Page 6 of Saving His Heart
“Knickers? In a—” she yells, but Loki interrupts us both.
“Hold on,” Loki bellows. “There is no other option. You two will have to learn to get along for at least a few months.”
“A few months,” we both yell.
“Yes, a few months,” he repeats.
“Why can’t I just stay with you?” Lexi asks with desperation in her voice.
This is the best idea I have heard in years. “Yeah, that’s a brilliant idea. He lives a few floors down. You can stay there.”
We are both waiting for Loki’s reply, and I am boring holes into his eyes with Jedi-like focus. We are definitely in a face-off, just like when we were kids. I feel Lexi’s attention on me, and am fascinated when I catch her checking me out.
Don’t get me wrong, Lexi is a beautiful woman, but I have grown to think of Lanie as a sister. Since these two cousins could pass as twins, being with Lexi in any manner, even if I could, would feel incestuous.Yuck. I shrug off the thought.
Finally, Loki breaks eye contact. Raising his hands to the scruff on his face, he says, “I had to sublet my apartment. As I was telling Lex, this fucked-up situation is not over. I’m only here to drop her off, then I’m back in the field.”
Oh no. Is that the apartment I just put Emory in? Jesus. Mental note, call Mona ASAP.
Turning my attention back to Loki, I take a minute to look at him—really look at him—and I can tell he has been through hell and back already.
“Loki, you don’t have to do this on your own. Let us help,” I beg.
“I love you, Preston, but this is what I’ve trained for. Until I have taken down Black’s organization brick by brick, none of you are safe. I can’t live with that, so let me do what I need to do. Alone.”
“Jesus, Loki. Why are you so fucking stubborn?” I shout, pulling at my hair that I can feel is a bit too long.
“This is my fight, Pres. I need you to do your part by staying with Lexi. That goes for both of you,” Loki says, turning his attention to Lexi. “The best thing either of you can do is get along for the next few months. I don’t want to be worrying about you while I’m in the field. That’s when mistakes happen. Can you do that for me? Can you try to get along?” he asks.
After a few seconds pass, Lexi finally utters, “Fine.”
“Preston? Can you at least try to be happy about this? We’re all alive, and there’s an end in sight,” Loki pleads.
“Oh, I am. I’m as happy as a dead pig in sunshine,” I say before turning on my heel. “Come on, your room’s this way.”
I’m heading toward the opposite end of the apartment when I hear Lexi whisper, “Thank you. For saving me, I mean, not for dumping me here.”
The vulnerability in her voice and the knowledge that she has likely just lived through hell has me changing directions. Instead of putting her at the other end of the penthouse, I move toward the master. There is a bedroom across the hall; she can stay there. I’m not a complete asshole. I hear Loki grumble something just before the door opens. Seconds later, Lexi is behind me. My southern manners kicking in, I open the door to the bedroom for her.
“Is Loki sending your things here?” I ask, and notice for the first time that she has blood all over her. “Jesus, are you bleeding?”
I’m reaching for her to check when she swats my hand away. “No, that’s … that’s Loki’s blood.”
Turning to glance over my shoulder, I know it is no use; Loki has already gone.
“What do you mean? Is he okay?” Loki has been my friend since we were kids, but when his parents died in our junior year of high school, he moved into the Westbrook compound. I consider all my friend’s brothers, but that year Loki became even closer to my siblings and me. My mom hangs a stocking for him every year, even now.
In a whisper so quiet I’m not sure I heard her, Lexi says, “I don’t have any ‘things’. I’ll just wash this and figure everything else later. And I-I packed Loki’s knife wound the best I could. He promised he would get it taken care of as soon as he dropped me off.”
With that, she closes the door in my face.Holy Hell. Unsure of what to do next, I head to my room and grab a few sets of clothes. I know my cleaning staff keeps all the suites well-stocked, so she should have everything she needs in the bathroom.
Standing just outside of her room, I knock three quick times and place the items on the floor. “I’m leaving some clothes out here for you, Lex. I’ll make food if you’re hungry. Come out whenever you are ready.”
Walking through the penthouse toward my office, I realize Trevor and Julia knew all about this. Those assholes knew Loki was dropping Lexi off with me, and that is why Julia’s behavior was even more bizarre at Dexter’s house than usual. I make a mental note to kick Trevor in the nutsack for this one.
Surprisingly, I’m an excellent cook, so I know I can spare a few minutes and head to my office. First, I call my assistant to find out if I just screwed myself by leasing Loki’s apartment for Emory. Then, I leave a message for Ryan from EnVision Securities. He needs to find out why Lexi doesn’t have any belongings.
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