13. Ben
13
BEN
I stand outside the flower shop and grimace at the bright displays in the window. It seems everywhere I turn, I come face to face with how different Lexi and I are. I walk in the front door, and the bell rings over my head. Tara, Lexi’s best friend and Cruz’s wife, is standing behind the counter. She looks surprised to see me, but she’s always been nice to me. “Hey, Ben! What brings you by?”
“Hey, Tara. I was hoping I could talk to Cruz. Lexi said he put an office in here he’s working out of.”
She laughs. “Yeah, he bought the vacant spot behind me and knocked a wall out and turned it into his office.”
When Lexi told me about it, she said that Cruz didn’t like to be away from Tara, and this way he could work close. I sort of get where he’s coming from. Tara leans against the counter and looks at me curiously. “What’s this about?”
I can’t believe I’m nervous right now. That’s not the kind of man I am, but I’ve never had anything this important to me either. “I need to talk to him about Lexi.”
She perks up. “Are you and Lexi… together?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation. And I already decided that no matter what, I’m going to have to convince Cruz he’s okay with it because a future without Lexi is no future at all.
“Does Lexi know you’re here?”
I shake my head. “No… I didn’t want her to worry.”
Tara crosses her arms over her chest. “She’s my best friend. You know I have to tell her.”
I nod. “I get it… but can you give me a few minutes head start? She’s in town, so I know she’ll come right over.”
“Yep.” She points toward the back door. “Go straight through there and good luck.”
I take a deep breath. I’ve looked down the barrel of a gun. I almost died from a stab wound once. I have been in more fights than I can count, but this right here scares me more than I’ve ever been scared. Probably because I know what’s at risk. Even though I know I can’t ever give Lexi up, I also know that if Cruz is dead set against me being with his sister, I can’t come between them.
I take a step, and Tara stops me. “Hey, he loves his sister, but he also wants her happy.”
I nod once and with a grim look, I turn back and start walking toward Cruz’s office. When I see him through the open door, I knock.
Cruz lifts his head but doesn’t seem surprised to see me. He stands up and holds his hand out. “Ben, right?”
I nod and move forward so I can shake his hand. “Yeah, I was hoping you had a few minutes to talk.”
His grip is firm, and he releases me before pointing to a chair. “Have a seat.”
I figure he’s doing a power play and is going to stay behind his desk, but he surprises me when he comes around and sits next to me. “Go ahead, shoot.”
I open my mouth and then close it quickly. This is off, the whole situation is. “How come it seems like you’re not surprised to see me? Did Lexi tell you I was going to come by?”
He shakes his head. “No, I figured you’d come by eventually.”
I lean forward. “Why’s that?”
He laughs. “Well, you’ve been seeing my sister, right? You’re the one that broke her heart.”
I scrub my hand across my face. “I didn’t mean to hurt her, and honestly, hurting her is the last thing I ever want to do.”
He grimaces. “Why did you then?”
Fuck, I knew this wouldn’t be easy. I sit up a little straighter. “Because I know your sister deserves better than me. Because even though I wanted to be with her, I thought… I know our worlds are completely different, and she deserved more.”
He laughs, which takes me by surprise. “Oh yeah, and how did my sister take it when you told her that?”
I jut my chin at him. “She thinks I’m wrong and refused to walk away.”
He leans back in his chair. “And your club? What do they have to say about this?”
Fuck, I’m not explaining the ol’ lady situation to her brother. “As far as they’re concerned, she’s my wife, and they’ll protect her as a member of the club.”
His jaw tightens. “Did you get married?”
I shake my head. “No, but in the club's eyes, we are.”
He’s way calmer about this than I expected him to be, and I’m about to ask him about it, but he surprises me. “Ya know, I’m good friends with Walker. Do you know Walker?”
Walker—who owns half the town. The man that runs mercenaries in the compound across from our clubhouse. The man that is sort of my boss since our club answers to him. “Everyone knows Walker.”
He nods. “Right, well, we’re friends, and I talked to him about you and your club.”
“You asked about me?”
He stands up and starts pacing. “Yeah, when you asked about my sister at the wedding a few months ago, I found out everything I could on you.”
