Chapter 16 Lexi
LEXI
That evening, I was halfway through doing my hair when the doorbell rang.
I’d slipped into my red sheath dress that stopped just at my knees and hurried to answer the door, hoping it wasn’t Jonah arriving early. I’d told him I was running late at work, and he had agreed to give me an extra hour.
Instead, I found Rhea standing on my doorstep. The same woman who had brought me a dress at Aurelius, Jonah’s personal shopper. This time, she wasn’t carrying just one garment. Three designer shopping bags hung from her arms.
“Good evening, Lexi. Mr. Walkers personally selected these dresses for you,” she said with a professional smile. “They’re yours, and he’d love for you to wear one tonight.”
My pulse skipped when she emphasized personally. Jonah had picked them himself, not just delegated the task to someone else.
After Rhea left, I carried the bags upstairs, curiosity mounting with each step.
I set them carefully on my bed and untied each one, revealing designer outfits I’d never have been able to afford.
A midnight-blue chiffon dress, a light pink satin gown with delicate silver embroidery, and a red lace dress with intricate beading along the neckline.
A folded note lay tucked beside them. I opened it, my heartbeat drumming in my ears.
I know this might be too much, but I saw these and couldn’t help picturing you in them. Only if you want to, of course. You’d be beautiful in anything.
—J
Thirty minutes later, I heard a car pull up outside.
I said goodbye to Evie, who would spend the night in Sasha’s capable hands.
Sasha shot me a look of cautious concern but nodded reassuringly.
She wasn’t thrilled about my date with the much older Jonah, but she’d voiced her concerns once and then let it go, trusting my judgment.
I knew what this was, and I wasn’t worried, because I wasn’t getting my heart involved.
So I hugged them both, threw a jacket over my shoulders, and stepped outside.
Looking down at the street, I saw a gleaming black luxury car waiting at the curb, a uniformed driver standing at attention beside it.
My mouth fell open as I ran down the steps in the blue chiffon dress I’d ultimately chosen.
Jonah stepped out of the car, his gaze traveling over me slowly. His mouth curved into an appreciative smile.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice warm with genuine admiration.
“Thank you for the dresses,” I said as I stepped closer, letting him brush his lips against my cheek. “They’re gorgeous. But don’t get any ideas that I’ll always be this obliging when you want to choose my outfit.”
He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it slowly, the gentle touch sending shivers down my arms. “I love this color on you,” he murmured, pulling me closer to meet my eyes. “It matches your blue eyes perfectly.”
Those unexpectedly sweet words melted my defenses more than I’d anticipated.
“You’re forgiven,” I said with a grin, trailing a finger over his lips, “for being such an overbearing prick.”
His arm tightened around my waist in response, genuine shock flickering across his features.
“Still not used to people calling you names?” I asked as he released me and opened the car door.
“I’m getting there,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Though I prefer it when you’re the one saying it.”
“Well, you’ll have to forgive my vocabulary,” I said with another laugh as I finally slid into the back seat with him. “I don’t talk to other adults much.”
“Do you mean you’re an introvert? I find that hard to believe.” He grinned.
I didn’t correct him. This was just one night, and there was no need to let him know I was a single-mother.
There couldn’t be more to this attraction than our primal desires.
I’d allow myself this one last night of sex …
with a man I knew and thoroughly desired …
before putting a stop to whatever this was becoming.
Within half an hour, we arrived at a Michelin-starred French restaurant in Manhattan with a six-month waiting list, Jonah informed me with obvious pride at securing us a table.
As the hostess led us inside, Jonah suddenly stopped in front of a photograph on the wall. It showed an older man, probably in his seventies, standing beside a younger man who appeared to be his son. Jonah’s entire demeanor shifted.
“Is that Alex Montluke?” he asked the hostess in disbelief.
She brightened. “He’s a part-owner of our restaurant, actually. Mr. Montluke and his father dine here together often.”
Something that looked like jealousy flickered across Jonah’s features before he quickly masked it as the hostess led us to a private table at the back of the restaurant.
What was that about? Did he have some kind of beef with Alex or his father? I made a mental note to ask him about that photograph later.
