Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1)(78)
Author: K.A. Linde

"It was almost too easy how it had worked out."

Lexi’s heart was racing as she turned to face Bekah for the first time. She knew that something had changed between her and Ramsey in the past week. She hadn’t even really been aware of it herself. She had started to like him. Even with everything going on with Jack, she had somehow found her heart could still beat. And it didn’t feel manufactured. Was it just wishful thinking to believe that she had been set up and he had really had true affections for her in the end? She had no idea and to find out now that it might have all been a lie as well…she didn’t know if she could live through this.

"Oh do you care about him?" Bekah asked sounding demented.

"I just can’t believe you," Lexi finally decided. Her voice lacked the conviction that she wanted to feel. Ramsey, at least, she thought she could count on. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because something about him seemed so sincere. Maybe because they had seemed genuinely interested in each other when they spent time together. Maybe because she had some means of self-control around him and still found that she was attracted to him. But could all of that been from acting?

What did she really know about him? He didn’t work for Bridges Enterprise, and she didn’t know where he did work. She didn’t know where he had gone to school or if he had gone to college at all. She knew he had a fortune trust fund and was around during much of the day. He had a nice ass.

Yeah that was about it.

Great.

"Again with the not believing me. I have no reason to lie to you. And I can tell you care about him," Bekah said reading her reaction carefully. "You don’t even know my brother. You have no idea what he is like. He has shown you one measly side of him and you fall all over yourself about him. Everyone always does, which is why I was certain if you gave into him even a teensy little bit that you would be lost. And look," she said pointing at Lexi, "you are so very lost."

"You have every reason to lie to me. You’re pissed because Jack wanted me. So you had to attempt to sabotage our relationship. I don’t think Ramsey is involved, because you’re just trying to ruin every part of my life so you can have some part of yours," Lexi spat at her. She had been right the first time she met Bekah. She would never ever like this backstabbing bitch.

"Well I’m not lying to you. Jack didn’t want you. He just had this crazy idea of you from six years ago. Neither of you are the same people and you’re just stupid to think you can make it through everything that you have been through."

"Just because you are jealous of what Jack and I had doesn’t mean you have to be such a bitch."

"It’s not being a bitch when you are telling the truth. For instance, Jack has no interest in you. My brother has no interest in you whatsoever. Well except maybe to f**k you. I told him that way fine," she announced nonchalantly.

Lexi cringed away from Bekah’s words. No. This could not be happening to her. She had almost slept with Ramsey. He had been so eager to get with her when he could tell she was broken and in tears. Could this be all that it was? Had he only been seducing her hoping to f**k her and leave her? "I may not know your brother very well…"

"At all," Bekah interrupted.

"But I know that the way he was around me was not some kind of act."

"Yes I’m sure you can delude yourself into believing that, but that is the truth. That is the truth you have been looking for since you got here. Jack is mine," Bekah told her taking a step forward. "He does not want you. Ramsey is my brother and he would do anything for me," she said stepping forward until she was standing directly in front of Lexi. "He does not want you either. Thanks for your help." Bekah grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. "Please escort yourself off of Bridges property. You are no longer welcome here."

"You’re kicking me out?" Lexi asked glancing out the hallway and then back at Bekah. "I believe we have more to discuss here you filthy whore."

"No, I think my work here is done," Bekah said smiling. "Gwen if she doesn’t leave, call security." And with that Bekah stalked right through the door and into her own office.

Gwen hopped up anxious to rush Lexi out of the office. Lexi’s mouth was hanging open still from Bekah’s monologue, and she was frozen in place. "Miss," Gwen muttered angrily.

"Oh right," Lexi said closing her mouth and exiting Jack’s office. She took her time walking down the hallway and into the elevators. The steel metal enclosure took her to the bottom floor, and she strode across the marble tiled floor. Her phone dinged just before she reached the sliding doors. She sighed heavily and pulled back from the outside world. She fished her phone out of her purse and clicked on the new text message.

"Delivered your luggage to airport already. Meet me there chica. Heart you," read Chyna’s message.

Lexi smiled to herself grateful for Chyna’s loyalty. It was so nice not to have to worry about at least one part of her life. Chyna had been a true friend throughout it all. She swore as soon as they made it back to New York she was going to treat her best friend to a wonderful dinner and lots of wine.

"You’re still here," Lexi heard someone approach her.

She sighed heavily and turned to face the man who had dashed all her hopes and dreams of a real relationship into a million pieces. He had walked out on her again leaving her alone with that stupid diamond ring except this time it was attached to someone else’s finger. This was the last person she had wanted to see…the last thing she had wanted to encounter just before she left for New York. He had finally made up his mind about her. He had made his decision to be with Bekah, not her. There was no more reason for her to ever speak to him. Because God knows they could never be friends.