Fuck, I wasn’t ready for this. I’m ready to defend my past and everything I stand for when Cruz turns to stare at me. “Do you make her happy?”
I shake my head. “Honestly, right now, I think I piss her off more than anything, but I keep thinking she deserves better.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Better than a man that disobeys orders. A man that was told it wasn’t safe to enter but did so anyway and saved six women and children from being trafficked. Walker told me all about you, Ben, and I’m not sure my sister would find a better man than you… I mean if you plan to make her happy and quit pushing her away.”
I stand up when he brings up my past. I relive that day every day. I was so scared, but I could hear the kids crying, and I knew I couldn’t just leave. I had to try and save them. It was luck—and the fact that Walker’s men showed up to do a removal—that we all made it out alive. “I was at the right place at the right time.”
He tilts his head and looks at me. “You may be right, but I also know that some men would have walked away without a backwards glance.”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t.”
He nods and sits on the edge of his desk. “Do you love my sister?”
Fuck yeah, I do but I also think she should be the first one I say it to. I’m about to tell him that when there’s a noise behind me. “Do you love me?”
Lexi is standing behind me with her hand on her hip. She lets her hand fall and walks toward me. “Do you?”
Fuck, even though I didn’t say the words, I thought for sure I showed her. “Yeah, princess, I love you.”
I walk toward her and put my hands on her shoulders. “I love you more than anything, Lexi, and even though I know you deserve better than me, I promise to become the man you need. I will love you and always put you first—before me, before my club, before everything.”
She lifts her head and searches my eyes. “And you’ll quit trying to push me away when things get tough.”
“I won’t push you away again, princess.”
She smiles ear to ear and then laughs. “I won’t let you.”
Cruz comes over to stand by us. “Can we finish our conversation now?”
Lexi leans into me. “Come on, Bub. Ben is who I want to be with.”
Cruz looks at his sister. “You have to finish school.”
Lexi rolls her eyes. “Duh, I graduate in less than three months.”
He puts his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “And what are your plans after graduation?”
Lexi puts her hand in mine. “I’ll have more time on my hands, and I’ll expand my business.”
“In Whiskey Run?”
Lexi looks at me, and I nod my head. She assures her brother, “Yes, in Whiskey Run.”
Cruz groans. “Fine. You have my blessing. Be good to her, Ben.”
“Always,” I promise him.
He walks over to the door of his office. “I’m going to talk to Tara. You two want to join us for lunch?”
Lexi holds up a finger. “Yeah, Red’s Diner?” When he nods, she tells him, “You two go ahead, and we’ll meet you there.”
He is about to walk out of his office and stops. “Don’t be long.”
“Got it,” she agrees, and as soon as Cruz walks out the door, she’s in my arms, and I’m kissing her because having her in my arms is not enough.
“I love you,” I whisper to her between kisses.
She smiles against my lips. “I know.”
With her body pressed against mine, my cock is standing at attention, and I have to fight to calm myself. “Ugh, honey, we need to go. Your brother is pretty cool about this, but he’s not going to be happy if I make love to you in his office.”
Her hands slide under my shirt. “Make love, huh? I like the sound of that.”
I brush the hair off her face and cup her cheek. “Princess, that’s what I’ve been doing since the beginning. It’s been love since the first day I laid eyes on you.”
She goes to her tiptoes to kiss me, and I pull back. “Come on, we’ll have lunch with your brother and Tara, and then I’m going take you home and show you how much I do love you.”
I wrap both my hands around hers. She looks so happy, and I make a promise to myself that I’m going to do everything I can to make her smile like this every day. We’re walking out of the office and Lexi is practically bouncing beside me. “Come on, Ben. The sooner we eat, the sooner you can take me to bed.”
We come face to face with Cruz and Tara. Lexi’s brother groans. “Ugh, can you not say stuff like that around me, please?”
Lexi laughs out loud. “Sorry, big brother. I thought you’d already left.”
I put my arm around my girl, and we all walk out of the florist shop together. For the first time in a long time, I can’t wait to see what the future holds.