Chapter 9 West
WEST
I wanted to rip that asshole’s hands off Lex’s body. And then I wanted to remove the limbs from his torso altogether. The way he touched her so casually said that it was completely normal for the two of them. Lex hadn’t said a damn thing about having a boyfriend.
She glanced over her shoulder, casting her amber gaze in my direction, a wrinkle appearing between her brows. I did my best to mask my anger. Typically, I had no problem hiding what I felt, but when it came to Lex? It was nearly impossible.
She turned back to the guy she’d thrown herself at, his hands falling away from her shoulders. Lex motioned him toward the front of the shop and got to work making him a drink. They spoke in hushed tones as she worked.
I studied every facial expression and looked for any point of contact. If he kissed her, I might have to walk around the block.
Lex handed him the coffee, and he pulled her into a hug. My back teeth gnashed together so hard I’d probably need a root canal. Then he released her. He glanced at me with a worried look on his face and then headed for the door.
I was so busy watching him, I didn’t see Lex approach.
“Refill?”
My gaze snapped to her. “You didn’t say you had a boyfriend.” The words had a bite to them.
Lex just arched a brow.
“It’s information we need to know,” I gritted out.
“And you think that was my boyfriend?”
“Isn’t he?”
Lex pressed her lips together, but a laugh still escaped. God, I’d missed that sound. So pure and free.
“That’s Pete.”
My brows hit my hairline. “The same Pete you and Cara forced to play princess dress-up with you?”
Lex laughed harder. “One and the same. He’s my friend. Do you know what those are?”
I leaned back in my chair, really letting myself take her in for the first time since she’d stopped me in my tracks this morning. “I have to imagine it’s hard for any man to be your friend and not want more. Not want everything.”
Lex’s breath hitched, her hold on the coffee pot tightening.
“Hey,” Holt greeted as he strode up. “How’s everything going?”
I straightened in my chair. “Good.”
Lex bobbed her head in a staccato nod. “Yup. You want coffee? Tea? Baked goods?”
Holt’s lips twitched. “Coffee’d be good. Black.”
She kept right on nodding as she scampered away to grab a mug.
Holt pulled out a chair and sat. “What’d you do to that poor girl?”
“Me?”
He chuckled. “She looks ready to run for the hills.”
I shrugged. “Must’ve had too much caffeine.”
Lex was back in a matter of seconds, setting a cup down on the table and filling it with coffee. But I didn’t miss how her hand trembled. “Anything else?”
Holt smiled at her. “I’m good.”
I just shook my head, and she headed behind the counter. I didn’t miss how the red-haired girl gave her a dirty look along the way. Jasmine? Janine? I couldn’t remember her name, but she was a piece of work.
“Lex’s social media is crawling with this guy.”
My gaze jerked to Holt at his words. “What do you mean?”
“It’s not just her YouTube channel. There are comments from BlckKnight13 anyplace she has a presence. And some of it is pretty sick.” Holt handed me a stack of printouts.
I scanned each sheet, my gut tightening with each line.
Stop painting your face like a whore.
Give yourself to me, or I’ll take you.
You’ll look beautiful when you scream for me.
I forced myself to drop the papers, afraid I’d rip them apart. “How many?”
Holt sent a concerned look in my direction. “The team is still combing through everything.”
Which meant there were too many to count. “This guy’s sick.”
“Have to agree with you there. Any suspects surface here this morning?”
“At least two on my radar.” I switched into work mode. Turning this into just a job in my mind would help Lex the best. “Two off the top of my head. A guy named Bill Harrison. Customer who’s a little too fixated. And Pete Andrews. A friend of Lex’s who looks like he might want more.”
Holt nodded. “Both sound like good places to start.”
“I’ve got the team running background.”
Holt opened his mouth to say something, but the words didn’t make it out. Because a scream cut through the air.
I was on my feet in a flash. But I didn’t see Lex anywhere.