18. Lexi
18
Lexi
A nita can be a mean, twisted bitch, but even a sinner’s mouth speaks the truth sometimes. Her words kept spinning in my head long after she walked out of my office—former office. And what an exit! She dropped that bomb on me, and without giving me a chance to say anything back, she shot me a killer stare and warned me to steer clear of her. Then she just walked out past Mike, who’d silently witnessed the whole thing. I bet he’s seen catfights before, but I still caught him out of the corner of my eye, jaw-dropping at Anita’s torrent of words. She must’ve appreciated him for not interfering, so when she left, she rewarded Mike with a slap on the butt, a Well done, soldier , and a greedy smile on those pouty lips. The woman has no fear or shame.
“We’re leaving, Mike. Please. Can you take me to Gabriel?”
He nods, scoops up the box from the hallway, and steps behind me as we head for the elevator. On our way, we notice a few people who’ve probably gathered to see why Anita was yelling. Their heads swivel in sync, eyes wide with curiosity, before darting away as we walk by. I haven’t done a thing, but this feels like a walk of shame. As I get in the elevator, I hear a random goodbye, Lexi, from someone in the back row .
The elevator doors shut, and I finally let my shoulders relax, realizing how tense I’ve been since Lucas walked in on me. Mike puts his hand on my shoulder, and as I look up at him, he gives me a reassuring wink and a smile.
“We’re getting out of here. It’ll be okay,” he says as we get to the parking lot and hop into the car.
It’s a silent drive to the building where Gabriel has his offices: me trying to process all the stuff I’ve heard, and Mike focused on the road.
We get there quickly. Mike tells me to leave the box of Grain Inc. stuff in the car and explains how to get from the parking lot to the elevator and then to Gabriel’s office. It’s on the twelfth floor of a twenty-story building right next to the port’s industrial area.
There’s no one else beside us in the elevator, and there’s no front desk upstairs, next to the fancy sandblasted door where Mike drops me off. It seems Gabriel doesn’t have an office assistant. I’m guessing his floor has restricted access since Mike swiped a card in the elevator before pressing twelve. Apparently, not everyone can go up to see Gabriel.
I knock on the door, but my fingers barely make a sound on the thick glass, so I walk in.
The room seems almost too big to be an office. It’s on the corner and incredibly bright. Through the large windows, you can see ships, cranes, the pier, and grain silos. And amid all the industrial colors, a glimpse of dark blue sneaks out of the sea.
Gabriel’s not here, but I notice an open door to the right. Before I check where it leads, I take another look at the modern, masculine space where he probably receives the VIP clients he’s told me about. It’s sleek, furnished with dark brown leather sofas and armchairs, a large crescent-shaped table, an elegant laptop, and a stylish bookcase in the back .
This luxurious, intimidating office is the total opposite of his simple, down-to-earth house. The last few days, it was all comfy jeans and shirts that showed off his muscles. Sometimes, no shirt or pants at all. This morning, after breakfast, he came out from his study looking super sharp in his elegant trousers, paired with a crisp white shirt and a double-breasted sleek navy jacket. Even his hair, still messy from our late-night sessions, was now slicked back with a bit of a spiky edge, revealing a slightly wrinkled forehead. As he bent down to help me, I caught a whiff of his beard—the awesome mix of spice and citrus that always gets me.
I step closer to read the titles on that meticulously organized bookshelf, but then I hear Gabriel’s footsteps behind me and see him emerging from what appears to be a restroom. “Lexi, is that you? I didn’t know you’d arrived,” he says, jacket-free and looking a bit disheveled with his hair ruffled.
He comes up and gives me a quick hug, whispering in my ear. “I’m sorry. Mike texted and said it got ugly.”
I want to hug him back and rest my head on his shoulder. I wonder how my meeting with Anita would’ve played out if Gabriel had been with me instead of Mike.
Gabriel quickly pulls out of the hug and takes a step back. I hear a woman’s voice behind him from the open doorway to another room.
“Gabriel,” she says. When he turns to her, she continues. “I’m leaving now. Thank you for the coffee. I’ll be back in a week. You have until then to decide. And don’t forget, the law is on my side.”
She seems to be in her late thirties or early forties and slightly taller than me. She’s wearing a pair of worn-out jeans, simple ballet flats, and a green shirt. A tiny bag hangs from her shoulder, which she clutches tightly as though afraid it might fall off. What strikes me are her big eyes on a pale face and her aggressively blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun with lots of stray strands. It looks as if someone’s hands have run through and tousled it. I take a quick look at her lips—no trace of lipstick. Did they just kiss? I check out her left hand—no wedding ring, no evidence of ever wearing one.
