A Leap of Faith (23 page)

“Sure.” Will shrugged as he waited for my mother to lower Ava and then took her little hand. “Come on Ava, let’s go play Lego.”

“Ooooooooo,” Ava clapped enthusiastically as he lead her down the hall.

“Wow, who’d have thought you had it in you? Being maternal, I mean.” Lachlan sniped.

“You really are a selfish conceited bastard!” I snapped as I rose to my feet, “How could you bring them here and subject them to this? Do you care about anyone other than yourself?”

“Alex, I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Lachlan and this beautiful lady is my wife Melissa.” Lachlan diverted his attention to Alex.

“Lachlan, Melissa” Alex nodded coolly in their direction and moved closer to my side.

“Oh come on Lexi! Grow up! He’s your brother, this your family!” My father chastised me impatiently.

“Grow up?” I stared at my father in disbelief, “Are you fucking kidding me?” Unable to wrap my head around the fact these people believed this had some how been my doing? Like I would choose this!?

“There is no need for that kind of language young lady. I still expect that when you are in this house you address us with a certain amount of respect.” My father bellowed.

“Respect? That goes both ways, Dad.” I sneered, disappointed I had allowed them to get under my skin.

“So tell me Alex, cause I’m curious.  How did someone like my sister land such a successful, decent looking bloke like yourself? I mean, I’ve seen your estimated net worth in Forbes, you must know what a bad investment being with her is? You can do so much better.” Lachlan didn’t flinch as he spoke is if I was no longer in the room.

Alex’s eyes narrowed, “That’s my wife you are talking about! She isn’t an acquisition and she has more value than my entire net worth, which incidentally isn’t even close to Forbes’
meagre estimation.”

“Wow Sis, you must be a really good lay!” Lachlan spat out.

All rational thought left my mind - my arm swung, closed fist, making a cracking sound against his smug jaw.

“Lachlan!” wailed Melissa rushing to his side as he crumbled to the floor.

“Jesus Christ, Lexi!” My father shouted as my mother covered her face in horror.

Alex grabbed me by the waist, holding me back as I tried to get in another punch.

“The bitch fucking punched me!” Lachlan stumbled as he tried to get up.

“If I were you, I’d stay down.” Ale
x warned as he held me tightly, as I bucked my arms and legs trying to free myself. “He isn’t worth it, Baby. I didn’t see it before and I’m sorry I put you through this but none of these people are your family.” Alex whispered in my ear as he held me close, my struggle subsiding in his embrace.

Alex’s eyes darkened as Lachlan stood up, helped by my mother and Melissa. “You know, I really struggled to wrap my head around what Lexi told me about you people. Why can’t you see what an amazing woman she is? My mother brought me up to be respectful so we’re going to leave even though I don’t believe you are deserving of that concession.”

“You’ll never see them again.” Lachlan wiped the blood from his cut lip, “Will and Ava. You are done with them.”

“You know Lachlan, the thing about children is they eventually grow up and realize the lies their parents told. They end up having their own minds and make their own choices. They find out things their parents did and they make their own judgements. So while I can’t do anything about that right now, I’ll take my chances for the future.”

Alex released his grip on me and allowed my feet to touch the floor.  Taking his hand I strode past my dumbfounded family and walked to the “pink” room, wanting to see them one last time.

“Don’t!” Lachlan warned as I took a step toward my old bedroom door. His face was flushed with anger as he tried to hinder my path.

“You touch her and it won’t be a cut lip you’ll be wiping the blood off,” Alex threatened. I’d never seen him so angry. I had no doubt he would seriously hurt Lachlan if he even breathed in my direction, and judging from my brother’s retreat I assumed he didn’t doubt it either.

As I pushed open the door, I saw them sitting on the floor surrounded by hundreds of colourful bricks. They were the two people who didn’t deserve to be causalities in this fall out.  Ava looked up, her precious little face aglow with pride as she showed me the simplistic “car” she had made.  “Look Aunty Lexi... it goes Vrrrrrroooommmmm.”

