Alluring (31 page)

Jack made a face.  "Yeah, she's a little clingy.  I'll have to warn Mase about that."

"I hate the fact that you've slept with her." She shook as jealousy pumped through her body.

Jack must have felt her shaking, for he pulled her away from the crowd to a secluded corner of the ballroom.  He cupped her face in his hands.  "Hey, what's wrong?  Why are you so mad?"

"I'm not mad.  Well, I guess I am a little, but I'm more upset."

"At what?  Sabrina?  She's not worth getting worked-up over."

"I hate the fact, that you've slept with so many women, that I actually run into them."

"I
love
only you, Alexis.  Not any of them."

Alexis sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat.  "But I see the way you look at her.  Like you want her still, and I wonder how you could love someone like me and not someone as stunningly beautiful as her?"

Jack tipped her chin and looked earnestly into her eyes.  "That's not longing you see in my eyes when I look at Sabrina but dread."

"What?"  She whispered.

"Like I said before, she was a one-night stand that wouldn't let go.  Everywhere I went, she was there.  For months, I had to give her the brush-off.  I stopped going to my usual hangouts just to avoid her.  Finally, she got the hint, but I cringe now every time I see her."

Jack gave her a long kiss on the lips before saying, "Now, as to how I can love someone like you.  I look at you and everyone else pales to your beauty.  If you could only see what I see, when I look at you.  You're like the brightest star in a sea of darkness.  You shine so bright, everything around you dims, and like a beacon, I am drawn to you.  You have my heart and my soul.  Don't ever forget that.  There is no need for you to feel jealous of anybody."

* * * * *

He kissed her again, slowly.  Pouring all his love, devotion, desire, and need into that one kiss.  He wanted her to feel the depths of his emotions.  He hated that she felt even the tiniest bit of insecurity.  She was so far above any woman he'd ever known, there really was no comparison.  He slowly lifted his head and looked into her eyes.  "You are the breath I need to breathe.  I live for you, Alexis.  Without you, I am nothing."

She was shaking her head before he even finished speaking.  "You've got it all wrong, Jack.  I was
nothing
until you."

He softly lowered his head to hers, and they stood there, breathing each other's air.  His thumbs lightly caressed the apples of her cheeks, and he closed his eyes, savoring the sweetness of the moment.  He wanted endless moments like this with her, always.

"Sorry to break up this sweet, domestic shindig you've got going on in the corner here, but ... I only know two people here, and you're it.  So alone time is over.  You must entertain me."

He was vastly annoyed by the interruption, but all feelings of irritation left when he turned and saw Steph.  Shockingly, a very sedate looking Steph.  Honestly, he didn't think she had it in her.  Her hair was tamed into some fancy hairdo and her make-up was so light, it was almost nonexistent. 

He turned to Alexis to catch her reaction.  He chuckled.  Her mouth was hanging open.  Guess she was as surprised as he.

* * * * *

Alexis stared disbelievingly at her friend.  She looked so unlike
her
Steph that all she could do was stand there, gaping in shock.  She looked good. 

No, she looked great. 

Her hair was pulled up at the top of her head in a complicated twist, but it wasn't pulled tight.  It looked soft.  She wore barely any make-up and what she did wear was very light in tone.  She had a beautiful face with her layer of make-up, without it she was a knock-out. 

She had on a modest rose-colored gown that concealed more than it revealed, leaving much to the imagination. But anyone with an active imagination would be able to envision the curves hiding beneath the folds that surrounded her petite 5' 2" body.

"Well, are you just gonna stand there and gawk at me all day, or are you gonna say something?"

Alexis laughed, she might not look like Steph, but she sure sounded like her.  "You look absolutely beautiful."

"I concur," Jack said, at her side.

"I didn't mean to be a mood killer," she waved her hand between Jack and Alexis, "but I don't know anyone here, and I didn't want to just wander around looking like an idiot."

"We definitely don't want that."  Alexis took her arm a guided her into the crowd.  "I'll introduce you to who I know but to be honest, that's only like six people.  I'm practically in the same boat as you."

Steph laughed and Alexis felt her relax at her side.  "So what's with the disguise?  You hiding from someone?"  Alexis teased.

Steph snorted, then gave a throaty laugh.  "Hardly.  I just thought if I were attending the engagement party of my very best friend, who's engaged to an extremely handsome, disgustingly rich guy, I'd better look the part."

"You look beautiful, but then, you always look beautiful.  You're beautiful inside and out.  You shouldn't have to play a part.  You're my best friend.  I love you just the way you are."

Steph gave her a big kiss on the cheek.  "I love you too.  And this isn't me playing a part.  It's just another side of me.  Just one that doesn't come out too often."  She gave Alexis a wink.  "Now, introduce me to those six whole people that you know."  They both laughed.

She introduced Steph to Jack's parents first.  They enfolded her into hugs saying any best friend of Alexis's was a part of the family.  Next, she dragged her to where Mase and the gang where hanging.

"Guys, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend Stephanie.  Steph, this is Gage, Cassie, Mase, and Sabrina." 

After a few minutes of idle chitchat, Alexis felt safe leaving Steph.  "I'll be back in a few minutes.  I'm going to find Jack."

Steph gave her a nod and a wave but didn't stop talking.  She was definitely not shy around new people.

She found Jack, looking bored, talking with an older gentleman.  He seemed grateful to see her.  "I thought you might like to dance."

Jack turned to his companion.  "If you'll excuse me."  He swept Alexis away.  "Sorry, I didn't introduce you, love, but that would've led to another twenty-minute conversation."