Gabriel motions toward the door like he wants to walk her out. She gives me a once-over, and I notice her red eyes. I can tell she’s been crying—the lack of makeup and the sad eyes give it away.
I stand frozen near the bookcase where Gabriel left me waiting before walking over to her. He doesn’t introduce us. As she heads for the door, he follows her down the hall. I wait for him for a few minutes, guessing he’s probably calling the elevator for her. I can’t help but want to go to the door and see them interact, but I stop myself. Gabriel didn’t seem to want either of us to know who the other was. I must’ve shown up at a bad time, and he’s trying to make things less awkward by getting one of us out.
“A client?” I ask when he gets back to the room.
He looks at me as if unsure of what to say. “A private matter,” he finally answers. That can mean anything—a girlfriend, a client, a relative—but clearly not something he’s willing to share with me.
Avoiding eye contact, he disappears behind his desk, the laptop snapping open like a shield. My stomach clenches—this doesn’t bode well for whatever conversation is coming.
“There’s something I need to do,” he sighs, already frowning at his screen. “I’m just getting myself set up now., but it looks like I’ll have to work late tonight.” A grimace pulls his frown deeper as he clicks away, already lost in the work ahead.
“Am I bothering you?” I ask, hesitant from across the table.
“No, Lexi, you’re not bothering me; otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked Mike to bring you here,” he mumbles into his beard, not even looking up .
“And yet this seems like bad timing.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit complicated, but it’s fine.” He looks up from the laptop he’s been glued to, trying to avoid talking about the woman in his office, and continues, “You must’ve had a rough day. What did Peter say?”
“Peter was okay. Even that idiot Lucas was calm. But Anita… now that was a true revelation. She talked to me like it was the last time we’d see each other and wanted to make sure I knew everything there was to know.”
“Yeah, that sounds like her. She never misses an opportunity to inflict misery. What did she say that made you so upset?”
“Has Anita ever been over at your place?” I ask, taking a few steps closer to his desk. He takes a deep breath; then his hand reaches up to run through his hair, a nervous gesture I recognize well. I don’t get my answer until I reach the edge of his massive wooden desk. Leaning down, I trace the smooth surface with my fingers. We’re less than two feet apart now, and I can see the faint flush creeping up his neck as he glances down. He has regrouped after my first question hit.
“I heard she went off on you. I’m sorry. It would’ve been better if I came,” he says, tapping slowly with his left hand on the desk.
“Why? Do you think you could’ve stopped her? Trust me, she had plenty to say. She’s never talked to me this much in the almost two months I’ve been working there.”
“Anita’s certainly… unique,” he says tightly, slamming his laptop shut and standing up, his jaw clenched.
“That’s it? You’re not curious to know more? Why does it feel like you’re dodging the question about her coming over? She seems to know every detail about your house. Including your famous no snooping around rule. Do you use it on every woman you invite to your place?”
“I don’t bring women home,” he says, stressing the plural. “Anita was there just once. I found her wasted in a club, and she begged me not to leave her alone.”
“You’re really generous when it comes to women, Gabriel.”
“Not really. It only happened that one time. She ended up at my place and crashed on the couch. The next morning, I had to sneak her out disguised under a coat and sunglasses so nobody would recognize her. And we never talked about it again,” he replies from behind the desk.
“Is that what you do for Peter? Keeping his bratty kids out of trouble?”
“There are many bratty kids I look out for.”
“You’re a fixer, then.”
“Call me whatever you want. They’re my clients, so I watch over them.”
“The woman earlier, your private matter… was she at your place, too?”
“No. Let’s stop with the questions for today. You’re upset about Anita. Maybe we should talk when you’ve calmed down.” Maybe he’s the one who needs to calm down. Usually, he puts up a fight. But now there’s clearly something that’s troubling him, something that happened before I got here.
Gabriel pulls his phone from his pocket, a soft buzz cutting through the air as it vibrates. He picks it up with a curt, “Sure, come on up.”
“Is anyone else coming here? Another woman?”
“Yes, someone is coming. No, it’s not a woman. Why don’t you have a seat and relax, Lexi?”
His relax only tightens the knot in my stomach, and I’m already all over the place emotionally and mentally. Anita’s evil and she’s obviously lying, and Gabriel’s silence feels like a betrayal. I hate how I’m acting—a jealous mess, all anger and accusations.
No, Lexi, you’re not jealous. You’re just tired of everyone lying to you. Admit it. You don’t want to be another name in Gabriel’s client portfolio.
I’ve gotten used to being the center of his attention when he’s with me, and we’ve been nonstop together for the last few days. The way he’s shutting me out now, the look he gives me as he walks away… I don’t get it. What the hell happened in the last few hours? It has to mean more to Gabriel than just work.