"Yes I’m still here," Lexi told him not able to keep her eyes from glaring.

"Can we talk?" he asked looking at least mildly apologetic.

"No," she said turning from him and walking through the double doors. "Taxi please," she told the attendant on duty.

"Come on Lex," Jack pleaded.

"Just don’t," she said holding up her hand.

"Your cab miss," the attendant said as the yellow car pulled up in front of the colossal set of stairs.

"Thank you," she said sliding into the seat as he opened the door for her.

"Lexi you have to listen to me," Jack said following her into the taxi.

"I’d rather not," she said emotionless. She would be happier if she never saw Jack again, if she never had to hear his smooth voice or listen to his charming words. She would certainly be happier to go about the rest of her life knowing she had received the necessary closure she had so desperately been seeking while in Atlanta. "Get out of the cab," Lexi demanded pointing her finger towards the door.

"Hartsfield-Jackson," Jack said to the cab driver throwing a few twenties across the seat to keep him from opening his mouth.

Lexi glowered at him as the cabbie followed his instructions. "What the f**k is your problem? What are you even doing here? You have a fiancé inside. There is no need for this conversation. I got the gist of it with the diamond," she growled.

Jack looked apologetically at the cab driver who was glancing backwards through the rearview mirror anxiously. "It’s not what you think Lex."

"First, don’t ever call me that again. I hate it," she said crossing her arms over her chest. In fact, she had only ever liked it when Jack said it. The way it came out of his mouth made it sound so sexy. But that was the last thing she wanted now. "And second, waste your time with someone who wants to listen to you like your fiancé, or your secretary, or hell even your apartment attendant. They all seem very interested in you."

Jack colored slightly at the accusation, but, Lexi noted, he didn’t deny anything. "I know you probably never want to speak with me, but I can’t end it like this."

"Oh you can’t? Well I don’t give a fuck. If you didn’t want it to end like this, then you wouldn’t have f**ked me in the hallway at Turner Field less than twelve hours before proposing to someone else," she squealed not caring that the cab driver or anyone else was listening.

"I know," he said nodding his head.

"I don’t think you do or you would have taken the slap in the face to mean stay the f**k away from me like it was meant."

"I told you I can’t leave it like this. I was blinded by my jealousy over you and Ramsey. I couldn’t even believe you when you said nothing was going on. We said we’d never lie, but neither of us trusts the other."

Lexi kept that fact that he had been lying to her all along to herself. He would disagree with the statement and there was no need for him to try and convince her otherwise. He was right. She would never believe him. He wouldn’t have chosen Bekah over her in the end, if he had really wanted to be with her. He would have cut his loose ends. He would have tried to make it work. He would have loved her the way she deserved to be loved. No, he had lied all along and she could never trust his word again. It had been broken once before when they had first begun and she had been stupid to believe in him to this day.

"You don’t trust me right?" he asked mournfully.

"Stupid question," she quipped.

"Right. Well I guess you have no reason to."

"Yep," she said popping the final sound and staring out across the city.

"I really couldn’t help it though."

"Oh this should be good," she said sarcastically. "You’re going to tell me how you couldn’t help but propose. Wonderful."

"No, I was going to propose. Can you just look at me please Lex?" he pleaded.

She turned and glared at him. "Do not call me that. Why did you string me along if you knew you planned on proposing?" she asked.

"Well I knew before you got here that’s what I was planning to do, but then you showed up and I couldn’t think about doing that."

"Then why the hell did you drag me down here? I was supposed to be here to convince Bekah you were ready to commit to her. You told me you just wanted her off your back that you had no intention of doing it. If you really were ready to commit, then why didn’t you just f**king tell her that and leave me out of it?"

"Because she found the ring," he cried throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.

"I might hit you again if we continue talking about this," she threatened.

"She found your ring," he said more calmly.

"Yes, I f**king realize that moron. The ring that is now currently on her finger. The ring that was meant for my finger," she said waving her left hand around in the air. "Is nothing sacred, Jack? Go ahead. Please try to explain to me how her finding my ring has anything to do with me being down here."

"Because she flipped out and was shrieking, jumping up and down, going insane when she found it," he told her deflecting the glares she was shooting his way, "and then I crushed her when I told her it wasn’t for her."

"Guess you changed your mind," she muttered angrily.

"No I didn’t."

"Jack, get out of the f**king cab," she told him. "Sir, can you pull over right here?"