7. Lexi
7
Lexi
G abriel’s hand rests warm and steady against mine, anchoring me by the window. His calm voice washes over me like a soothing balm. Here’s a confident man who seems to possess the power to solve any problem—even mine. He speaks of retaliation against those who dare to threaten me, and for a second, I find the idea strangely comforting, like a promise of safety. But with his claim to know everything and everyone in the city, a knot of unease tightens in my gut.
This new man in my life is a wildcard. He could be an ally for me, but he seems firmly in Peter’s camp for now. Peter, the enigmatic figure who offered us a lifeline—funding Dad’s surgery, then hiring me once I dropped out of school. Peter, the man who didn’t make his fortune by being generous to his employees, paid me a director’s salary, apparently with no strings attached. Was it kindness or something more calculated? He’s a man of immeasurable wealth with a known passion for fast cars, just like his mysterious playboy son. But can I truly trust either of them?
I’m beginning to think all this generosity is to hide something. Either Peter or his son did something to us. And I need to find out who it was and make them pay before time runs out. I’ve only got a month left to gather evidence. Meanwhile, Gabriel, Peter’s right hand, is on my case, watching my every move .
The only way out of this mess is for me to work with Gabriel and get my life back as soon as possible—my life before this mess, before the accident, my happy life with my father.
“So, what is it you want to know about me?” I ask Gabriel.
“You can start by telling me about your life, where you usually hang out, the people you’re close to. Anything that can help me keep you safe.”
I snatch my hand and get back to my chair, scraping to put some distance between us. This isn’t the time for hand-holding, not when I have to unload my entire history on Gabriel. I plan to keep it to a bare minimum—one slip, and he would see right through me.
“Why don’t you ask me instead so I won’t get lost in the details?” Or say too much.
“Well, I’ll start with the obvious. How do you stay so calm with all these threats flying around? Do you know something Peter doesn’t? You can trust me; it’ll stay between us.”
That’s exactly what I won’t do—tell Gabriel something that Peter doesn’t already know. But there’s something else about me that Gabriel should know.
“If you’d had the life I had, you wouldn’t be afraid either. At least not of some creepy flyers that try to look like threat letters. They’re just like the ones I used to get in school.”
I wait for him to contradict me, but he remains unfazed. He’s probably seen a lot in his life as an ex-Navy.
“What school did you go to get such threats?”
“It was a normal school. I was the weird one. But I don’t want to relive those memories. It’s not like I’ve forgotten them, but it’s not the life I want for myself.”
“What happened back then?”
“Stupid kids’ stuff. Bullying. Not relevant today. ”
“Everything is relevant, Lexi.”
It would be safer to prod him into talking and keep the focus off me. But I can’t deny the curiosity that flares when I look at him. This man stirred something deep within me, awakened desires I thought were a distant memory. Focus. This isn’t the time, Lexi. A frustrated sigh escapes my lips. But when do things ever go my way?
“What about you? Why should I trust you? Who are you, Gabriel Ross?”
A practiced smile stretches across his face as he leans back in his chair, reciting what feels like a rehearsed speech. “Gabriel Ross, thirty-eight, ex-Navy. I own a security services company here in Tomis City,” he says, his words dancing around the question.
“Yeah, but why should I trust you?” I try again.
“Maybe because Peter said so. Do you trust Peter?” he backfires. Smart. He scores again. And that’s a good question. What the hell am I supposed to answer? Just keep it vague, Lexi.
“There are very few people I trust. Peter’s okay, but he’s still my employer and has his own interests to protect. In this specific situation, he’s on my side.”
“What other situation can there be between you?” Gabriel says, raising an eyebrow.
“None, I’m just saying. But anyway, let’s get to the point: how do you plan to keep me safe? What’s the next step here? Oh, by the way, I didn’t realize your company offered protection to private individuals. You know, like me.”
“Yeah, there are many things you don’t know. We protect anyone in need.”
“Who’s we ? ”
“Me and my team. In your case, we’ll start with the basics. We’ll monitor you 24/7, and we’ll investigate who’s behind all the threats you’ve been getting.”
“I see. And do you ask all your clients to move in with you? Is that routine to make it easier to protect them?” I know I’m being a jerk. But the way this Adonis talks about controlling my life with his constant surveillance grates on my nerves. The guy’s a ten—a walking Greek statue come to life. Every woman in the city would kill for an arm around him. Still, the idea of him tracking my every move makes me want to crawl out of my skin.
“No. Just you.” Huh, I didn’t expect him to be this blunt this soon.
“You’re special,” he adds. “It was a request from Peter.”
“You owe Peter that much?” I don’t know why I even ask. Maybe it’s because the question bugs him, and I can’t help myself. It would be good to know what really keeps him tied to Peter and how far he’d go to protect him.
“I’ll answer you one day. For right now, let’s focus on you. Okay?”
“What do you want to know about me?” I ask. If he says everything , I swear I’m packing and going to my dad’s.
“People close to you who might be in danger?”
“My dad and Lena.”
“Where does your father live?”