“I think I need a restroom break and some water,” I say, my gaze drawn back to the mysterious door where I saw Gabriel and that woman. This might be a good time to steal a peek and see what’s going on in there.
“Everything you need is back there,” Gabriel says, pointing to the door. “Snacks, drinks, it’s all in the fridge. You can come back in here whenever you want. You’re not bothering me, and there’s someone I want to introduce you to. They’re going to be here soon.” He lets out a slow breath, his shoulders slumping as he relaxes back in his chair. His gaze softens, a hint of relief flickering across his face.
“Sorry for overreacting earlier,” he continues, his voice soft and measured as he chooses his words carefully and takes a deep breath to calm down. “Just ignore it.”
Seeing he needs a moment to cool off, I smile, nod, and head toward the door Gabriel pointed to. A short hallway leads to a surprisingly well-equipped kitchen with everything you’d need to whip up a meal: a stove, microwave, fridge, coffeemaker, and even a table with two chairs. On the table, I spot a half-eaten sandwich and two glasses of water. Two other doors lead out of the kitchen. One opens into a small closet packed with suits and shirts, and the other looks like a bathroom entry. This whole setup feels more like a full-on apartment than just an office. Gabriel could practically live here if he wanted to. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was also a hidden TV somewhere in his giant office.
I grab a small bottle of water from the fridge and head toward the door to his office. The door swings open before I reach it, and a tall stranger with a deep, raspy voice walks in. “I ran into Eda downstairs. Is everything okay with Iris?” he asks.
Then I see Gabriel behind him. “She’s fine,” he says curtly, his voice tight.
“Did she come to ask for money?” the man asks.
“She came by to nag me about paying that so-called debt she always brings up whenever she wants me to do something I don’t want to. And I’m afraid she’s not only after money; there’s something more serious going on this time. Let’s talk later. I might need your help.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket. Shit. I take a quick look—it’s Lena. With a sigh, I hit decline and head for the office to meet them. I can’t keep eavesdropping anymore.
“This is Lexi. You haven’t met her yet,” Gabriel says, looking my way. “This is Damien,” he points to the man standing a few feet away.
Damien walks over to me, hand outstretched for a shake. He eyes Gabriel with a raised eyebrow. “Green Eyes?” he asks. Gabriel throws him a nod. Grinning wide, Damien pulls me in for a friendly hug. Are all his friends huggers?
“So you’re our mysterious client and the woman who pulled Gabriel out of his cave.”
“Cut it out, Damien. There’s no cave. You and Dominic have a weird fixation.”
Damien gives him an intense stare. “Lighten up, dude. She’s beautiful,” he whispers behind me so I won’t hear. But I do.
“Take a seat,” he says, throwing me an encouraging smile and pointing to the couch before sinking into an armchair across from it. “I have good news. Well, sort of. It’s good you’re here, Lexi.”
I sit down, and Gabriel joins me on the arm of the couch. He’s not even touching me, but his closeness sends shivers down my spine, a mixture of nervousness and an irresistible magnetic pull. His masculine perfume fills the air, making it feel more intimate.
A jolt shoots through me, a sudden urge to bridge the space between us. I want nothing more than to close the distance, to feel the spark from his touch that still ignites memories of our secret nights. But I don’t know if he’s okay with being affectionate in front of his friend. I miss Gabriel from our secret nights together. Daylight Gabriel, all business and seriousness, feels like a stranger compared to the man I’ve met after dark. It’s like I’m losing him to all the secrets and private matters that keep him closed off.
“I couldn’t find any evidence of Lexi being targeted by the Dark Sun Cartel or any other criminal groups in the port. I’ve been reaching out to all our contacts around the city for the past three days,” Damien says.
“You’re his cop friend?” I ask.
“Yes. Well, sort of. I work for a governmental agency that also deals with law and order, just in a different way.”
So Anita was right. Gabriel has a friend who saves his butt when he’s in trouble with the law. And he’s got his other friend Dominic, who’s loaded, to bail him out of his money problems. What does Gabriel actually do in this city?
“I talked to Dominic earlier,” Gabriel cuts in. “He hasn’t found any other leads in Lexi’s case, either.”
“That’s good, right?” I say .
“It’s good that it’s not the Cartel. They don’t mess around. One warning, and that’s it,” Damien explains.
“The problem is, we still don’t know who it is,” Gabriel adds. “It could be someone just as dangerous. They might be going solo, but it looks like they have a clear plan for you.”