“How do you like this place?” he asked once we were seated, his composure fully restored as I studied the menu card.
“It’s fancy,” I said, glancing around at the upscale restaurant that made me feel distinctly out of place.
He raised one eyebrow. “You’re the first woman I’ve brought here who doesn’t seem thrilled by that.”
I met his gaze directly. “The man I met at the bar wasn’t interested in impressing anyone with fancy restaurants. I was hoping for somewhere small, intimate, and cozy.”
He reached across the table and took my hand in his. “There’ll be plenty of time for cozy later,” he said with a meaningful look as our waiter approached.
After we’d ordered, I took a closer look at Jonah. Something had shifted in his behavior since we’d sat down. The way he looked at me now, with genuine curiosity, reminded me of the man I’d met that first night. The one I’d desperately wanted to see again.
“So, you were working late tonight?” he asked, genuine interest in his voice.
I felt heat creep up my neck. Why did he care about my work habits?
“I wanted to finish some code tests so I could analyze the results over the weekend. It gets quiet after four when everyone leaves, and I work better in the silence.”
“Why was everyone leaving at four?” His frown deepened.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, besides the fact that it’s Friday, there was a happy hour at the bar down the street. Most of the team decided to go.”
“And you didn’t join them because...?”
His persistent interest should have annoyed me, but instead it made my pulse quicken. Why did he care so much about my choices?
“I told you. I wanted to get work done,” I said.
His gaze traveled slowly over my face, lingering on my flushed cheeks. “So you push yourself harder than everyone else.”
The warmth in my cheeks intensified. “Something like that.”
He considered this for a moment. “Why Altika? What made you want to work there specifically?”
I hesitated, surprised by the directness of his question.
“At my previous job, I was working days and studying nights,” I said softly, remembering those exhausting months. “My back ached constantly. I was surviving on vending machine food and caffeine.”
Jonah listened intently, his full attention focused on me.
“That’s when I discovered Altika Fitness. I wasn’t a fitness enthusiast, but just someone who wanted to feel human again.”
The memory brought both pain and gratitude. “Your app didn’t lecture me about drinking more water or demand I run five miles. It asked how I was feeling that day. It adapted to me. It gave me permission to try, even when I couldn’t commit completely.”
Something unreadable passed behind Jonah’s eyes.
“So I researched everything about the company,” I continued, my voice growing quieter.
“I read every blog post, every tech article Altika published. I loved how the app was built to help people begin their fitness journey instead of punishing them for not being perfect. I had to work for the company whose product had genuinely improved my life.”
Jonah exhaled slowly, as if my answer had caught him off guard.
“If you’re serious about succeeding in tech, here’s some advice: attend those happy hours. Network with your teammates and supervisors. That’s far more valuable than staying late to run tests, Lexi. They need to see you as a team player, not as someone who works in isolation.”
My first instinct was indignation, but as I considered his words, heat spread across my face. “I … I hadn’t thought of it that way.” No wonder I wasn’t making progress with Stacey and Brian. I probably came across as antisocial.
I looked down, embarrassed. “I’ve never worked as part of a team before, so I didn’t realize.”
“What was your previous job?” he asked.
I felt my cheeks burn, already bracing for his reaction. “I was a receptionist at Hexley & Pierce Associates.” I watched his face, waiting for the subtle shift people always made when they decided I wasn’t worth their time.
He nodded, seeming to recognize that name. His expression remained unchanged, with no flicker of surprise or judgment. “That’s a prestigious law firm. But I imagine it was fairly solitary work.”
I breathed out a small sigh of relief. “Exactly. No team lunches or collaborative projects to worry about after I clocked out. Everything about working at Altika is new territory for me.”
I hesitated, then decided to take advantage of his openness. “Jonah, can I ask you about that photograph of Alex and his father? Why did it bother you so much?”
“Alex is my former business partner and one of my very good friends,” Jonah said, heavily. “He’s also an extremely lucky bastard.”
“Lucky how?”
“He and his Dad have dinner here every month. Just the two of them, catching up.” His voice carried an edge I hadn’t heard before. “Some people get that kind of father, I guess. Let’s talk about something else.” The finality in his tone made it clear the subject was closed.
