Fearless (13 page)

“Hey, you okay?” Mark asked, resting his hand on the small of her back.

Even though she only met him twenty-four hours ago, she felt like she had known him forever.

She had been so distraught on the drive to the airport that she broke down and told him the reason for her return to Arkansas. He stunned her when he bought a plane ticket and asked if she would mind a houseguest for a couple of weeks. He claimed he was due some vacation time and this would give him an excuse to use it. Before she could object, he was on the phone to his chief, making him aware of his plans. 

Her gut told her Mark was one of the good guys. He was someone she would be lucky to call a friend. Unlike Josh, who she thought was her friend. As it turned out, he was just another man who had duped her into believing in him, all the while holding out hope for a reconciliation with his ex-wife. It was hard to believe, given their history, their years of friendship, that she hadn’t seen the signs sooner. It proved to her that, although she had known Josh for years, and Mark only a short time, the man who put his life on hold to jump on a plane so he could hold her hand while she went through a difficult time was someone she could count on.

She smiled up at Mark. “I’m fine. Thanks again for coming with me. You know you didn’t have to, I could have handled this on my own.” She could have, was prepared to, but she was grateful to have a strong shoulder to lean on.

“It’s my pleasure, Lexi.” He stepped into the small foyer and looked around, admiring the surroundings. “Wow, this is a great house.”

She loved this house; it represented her hard work and achievements. She had worked tirelessly stripping and staining the wood floors, doors, and baseboards, stripping wallpaper, cleaning the original light fixtures. It was a showpiece, a labor of love. It would be hard to leave, but she had been careful when selecting tenants. They were a young family who promised to treasure the house as she had. They had already expressed an interest in buying it at the end of their lease, and in all likelihood she would let it go, closing yet another chapter in her life. 

“Can I get you something to drink?” Before he could respond, the phone rang again. “Excuse me.” She stepped into the kitchen and checked the call display on the cordless phone. She picked it up on the third ring. “Hey, Marisa, what’s up?”

She heaved a sigh. “Thank God. I’ve been calling your cell for hours. I was worried sick when I couldn’t reach you.”

Lexi watched Mark admiring the photographs on the mantle in her living room. There were photos of her and Sierra growing up, some of friends, including Josh. “Sorry, my cell phone died. What’s up? It’s not Sierra is it?” Her stomach lurched. “Is everything okay with the baby?” If her sister needed her and she wasn’t there for her, she would never be able to forgive herself.

“No, everything’s fine with Sierra and the baby.” Marisa paused. “Lexi, I did something, something you’re not going to like.”

Lexi closed her eyes. She knew when her friend used that tone, the news was not going to be good. “Just spit it out, Marisa. What did you do?”

“I told Josh why you were going to Arkansas.”

“Damn it, how could you? You gave me your word you wouldn’t say anything to anyone.”

Marisa sighed. “I know, but I was worried about you. I knew Josh was the only person with the knowledge and skills to protect you, honey. Please don’t be mad at me.”

Lexi took a deep breath. She couldn’t be upset with Marisa; she would have done the same thing had their roles been reversed. “It’s okay, I understand. Don’t worry. Josh is too busy with his ex to get involved in my business.”

“Uh...”

“Marisa, is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Josh is on his way out there,” she said quickly.

“Are you kidding me?” She turned around and lowered her voice when she attracted Mark’s attention. “He can’t come out here. Mark is here with me.”

“What?” Marisa squealed. “What is he doing there? Are you crazy? You just met the guy.”

“I know that,” she whispered. “I didn’t ask him to come, he volunteered. Besides, my instincts tell me he’s a good guy.”

Marisa scoffed. “Right and your instincts have always been spot on when it comes to men.” She gasped. “God, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Who am I to talk?”

“It’s okay, you’re right.” First Chris, now Josh. Her track record when it came to choosing the right man was the very reason she’d sworn off marriage years ago.

“No, I’m not. Neither are you. You’re wrong about Josh, Lex. That man loves you.”

She felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest. She had almost been willing to believe that was true until she’d heard him talking to his ex-wife. “I know what I heard, Marisa. You weren’t there.”