“Maybe Peter just overreacted out of fear, and you felt like you had to step in,” I say, resting a hand on his leg. I don’t look at him while I speak, but I can feel him getting closer. I’m not sure how much Damien knows about our fake relationship, but I’m assuming he doesn’t.
“Oh, hey, I almost forgot,” Damien says, leaning in a touch. “Congrats on your new relationship. You two are all over the gossip news and social media.”
“Come on, you know what this is about,” Gabriel says. So Damien knows about us, too. I pull my hand away from his leg.
Gabriel’s next move surprises me as he gently puts his arm around my shoulders in a reassuring squeeze. I look up into his eyes, and he envelops me in a smile so warm and trusting that it has me almost melting away. His body dips closer, slow and deliberate. I have a feeling he’s going to kiss me right there in front of Damien, who already knows that we’re only fake dating. Except what I feel right now is not fake; neither are his lips that will soon settle over mine. It’s about time I got the kiss I wanted, the kiss that would soothe me after the events of a crazy day that isn’t over yet.
So Gabriel isn’t just playing a role! I hear myself thinking before Damien says, “This fake dating thing you guys are doing… it’s working, you know? My buddies at work really bought into it. They wanted me to pass on some congrats to you. You pulled it off. And, of course, some were less than excited to hear the news. ”
Gabriel stills, the kiss hanging suspended; only his hand lingers, gently running his palm over my forehead to tuck a lock of hair back into place. Damn it!
A knot of unease tightens in my stomach as Damien’s words replay in my head. Was he talking about his female police colleagues? Other women who’ve heard Gabriel’s no snooping rule? This is proving to be a day full of revelations about him. I should keep my eyes open; who knows what else I’ll find out. Could Anita be right after all? Could she surprisingly turn out to be the only honest person… cruelly honest with me?
Gabriel’s phone buzzes on the table. “Hey, Dom,” he answers, pausing for a moment to listen, then says, “Hold on. I’m with Lexi and Damien. Let me put you on speaker so they can hear you.”
“Hey guys,” we hear Dominic’s voice. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we go to the boat show at the marina on Thursday? Alice got us four tickets and a table in the VIP section. We’ll be able to see everything and be seen by everyone.”
“Who’s the fourth ticket for?” Gabriel asks. “Is Lena coming?”
“Hah. Good one. Lena said she can’t be seen in public with someone like me. Apparently, it would be like social suicide. So, Alice is coming instead,” Dominic replies.
“Yeah, women can be hard to figure out sometimes,” Damien says with a shrug and a grin toward Gabriel. He clears his throat. “Guys, I need to go. Lexi, be careful. I’ll keep following up on this. See you both on Thursday at the show!” He hugs me and then shoots a look at Gabriel, signaling for him to follow outside. I guess they want to continue the conversation I interrupted earlier.
“Wait for me downstairs,” Gabriel asks him as Damien walks out.
I hear Dominic saying his goodbyes, but before they close, Gabriel takes him off speaker. “Dom, I need you to come with me. This thing with Stella is getting complicated. We need to pay someone a visit.” He listens to Dominic’s reply, then continues. “Damien’s waiting for me downstairs. I’m going to leave Lexi with Mike. We should be done in a few hours.” Dominic must be on board because I see Gabriel ending the call.
The office door clicks shut, leaving us alone in the tense silence. Gabriel paces back and forth by the window, tapping away on his phone.
“Gabriel, let’s just skip this thing—the show that Dominic suggested. You’ve got enough going on, from what I can tell.” He stops and looks at me, biting his lip.
“There’s always something going on. That doesn’t change anything. Give me a few hours to take care of some things, and I’ll get back to you. We’re sticking to our plan.”
“Maybe I should go back to Lena’s and start looking for a job.”
“That’s crazy. As long as we don’t know who’s behind this, you’re still very much in danger.”
“It’s clearly someone who’s annoyed by me being here in the city. They want me gone, not dead. I can handle it from here.”
“Lexi, just trust me on this. I’ve been in these situations before.”
“I’m not your client, so you can’t boss me around,” I snap back, more irritated by his tone and attitude than his words.
“Exactly. And because you’re not a client, you’re my responsibility. So, we’re doing this my way.”
The responsibility he keeps throwing around feels more like a business contract than something real. Not exactly the spark I was looking for. He’s clearly upset; something’s brewing beneath the surface. And judging by his reaction, it’s not client-related. This feels deeper and way more personal. Gabriel’s got his secrets locked up tight. All I can do is keep mine under wraps, too. We had a moment, a connection, but now he’s back to Mr. Authority , and I can’t seem to crack through. Maybe I need to stick to my original plan: find that damn car, find some peace, and make sure my family gets the justice we deserve. There’s no more time to waste.