“Istria, forty miles from Tomis City, where Peter has a factory. You should know that already if you’re in charge of protecting his business.”
He doesn’t take the bait and keeps going, his tone bossy again. “Someone will stay with him for a while. You can’t visit him until this is all over.”
“He’ll be worried sick if I don’t see him. I need to talk to him before you send one of your hired muscles to his place. ”
“Sure, you talk to him. And don’t worry about it. I’m sending Dean. You met him; he’s as innocent as they come.”
“From the neck up, maybe. Those biceps say otherwise. But sure, I guess Dean’s okay.”
“He’s got a special life story. He’ll enjoy spending time with your dad. What does he do now?”
“My dad used to work at Peter’s factory back in the day. But now that he’s retired, he’s taken on a whole new persona. He’s become a bit of a sage, you could say. Everyone in our little town loves him. He has this talent for reviving old things or fixing up broken toys. He’s turned our garage into his little sanctuary, where he chats with clients and works his magic on their items.”
“Yeah, that won’t work. I’ll talk to Dean and ask him to limit his visitors for a while.”
“Hell no!” The nerve of this man, to think he can control everyone! “Let me be clear. You’re not changing anything in my dad’s routine. Send as many men as you want, but let him carry on with his life as he wants. Oh, by the way, Saturdays are when he goes to the flea market to find old stuff to fix up. I usually go with him and help. I guess that’ll be Dean’s job now.”
My answer catches him off guard. His eyes widen, and a frustrated huff escapes him as he rakes his hands through his hair—a sign of his carefully constructed composure crumbling. This might be the first time I’ve seen him lose control. Score one for me, I guess.
“Okay, I’ll tell Dean. We’ll talk about it later,” he grumbles.
Like that’s going to happen! “There’s nothing to talk about. I just told you how it is. I do what you want. My dad does what he wants.”
He smiles. It’s like noticing a rare animal in the wild. “So, we agree you’ll do as I ask. We’re off to a great start. I knew you’d reconsider. You’re a smart woman. ”
Why did that sound more like a backhanded compliment? Maybe I should dial it back a notch. This constant back-and-forth is precisely what he wants—to mess with me, to break my focus. Not this time.
“There’s also Lena to think about,” he continues. “You two are close, right? She could be in danger, too.”
Is he for real? Is he thinking of watching Lena, too? I’d like to see you try that, buddy.
“Good luck in getting Lena to do what you want. And I mean it. You’re going to need it.”
“Then I’ll get Dominic to watch her.”
“Please don’t. That’s the worst idea ever. They’ll kill each other within the first five minutes.”
“Why? I thought Lena was a fan of Dominic’s.”
“Hardly. You don’t know the full story. Dominic kicked her out of his club. She hates his guts. They absolutely cannot be in the same room.”
Gabriel laughs, and I realize that’s helping me loosen up a bit as well.
“Plus, why should Dominic have to deal with your client? Are your clients his, too?”
Gabriel raises an eyebrow and smirks. That’s an answer.
“Let me guess, another favor? Everyone seems to do you favors. And every once in a while, you return them. You return them, don’t you?”
“You know, this won’t work if you keep picking on me. Especially if we’re going to live together.”
Now, this is just too much! “First, I’m not picking on you. And when I do, I’m just returning the favor. Second, we won’t be living together. That’s not what this is. I’ll just be a guest at your house for a short while. That’s all.” I hope this clarifies it for him. Be careful with the wording, Mr. Ross .
“Sure. That’s one way to look at it,” he says. “To be clear, I’m not picking on you either. I’m just trying to keep up. Second, the living together thing, call it what you want. You’re going home with me. And you’ll do as I say. That was the deal, right? Remember what you said a few minutes ago?”
“Fine,” I mutter. I did agree to that earlier . Me and my big mouth! I roll my eyes, catching a glimpse of his satisfied smirk. At least he has the decency not to gloat.
“You can work from here for the rest of the day. Peter will have someone watch over you until one of my guys comes. I’ll pick you up later to show you to your new place.”
“But I need my stuff. I’ll pack a few things at Lena’s, and you can pick me up from there.”
“No, you don’t get it. You won’t see your family and friends until the dust settles. You’re putting them in danger. I’ll send someone to get your clothes. Ask Lena to pack them.”
His words hit me hard. I swallow dryly to keep the emotion from choking my voice. I can’t even see my family or friends anymore. Now I’m really getting annoyed with this situation. Whoever did this is going to regret the day they messed with me.
Lena! I need to talk to her before Gabriel unmasks my motives for working for Peter. The second he figures it out, I’ll be under his thumb, and he’ll restrict my every movement. There’s no way I can get my revenge on the jerk who hurt us if I’m on a leash.
Closure, revenge, justice—I crave any of them. Anything to silence the rage I feel every time the past rears its ugly head. The constant anger, the gnawing helplessness… it’s a parasite sucking the life out of me. I need this to end .
Gabriel takes my silence as agreement and presses on. “Let’s pick this up tonight at my place. We got this. You won’t be facing this alone anymore.”
A surprising change. His warmth is unexpected, and my place sounds… inviting.