Disappointment settled in my chest, but I kept my expression neutral. There was so much I wanted to understand about him, but I was learning that he was frustratingly guarded about his personal life. Well, actually, so was I.
His expression softened slightly. “We both have our protected territories, don’t we?” He leaned back in his chair, studying me. “So tell me something you’re willing to share. Why aren’t you in a relationship already?”
I considered his question. “I will, after you tell me why you’re against all relationships. Not just romantic ones,” I observed.
“What makes you think I’m against romantic ones?” he asked in a gruff voice.
“Aren’t you?”
He studied me. “You think you know me, don’t you?”
“Answer my question, please.” I smiled.
“You’re right,” he said. “I think romantic relationships are a waste of time. Surely, you think so too. Why else are you single?”
“Probably because you keep pushing all the interested men away for me,” I retorted.
He considered that for a moment.
“Go on. Try and deny it,” I challenged.
He finally grinned. “I won’t.”
“At least you’re honest about it,” I huffed.
“I don’t like seeing men around you or flirting with you. Especially since I want you all to myself.”
His admission was flattering. I wasn’t used to flattery.
Certainly not in the past few years at least. Perhaps his desire for me was because of my newfound confidence that came from landing a job I’d coveted, or maybe the clothes Jonah had gifted me helped me see myself differently.
It certainly helped other people see me differently at least, going by how Jeff was interested too.
“I don’t date,” he continued. “And I can’t date you because the moment the board discovers this, I’ll lose everything I’ve worked hard to build, including my father’s trust.”
I stared at him for a moment, surprised at his admission. And I remembered that his family owned the company. Jonah hadn’t said much about his father, but he’d just given me something significant.
“I don’t date either,” I began, thinking about Evie, and wanting to tell him about her. “Because—”
I stopped mid-sentence when Jonah’s entire body went rigid.
His face had drained of color as he stared across the room.
Following his gaze, I spotted an older woman seated at a distant table with a female companion.
Her features were refined and aristocratic, with an air of cold authority that immediately made me uneasy.
“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, his knuckles white as he gripped his wine glass.
“Who is she?” I asked quietly.
He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he squared his shoulders and leaned back in his chair, his whole aura transforming into something more commanding and assertive. “She’s my Dad’s wife, Cora,” he finally said, his eyes narrowing.
So… was Jonah’s Mom his Dad’s previous wife? Or did his Dad have an affair while he was married to Cora? I had so many questions, but it was clear Jonah wasn’t going to give me much more tonight.
The woman’s eyes found ours across the restaurant. She gave Jonah a slight nod of acknowledgment that was more of a challenge than a greeting. Jonah’s jaw clenched in response.
The woman was already standing, making her way directly toward our table.
“Don’t speak,” he muttered to me. “Whatever she says, just stay quiet.”
My heart raced as she approached, her heels clicking against the floor.
“Jonah, what a surprise to see you here,” she said when she reached us, her tone dripping with fake pleasantness.
Jonah didn’t smile. “Indeed it is. I thought you and Dad had plans to be in C?te d’Azur today?”
Dad. That’s right. He was supposed to be throwing a party for his father tonight.
“Oh, our plans changed. We’re still in New York.
We’re leaving for the French Riviera on Sunday.
” She gave Jonah an assessing glance. “You really should’ve checked with us before planning a party that was so…
elaborate. Honestly, Jonah, your father didn’t think you’d go through with it.
He assumed it was just one of your... ideas.
We had told you we’d be out of town, remember? It’s a good thing you canceled it.”
Had his Dad… bailed on Jonah’s party? And then simply stayed in town? How hard was it to show up for a party?
The woman’s gaze flicked to me, assessing me with a disdainful eye. “And who is this, Jonah? Your latest?”
“Leave. Right now,” Jonah said, his tone leaving no room for further questions.
The woman’s lips curled into a brief smile. “I see. Well, enjoy your evening,” she said before walking back to her table just as our food arrived.
I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding.
I shouldn’t care … but I felt unsettled. Whatever history existed between Jonah and this woman, it was clearly toxic.
And now I was starting to get an inkling that his father’s approval meant everything to him.