Page 55 of Shattered

“Braden makes me so mad sometimes, so much so I want to hurtle toward him and knock some sense into him.Physically.You know me, I’m about as laid-back as they come.I don’t let things rile me easily, but he knows what buttons to push and he does it quite often.”She leaned her head back against the couch and sighed.It was as if she was releasing fifty pounds of stress.

I often mirrored her frustration, more than I liked to admit.

I wanted to make sure of something before I continued with our conversation, though.The answer could alter everything.“Let me ask you this, Lex.Do you ever feel as if he would be physically or mentally abusive toward you?”

Thankfully, there was no hesitation when she answered me.“No, never.He always makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.He’s forever praising me and constantly tells me how lucky he is to have found me.”She sighed again.“He’s just a bit much to handle at times.”Shrugging, she stood up.“I think I need another glass of wine.You want more?”

“Sure, why the hell not?”I was going to need a bit more if I was going to delve into my own current situation with Alek.

“Oh, and another thing…”She wasn’t done yet.“…if he doesn’t lay off about my clothing, I’m going to deck him.”

“Why, what does he say?”I knew even before she uttered the words what Braden probably said about her wardrobe.Lex had a revealing taste in clothing.When she was at work, she chose fully appropriate attire, but otherwise, look out.She had a beautiful body and loved to show it off.It wasn’t my style, but to each their own.My only concern for her was that sometimes she might attract the wrong attention.

“He says he would prefer clothing which didn’t show off all my assets to every man in the world.I tell him I’ll continue to dress however I want, which then leads into another heated argument.He always ends the conversations with, ‘Well, if I attack someone who’s leering at your tits or ass because your clothes are too tight, don’t blame me for mycavemanactions.’”Crossing her arms over her chest was indicative to how she must react in front of him, trying to stand her ground.

I half-smirked before I gave her my opinion, yet again.“Lex, while I don’t have the same taste in clothing as you do, I wouldn’t change anything.He started dating you knowing you liked to dress a certain way.Why all of a sudden is he having an issue?Let him react however he wants, but your wardrobe is something I wouldn’t compromise on.Dress how you want.”She looked at me funny and I knew why.“Are you surprised by my reaction?”

“Uh…yeah, a little bit.”

“Lex, you’re my best friend.What type of friend, or woman for that matter, would I be if I told you to change the way you dressed because some guy has a problem with it?He should count himself lucky you don’t wear hot pants and a tube top just to spite him.” I laughed.

“Yeah, that would show him for sure.”She tapped her finger against her lips.“I do thoroughly enjoy our make-up sex.Hmmm…” she contemplated.She took another sip from her glass before turning her attention fully on me and my problems.

“All right, all right.Enough about me, you look like you have something you want to talk about, as well.Spill it, sister.”I didn’t do well with hiding my emotions from Alexa.She could read me like an open book.

“Alek and I had our own argument earlier today, and I’m not sure what to do.I know I have to give him some time to calm down, I just hope he doesn’t take too long before he calls me.I would hate to think I pushed him too far.It wasn’t my intention.I merely wanted him to open up.”

I told her the whole story, from when Kaelaccidentallylet it slip about Cora to what Alek told me about the abortion for revenge.

“Wow, Sara.That’s heavy.But you did the right thing.All you were doing was letting him know he shouldn’t feel as if he had to keep things from you simply because he felt they were unpleasant.”

“It just sucks, you know?”

“Uh, yeah, I do know.” She laughed.

Not wanting to talk anymore about my dilemma, I switched it back to her again.“So, how did you leave it with Braden?About you going away with him on his business trip?”

“I told him it wasn’t a good idea right now and if he didn’t like it, well, he would simply have to deal with it.”

“I’m sure it didn’t go over too well with him.”

“Nope.It didn’t.I told him it would be different if I was more established at work, but he was being stubborn.He only wanted to hear what he wanted to.So when he wasn’t relenting, I walked out.He tried to stop me, but I made it into the elevator before he could catch me.I actually wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up here.”

As if on cue, the doorbell rang.We stopped short and looked at each other with the ‘it couldn’t be’ look.What were the chances?Well, with a man like Braden and a woman like Alexa to contend with, the chances were turning out to be very good.

Sure enough, when I checked the peephole, Braden was looming in the hallway.He was wearing his all-too-familiar intense gaze and was pacing back and forth, waiting for someone to answer the door.The doorbell rang again, quickly followed by him banging on the door, calling out for Alexa.

“What do you want me to do, Lex?I’ll send him away if you want, but if you want my opinion, you should deal with the situation and talk it through with him.”

“Is that what you would do if Alek was out there pounding on the door?”She knew my answer before I said it.

“Yes, I honestly would.It does no one any good to dwell on things and let them stay bottled up.”It was how I truly felt.

I gave my friend one last look before opening the front door.

I was taken back by the man’s looks.I forgot what a handsome specimen he was.

“Hi, Sara.Can I please come in and speak with Alexa?”Braden was trying to sound calm, but I could tell all he wanted to do was bust through the door and deal with his stubborn woman.

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