He then gets up to leave, giving me a chance to catch my breath and call Lena. But just as I think I’m in the clear, Gabriel walks right over to me instead of the door and leans in to whisper in my ear. His scent, a familiar presence by now, envelops me as his breath tickles my hair.
“Look, I just wanted to say… I’m sorry for what you’re going through,” he says, his voice hushed and calm. “I’ll try to make it as tolerable for you as possible. We’ll take it at your own pace, one step at a time. As you remember important details, you can tell me,” he adds.
And we’re back to the same thing. He’s only after information. That’s all he’s interested in.
“I haven’t forgotten a thing. You’re the one who needs time to hear everything I remember.”
He raises an eyebrow in surprise. I thought Peter had already told him about me—the little I’d shared: that I have a knack for numbers and dates and love puzzles. And, of course, Peter made the joke everyone does, that I could play any game in a casino and win. “Counting cards?” he asked me once. I avoided giving a clear answer. Peter might not be into that, but Lucas would drag me to every casino in the city if he knew. No thanks, gambling’s not my thing.
Lucas is drowning in debt, funding his lavish lifestyle. Peter has always thrown him a helping hand, but Lucas keeps digging himself deeper. It became obvious when I offered to help his accountant and got hold of his financial documents. Peter trusts me—and promotes me even—so everyone sees me as his protégée, granting me full access. It was an ideal situation until Gabriel screwed it up .
What many people don’t know is that I hardly forget anything. Every event in my life gets meticulously stored, ready to be recalled with vivid detail: places, colors, people, words, smells, all of it. There’s nothing special about that. Not for me. It’s just a curse that keeps me in a sad and painful past, and I’d like to be rid of it. To be normal and happy.
“Then you could start making a list of everyone who might have a reason to hate you. People, names, where I can find them, and any motives they might have. Be as specific as you can,” Gabriel asks after hearing me boast.
I was tired of showing off already in high school. Kids laughed at me, so I humiliated them. Then things got so bad that no one would even talk to me. Except for Lena and my dad, who’d leave work on his lunch break to pick me up so kids wouldn’t bully me. For a long time, they called me Weirdo at school.
“I don’t know who could hate me. Apart from those people that Peter mentioned. I think it’s better if you talk to him.”
“I’ll get that information from Peter. But what about your life before working for Grain Inc.? Were there any events that left people feeling resentful? Who do you know here in the city? Are there people from your hometown who came here, and have you met any of them? Who knows that you’re here? Give it some thought. Something might come up.”
“Okay, I see. I’ll make a list with everyone I know.”
“Don’t forget about any potential jealous girlfriends.”
“I won’t.”
“Some women that might know about you and Lucas?”
“I’m not Lucas’s girlfriend.”
“Peter then? ”
Not you, too, Gabriel. I hate it when people automatically assume that any man who looks after me must be interested in me romantically. I’ve had enough of the company gossip already.
“Don’t be an asshole. Peter could be my father.”
“That’s not what I meant. Is there anyone who might be jealous of the way Peter treats you? Not just coworkers, but also other people you’ve met while working for him.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I just thought you meant…”
“It’s fine.”
It’s not. I offended him. He heads for the door, each heavy step sounding like an accusation.
“I’ll leave now. We got enough from this first meeting, and you have a lot to reflect on,” he says, his jaw clenched.
“Gabriel…” He already has his hand on the door. “Thank you for this. I mean it.” If things were different, and I didn’t need to pursue my plan with the Maiers, I wouldn’t mind getting to know him better. He’s professional, sure, but there’s something about his patience and self-confidence that’s really appealing.
“Just doing my job.” As he’s about to walk out, he turns around. “One last thing. I’ll send you the address of an auto repair shop. Tell Lena to go there and get her car fixed. Oh, and she shouldn’t worry about the expenses.”
He might actually be okay. Not as obnoxious as I first thought. But now’s not the time to drop your guard, Lexi.
“That’s great. Thanks again. She’s lost without her car. Her job needs her to be out a lot, you know.”
Before I attempt a proper apology, my phone starts buzzing with WhatsApp messages. Gabriel throws me a pointed look, expecting me to fill him in. So much for privacy. I stare back at the screen, hoping that’ll send him on his way. No such luck. He remains rooted by the door, his eyes fixated on me.
It’s Lena, sending me screenshots, videos, and links to social media accounts.
“Oh, no,” I gasp, my jaw dropping.
Gabriel grabs the phone from me. “More threats? How do they have your number?”
“It’s Lena. She says you and I are all over social media because of what happened last night.”
I look at him, shocked, and press play on a video I received. We both watch it, our heads nearly bumping. Someone filmed the moment he swept me off the stage in his arms and whisked me away. The caption reads, “ Caught in a love triangle! Two famous bachelors duke it out for the attention of a mysterious woman. Looks like Gabriel Ross swoops in and steals the spotlight, leaving Lucas Maier in the dust! #LoveTriangleDrama #BachelorBrawl.”
That’s it, I guess. Everyone thinks we’re officially a couple now.