Basement Level 5: Never Scared (10 page)

She trailed her tiny fingers up his arms, distracting him from planning Kendrick’s beat-down. “And then Chase took me to second base,” she continued, obviously not realizing that she was sealing Chase’s fate as well. “He felt me up one day last summer and played with my boobies a little. And well, he kissed me too.”

Dro rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to hear this. She adjusted her position on his lap, not realizing she was dangerously close to feeling just how attracted to her he was. He gripped her thighs tighter.

She placed her hands on his shoulders. “So I figured I might as well skip third base, cause...Ewww. I don’t want to do that with just anybody. And since we’re already supposed to get married, I figured you should be my first.”

Dro mulled over her words. When they were children, their parents agreed they should marry. Pop thought of it as a way to ensure Alexa’s protection. And Dro’s father agreed. Dro found out about this on his tenth birthday. But his father always told him he would never force him to marry her if Dro felt strongly against it.

In Dro’s mind, however, he never thought he would marry anyone other than Alexa no matter what his father said. He knew Pop would still insist she marry someone in the Organization, and Dro wasn’t going to let it be Chase or Kendrick—or anyone else for that matter. He knew she trusted him and he wouldn’t let her marry someone she didn’t trust.

Dro realized Alexa was staring at him quietly. “What?”

“
Are you thinking about it?” She traced small circles on his shoulder. “Because I know you have women—a lot of women. But the thing is I trust you—you know that. And more importantly, I trust you with my body.”

Instinctively, his gaze slid over that lovely body again. “Sex isn’t something we can turn back from. Once we do it, it’s going to change things.”

She smiled, and Dro...melted a little? He frowned at that realization, but tried to remain focused.

“
Well,” she whispered, leaning in. “I figured it would change a few things. I’m ready, though. I want my first time to be soon. With you.”

His focus shifted to her plump lips. For a second, he wondered if she was wearing that fruit flavored lip gloss she was always gushing about. It wouldn’t be much trouble for him to lean in just a little bit more and taste her. “I’m not sure you’re ready to be with me.”

She rubbed his chin with her thumb and he prayed she would just stop touching him. His mind was already in the gutter. One more push and her virginity would be a long lost memory.

She arched a brow at him. “I know I am. But maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe you’re not ready to be with me?”

“
Lex...” He sighed. “I’m not sure. I have to think about it.”

She shrugged and jumped off his lap. “Okay, but don’t think too long though. I may decide to ask someone else. Something tells me whomever else I ask may not be so noble.”

He watched her walk out of his room then dropped his forehead on the desk and took a few cleansing breaths, willing himself not to focus on the temptation that was Alexa.

***

November 4, 2011, B5
:

B5 was still quiet when Alexa and Dro arrived. Chase, Kendrick, and Lei were still up in the house. Nicholas met them in the foyer. They stood in silence for a few minutes. She surveyed Nicholas, still suspicious of his motives for charging in and killing Tommy—especially when it wasn’t necessary. The situation was obviously under control. Even if she wouldn’t pull trigger herself, one of them would have done it. She wanted to give Nicholas the benefit of the doubt, though. He’d been there for her more times than she could count, proving himself loyal to the family.

“
The background check came back,” he said softly. “I went through it quickly and highlighted some things I thought you should look at.” He handed a file to Dro.

Dro scanned the documents briefly, and gave the folder back. “Do me a favor and give it to Lei first. I’ll look at it later.”

“
Will do. I have to get back in the security room and make sure everything is okay.”

“
Aside from that, your actions tonight were inappropriate and I don’t appreciate it. If you can’t do the job I hired you for, you’re no good to me. You’re certainly not gaining any trust by disregarding my orders, despite your intent. Do what you’re told. Period.”

“
Nicholas?” Alexa said, clearing her throat. “You’ve never given me reason not to trust you. I’m choosing to accept your reason for coming up to the house. But don’t let it happen again. It’s been a long day. When they get back, why don’t you get some sleep? You haven’t had much rest.”

Nicholas nodded and walked into the security room without a word. Alexa hurried to her bedroom, leaving Dro to finish the conversation.

CHAPTER 11

Lei opened the door to B5 quietly. His head was pounding courtesy of Tommy. He was irritated, so he left Kendrick and Chase to clean up. He skimmed his temple with his fingers and frowned when he felt the blood. Stalking into a small bathroom, he surveyed the damage on his head.

“
What happened to you?” a soft voice asked.

Lei peered at Ari’s reflection in the mirror. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it. What are you doing up?”

Ari watched him in the mirror. “Don’t tell me not to worry about you? What happened?”

“
I got caught slipping, Ari.” He turned to face her. “Someone clocked me in the head.”

Ari gasped and pulled Lei down the hall into her bedroom. Pushing him down on the toilet, she grabbed her medical bag and immediately went to work on his head. As her fingers skirted over his wound, he gripped the edge of the commode. She stilled, but eventually continued to clean it.

He held his breath as she dabbed antiseptic over the cut. Closing his eyes, he waited for more pain, but it never came. Instead, he felt her cool breath against the cut. He opened his eyes, and she smiled at him. He could tell she wanted to say something, but he knew she wouldn’t make the first move.

She rummaged around in her bag and pulled out some gauze and tape. After rubbing salve on his cut, she gently placed the gauze on top and taped it. She held his gaze for a minute before tossing the waste in the trashcan.

Lei continued to watch her as she moved around, throwing away more soiled cloths, and cleaning her instruments. He knew she was aware of his scrutiny, but she still remained quiet. She only stopped when he placed his hand on her arm.

