“Grant—”
“What do you think is going to happen here, Alexa? That I’m just going to let you go? That I’m going to allow you to walk away from the life we’ve started building, the one that we’ve invited three hundred people to come celebrate and witness the start of in ten days? That you’re going to shack up with a criminal biker gang and I’m just going to stand for it?” His volume escalated on those last few words, his anger finally coming through, and he leaned over the desk, invading her space until it was hard to breathe.
Needing distance, she pushed back in her chair, her scalp prickling and her hair standing up on end. She wasn’t sure she’d ever heard rage in his voice as scary or as lethal as what he’d just spoken. Whatever sass had been on the tip of her tongue melted away. Where had these mood swings come from? Or had she just never noticed because she’d always gone along to keep the peace?
“Surely, you realized that I would find out where you were.”
She had. Of course she had. It had only been a matter of time, and Frederick wasn’t that big—especially for Grant Slater. “If I was trying to hide where I was staying, I wouldn’t have Maverick giving me rides to and from work,” she said, hating the quivering in her voice. Maverick, who she’d had sex with. Maverick, who she wanted to have sex with again. Though she thought better than to share any of that with Grant. He probably wouldn’t want her back if he knew, which could be good. Except she feared his reaction would be a whole lot worse—and more damaging—than that. And, anyway, she hadn’t been with Maverick to get back at Grant, so she wasn’t sharing that with him for anything.
He made a sound full of disgust. “You’ve made your point with this little stunt. I only have so much patience. And I’m not letting you go without a fight,” he said, his tone seemingly calm but, to her, obviously razor sharp and ice cold.
“There’s nothing left to fight about, Grant,” she said, exasperated. How the heck was she going to get this through his head? “You said you wanted me to do this job for the model home, so would you please leave so I can do it? This conversation isn’t getting us anywhere.”
He jabbed his finger into the desk. “Agree to see me after work.”
“No.”
“Agree—”
“Grant, no.”
“Agree, Alexa.” His stare was like sitting under the lights in an interrogation room. Hot and uncomfortable.
“I can’t see you tonight. My mother has an appointment,” she lied, terribly, but she was desperate.
“Fine. Tomorrow night.” He arched a brow.
“Grant—”
“I’m hardly being unreasonable. You owe me an hour of your time.”
“No, I don’t—”
“I swear to God.” Anger washed off of him and over her. Despite the air-conditioning in the office, a trickle of sweat ran down the center of her back. He leaned closer and it seemed like his body vibrated with tension, like he might come right up over the desk at her. “Al—”
“Fine,” she said, regretting it immediately. Especially when a smug smile spread over his face. “Just know that I will not be changing my mind. And there’s nothing you can say to get me to. But out of respect for you and the time we shared, I will talk to you about our relationship. One last time. But please, stop doing this to me at work.” The words rushed out as her heart hammered inside her chest.
“So be it. I won’t bother you here again with personal conversation. But remember how persuasive I can be. I will change your mind.” The smugness overtook his whole expression in an attitude that was supposed to come off as sexy but now just struck her as smarmy and purposely obtuse. Who was this man?
She took her seat and laced her hands together on the desk again. “Tomorrow night. Until then, good-bye.”
His eyes flashed. If there was one thing Grant wasn’t used to, it was being dismissed. But she was so angry at herself for agreeing to see him, and she’d had enough. “Tomorrow night,” he said before finally turning on his heel and leaving.
On a heaving breath, Alexa bent over and rested her forehead on her hands. Why had she let him badger her into meeting? She didn’t want to see him or spend time with him. She certainly didn’t want to be alone with him. And it wasn’t like talking was going to change anything anyway.
Damnit. Way to cave, Al.
And if all that wasn’t bad enough, Maverick was going to freaking kill her.
The thought made her remember that Grant knew she was staying with the Ravens. Maverick at least needed to know that much now.
Grant knows I’m staying with you. She shot off the text.
Good, came Maverick’s reply.
What if he takes it out on you? She hit Send, for the first time wondering about what the consequences could possibly be to the Ravens for offering her shelter.
I can handle Slater.
Her belly flipped at all the things that might possibly entail. I don’t want you to have to handle him. Maverick didn’t need Grant’s kind of trouble, and after everything that Bunny and the club had been through recently, it was clear that none of them did.
Her cell rang. Maverick.
“Hey,” she said. Her heart gave a little pang that he’d stopped what he was doing to call her.
“Hey. You okay?” he asked. And another pang over his concern. “What happened?”
“Yes, I’m okay, but it’s a long story. Do you mind if I recount it all tonight?” she asked, not wanting to possibly start a second argument in five minutes. Plus, she really needed to get some paperwork finished so she could meet the general contractor over at the model home to go over room-by-room furniture layout.
“Fine,” he said. “That’s a plan. But listen to me, Al, and listen to me good. You’re under my protection. You’re under the protection of all of my brothers. Period. Something comes at you, it comes at all of us. We try not to go on the offensive if we can help it, but we sure as fuck defend our own. This is what we do. And that includes you.”
His protectiveness chased away some of the anxiety that had settled into her muscles from the confrontation with Grant. “Okay,” she said.
“Okay. You need me, you reach out. You hear?” he said, the fierce urgency of his voice sending comfort and strength down the line to her.
“I hear,” she said. “Thanks, Maverick. It was . . . it was good to hear your voice.”
“Any time.” He paused like maybe he wanted to say something more, but then he just said good-bye.
Alexa couldn’t help but compare how she felt after talking to Grant and Maverick. Grant left her stressed out, anxious, angry at him and herself, and just drained, while Maverick built her up, made her feel secure and less alone, and eased some of her concerns. Hammering home how much she’d misjudged the two men five years before.