Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(77)
Author: K.A. Linde

The memory of Jack pulling out an exquisite wedding ring and all but proposing was still fresh in her mind. She could remember every little emotion she had felt that day from his confession, to her depression, to his attempt at making amends.

And now her ring, her ring, was on that bony, blonde, bitch’s finger.

Lexi reared back and with every ounce of force she possessed in her tiny body slapped Jack clear across the face. His head snapped sideways with the momentum of her strike. Her breathing was heavy and uncontrollable fury was ricocheting throughout her entire body. She could hear Jack’s ragged breaths in front of her, but she couldn’t even stand the sight of him after what he had done. She heard Bekah gasp and rush forward as if to do something about what had happened, but something in Lexi’s eyes must have stopped her in her tracks. Lexi wasn’t certain what she looked like in that moment, but she was sure it wasn’t something that anyone would want to deal with.

"What the…" Jack cried bringing his hand up to his face to rub his jaw line.

"What is wrong with you?" Bekah cried still staying far enough out of Lexi’s reach.

"At the moment, everything is wrong with me," she spat back at Bekah.

"How dare you react like this to the news of our proposal! Now I knew that you still had feelings for Jack, but honestly this is just ridiculous. Coming here, hanging all over him, and then slapping him when you have news of our engagement?" Bekah asked angrily. "That is childish and completely uncalled for. I think you should exit the premises."

"Childish and uncalled for, honestly?" Lexi cried out. She couldn’t even form clear words to tell Bekah how absolutely ridiculous her statements were. How could you explain to a woman who was crazy about weddings and had just been proposed to that her ring was never meant for her? Could she break the news to her?

Sure she had never liked Bekah, but she couldn’t shatter her dreams just because she was angrier at Jack then she ever had been in her life. Actually, she might be angrier then she ever had been in her life. Bekah was a little nuts, but Lexi still wasn’t capable of destroying the woman. She would figure it out in her own time if Jack was what was right for her.

And anyway, Lexi agreed with her. Perhaps, she should leave the premises. There was no need for her to stay here and make a fool of herself any longer. Jack had crushed her. That was all there was to it. He didn’t want her any longer. He had given her ring to Bekah, which just proved that more than anything else ever could.

"Yes, absolutely so," Bekah told her folding her arms one over the other.

"Whatever," Lexi said glaring at Jack who still hadn’t spoken up. "There is so much I could tell you that I held back from you to save you heartache."

"Like what?" Bekah challenged steeling herself against Lexi’s threat.

Jack glanced between the two girls uneasily. "You really don’t even want to know," Lexi announced.

"I do. Please, shock me," Bekah said raising her eyebrows as if challenging her to continue.

"Bekah just ignore her. She’s just pissed. I’m getting out of here and you should come too. You don’t need this," Jack said snatching up his suit jacket and storming out of the room.

"That’s right just run away like you always do," Lexi called after his retreating back. Bekah stayed put and watched as Jack exited the room in a blaze of fury. "Aren’t you going to run after him?" Lexi asked condescendingly. She realized how much of a failure her coming to this place had been. All she had received was more anger at what Jack had done to her. He used her and then spit her out for the dogs to come and get her.

"No I think not," Bekah said a smile creeping onto her face. "I’m actually very happy that we have this moment together."

Lexi looked at her in disbelief. "And why is that?"

"Because I’ve been waiting for this very moment."

"And again, why is that?"

"For you to finally realize that Jack will never be yours," Bekah stated sweetly tilting her head slightly to the right as she stared wide-eyed at Lexi.

"What are you even talking about?" Lexi asked staring at Bekah blankly. She wasn’t exactly sure about the change of conversation, but was still too angry to process what she was saying.

"Why do you even think that you’re here?" Bekah asked placing one hand on her hip and leaning into it as she stared condescendingly in Lexi’s direction.

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I came to talk to Jack."

"No I mean, why do you think you’re in Atlanta?"

Lexi sighed. "I’m here because Jack asked me to talk to you to convince you that he was ready to commit to you," she said letting all the words come out in a rush.

Bekah’s smile widened. "You thought I had you come down here to convince me that Jack was ready for commitment?" Bekah asked sardonically. "What a silly little girl you are after all."

Lexi tilted her head to the side as if evaluating the situation. "What are you even talking about? That’s exactly what Jack told me, and f**k you, I’m not a silly little girl."

"Well yes, of course he told you that. I told him to tell you that, and he believed me," she announced smiling sweetly.

"Then what are you talking about?" Lexi demanded tired of this ridiculous behavior.

"You didn’t come here to convince me…you came here to convince him," Bekah stated simply. "I knew all about you. When he gets drunk, he babbles too much, and on occasion you were brought up. He never remembered mentioning you, or if he did, then he pretended as if he hadn’t spoken a word. You see, I knew that he wasn’t over you. I could just tell from the way he looked when he spoke about you."

