Page 19 of Access

Alex breezed through the documents, signing here and initialing there, when a text alert diverted his attention. Although multi-tasking had always been his forte, Alex read his phone while signing, and his signature quickly turned to a large scribble off the page. “Fuck,” he said under his breath.

Paco witnessed the faux pas. “Don’t worry, I have a second set for just these times when you stroke out during an important signature.” Paco tapped the binder’s second tab.

“No, THIS.” Paco pulled into the nearest valet drop-off point at a restaurant. As the valet scurried around to let him out and take the keys, Paco lowered the power window. “Hey, I just need to sit here for a minute,” he said, handing him a hundred-dollar bill. He raised the window, faintly hearing the valet say, “Yes, sir, take all the time you need.”

Paco took the phone and reviewed the text. “Are you going to tell her?”

Alex looked pensively into the distance. “Not yet.”

“Why not? You said yourself you didn’t want to start hiding all the stuff at your place or start a relationship on the wrong foot. Well, here you are. At this point, I’m not sure you can avoid it.” Alex just maintained his far away stare, considering his moves like a chess master.

“What I can’t avoid I might be able to delay,” he suggested as he looked over at Paco. Though Paco disagreed, he conceded with a nod. Paco knew the importance of the ask.

“Let’s go,” Alex said, texting Madison to let her know he’d be there in fifteen minutes.

Paco peeled out.

Madison sat, deep in thought, gazing out the window. She needed answers, but confrontation wasn’t her thing. The waiting made her nervous, and a rash started breaking out on her arm. Pondering how to handle the situation, she realized she might be out of time as the bell rang. He’s ringing the bell?

She headed towards the elevator, when it opened. The soft murmur of unfamiliar voices broke the silence. Several people entered with stainless steel rolling carts, halting once they saw her.

“Good evening, ma’am. We have instructions to set up in the small library, unless you prefer a different location?”

Uncertain what to say or do, she just nodded. “Sure. Thank you.”

They set up at a table with two chairs in a room off to the side. They quickly worked to get a four-course meal set up at the table overlooking the city. They finished and Madison panicked thinking they’d need a tip, but the moment they’d finished, they’d vanished.

Where they had hurriedly worked had transformed from a small sitting library to an elegant dinner setting. Several assorted plates were covered in silver domed tops, hiding the food beneath. Moet chilled in a polished stand, and a low arrangement of pale pink roses decorated the center. She was about to step forward and peek at the savory scented food when she heard the elevator open again.

She stepped over to see Alex. Here he stood. He looked every bit the total package: a sweep-you-off-your-feet kind of guy with rugged good looks that made her weak in the knees. But did it all encase something darker?

She knew everyone had a past, but was his worse? A stalker?How did he get the book, and the photo? And what about the nickname? His gaze locked with hers, but he hadn’t moved. Her heartbeat quickened as they played out the lovers’ version of a wild west standoff, watching each other’s eyes for a sign of what would come.

16

Alex had kept Paco waiting in the garage in case he needed a wingman, or God forbid, Madison needed a ride. But here he stood, at the entrance to his penthouse suite as it transformed into a lion’s den of his own design. Alex focused on his breathing, trying to suppress the growing heartbeat pounding in his ears. He needed to quiet his thoughts and squash a potential episodic outburst. Any eruption, even a small one, would be taking center stage at the worst possible time. Madison couldn’t find out like this.

One look at Madison, and he knew she, too, was suppressing her own reactions. Though he’d seen her lash out once, he knew it wasn’t her nature. She’d been pushed to extreme emotions, caused in part by him. And back during her outburst with Gina, her first instinct was to leave. As he watched her now, he wondered for a moment if she might avoid it all and bolt. His mindful eyes fell from the pensive expression on her face to the movements of her hand. She’d been scratching a nagging itch on her arm, but instantly stopped once he noticed. He read her every intention in that moment. Despite the hives driving up her skin, she would stay. At least, for a bit longer. He stepped towards her.

“Alex, I’m not sure what’s going on, and I’m not sure how long I can downplay my full level of freak out right now, but I’d really like to understand it all. How do you know about Igz? And how did you get my book? And the photo? Did you ... did you break into my apartment?”

“No, on my life, I didn’t.” He moved to embrace her, reassure her, but the doubt in her eyes stopped his advance. “And I know what you’re thinking. The answer is, no, I didn’t get someone else to do it for me either.”

“Then how?” Madison held her gaze, her eyes searching for a reason to believe him.

Alex paced a little, trying to figure out how to tell her without breaking the terms of an unwritten contract. A verbal agreement that, by anyone else’s standards, held no merit. For whatever reason, it did to him, and it was important. He stepped over to her, softly taking her shoulders, and gently guiding her to sit in a nearby chair. He took knee in front of her.

“Look, will you stay here for five minutes? Just don’t leave. I’ll be right back.”

Madison looked at him. His eyes shone, pleading without a word. She nodded, and he jumped up, leaving the room while making a call on his phone. “Meet me in the office.”

A minute later, the elevator opened again, and Paco stepped in. Heading towards the office, he paused as he spotted Madison sitting patiently, but scratching her arm. She stopped as soon as she saw him, and shyly waved. Paco just gestured with a shoulder shrug and a one moment single finger up, indicating he’d find out what was going on. He made his way to the office. Entering the room, he found Alex finishing a document and printing it out. He whipped it off the printer, signed it, then handed it to Paco. “Sign this.”

Paco took a minute to read it. Looking back at Alex with pursed lips, he flipped it back onto the desk. “Nope.”

“Sign it!”

“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Paco hollered a little louder than intended, but his emotions were heightened. “Go ahead—cancel my black card. Get someone else. I’m not signing it.” Alex knew Paco’s flight-mode could flip to fight-mode any second now. Alex stood defensively, not wanting to fight, but not wanting to get his ass kicked either. Taking a breath, he considered his words and actions carefully. Then, he said one word in a strong, imploring tone. “Please.”

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