Basement Level 5: Never Scared (17 page)

Images he’d conjured up in his head last night popped into his mind again and he turned away from her.

Her shoulders slumped. “I’ll admit it was a stupid thing to do. But nothing happened. I’m here. My boneheaded plan didn’t get me killed—”

“
This time.” He walked around her over to the opposite wall. “You can come in here and promise me you won’t do it again, but I know you will. It’s in your nature.”

She ran her fingers through her hair. “You’re right. I can’t promise I’ll never do something like that again. I can promise that I’ll call someone first.”

His eyes narrowed. “Not Kendrick. Stop calling Kendrick first. He lets you get away with too much.”

She smirked. “Are you jealous?”

“
I’m not jealous of Kendrick. I just would appreciate it if you called me.”

“
I can promise you that. I haven’t broken a promise to you before.”

“
Don’t let this be the first.” He sat on the edge of the bed.

She approached him. “You don’t have to worry about that. Are we good?”

“
We’re good. You know, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I would do if something happened to you. I feel like if I’m still here, you have to be here, too.” He massaged the back of his neck. “I watched my Mom die right in front of my eyes. I don’t want to lose another person that I love.”

“
Love?” she asked.

He understood why she seemed surprised. He’d always spurned love after his mother committed suicide. He said he was never going to let love destroy him like it did his mother. As far as he was concerned, his mother’s main flaw was her love for his father. She loved him so much she lost herself. She kept waiting for him to love her back. It cost him and Ari in the end when she took her own life because she finally realized Enrique would never love her.

He also knew what he felt for Alexa was damn close to love. In fact, he was pretty sure it was headed there quickly. He was still cynical though. When she didn’t come home, he was hit with this fear in the pit of his stomach, uncontrollable and blinding. Nothing had prepared him for the feeling caused by his fear for her life, or the relief he felt when he saw her talking to Kendrick. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and make sure she was really standing there, before he let his anger at her consume him. He knew it was only a reaction to the fear, but he’d let the anger rule.

He studied her. “Why are you acting surprised? You know how I feel about you.” He knew what she was asking.

“
Oh yeah, I know you love me—like you love Ari.” She smirked and he knew she was playing with him. He also knew she was a woman. A part of her was probably curious, though.

“
That would be pretty incestuous. Don’t you think?”

“
Very incestuous,” she giggled.

“
No, I don’t love you like I love Ari.”

“
I was just wondering.”

“
I know what you’re wondering,” he admitted, lowering his head and looking at the ground.

She stepped between his legs and braced her hands on his shoulders. He smoothed his hand up the back of her leg to her upper thighs.

“
I love you,” she whispered.

Dro’s eyes flashed to hers, searching her face, and losing himself in her brown eyes. He knew she loved him, but her words weren’t a simple “I love you.”

She trailed one of her fingers across his forehead, down the slope of his nose. He closed his eyes as her cool fingertips moved sensually over his face.

Dro wasn’t ready to admit he was in love with her, but in that moment, he knew he couldn’t live without her. Normally, a woman admitting that she loved him was enough to send him running far away, but not Alexa. Not today. Not ever.

“
I’m in love with you,” she breathed, with a nervous giggle. “Sometimes I think I’ve loved you my whole life. I can’t be sure of most things, but I’m sure of that. Last night had to be one of the worse nights of my life. And I promised myself I would tell you how I felt even if you ever talked to me again. But I’m not afraid. I’m never scared.”

He laughed softly and pulled her into him. “That’s right. You’re not scared. Come here.”

She touched her lips to his lightly.

“
Alexa, you know I—”

A finger over his mouth prevented him from finishing his thought. “Shhh! You don’t need to say anything because I said it or because you think I want to hear it. I don’t need words, Dro. Like you said, I know how you feel about me.”

He skimmed her jaw with the back of his right hand while drawing circles behind her knee with the other. She was right. He could feel her when she was near. Every bone and muscle reacted to her presence, clenched in anticipation of her touch. He knew if he wasn’t careful, she would consume him. In many ways, she already did.

“
I gave you those words because I wanted to,” she whispered. “Not to get something in return. I love you because of who you are. And I know exactly who you are. I love everything about you—your past, your present, and your future.”

He closed his eyes as he let her words wrap around him like a tight embrace. Her voice had soothed his soul so many times before. Wrapping a hand around her wrist, he brought her palm to his mouth and kissed it. She sucked in a breath as he placed soft kisses up her arms.

“
I know when you’re scared,” she breathed. “When you’re sleepy—when you’re irritated—when you’re angry—when you want me.”

He wanted her all right—more than he ever wanted her before. He snaked a hand around the back of her neck and tugged her closer to him. He felt her soft breath against his lips. She placed a chaste kiss against his mouth. It wasn’t enough. He wanted more. When he attempted to deepen the kiss, she pulled away.

“
Alexa,” he whispered, hoping to say something that was fitting for this moment.

“
Dro,” she sighed, gazing into his eyes. “You don’t need to say the words. I don’t need them.”

“
I need you so much.” He rested his head against her stomach. The soft tips of her fingers tickled his scalp. It was true, he did need her.

When he finally peered up at her, he was ready to speak. She silenced him with a quick kiss and this time she let him deepen it.

“
Happy Birthday, Dro,” she said.

As he pulled her into another intense kiss, they fell back on the bed. “Thank you, Baby.”

