step before wrapping his arms around Livvy and lifting her off the floor.
“Sorry about him,” a deep voice says from right beside me. I spin around and bring my hand up in the air, smacking him on the shoulder with my Chuck out of reflex.
“Oh, shit. Sorry.”
“I sneaked up on you.” He rubs his shoulder and winks. “My bad.”
I scan his face. He has the same colored eyes as the other guy, but that’s the only thing that is similar. His dark blond hair reaches just below his ears and his skin is tan, unlike the other guy who is pale but covered in colorful tattoos.
Livvy walks toward the guy who is still standing next to me and they hug, much in the same way that she did with the tattooed guy.
“Come, sit!” She shuffles toward the table, waving us all over.
“I—”
“Sit your ass down, Lexi. You’re a part of my family now too.” I open my mouth to tell her that I need to go and get changed, after all I’m only in a pair of leggings and a tank top. I’m all too aware that I don’t have a bra on so I wrap my arms around myself, trying to cover myself the best I can.
“Lexi, this is West.” She points to the tattooed one. “And this is Seb,” she says, patting Blondie’s hand.
“Nice to meet you,” I squeak. “I’m Alexis, no, just Lexi.” I shake my head at myself. Why can’t I ever meet anyone and be freaking normal?
“Well, Alexis, no, just Lexi… it’s nice to meet you,” West says, a smirk on his face. “Where’d you find her?” he asks Livvy.
“She’s my jailbird.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand, affection on her face.
“Your what what?” Seb’s eyes widen and I wince at the rage on his face.
“My jailbird.” Livvy shrugs and gets up, starting to clear some of the mess off the counters. “I’m helping her get back on her feet. She’s just come out from a stint in juvie and prison.” She spins around and frowns at me. “Is that the right lingo?”
“It is.” I chuckle.
“Awesome.” She fist bumps the air. “I’m still down with the kids.”
Both guys groan but I smile: I love it when she’s like this.
The kitchen is silent for several minutes as West and Seb stare at each other, seeming to have some kind of silent conversation without having spoken a word to each other.
“So... prison, huh?” Seb’s deep voice finally asks.
I shrug and sink lower in my seat as I watch Livvy pull some bacon out and set it next to the stovetop.
“I—I’m gonna go and grab a shower, Livvy.” I push my chair back and practically run out of the kitchen and to my room, but before I make it behind the safety of my door, a hand grips my arm.
“Lexi.” I gasp and spin around at the sound of Seb’s voice. “Why are you here?”
His eyes cloud with anger and distrust and I shiver from the coldness displayed in them. “I-I…”
“Spit it out,” he growls. “I ain’t having some leach come here and take my gran for a fool.”
I swallow at the pure rage that is vibrating off him, my voice lost.
“Sebastian Dixon, you let go of Lexi, right now!”
He narrows his eyes, squeezing his hand slightly in warning before letting go and spinning around to face Livvy. As soon as he’s distracted, I run into my room and shut the door behind me, leaning my back against it and dropping down onto the floor.
I bring my knees up to my chest and listen as Livvy berates Seb.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m just protecting you, Gran.”
I hear her scoff. “You haven’t been here for years, and you think you can show up now and protect me?” Her voice gets closer. “Lexi wouldn’t hurt a fly. I’m helping her. She’s on a program.”
“That don’t mean shit, Gran. She could be robbing you blind—”
“Yeah, sure. Someone who wants to rob me pays me three months’ rent in advance, helps me run errands when I can hardly walk and cleans my house without me asking. Yep! Picture of a thief there, Seb.”
“Gran,” he groans.
“Don’t you ‘Gran’ me. You’re never too old for the bottom of my slipper, boy.”
Their voices get quieter as they walk away and I take a deep breath.
How did it go from feeling like I was part of a family to feeling like an outsider once again in the space of twelve hours?
“I don’t know how many times I’ve told you about wearing those t-shirts, pumpkin.” The way she says pumpkin has a shiver rolling through me. I hate it when she uses that tone.
“What?” I ask Geena, turning my gaze to hers as I pull away from the sidewalk of her apartment building. “What’s wrong with my t-shirt?”
I look down at it, reading the words “My Spirit Animal is a Goth Teenager.” It’s one of my favorites.
“It’s so…” She rolls her eyes and huffs. “Immature.”
“We’re only going to Dad and Pop’s house.”
