Page 57 of City of Love

Gideon’s heart jumped in his chest once again at the prospect of discussing the transition. Did he let her get some sleep before dropping another bomb on her?

He pulled her back in and nuzzled his cheek in her hair. “You know I’d love nothing more. We have much to discuss in that regard. But you’re exhausted right now, as am I. I’ll come to you tomorrow morning, and we’ll talk.”

She agreed with a contented purr against his chest. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Now let’s get you home,” he said as they separated, giving her a love pat on the rump. “I’ll make sure Matthew sees you back to your place. Do you think Margot might stay with you tonight?”

He extinguished the candles and fire with a wave as they headed out, and she gave him a reassuring nod. “I’m sure of it.”

CHAPTER 24

Matthew greeted Lexi on the other side, having showered and taken dinner in the office at his club. Margot had failed to answer his earlier text until moments before Lexi had returned, her message apparently full of apologies and excuses, which had turned his mood sour again. But she promised to meet them back at Lexi’s apartment.

Lexi sat in silence for the short drive home, exhaustion finally getting the better of her. She carefully avoided any more thoughts surrounding the violence of the day, focusing instead on Gideon and their lovemaking. The absolute joy she’d experienced in his arms. Though thoroughly drained, she was already anxious for tomorrow and the chance to show him her home for the first time, and to talk about the possibilities of their future.

She tipped her head back on the headrest, some tension tightening her muscles again as she pondered their upcoming discussion. As in tune as she was with his emotions, she couldn’t help but notice the anxiety he felt both times today when they began to discuss the practicalities of her staying in his world. She didn’t believe it had anything to do with his feelings for her—which he’d made lovingly clear this evening—but rather whatever was involved in the transition process itself.

Re-tuning the musical key of her life, as he’d put it earlier, sounded rather lovely, but she supposed there must be something unpleasant enough about it to cause his tendency to balk at the discussion. The sudden image of a finger pressing down on a wildly out of tune piano key shot through her head, the imaginary loud dissonance grating her nerves. She sat up straight again and shook it off.

They pulled in front of her rowhouse apartment to find Margot sitting on her front steps. Her friend flew up and ran to them as soon as they parked and stepped out of the car.

“Oh my God. Your face.” She reached a hand to Lexi’s bruise, her eyes round and frantic.

“Ouch.” Lexi flinched away.

“Oh God, I’m sorry.” Margot stepped back and then turned to hug Matthew who’d come around the car to stand beside them. “What… what the hell you guys? What happened?”

She zigzagged her attention between Lexi and Matthew as they moved up the steps to the apartment. She pawed at them in turn, wanting information faster than they were giving it to her.

“Where were you? Who did this?” Margot held the screen door open while Lexi fumbled with her keys.

“We’ll tell you everything when we get inside,” Lexi said, her energy running on its last fumes.

As soon as Lexi flipped on the lights, Dexter darted from the bedroom, meowing with demands as he circled her legs. “I hear you, buddy. Let’s get you some food.”

Margot followed Matt into the living room, and Lexi dealt with the cat’s needs as she listened to him retell the story, Margot’s rapid and high-pitched questions only adding to the stress Lexi felt building again. Sleep. I just need sleep.

When she joined the other two in the living room, Margot’s face showed an odd mix of concern and what looked almost like anger. Lexi rubbed her head, which had begun to throb once more. No doubt the violence against her was pushing all of her best friend’s buttons. She was probably ready to seek out and destroy, and Lexi appreciated her loyalty and bravado. At the moment, however, everyone they knew to be involved had already been destroyed. And beyond that, everything else was a question mark.

Matthew seemed to be growing irritated with Margot’s questions, and Lexi remembered that he, too, must be exhausted and drained.

“You guys, I really just need to crawl into bed,” said Lexi.

“Right. I’ll leave you ladies to it, but I want to show you something first.” Matthew walked to the window and pulled back the curtains. “See that car parked across the street? That’s Jimmy and a friend of his. They’ll keep watch all night. But if anything seems out of the ordinary, call the police first.”

Lexi went to him for a hug. “Thanks. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

Margot took him to the door, and they chatted in private for a moment before she came back in to join Lexi in the bedroom. “Do you have any sleeping pills? I bet you could use a little helper about now.”

Lexi nodded, pointing to the bathroom. “Are you sure you don’t mind staying tonight? I can make up the pull-out couch.”

“I wouldn’t leave if you begged me. And don’t worry about the couch. I’ll just crash on top of it,” she said with a smile before heading into the bathroom.

Lexi changed into a nightshirt and crawled under the covers, appreciating the cool smoothness of the sheets against her tired muscles. Margot returned with a glass of water and a pill, which Lexi swallowed down before letting her head hit the pillow.

“I’ll be in the other room if you need me,” said Margot.

As tired as she was, Lexi’s mind raced through the events of the day, a montage of images ranging from the most joyful to the most horrible of her life all in one twelve-hour period. The sound of Margot talking on her phone wafted in from the other room, her best friend’s familiar voice helping to calm her as the sleeping pill began to take over.

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