“No, but I did talk to him about it after you left. He was trashed; he didn’t even remember the conversation, Lex. You’ve got to give the guy a break.”

Like hell she would. She had given one man the benefit of the doubt, and now she was testifying against him at a murder trial. She had decided from now on she would expect the worst from a man, that way she wouldn’t be disappointed when he betrayed her. “I don’t care what he says, Marisa. I know what I heard. I don’t want him here, I don’t need him.”

“Well, he’s gonna be there whether you like it or not.”

“Marisa...”

“Trey knows too.”

Damn it, the last thing she needed was Trey letting this slip to her sister. Sierra had enough to deal with. “Why would you tell him?”

“We had to; Josh had to leave town and Trey was going to want answers. He was adamant that Josh stay with you until the trial is over and you’re able to come home.”

“I’m not going back to Nashville, Marisa.” She watched Mark take a seat on the couch. He flipped through the pages of a landscaping magazine. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was trying to catch snippets of her conversation. Not that she could blame him. The man had travelled this far; he had a right to know what was going on.

“What are you talking about? Where are you going?” Marisa asked.

“There are lots of great opportunities in the real estate market right now, given the downturn in the economy. I’ve been researching some of the possibilities, but I haven’t made a definite decision yet. I’ll let you know when I do.”

“You told Sierra you were going to be here for her and the baby.” Marisa’s voice broke. “Are you saying you didn’t mean it?”

Lexi fought back the tears. She would like nothing more than to be there to see her niece grow up and support her sister through the trials and tribulations of being a new mom, but she had to make a life for herself and she couldn’t do that in Nashville, not now. She had allowed herself to develop feelings for Josh, and she couldn’t take the risk of acting on those feelings in a moment of weakness, especially if he reconciled with his ex-wife. Josh wasn’t cut out to be an adulterer, and she wasn’t cut out to be the other woman.

“I’ll be there for my sister, just not physically. We can talk and text every day. She can email me pictures of the baby. I’ll visit when...”

“It’s not the same and you know it, Lexi. When are you going to stop running away?”

Lexi felt her temper rising. Marisa was calling her a coward. She was not a coward. She was tough and tenacious. She stood up to her fears; that was the very reason she had come back to Arkansas to testify. She would be damned if she would ever play the role of Chris’s victim again. She realized they may find a way to get to her, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight this time. More importantly, no matter how it played out, she would have the satisfaction of knowing her ex-fiancée would rot in the prison for the crime he’d committed. “You’re entitled to your opinion, Marisa.” 

“Damn it, don’t do that,” Marisa shouted. “Don’t shut down on me. I know you’re mad at me, so tell me off. Call me a thoughtless little bitch, tell me to mind my own business, tell me I could never begin to understand the hell you’ve been through.”

Lexi sank down in a kitchen chair, her back facing her houseguest. She allowed the tears to flow un-checked. “I don’t want to talk about that; I don’t even want to think about it,” she whispered.

“You have to,” Marisa said gently. “Don’t you see? That’s the reason you won’t allow yourself to find love; you’re afraid of making the same mistake again. But Josh isn’t Chris, and you aren’t the same woman you were back then.”

“Josh isn’t the man for me,” she said, though her heart rallied against the words. “He belongs with Ashley and his boys.”

“Maybe he is the guy for you, maybe he isn’t. My point is you need to open yourself up to the possibility that the right guy might be out there. Hell, he might be right under your nose and you’re too close-minded to see it.”

She shifted her chair to look at Mark. He was scrolling through messages on his phone. Maybe Marisa was right. Maybe she did need to consider the possibility that she could have a mutually satisfying relationship that lasted beyond a few dates. She still wasn’t interested in the whole white-picket-fence scenario that Marisa and Josh perpetuated, but maybe she could find a relationship that would meet her needs, both sexually and emotionally. “Listen, I’ll think about what you said, Marisa.”

“See that you do.” She laughed. “I’m gonna ask again, do you need me to come out there?”