Will rolled his eyes, her Lego prowess not impressing him as he showed me his more intricate version of a vehicle.

“Hey, it was so nice to see you today. I know you don’t remember but we met a long time ago when you were both little.” I sat down on the floor beside them.

“Are you going now?” Ava pouted as she sat in my lap.

“Yes this wonderful man I am with he is your Uncle Alex. He and your Aunty Lexi live very far away. Do you know where America is?” My heart broke with each passing second.

Will nodded, “Of course! That’s where Disneyland is!”

“Disneyland?!” squealed Ava, “Do you live near Mickey Mouse?”

I laughed as a tear fell from the corner of my eye. “No but I know his address. One day when you are older, I want you to come visit me and maybe we can go find him together.”

“YES!” Ava laughed in delight, her arms wrapping around my neck as she squeezed her tiny face against mine. “Bye Aunty Lexi!”

“Bye beautiful Ava, I love you.” I struggled as I fought back tears. Will took his turn in giving me a hug, his more reserved and less exuberant than his sisters.

“Bye Aunty Lexi.”

“Bye Will. I love you so much.”

Both Will and Ava resumed their play, unaware of how long our goodbye would be for as I rose to my feet and walked to the door.  Alex stood in the doorway, his open arms welcomed me as I approached.

“Let’s get out of here.” I whispered, melting into his chest. Alex nodded as he walked me out the door.

My parents didn’t say anything as we left. They let me walk out the door as I had done so many times before. I’m sure in their mind this was typically me - over-reactive and dramatic. Truth is, this time it was different. I wasn’t just walking out but I was walking away. There was a part of my heart that felt something for these people, whether it was love or maybe it was just something simpler - a habitual obligation but I didn’t hate them anymore. Some relationships are toxic and you can’t feel bad for ending them, despite the ties that held you there in the first place, even if those ties are blood.

Alex opened the door of the car as I silently slumped into my seat. DarNell looked over the seat questioningly but wisely didn’t push it further. Alex climbed in beside me and closed the door, “Take us back to the apartment, we’re done here.”