Lexi stomach began churning. Why was Bekah telling her all this?

"So I made sure you came down to visit. I knew that if you were around, he would finally get over you. And you did just as I suspected, you convinced him that he was ready to marry me. You played right into my hand. I applaud you," she said beginning a slow golfer’s cap. "I never thought you would make it so easy for me."

"I…I don’t believe you," Lexi croaked her stomach dropping completely out of her body.

"Of course you don’t," Bekah said throwing one hand in the air. "You can’t see past your stupid little fantasy that Jack is one day going to be yours. You can’t see past the history you guys once had. You can’t get over the charade you two put on for every other person you have ever been with or ever known. Even your own dumb best friend can’t understand that you will never get over Jack.

"And I understand because Jack is amazing, but he is not yours. He is all mine. You know if you could have realized that Jack will never be yours earlier, you would have seen what was happening all along." Bekah smirked and fluffed her blonde hair over her shoulder with her left hand letting the giant diamond glitter in the afternoon sun light filtering in through the windows.

"You are completely demented," Lexi cried. "And it is not a fantasy because you know damn well that Jack has been mine for nearly six years now."

"Wow. You really are dumber than I thought," Bekah said chuckling to herself. "Why can’t you get it through your head that Jack has never nor will he ever be yours? You are the mistress, the other woman, the second choice. That’s all you are or ever will be to him. He could never see you as anything more. That’s why he never left anyone else for you. That’s why he cheated on you at the first opportunity and then left. That’s why he is choosing me…not you."

Lexi’s mouth dropped open. She hated the fact that what she was saying actually made sense. She had thought about just those facts many times before, but she had never been able to come to that conclusion. The way things were with Jack was so different than with anyone else; she had never been able to believe it was over. How could it ever be over?

Today was the first time she had ever realized that she would lose him. She had thought for a long time that things were not the way they should be between them, but she never lost hope for them to be together. Bekah was right. She was stupid for believing they would work it out after everything they had been through.

"Oh look, I think you might have finally realized it," Bekah cooed as if she were speaking with a toddler.

"What the f**k ever," Lexi said brushing past Bekah and stomping towards the exit. She didn’t need this…not from Bekah…not from anyone. She needed to move on with her life and that meant doing just as Bekah ordered: exiting the premises. It was time to leave Atlanta and get back home where things were less drama filled and a bit more reliable.

Bekah chuckled one more time. She turned as Lexi brushed past her and just as Lexi put her hand on the door she said maliciously, "Not to mention my brother played his part perfectly."

Lexi stopped with her hand on the door ready to pull it open. She took a deep breath and willed herself to leave. She knew Bekah was just antagonizing her now and Lexi needed to get out before she got suckered in. She twisted the handle attempting to keep her curiosity at bay. But she couldn’t keep it at bay. "What does Ramsey have to do with this?"

Bekah smirked knowing she had caught her interest. "Oh, you know Ramsey," she said shrugging.

Lexi looked at her as if she had no idea what she was talking about. "Bekah," she said warningly, "I’m tired of this bullshit. Just tell me what you obviously want me to know."

"Honestly, I never would have imagined Ramsey to be such a good actor."

"What was he acting about?" Lexi asked afraid to get the answer. There were so many things that could go wrong with this conversation. She wasn’t sure what had happened over the past week, but she had begun to trust him. It was a scary feeling for her to allow someone else into her life, but Ramsey was beginning to grow on her. She couldn’t imagine what it would mean if Bekah told her something that would shatter yet another relationship. Lexi wasn’t sure if she could handle that at this moment in time.

"Really, Lexi, can’t you answer that question? The way you were putty in his hands," she sighed pleasantly, "really worked in my favor to be honest."

"Ramsey?" Lexi asked doubtfully.

"Yes Ramsey. What did you think he liked you? He is my brother. Who do you think he would choose if it came down to it? Oh come on that’s a stupid question, he would choose me over you. It was really easy to convince him to f**k around with you."

No, Lexi couldn’t believe it. Ramsey wasn’t just a pawn in his sister’s game. He would never play her like a fool. What did he have to gain from Bekah’s game?

Then again Lexi hadn’t even shown an interest in him and he had persevered despite it all. From what Jack had just told her, she had assumed it was because he was interested in her. Maybe it wasn’t because of that though. Maybe it was because of Bekah.

Bekah continued, "Then planting Jack in the perfect location to witness everything that was going on. Of course I had to leave you and Jack alone some so that he could get pissed off at you. Just enough for you to have a rift and then let the trust issues, which you already have, blossom into true anger."

Lexi didn’t know Ramsey all that well. They had only been hanging out this week and if he had been under Bekah’s influence the entire time, then it was all a lie. Both of their public kisses had been in front of Jack. Only a day after her date with Ramsey, he had gone straight to Jack and told him that they had been together. No wonder Jack had thought there was something going on. Bekah and Ramsey had set them up.