Page 90 of Saddle and Bound

I watch as a figure emerges from the car. It's a man, tall and well-dressed. Even in the dim light, I can notice an air of confidence, almost arrogance, in the way he moves.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," the man says, his deep, captivating voice breaking the silence.

I look at Lexy, trying to understand what's happening.

Lexy seems almost petrified. Her face is pale, every trace of color gone. Her lips are pressed into a thin line, and I can see a slight tremor in her chin, as if she's fighting to maintain control. Her eyes, however, never leave the man's figure, following his every movement like prey watching a predator.

A thousand questions crowd my mind. Who is this man? Why is Lexy reacting this way? What's the history between them? And why has no one ever mentioned him to me? The festive atmosphere from just minutes ago seems like a distant memory, replaced by tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

The man steps forward, entering the garden lanterns' light. Now I can see him clearly: he's attractive, in his mid-thirties, with dark hair and penetrating eyes. His smile, however, doesn't reach his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Lexy's voice breaks the silence. It's cold, distant, laden with emotions I can't fully decipher. Anger? Pain? Fear? Perhaps a mixture of all these things.

The man takes a step forward. "Can't I make a surprise visit?" he asks, his tone light but with a note of challenge.

The tension in the air is palpable, and I continue to watch Lexy, trying to understand what's happening. But just when I think the situation couldn't get more surreal, the unthinkable happens.

Suddenly, Chris, Fran, and Diego rise from their seats. To my great surprise, they run toward the man, their faces lighting up with smiles. In an instant, they surround him and greet him with masculine pats on the back. Their voices overlap in a chorus of "Welcome back!" and "What a surprise!"

I stand open-mouthed, unable to reconcile their warm reaction with the tension still emanating from Lexy. How can they welcome him so warmly when Lexy seems to want to strike him dead with her gaze?

Then, to my further surprise, I feel Alex move beside me. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and whispers: "I'll be right back." I watch him walk away and join the group, shaking hands with the man with a smile. The man returns the greetings with apparent warmth, but there's something in his demeanor that makes me uneasy. His smile never quite reaches his eyes, and there's an air of... what? Arrogance? Self-satisfaction? I can't define it precisely, but it's unsettling.

While everyone seems happy to see him, I can't help but notice that Lexy hasn't moved an inch. Her body is still tense, fists still clenched. Her eyes have never left the man, and the hostility in her gaze is almost tangible. If looks could kill, I'm certain this man would have already fallen to the ground.

I feel completely disoriented. How can there be such a discrepancy in reactions? Who is this man really? And why does Lexy seem to hate him so deeply while others welcome him with open arms?

I remain motionless, observing the surreal scene unfolding before my eyes. After Chris, Fran, and Diego, even Val, Aurora, Maria, and her father approach the man, greeting him warmly in turn. Their smiles and cheerful voices contrast sharply with the tension still emanating from Lexy.

The guys continue giving him shoulder pats and friendly pushes, but he remains impassive. He doesn't move an inch, as if made of stone. There's something unsettling about his immobility, almost... inhuman.

"You're a bastard, you never answer messages!" Chris exclaims, laughing.

Diego adds: "You always disappear! Where the hell were you this time?"

The others continue with similar comments, mixing playful reproaches with genuine expressions of joy at seeing him again. The familiarity in their tones confuses me even more.

Suddenly, Alex turns to me. His smile is warm, but there's something in his eyes I can't decipher. "Rosie, darling, come here," he tells me, gesturing for me to approach. "I want you to meet a dear friend."

With legs that feel like jelly, I slowly approach the group. The man fixes me with a penetrating gaze that makes me shiver.

"Rosie," says Alex, putting an arm around my shoulders, "this is Maximilian. Max, this is Rosie, my girlfriend."

Maximilian. The name resonates in my mind as I try to process this new information.

"Nice to meet you Miss Rosalie," says Maximilian, his voice deep and controlled. The way he pronounces my name makes my blood run cold. No one ever calls me Rosalie... except on formal occasions. And I don't even know how he knows my full name. I decide to ignore it because it's easy to guess that Rosie is short for Rosalie... so maybe I'm overreacting.

He extends his hand and, hesitating for a moment, I shake it. His grip is firm, almost too much so, and his hand is strangely cold.

"The pleasure is mine," I respond automatically, trying to keep my voice steady.

While exchanging these pleasantries with Maximilian, I can't help but glance at Lexy. She's still motionless, her gaze fixed on us. The hostility in her eyes hasn't diminished one bit.

Chapter 58

Rosie

The party continues, but I'm still very confused. I observe everything with new eyes, trying to catch every detail, every nuance in the interactions.

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