Yep. We
were
done here. Well and truly done.

~~~~~~

“Do you hate me?” Alex asked, taking a tentative bite of the pizza slice in his hand.

In the end I didn’t have to eat my mother’s crappy lamb roast, instead I got to lay in bed naked with Alex, eating pizza straight from the box.

“Why would I hate you?” I questioned as I nibbled on my slice.

“For putting you through all this, for making you take me there.” Alex took a long breath, “For bringing up all this shit with your family. I should have listened to you, I shouldn’t have pushed it.”

“You know me well enough to know that I can’t be talked into anything I don’t want to do.” I laughed as I put the slice down and wiped the grease off my hands. “You aren’t responsible for them, you aren’t responsible for the way they make me feel. That’s on them... they are Assholes and they have no place in my life.”

Alex finished his slice and licked his fingers. “Your family really are assholes, Lexi.”

“Nope, my family is here. With you. And the amazing people we share it with-  James, Hannah, Jason, Troy and even Dan, that’s my family. Your beautiful mother and wonderful brother Christian, your family, now my family. Not to mention the amazing friends that have been there for me, they are my family. See I have a HUGE family, and everyone in it, wants to be there.” I nuzzled against his chest, the rhythmic beating soothing me.

“I still feel bad Baby, I honestly thought it would be different.” Alex’s beautiful blue eyes were clouded with concern as he gently rubbed my arm.

“I know you were hoping for some magical story book ending, but it doesn’t happen like that in real life. For whatever reason, which neither of us will ever understand, there is some fucked up synapse in these people’s brain which makes them that way.  I’m not sorry that you got to see it because I think you needed to. You needed to see that there are parts of me that are ugly. Things that are so natural or normal to you are foreign to me.”

“There is no part of you that is ugly, nor could there ever be.” Alex assured me as he tilted my chin back to kiss me.

His kiss consumed me. There was a desperation in it that hadn’t been there yesterday. It worried me a little. Was this all too much for him? His previous carefree rock star lifestyle now included a wife with baggage... a ridiculous amount of baggage.

I moved the pizza box off the bed and laid back in his arms. I needed to be close to him, I needed to make love to him and for him to make love to me.

Alex studied me as I traced the lines of his chest with my finger, slowly moving down his torso to his deep V.

“Lexi... we don’t have to do this.” Alex moved onto his side to face me. “It’s been a really emotional evening, I’m happy just to hold you.”

“You’re turning me down?” I frowned, craving his closeness.

“No, I just want to make sure it’s what you
really
want.” Alex’s gaze locked onto mine. “You need to talk to me Baby, I can’t read your mind.”

“Alex, remember the night I took you home after your Dad died?” I hated bringing up such a painful memory.

“Of course. You stayed with me, the whole night.” Alex smiled, his lips resting against my collarbone.

“You wanted to make love to me, saying you need to feel something other than grief. I understand what you meant. That need for a connection. I need that tonight Alex. I need you to make love to me. Please” I rested my hand back on his chest, “Please.”

Alex pressed his mouth against mine, slowly this time, tenderly. His hands swept over my body, exploring my skin as his mouth continued to move over mine.

Each movement was almost painfully slow, despite being deliciously erotic. His hot tongue
travelled down my neck as he shifted above me, his fingers continuing to explore my body.  “Yes,” I murmured.

As he
travelled further south, he took his time, savouring my breasts as he took my nipples in his mouth one at a time, his tongue twirling around my hardened peaks. My need intensified with each flick. A moan fell from my lips as his mouth released my swollen breasts and trailed kisses along my stomach, his hands parting my legs as he moved further down my body.

“Yes.” I tilted my hips up to meet his waiting mouth. His hot tongue slowly and steadily moved between my thighs. His hands were restless as they continued to travel over my body. His mouth was unrelenting as it swirled and twisted over my core. I closed my eyes as I let the sensation overtake me, my body vibrating as my temperature rose.

I reached for him, wanting to touch him, needing to feel him. My fingers knotted in his mess of blonde hair. His astonishing blue eyes watched me as moans of pleasure escaped my lips.

Every time I was close to the coming, he would slowly back off. He knew my body so well and he knew how to read my cues, what each little whimper meant. I was so desperate with need, my skin was on fire. 

“Alex!” I moaned, unable to stand it any longer. It was if every cell in my body had been electrified by his touch.

His tongue stopped as the throbbing in my groin grew. He watched me squirm beneath him, I was so close. Without saying a word he lifted his mouth off me and before I had a chance to protest he hovered above me with his rock hard cock at the ready.  One quick thrust was all it took, I had been so close that just the friction of him filling me sent me
spiralling over the edge. I bit his shoulder as I tightened around him, squeezing and pulsing as the wave overtook my body.

“Aghhhhhhh…Yes...” I moaned as he rocked back and forth against me, my orgasm not ending and yet seeming to build again. Deeper and deeper he buried himself, my body shaking as he moved me in his steady tempo. Each movement he made was controlled and deliberate and drove me completely insane.

“That’s it Baby, I’m going to come with you this time,” Alex whispered as his pace quickened slightly, his hands guiding my hips.

“Alex!” I moaned as I met each of his thrusts with one of my own, staring into his hypnotic blue eyes. “I’m going to come!”

“Lexi!” he groaned as he exploded into me, feeling him come inside me was all I needed to push me over the edge. Riding out the rest of our ebullient orgasm as we continued to rock back and forth.

Our sweat-soaked skin glistened as our bodies collapsed back on the bed. Alex’s arms wrapped around me as I panted softly against his chest. He moved a stray strand of hair from my eyes and his lips parted into a gorgeous, seductive smile as I gazed up at him. We didn’t speak, there was no need to. Everything that needed to be said, was said with that look.