Page 35 of Behind the Scenes

“Don’t give me that look, Lexi. I know you well enough to know just how much it’s all an act. You think that’s enough, don’t you? You think giving me the sad face and that voice will make up for everything you did today. I work my tail off day and night to make sure your career doesn’t derail, and then you pull this kind of stunt! Don’t you give a damn about anyone but yourself?”

But her sadness wasn’t an act. He just had a different opinion about why she should be sad.

The elevator reached the penthouse and the doors opened to Lauren standing there waiting for her with tears in her eyes. She ran to Alexis and wrapped her arms around her as she began to sob.

“I’m so sorry. Hunter told me I couldn’t come with you. I didn’t just leave, Alexis. I would never do that. Never.”

Holding her best friend, she consoled her while she consoled herself. “I know, Lauren. It’s okay. I’m fine.”

“Yeah, she’s fine. You’re fine. Everyone’s fine but me. I’m a wreck, but thanks for asking,” Paul complained as he began to pace back and forth in front of the elevator doors as they closed, waving his hands around frantically.

“I really am sorry,” Alexis said as she backed away from Lauren to face him. “I didn’t mean to ruin everyone’s day.”

“What were you thinking, Lexi? Just tell me that so I can understand this whole damn thing. You could have gotten yourself hurt, or even worse, killed! You’ve got a stalker out there. What if they found you? Was Lauren going to protect you? Does she suddenly have the strength and abilities of a bodyguard? Lauren, how about you show me how you planned to protect Lexi? Do you have a gun or anything to use to do that job? No, you don’t!”

As he talked, his voice got louder and louder until by the end, he was screaming at them. His face grew redder and redder with every passing moment, frightening her. Paul had never been like this before, and Alexis didn’t know what to do. Suddenly, all she felt like doing was curling up in a ball again and crying like Lauren was now.

Holding on to her friend’s hand, Alexis tried to protect her. “It isn’t her fault, Paul. Lauren would never put me in harm’s way. I did this on my own. She just came along because I made her. I just wanted—”

He cut her off and began barking at her again. “You just wanted to have some fun. I know. Lauren already told me. But Lexi, you’re not like other people. You can’t just decide to take off for the beach any damn time you like. Even if you didn’t have a stalker, you can’t just go off on your own. And what would have happened if that stalker found you and did something to Lauren before kidnapping you? Would you be able to forgive yourself for her getting hurt or killed just because you did one stupid thing?”

The mere thought of Lauren being harmed because of anything she did made Alexis choke up with emotion. Of all the people in the world she’d never want to see hurt, Lauren was top on that list. She’d never get over it if she suffered for a mistake she made.

The elevator doors opened and Hunter stepped out into the horrible drama that had blown up in the past few minutes. Embarrassed and feeling like her emotions might unravel at any moment, she stepped back away from Paul and hung her head as she felt the tears begin to burn her eyes.

“I didn’t mean to upset everyone. I would never do anything to hurt any of you.”

Paul started to say something, but Hunter spoke up. “We’ve all had an exciting day. I think Alexis would like to be left alone for a while.”

She looked up at him in amazement. Did he just say she should be left alone? She knew Paul was saying exactly what Hunter thought about all she’d done. Why was he defending her?

“Left alone?” Paul said, astonished at what he’d just heard from the man he’d hired. “I think we need to have a conversation about how she scared the living hell out of all of us, don’t you think? Maybe some discussion about how she can never do this again?”

Hunter put his hand on the small of her back and began to gently guide her down the hallway toward her room. “We’ve already had that conversation, so let’s give Alexis some time alone. If anyone needs anything from her, see me or Lauren and we’ll take care of it.”

Alexis looked back to see Paul standing there with his mouth hanging open in shock as Hunter led her away from him and the discussion he wanted to have. He opened the door for her and held it as she walked in and sat down on the bed, stunned by everything that had happened in the past minute.

“Let me know if you need anything,” he said as he began to close the door.

“Hunter! Wait!” she yelled, not wanting him to go before she said something to him.

He stopped and looked back at her. “Something wrong?”

“I just wanted to say thanks. I know I deserve the lecture Paul wanted to give me back there, but thanks for getting me away from it.”

He smiled a warm and sexy grin that made him even more handsome than usual. As he spoke, her stomach did a little flip. “I figured you’re a grown woman. You don’t need to be told something you already know.”

A grown woman? Paul never treated her like she was anything more than some head case he needed to constantly keep watch over. In fact, nobody treated her like a grown woman. Even Lauren.

Not that she made it easy to. She knew that. Her antics and ranting about things hardly created an environment where anyone would see her as an adult who deserved to be treated with respect.

But she liked how it felt when someone did.

Embarrassed by what she’d done that morning, she lowered her head. “Thank you. I guess I didn’t act like a grown woman today, so thanks for treating me like one anyway.”

“You’re very welcome. Do you want me to have Lauren come in?”

“Yeah. Tell her to come in.”

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