She opens her purse, and I watch out of the corner of my eye as she pulls out a mirror and red lipstick. You’d think she was going to a fancy restaurant with what she’s wearing. I’m in a t-shirt and jeans—comfortable and casual—but she’s in a small, tight, dark-blue dress with sequins running inside the V that runs down to the top of her sternum. Her feet are encased in matching five-inch stilettos and her hair and makeup are done to perfection. Not a thing out of place. As usual.
“It doesn’t matter where we’re going. You should dress better.”
“But I’m comfy in these,” I answer her as I drive past the community center. My eyes linger on the building, knowing that Lexi is there.
I didn’t see her when I taught my Monday class yesterday. It was almost like she was hiding from me again. I could have gone and found her, but I didn’t want to push her if she was distancing herself from me. Maybe it would be for the best.
“What are you doing?” Geena snaps, slapping her hand on my thigh to gain my attention. I grit my teeth from the sting of her palm and grip the steering wheel harder, not bothering to answer her.
I’m still grasping the wheel just as tight when I pull up outside of Dad and Pop’s house a few minutes later.
Geena is oblivious to the vibe I’m giving off, flicking her hair over her shoulder and pushing open the door. “Come on!” she shouts as she gets out of the car.
I watch as she walks up the path, sneering at my dad’s eco car as she goes. It’s right here and now that I realize that I don’t feel what I used to for her. What I used to find endearing, I now find a little irritating. I hate that these thoughts are running through my head because there was a time when we got on so well. Something has switched lately; I don’t know what it is but it feels like all she ever does is talk down to me and tell me what to do.
Or has it always been that way and I’m only now noticing it?
I can’t help but watch her and wonder if there was ever that feeling between us; you know the one that has you wanting to spend every last waking minute with someone? I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that with Geena. It’s not that I don’t like being around her—when she’s being nice—but I honestly wouldn’t be bothered if I didn’t see her for a full week. It shouldn’t be like that.
I push all of my warring thoughts down, not willing to delve deeper into them right now. Getting out of the car, I see my dad open the front door and I jog up the path, wrapping my arms around his shoulders just after Geena slips past him, not giving him more than a small wave. This isn’t how it should be, they should be greeting each other like this with a hug.
“Hey, Dad.”
He pulls back slightly, framing my face with his large hands, his light-brown eyes full of questions. “You okay, son?”
He’s always had this sixth sense of when something is bothering me, but right now I wish that he didn’t because I want to forget about everything and just enjoy Po
p’s birthday dinner.
“What? Yeah, I’m good.” I paste on the same smile that I always used to and walk past him. “Where’s Pop?”
“He’s in the kitchen,” Dad answers, closing the front door behind him.
“Do I hear my boy?”
“Pop!” I grin as I walk into the kitchen, Geena nowhere in sight. “How’s it feel to be fifty? Any new gray hairs?”
“Hey!” He swipes his hand through his ink-black hair. “I’ll never go gray, I have good genes.” He winks.
“No… I think you’re wrong. I see one there.” I point at his hair, my face a mask of seriousness causing his baby-blue eyes to widen.
“What?” He looks in the oven door, trying to find the gray hair and when he realizes that I’m playing him up, he spins around and points at me, a smirk on his face. “Hardy har!”
I laugh, the kind of laugh that has your whole body shaking. “Gotcha though, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you did.” He chuckles and lifts the lid off a pot on the stove.
“Mmmmm, what’s for dinner?” I ask, stepping closer.
“My favorite. Steak, potatoes, and green beans.”
“Please don’t overcook mine,” Geena says as she walks in the kitchen. “I can’t bear overcooked meat.” She grimaces and walks to the table that is set for six people. “You have more people coming?” she asks Dad.
“Yeah,” he answers, opening a bottle of red wine. “Livvy and—”
“Humph, I would have thought you’d only want Evan and me here. After all, it is a special birthday.”
Pop cuts his eyes to me, saying a thousand words without opening his mouth. “Livvy is a family friend, she has been for over twenty years. Need I remind you that you and Evan have only been together two years.”
She gasps and turns her wide-eyed gaze to me. “Evan?” I hear the meaning behind my name, but right now I don’t have the patience to deal with her.
“Let it go, Geena,” I sigh. “It’s Pop’s birthday.”
Her eyes light with fire before she slides down in her seat, pulls her cell out and taps away at the screen, most likely bitching about me and my family to one of her friends. I lean my back against the counter and cross my arms as Dad passes Pop a glass of red wine and offers me a bottle of beer. I take a long draw and swallow before closing my eyes and relishing in the bitter taste as it hits my tongue.
ReBoot (MAC Security Series Book 4) Page 11