Alexis giggled, she couldn't help it, the panicked look on his face at the thought of a longer conversation with that man was priceless.  They made their way back to their friends.  After about an hour of talking, Alexis leaned in and whispered, "You look very handsome tonight.  Would it be impossibly rude to skip out on our own party early?"

Jack gave her a knowing look.  "I'll make our excuses.  We'll be out of here in five minutes."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The next morning Alexis went around the bedroom, picking up the stray pieces of evening wear scattered haphazardly around the room.  Last night, in their mad dash to get naked after they arrived home from the party, they had tossed their clothes not knowing or caring where they landed.  Alexis picked up her velvet dress and shook it out, worried she had bruised the fabric.

She heard Jack's ringtone and smiled.  Soon after she started getting calls from her stalker, she'd changed everyone's ringtone, so she would know who was calling.  Jack was a revving motorcycle because it was such a manly sound, and Jack was all man.  Her sister was a barking dog because she loved animals, and Steph was sci-fi music because she was
out of this world.

Alexis carefully laid her dress on the bed and picked up her phone from the end table.  "Hey."

"Hi, sweetheart, how are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm good.  I'm cleaning the mess we made with our clothes."

She heard Jack chuckle.  "You were sleeping so peacefully when I left, I didn't have the heart to wake you.  What do you have planned for the day?"

"Not much.  I need to go to the market.  We're out of coffee and I wanted to pick out something special to make for dinner."

"What's the occasion?"

"Just to say I love you."

"How about, I bring home dessert."

"Chocolate cake from Temptations?"

She heard Jack chuckle again.  She loved that she brightened his day.  "Would I come home with anything else?"

"Not if you wanted to live to see the morning."

"I'll be in meetings most of the day but don't hesitate to call my cell if you need anything."

"Okay.  I love you, Jack."

"Love you, too, sweetheart."

Alexis set down her phone and picked up her dress with the intention of hanging it in the closet, but her phone rang again.  It was Steph's Sci-fi ringtone.   She laid her dress down again, sat on the side of the bed, and picked up her phone. 

"I'm a popular girl this morning,"  she said, by way of greeting.

"You're about to get more popular." 

Alexis stilled.  She knew that voice.  It had left many messages on her voice mail.  It was the voice of her stalker.  "Wh ... Who is this?"

"Oh, come now Alexis, you're a smart girl.  You know who this is."

"What do you want?  Why do you have Steph phone?"  Alexis's heart sped up and her hands started shaking.  She was scared what the answers would be.

"SILENCE.  I do the talking.  You just listen." 

Oh my God, this lady was crazy.  She could hear it in her voice.

"If you want to keep your friend alive, come to her apartment. 
Alone
.  And that includes your little bodyguard.  Ditch him however you need to.  If you're not alone, your friend will die.  You have twenty minutes.  Do not be late."

"WAIT!"  Alexis shouted into the phone before her stalker could hang up.  "How do I know she's still alive."  After a moment of silence, she heard screaming in the background indicating she must have done something painful to Steph. 

Her stalker came back on the line.  "You now have nineteen minutes.  You'd better hurry."

Alexis threw her phone down on the bed and raced to the closet.  She was in such a panic, she didn't think about what she did.  She slipped on the first pair of flip flops she saw and raced down the stairs. 

The car fob was in a green, glass bowl that sat on a side table in the foyer.  She reached in and snatched the remote then dashed into the elevator.  She had to evade her bodyguard.  She hit the button that went to the second level where the shops were located.  She would get off and take the main guest elevator to the lobby, bypassing her bodyguard.

She had a moment to calm down while in the elevator.  This was like every kidnap-action movie she had ever seen.  Only it was much scarier in real life. 

She bounced on the balls of her feet, ready to dash out once the doors opened when she realized she'd left her phone upstairs.   She didn't have time to go back up and get it.

The doors began to part.  She slipped out the instant she could fit and ran to the main elevators.  A large crowd already waited to go down to the lobby.  She moved into the elevator with them, and then exited with them in mass.  She quickly jogged through the lobby, absently waving to a few people that greeted her and dashed out the doors that would take her to the SUV.  She ran, clicking the button to unlock the car before reaching it, and threw open the door.

She climbed into the car, threw the fob in the cup holder and pushed the starter button.  The SUV roared to life.  She backed out of the slot and got the fuck out of dodge.

* * * * *

Jack was in the middle of listening to a business proposal, when his phone vibrated on the table.  He looked down.  Hank, Alexis's bodyguard was calling.  He instantly became alert, a sick feeling overtaking his stomach.

"Excuse me a moment, gentleman."  He stood from the table, answering his phone as his stepped from the conference room.  "Jackson."

"Sir, there's been some unusual activity."

"Unusual how?"  Jack said in a sharp-clipped voice.  His heart beat fast.  He could hear it pounding in his ears.

"There was activity on the elevator.  It went down to the second level, but Mrs. Taft didn't tell me she was going anywhere."

"Did you call her cell?"

"I did, sir.  it went to voice mail."

"Did you check the penthouse?"

"I was calling to get your permission to go up." 

"You have it.  Fuck!  I'll go check and see if the car is still here.  Call me when you know anything."

"Yes, sir."

* * * * *

Alexis broke just about every traffic violation on the way to Steph's apartment.  She prayed all the way there that she wouldn't get pulled over.  Her luck held out, and she screeched to a halt in Steph's extra parking space. 

She jumped out of the car and ran the two flights up to the third floor.  She was winded when she reached the top, but still ran as quick as she could down the breezeway that led to Steph's door.  She pounded hard, wanting to be heard.  The door partially opened, and an arm reached out pulling her in, hitting her head on the door frame in the process.