No way would she put her friend in harm’s way. “No, thanks. You need to stay there. Poor Trey, everyone’s jumped ship and he has the album release and tour to prepare for. He needs his master stylist to make sure he looks his best for all those public appearances.”

Marisa laughed. “Okay, what are you gonna do about Josh?”

“I’m going to send him back home as soon as he gets here.” She would be damned if she would admit that having him here would help her to sleep easier at night. He needed to go back home to Ashley and his boys.

“Please don’t do that,” Marisa pleaded. “You need protection and I don’t know of anyone more qualified than Josh, do you?”

Lexi had to admit that having Josh with her would be almost as good as having the police protection she had stubbornly declined when she agreed to testify for the prosecution. “I don’t want Josh here. Mark is here with me.” She smiled at her companion. “I feel perfectly safe with him.”

“I would too if my house was on fire. If my life was at risk, I’d much rather have a former cop, a sharp shooter, for God’s sake, to watch my back.”

Lexi couldn’t argue with her friend’s reasoning, but she refused to acquiesce. “Be that as it may, I’m only going to be here long enough to testify and pack up the house. Don’t worry so much.”

Marisa groaned. “Would you stop acting as if this is no big deal? I’ve done my homework. I know all about Chris’s family, Lexi.”

She swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. They had made millions in the concrete business and, if the rumours were to be believed, they had buried a few bodies beneath those slabs of concrete. But they were untouchable; just like Teflon Chris, until now. His father’s money had bought his way out of jail when he assaulted her, but no amount of money would help him buy his way out of a murder conviction. At least she prayed that was the case. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know another moment’s peace as long as she lived. He would hunt her down and make her pay for telling the world about his sins.

Josh drew a deep breath and rang Lexi’s doorbell. He was bracing himself for a fight. After her abrupt departure, she was no doubt livid with him. He was just going to have to find a way to convince her she was the only woman in the world who could hold his interest.  

“Hey, man.” Mark pushed the door open. “Lexi’s on the phone. I think we need to talk.”

Josh took a step back, too stunned to speak. He had been prepared for Lexi’s anger, considered the possibility that she might throw him out on his butt, but he hadn’t considered the possibility she might be shacking up with another man.

Mark folded his arms across his chest. “Listen, I know you came here because you’re concerned about Lex. But you don’t have to be; I’m here with her. I’ll take good care of her.”

Josh couldn’t believe what he was hearing. She had confided in a man she’d known twenty-four hours instead of trusting him, someone who had been there to support her for years. “Look, I don’t know how much Lexi has told you...”

“Everything; she’s told me about the abusive ex, the murder charges, the threats.” He smiled.

“You look surprised, man.”

Josh would give anything to wipe that smug smile off his face. But he was trained to use his hands only as a means of self-defence. Still, he was flirting with the idea of provoking the man into a battle he would surely lose. “I need to talk to Lexi.” He reached for the doorknob.

Mark flattened his palm against the door. “Wait, there are a few things we need to straighten out first.”

Josh counted backwards from ten, trying to control his temper. He had never been a man to strike first and ask questions later, but this guy was pushing him beyond his limit. “You need to get the hell out of my way.”

“I know you and Lex had a thing, but she said that’s over.”

Josh clenched his teeth. “Did she now? How ‘bout we let the lady speak for herself?”

“Listen, I know it’s not easy to let a woman like that go.” He grinned. “Which is why I don’t intend to.”

Josh took a step forward, looking down at him. “Is that so? What gives you the right to lay claim to her?”

He shrugged. “I’m here, aren’t I? She wants me to be here. You? Not so much.”

Josh turned away, wrestling with his options. He knew if his hand met flesh and bone, there would be an explosion that would result in a trip to the hospital. He couldn’t risk alienating her further, so he clenched his fists at his sides and prayed the other guy would take the first shot.

“Lexi needs a man, not a boy.”

Mark took a step forward. “Who the hell are you calling a boy?”

The door flew open and Lexi stepped out on the porch. “What do you two think you’re doing?”

She turned to Mark. “Can you go inside for just a minute? I need to have a word with Josh.”

Mark looked around her, glaring at Josh. “Just yell if he gives you any trouble, sweetheart.”