‘London?’ Alexi’s voice makes me stop dead as I get to the hallway for the lift and my heart drops like a lead weight. He’s followed me, and I turn back, ready to face another yelling match or sadistic prick appearance. I’m just overwhelmed with whatever the hell that was between us back there and he’s clearly in the mood for putting women in their place today and functioning on high sexuality.
And he called me London, which is usually not a good sign.
I move slowly, inhaling heavily to reel in my chaotic hormones and face him, expecting the worst. He just looks calm, unemotional and unaffected in the way I am, which irritates me.
One sided sexual tension then?
‘You dropped this.’ He hands me a sheet of paper with my handwriting all over it, a list I have been ticking off as I work, and I sigh. A little relieved that’s all he followed me for, and bring my eyes back to his as I take it. He studies me closely.
‘Thank you.’ I don’t know what else to say. There is an awkward pause because he just stands towering over me silently, looking at me with that effortless deadpan expression of his, and yet the air between us gets instantly thick and heavy.
My panties are not as ready to drop so dramatically but the embers are still glowing.
‘I’m sorry I yelled at you,’ he mutters quietly. It’s not the most heartfelt apology of my life, and it’s obvious he’s still being a moody prick as he says it with a slightly strained tone. A look on his face that he feels obliged to do this rather than wants too, but I guess it’s better than nothing. I can tell it’s not easy for him to do it.
Alexi never apologises before committing horrible acts of punishment on me, so maybe I am being saved from future worry. He only ever said sorry when he was letting something go or already administered the revengeful reaction in the past—never before.
‘I’m sorry I tried to Wonder Woman a rescue for a stinky stray. He ran away by the way. I don’t think he will be back.’
Impulsively, I fill the weirdness between us with words and back down feebly. Losing all my sass when he’s this close, even while I am still reacting down in the nether regions like a sex-starved nymphomaniac; Standing awkwardly, feeling fidgety while trying to stay completely still to hide it.
Think of BOB … BOB, my large well-endowed vibrating friend and a nice night of porn and orgasms. That should cure me for a while!
‘Actually … he was in the lot when I pulled in, ran right out in front of me.’ Alexi looks grim and despite myself and my normal lack of empathy for most human beings, a massive pang of pain strikes me across the chest, killing my libido dead. I grab his wrist impulsively in complete horror, clutching him in painful panic.
‘Oh my god, you didn’t …?’ Tears hit my eyes, such a stupid reaction over some dumb unwanted animal but its automatic and I can’t help it. A vision of him running over that poor, defenceless little beast strikes a massive dagger in my heart. Throbbing instantly as it rips me in two.
Alexi frowns at me as though I am insane and then looks down to the death grip I have on his wrist, clinging to him needily in the hope he is joking. My knuckles turning white with the effort I am holding on. He’s probably wondering how it is he can’t touch me but I get to anytime I want. Not that this is affection. I am on the verge of hysteria over some creepy cat.
‘Little shit dodged me, he’s fine. Probably sharpening his claws on my paintwork as we speak.’ He answers sarcastically, disinterested in the poor animal’s plight and my eyes widen in shock.
‘You tried to hit him?’ I squeak, appalled that he would try to run it over, a weak defenceless innocent animal. A poor kitty, one just looking to survive. I let him go in complete disgust, abhorrence all over my face.
Alexi just rolls his eyes at me and sighs.
‘No. Add animals to my no women, no children rule. Unless he throws himself under my car or gives me reason to run him over … I am not completely devoid of morals,’ He replies tartly.
No, just a heart.
He brushes away the red imprint I left on his arm as though swatting a fly off, and I almost choke on the sudden swell of tears that hit me in the back of the throat and eyes.
It calms my internal hysteria but I’m still gawping at him, overly fragile, emotionally now. Unsure if he’s joking, lying or just being a prick, and when he touches my hand softly, I jump out of my skin at the unexpected touch.
‘The cat is fine. I told Daniels to get it some food and water if it’s going to be living in the lot. Looks like shit, probably came here to die. It seems old.’ He adds warily and I get the vibe he’s trying to stop being a dick. In his weird way.
‘What?’ It just sets me off again though, what he said and this time I do start crying. I don’t know what’s bloody wrong with me. I don’t want it to die here like some sad lonely unwanted street rat. The thought is heart-breaking.
‘Jesus Christ, are you having your period or something?’ Alexi steps back as though I’m somehow offending him by getting upset over something so dumb; I slap him on the chest amid blurry tears and stupid sobs … distraught and unable to control it.
‘Shut up, I can’t help it. Leave me alone. I don’t have periods and I’m allowed to cry okay. Are you completely abhorred by women’s tears in case they infect you somehow? It’s not catching Alexi—you can’t contract human emotions by being exposed to tears you know!! It’s not a disease!’ I slap him in the shoulder again for being an insensitive arsehole and he just shakes his head at me.
He doesn’t know that I don’t have them and can’t function like a normal woman down there, but it still annoys me when men use the period dig anytime a female is emotional.
‘Women! … I will never understand you.’ He mutters it under his breath at me and gets a frosty look in return. He really is a charmer sometimes.
‘Well least you can admit it,’ I snark back at him, wiping my nose on my sleeve and try to stem the tears. I feel stupid for getting this way over something ridiculous. My hormones are haywire today and I should probably go lie down or something.
‘I agree about the gun.’ It comes out of nowhere, that brain of his changing direction and it has the same effect as a sobering stroke, getting me to stop sniffing and blink it away to look at him instead.
‘You do?’ I am not sure I believe what I hear but everything inside of me is surprised into a more stable mood anyway. Staring at him questioningly as his expression softens greatly.
‘Yeah … So, Jackson always on your ass and you have a new driver, so he doesn’t ever have to abandon you to park. His name is Wes; he is coming down from my uptown office to be stationed here. All he does is drive, nothing else. Think you can handle that? Obediently?’ Alexi skims the agreement part, obviously miffed that he did, in fact, have to side with me on one of his commands and I feel smug about it. A little warmed by the fact Lord Carrero is rethinking an order and actually compromising with me.
Hell just froze over.