Page 28 of Shielding Lexi (Temptation)

“I hadn’t thought about that. I suppose they’d be calling my cell, but I left everything behind. I mean, Brick could have gone to find me and spun them a lie about where I am. Or if they’re calling me and he hasn’t answered, they probably think I’ve ditched them. Can we take a look?”

I pull out my phone and Lexi logs into her accounts and scrolls through image after image until she sees her friends. Her shoulders visibly drop and she smiles as she reads through the comments. She displays no jealousy, and I can tell all she wants is for her friends to be alright.

“Look at this Kane. This is three days after I left them. See?” she says, pointing at the time stamp attached to the image of her friends laying by the pool. Another blonde and a brunette, both in gold bikinis as though they’ve planned it that way.

“They look like they’re safe and happy.” She types a comment, but I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“You better not respond, Lexi. Brick could be watching.” She sighs and takes her hand off the keyboard for a moment. “He could be monitoring your social media as a way to track you down.”

“Makes sense, but what about a direct message? He can’t read private messages, can he?”

“I don’t know, but I wouldn’t risk it. He could check your accounts via your mobile. The other thing is, if you respond to your friends and tell them what happened, they’ll try to find you. You could set off a chain of events we can’t control.” Her smile falters, and the look of crushing disappointment hurts me. She doesn’t deserve this. All she wants to do is connect with them, let them know she’s okay, and after all she’s been through, she deserves that small luxury. “I know it’s hard, but it’s better to stay quiet for a few more days.”

An image of the girls on the beach catches my eye. There are storm clouds on the horizon, and I lean in closer to the screen to make a mental note of the date. The comment says they’re going on a boat trip the following day.

There are a few more images of them in a nightclub drinking with some guys, but nothing after that. Lexi doesn’t notice, but she rolls her eyes and puffs her cheeks out like a chipmunk before blowing an over-the-top raspberry in my direction. She’s so adorable, and I can’t help but laugh.

“All this sitting around waiting is killing me, Kane! I need a drink. Please tell me a house full of bikers has some kind of booze handy.”

Relieved there’s something I can do to help, I show her the liquor cabinet to the left of the fridge.

“We really only have hard liquor, Lex. Are you sure you—”

She pulls out the bourbon. A large bottle of Wild Turkey.

“I don’t make a habit of daytime drinking, but you know, these are strange times,” she says, uncapping the top and taking a swig.

She lets the liquor marinate in her mouth for a long second before swallowing hard. I’m not sure why, but it turns me on as she holds the neck of the bottle in her tiny hand.

“What are you looking at me like that for?” she asks, her doe eyes sparkling in the fading light.

“Nothing, just enjoying the view.”

“The view’s that way,” she laughs, pointing to the picture window behind me.

“No, beautiful. The only view worth looking at is right in front of me.” It’s a cheesy line, but she blushes, and her eyes glisten like she appreciates the sentiment.

“Kane, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, anything.”

“Are you scared about what happens next? The MC club showdown?”

I let out a heavy breath and hop up onto the counter, watching her as she takes another swig of alcohol. “Honestly?”

She nods.

“Yeah, I am. I’d be naïve not to be, right? But Reaper has been doing this shit for as long as I’ve known him and then some. If anyone can work out a deal, it’s him.”

She reaches forward and runs her finger along my jaw. “You’re so nice to me, Kane.” There’s no way she’s drunk off two swigs of bourbon, though the proof is pretty high on that stuff.

I take the bottle from her hand and set it on the counter beside me.

Lexi runs her tongue along her lower lip thoughtfully, and the sight of the glistening is making me hard. I want to touch her, but I’m not sure the rules on all this. Should I without Hawk? Yesterday, we mentioned sharing time, but I’m not sure yet what that means. Can I kiss and touch her on my own? Last night was great, bottling her in my arms as she came, but I’ve been wanting desperate to taste her since.

“You okay?” Lexi asks, her hand on my thigh as she sandwiches herself between my legs.

“All good, just running through the repercussions of doing what I want to.”

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