He moved his fingers down her arm to her hand and squeezed gently. “Ari...Stop.”

“
You need to go,” she whispered.

He pulled her down on his lap. “I’m okay.”

She looked at him then, tears standing in her beautiful brown eyes. Although Ari and Dro were siblings, Dro was the only one who inherited his mother’s startling bluish-gray ones. But Lei didn’t care because he loved Ari’s expressive brown eyes. They were eyes he saw in his dreams, too many times to count.

“
Lei, what if...never mind.” She tried to get off of his lap, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her there.

“
I’m all right,” he repeated softly. He placed a gentle kiss below her ear. “It’s okay.”

She wiped an errant tear from her cheek. “Lei, I can’t do this.”

Lei whispered to her, “Yes you can. I need you.” He kissed her again, this time on her neck.

***

Ari closed her eyes and sighed deeply. There was one thing she was sure of in her life and that was Lei. He’d always been there for her, since they were children and she loved him with all her heart. But theirs was not a love story for the books. Most of their romantic relationship existed behind closed doors.

He was a married man. And she hated herself for needing him the way she did. Makayla was one of her closest friends in the world, but Ari would sooner die than ever give Lei up. She opened her eyes to find him watching her intently. Lifting her hand, she stroked his brow. “Makayla is in the other room. You should go to her. She’s probably worried.”

“
You’re worried, and I’m concerned about you, Ariana.” She knew he was telling the truth. Even though they couldn’t be together like they wanted, he always made sure she remembered what she meant to him. They had both made decisions long ago that prevented them from exploring a full relationship. Ari married, at the young age of nineteen, to Makayla’s brother, Jackson. She was pregnant with Alana and she thought it was Jackson’s baby. Once Alana was born, however, her striking resemblance to Lei was unmistakable. But it was too late. Her father forced her to marry Jackson before the baby was born, even though she begged him not to.

For a while, Lei and Ari continued to see each other, with her sneaking out to see him on occasion so they could be together.

When Jackson died, she finally thought she and Lei would be together. But he had already committed himself to Makayla, offering to stand by her side because she had no family left.

When he married Makayla, Ari tried to get over him, but she couldn’t. Although she dated other men, she knew she would die still loving Lei.

She forced her mind away from her thoughts and traced his jaw with her fingers. “I couldn’t sleep. I knew you and the others went up to search the house, so I thought I would wait for you to come back.”

He stayed silent while she shifted her position on his lap and ran the back of her hand down his cheek.

“
I heard Alexa and Dro come back,” she continued softly. “I panicked initially. I just had to see if you were alright.”

“
I’m fine. Alexa had to come and rescue me, though.” He laughed faintly. “She came at just the right time.”

She giggled as she relaxed into him. “So, Alexa, saved you? That’s...different.”

“
I think Dro had something to do with that.”

Ari smiled, thinking of her brother and Alexa. “Well, I’m glad he did. She’s pretty stubborn.”

“
You’re not lying,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. “I’m glad she decided hiding was no longer an option because I was glad to see her.”

She intertwined her fingers with his and squeezed. “I’m glad you’re okay. Are you any closer to figuring out who did this?”

He shook his head. “The only thing we do know is that Melissa is involved.”

“
Melissa?” She sat upright. “Who’s that?”

“
Don’t you remember her, Dro’s one night stand from hell? Alexa broke her finger at the bar?”

“
Oh yeah, I remember that.” She leaned back against his hard chest. “How do you know she’s involved?”

“
She left a message for Alexa.”

“
Well, she better hope Alexa’s not the one who finds her. She would have better luck with Kendrick.”

They both laughed at that because Kendrick was considered the violent one of the group. And they both knew he would be a piece of cake compared to Alexa. She wasn’t as violent as Kendrick, but Melissa had threatened her children, and that wasn’t something someone could do and get away unscathed.

Ari rose and stepped away from him. “You need to go.”

As much as she wanted him to stay, she knew Makayla was probably waiting for him. He grasped her hand again and stood up. “I don’t know how long we have to be down here.” He cradled her face in his hands. “But I want you to know how much I—”

“
Shhh. Don’t say it. I know.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, then pulled her closer, and deepened the kiss. She stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, taking what she could in the moment. But eventually, reluctantly, she broke the kiss and pulled away.

Turning away from him, she held back the tears until she heard the soft click of the door.

***

When Lei walked into his room, he was glad Makayla was asleep. He just wanted to put this day behind him. He slowly slipped his shirt off, then his pants, and crawled into bed next to her.

Lei loved Makayla, but not like he should. She was his wife, but his mind was constantly on Ari. He didn’t believe in regrets, but the longer he stayed married to Makayla, the more he resented the choices they all made so long ago. For once, he just wanted to be happy with the woman he loved more than his own life. He wanted that undying kind of love Dro and Alexa had. But he made a promise to stay by Makayla’s side for better or worse. And he would keep that promise to her because he did love her and wanted her to be safe and happy.

Makayla turned to face him. She hadn’t been asleep after all.

“
I thought you were sleeping,” he whispered.

She reached up and touched the bandage on his temple. “Are you okay?”

“
I’m okay. It’s nothing big.”

There were tears shining in her eyes. “But you’re hurt, Lei.”

“
It’s just a cut.”

“
Did Ari clean you up?”

“
Yeah, she saw me when I was coming in and insisted on tending me.”

Although Makayla never said anything about it, he knew she was well aware of his past—and present—with Ari. After all, Makayla and Lei had been friends since Kindergarten. They had grown up together. And Makayla had made a few comments on how much Alana resembled him.