***

November 4, 2011, B5
:

Dro and Alexa were wrapped in each other’s arms, limbs intertwined, after a taxing
private
work out. He ran his fingers through her curly hair. He couldn’t help but love her “bed head,” as she called it. She preferred to have her hair straightened, but he loved when it was wild and curly. He wanted to drag her back on top of him and make love to her again, but he knew she needed to meet Lei.

He patted her thigh lightly. “You should probably get ready for your workout.”

“
I don’t want to.” She kissed him softly on his chin.

He smoothed his hand down her back. “Lei isn’t going to take no for an answer.”

“
He’s going to kick my ass,” she groaned, nestling into his side.

He laughed. “You’re right. But you need it. It’s been awhile.”

She traced his six-pack. “I miss the kids.”

“
Me too, but they’re safe. That’s all that matters. I’m sure they are having fun just like we used to when we were shipped off somewhere.”

He remembered the secret childhood trips they took when Enrique insisted they leave town for their own safety. His father always shipped them off to his resort in Puerto Rico. Dro’s family was powerful on both sides and they were well protected.

“
I remember,” she purred. “We had a lot of fun, especially once we got old enough to really enjoy everything.”

He kissed her forehead. “We really did enjoy it—and each other.” They spent many nights on his private terrace engulfed in each other. Puerto Rico held so many memories for them. It was where he first proposed to her, at the age of ten. And thirteen years later, he made it official.

She lifted her head up and met his gaze. “I wonder if Adam has anything to do with this.”

He squeezed the back of her neck. The last thing he needed was Erik coming back from the grave after all these years. Adam Neal was Erik’s younger brother. They hadn’t seen Adam since Erik died all those years ago. The boy had been distraught over the untimely death of his brother. Now he was married to one of Martinez’ employees—one connected to security with access to information on the family. It couldn’t have been a coincidence. “If he is, I’ll kill him. And I won’t think twice about it.”

“
I just...I can’t figure out why he would be involved.”

“
Revenge,” he offered. “If he’s involved, it probably has something to do with revenge.”

“
For what though?” she asked. “We didn’t do anything to him.”

“
Well he probably figures we had something to do with Erik’s death.”

“
And Melissa? “What the hell is her problem?”

He chuckled, playing with her soft curls. “Well, you kicked her ass so many times, she definitely wants some revenge.”

“
She provoked me each and every time. You would think you confessed your undying love to the girl, the way she was hanging on. I never cared what she thought of me. It was different with Erik, though. We came to an understanding.”

“
Perception is in the eye of the beholder. The only way we’re going to get answers is if we speak to Adam.”

“
You’re right.” She stroked his chest and rolled out of bed. “I guess I better go get my ass kicked.”

As the stomped into the bathroom, he thought of the past. He knew she harbored a lot of guilt about Erik. She cried for days after Erik died, which was a shock. Alexa wasn’t the type to regret the choices she made. She had admitted to Dro on many occasions that she regretted getting involved with him. Erik ended up another casualty in their war with Steve and his father.

CHAPTER 18

April 23, 1998
:

Alexa waited with Dro in her room. Erik had requested a meeting with them about Steve. She was surprised to hear from him considering Dro’s threat at the hotel bar. Erik had taken that threat to heart in the weeks that followed. She hadn’t seen or talked to him since then. But she wasn’t exactly available to talk to either. Lei had been shot, then she was attacked outside of Victoria’s Secret soon afterward.

The word on the street was that Steve and his father were hell bent on getting to her—a fact that left them all on edge. Pop insisted she be under constant guard. One of the guys had to be with her at all times.

“
Thanks for not giving me a hard time about this,” she said to Dro.

“
I still don’t like it, Alexa.”

“
I think we should hear what he has to say. He wouldn’t contact me if this wasn’t important. He doesn’t want to antagonize you.”

“
How do you know that?” Dro asked. “He could be working with Steve.”

Alexa was sure Erik would never work with Steve, but Dro wouldn’t believe her. He suspected everyone. “Dro, just give him a chance.”

“
The minute he says something out of line, I’m kicking his ass out of here. And stop worrying. I’ve never known you to be worried before.” He took her bottom lip between his and kissed her.

“
I’m not worried, just concerned. Steve won’t give up—”

“
Until we kill him. And that may happen sooner than later.”

“
It can’t be soon enough.” She kissed him again, and they fell into a fervent embrace.

He gently nudged her on her back and climbed over her. Opening each button of her shirt slowly, he bared her body to his eyes and his kisses. He brushed his lips against her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. She sucked in a breath when he nibbled on her chin.

She heard a soft creek. On the far side of the room, a panel opened and Lei stepped into the room. Dro re-buttoned her blouse and rolled off of her.

“
I guess it’s a good thing I walked in when I did,” Lei said. “If you’re going to have company you should be decent.”

“
Whatever,” Dro growled.

“
What’s up?” Alexa asked her brother.

“
Erik is here,” Lei informed them. “He’s with Janine, though.”

She frowned. “Why is he with her?”

“
Why do you care?” Dro asked, arching a brow at her.

She shrugged. “I don’t. I was just wondering why he brought her. We did tell him to come alone.”

“
I just wanted to let you know,” Lei said. “I’ll be listening.” He disappeared behind the wall again.

Alexa jumped off the bed and walked to her mirror to straighten her hair. Her father had invested a large sum of money building little secret passageways within the house. It helped when they needed a quick escape or, mostly, to do a little dirt. Because of the passageways, her Pop had made sure Dro’s room wasn’t connected to hers since he spent a lot of time at their home. She guessed Pop wasn’t thinking too clearly because her room was connected to Lei’s room and Dro just used that passageway to get to her.