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I couldn’t keep the goofy smile from spreading across my face. I really needed to get some more alone time with that boy... man... my thoughts wandered back to last night... and this morning... definitely all man.
“I’m sorry, Lexy, what did you say?”
She just laughed at me, and then asked me to hand her a different screwdriver. She couldn’t make fun of me because she was just as over the moon as I was.
My dad showed up around 2:00, and Jackson showed up at 2:30. The truck was late. At 3:00, Jackson suggested that we try to get the truck driver on the phone. There was no answer on his cell. At 3:30 the truck finally pulled up into the alley. We all went out into the side alley to greet the driver and help bring in the furniture. What met us, however, was not the truck driver we had expected.
Her eyes were bloodshot like she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks. Her hair was a mess, and it looked as if she was recovering from a punch to the jaw.
In her hand was a .357 revolver.
I skidded to a halt when I saw her, but it was too late. We were all pinned by the narrowness of the alley. We were directly in her gun sights.
Jackson
No. Oh, God, no.
“Kayla,” I said as calmly as I could, “please put down the gun.”
“You bastard,” she said pointing the gun directly at me.
That’s right, focus on me. Leave them out of it.
“You fucking bastard. You took everything. I loved him, damn it, and you took him away from me.” Her hands were shaking badly. She was very unstable. “Why couldn’t you just buy the fucking company? You had plenty of money? Don’t you know how hard I worked on that? It was going to be our ideal life. We were going to run off to Mexico. He was going to marry me.” The tears were streaming freely down her cheeks. She was absolutely hysterical.
“Kayla, we can work this out. Just put the gun down...”
“No, you fucking prick,” she screamed, “I am done working things out with you. You never gave a rat’s ass about my opinion. It’s always been your way or the highway.” She was moving closer to me, her eyes fixed on mine. I needed to keep her focused on me.
I saw Mark shifting his stance out of the corner of my eye, and I hoped he was doing what I thought he was doing.
“That’s not true, Kayla. I value your opinion.” Stay with me. Focus all that hate right here.
“Liar. You fucking liar!” She was still advancing on me. “You cost me the love of my life, my future, my dreams. Everything!”
How had I let it get this bad? She was completely insane. She was going to kill us all. I could barely understand her. Her words were broken and tortured.
“And now... now... I am going to take from you what you took from me.” She turned away from me and pointed the gun at Alissa, I tried to block her path, but Mark was faster. He had drawn his gun slowly as she spoke, and when she turned to aim at Alissa, he shot Kayla twice, squarely in the chest. The gunshots echoed loudly in the small alley.
Kayla fell to the ground in a heap. Her gun clattered to the pavement.
The policemen who had been stationed at the front of the building ran around the corner yelling into their radios about an ambulance. Alissa buried her face in my chest. I had never been so glad to hold her. I realized how close I had come to losing her.
“Shhh, baby,” I soothed, “It’s over. It’s all over now.” Mark went into cop mode, and the excitement swirled around us. Kayla was pronounced dead at the scene by the paramedics. Mark handled the statements and other police matters. We were all shaken up, but virtually unharmed.
The truck driver was found in the back of the hijacked truck, duct tapped to one of Alissa’s new chairs. I felt terrible about the mess I’d involved him in, but he was amazingly understanding. I had my lawyers provide him with a settlement. They found a legal loophole, which allowed me to compensate him if he agreed not to talk to the press. I didn’t care about the legal jargon; I just wanted to make sure that he didn’t need to drive truck any more if he didn’t want to. He deserved some time off.
Later that evening, Alissa finally got her furniture moved in. It wasn’t properly arranged, but we could do that tomorrow. The truck needed to get back to its rightful place, and we all just wanted to be done with it. Enough was enough for one day. I was exhausted once again. I wanted nothing more than to take her home with me and fall asleep with her in my arms.
I got a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. What if she didn’t want to come home with me? Kayla was dead, and the danger was gone. There was no longer a reason for her to stay with me.
I was suddenly very insecure. What if she didn’t want me any more at all? I had involved her in a living nightmare, and now that it was over, she would be smart to just walk away.
“What are you frowning about?”
I looked up. Alissa was standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the kitchen light with her hands on her hips. She was so lovely.
“Nothing,” I said. I didn’t sound convincing, even to myself. “I was just thinking I would head home.”
Her forehead wrinkled. She looked as heartbroken as I felt. Maybe she wanted to come after all.
“I mean...” I backtracked, “unless you needed something else, er if, I mean...” Geez Hayes, could you sound like any more of an inarticulate ass? “Alissa, I would like for you to come home with me, again... I mean... if you want to...” She smiled, and I thought I would die of happiness right there in her restaurant.
“I was kinda’ hoping that maybe you would like to stay here tonight?” she asked shyly. “I mean, since it’s safe and all now? I know it’s not as nice as your place, but...” I hadn’t even thought of that, but I was thrilled. I was going to get to experience a night in the life of Alissa Allen, sleep in her sheets, surrounded by her smell. I couldn’t think of one thing that I would like to do more.
“That sounds great. I’ll just run home for a minute, if that’s okay, to get some clothes, change cars, and take care of a couple of little things. I’ll come right back?” She ambled across the restaurant to me. “Don’t keep me waiting.” Her smile was breathtaking. I wanted to see that playful look over and over and over again.
“I wouldn’t dream of making you wait.”
Chapter 30: Exhaustion and Abundance
Jackson
I ran home as quickly as possible and grabbed an overnight bag. I felt grimy after everything that had happened, and I wanted a shower, but I was hoping I could talk Alissa into showering with me. Thoughts of running my hands all over her soapy skin had me racing even faster through my apartment.
I took the Audi back to her place, hating to leave the Vanquish out of the garage overnight.
Mark was just walking out the front door as I pulled up. I hadn’t had a chance to thank him, and I wanted to rectify that oversight.
“Mark,” I called, as I jogged across the street to him. “I, um, I just wanted to say thank you... for today. Your daughter is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and I don’t know what I would do if I lost her. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you were there, in that alley.”
“That girl is the best thing that ever happened to me, Jackson. I am very proud to be her father, and I am proud of you for doing what you did today, too.” There was an awkward emotional pause for a moment while neither one of us knew what to say. I studied my shoelaces. Mark shifted his weight around.
“But don’t let it go to your head kid,” Mark finally joked, “I still don’t trust you with her.” He gave me a smile that said I was okay in his book, and then he slapped me on the back.
As he walked away, I ran back to my car and got my stuff.
Alissa let me in and then locked up behind me. I dropped my bag and grabbed her unexpectedly.
“Come here you,” I said, grabbing her around the waist. She jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around me.
I backed her up to one of the new tables and sat her ass down on the edge. “Want to break in the new furniture?” I asked, before sucking her bottom lip into my mouth.
She chuckled. “I doubt my customers would appreciate that.”
“You’re probably right,” I sighed, “and truthfully I would like a shower more than anything. It’s been quite a day.”
“A shower sounds lovely,” she agreed. I picked up my bag. Ten minutes later she was leaning back against my chest, wearing nothing but bubbles. I gently traced her hip bones with my fingertips and enjoyed the feel of her soft skin under the water. Granted, Alissa’s tub was not really designed for two people, but we managed. I made a mental note to do this again in a larger tub.
We talked about the day, and I vented my fears and frustrations to her. I was worried about Robert and whether I should allow him to remain on my board. I was worried about Nick and Ryan and if they would be convicted. I was worried that Jason wouldn’t be able to smooth this over with the press.
