Alluring (24 page)

Alexis was extremely drowsy all of a sudden, and she just wanted Stan to ask his questions, so he would leave, and Jack could snuggle with her as she took a nap.

Stan cleared his throat.  "So, Ms. Taft, did you get a look at the driver?"

"Alexis."

Stan looked perplexed.  "Pardon?"

"Please call me Alexis, not Ms. Taft."

"Very well, Alexis, did you get a look at the driver?"

"No."  She shook her head.  "It was dark in the garage and she was coming at me so fast."  Alexis shivered and Jack held on tighter.  "I didn't even get a good look at the car.  I know it was dark, navy blue or black.  But by the time I got my bearings back, it was already so far away.  I know it was a nice car, quite possibly a Mercedes,"  she shook her head again, "but other than that, I'm not sure."

"Okay, I'm gonna take this new information along with the photos of your car to the police.  They may call you to verify information.  In the meantime, I suggest you don't go anywhere alone.  She seems to have stepped up her game and doesn't seem opposed to harming you or at the very least, scaring you." 

He stood from the couch and made his way to the elevator.  He stopped, halfway, and turned back to them.  He had a look on his face that Alexis had never seen before.  He was always so composed.  Now he looked worried.

He stared right at Jack when he spoke.  "I've seen some serious shit go down, and the outcome was not always how we hoped.  Take this lady seriously.  At this point, she is a threat."

She felt Jack give Stan a curt nod before he turned and walked the rest of the way to the elevator.  She snuggled closer to Jack, breathing in his scent.  She let out a shaky sigh.

"Do you want to talk about it?"  Jack asked softly, stroking her hair.

His touch relaxed her, and she felt her eyes drift closed.  "Nothing to talk about," she mumbled, against his chest.  "It was scary, but it's over now."

"My brave, brave girl," he said, soothingly.  Alexis fell asleep with Jack's heat, scent, and arms wrapped around her.

Alexis awoke alone in bed.  She rolled over and looked at the clock.  She'd only been asleep a few hours.  She saw her phone on the nightstand and picked it up.  Two missed texts, one from Jack and one from Steph.  She opened the one from Jack first.

Jack:  went down to do some work call when you wake up

Alexis texted back.

Alexis:  will hang here awhile then come down to you

It wasn't long before she got a text back.

Jack:  okay sweetheart

She pulled up Steph's text.

Steph:  call me

Alexis dialed Steph.  It rang four times before she answered.  "Hey.  Sorry, I had to find a place to hide, so I could answer my phone."

"Are you working right now?"  Alexis asked.

"Yeah, but I'm about to go on break.  Can you come meet me?  I have shit to tell you."

"Okay.  I'll be down in about ten minutes.  I'll meet you in the lounge."

"Perfect. See you then."

Alexis went to the closet, grabbed a sweatshirt and slipped on a pair of flip-flops.  She went to the bathroom, fixed her hair and splashed cold water on her face.  The adhesive bandages on her palms fell off, so she threw them away.  She didn't replace them, figuring the air would help them heal faster.  She grabbed her phone and made her way down to meet Steph.

She walked into the lounge and saw Steph over by her locker.  "Hey, what's up?"  Alexis asked, giving her a hip bump.

Steph turned and grabbed her up in a hug.  "Oh my God, are you okay?  That PI guy called, gave me the third degree, then told me what happened."

"Stan called you.  Why?" 

"Guess I was on his suspect list and he was keeping tabs on me.  I don't know.  Ask him."

"I will.  What the hell!  You're my best friend." 

"Don't worry.  Guess I'm finally in the clear, seeing as I had witnesses to state I was at work when all that shit went down this morning.  You have to tell me what happened.  That PI didn't say much.  Just that someone tried to run you over with a car."

"That's basically it.  That and the fact that my car was vandalized.  Windows smashed.  Tires slit.  It was a mess."  Alexis shook her head just remembering.

"Oh honey,"  Steph said, giving her another hug.  "I'm starved.  Let's go eat."

Alexis laughed.  Her friend could flip her moods so easily. 

Erica walked in before they had a chance to leave.  "Well, look who's here.  Did you lose your boyfriend and come looking for your job back?  Cause, let me tell you, I got your spot when you left and I'm not giving it back without a fight." 

Alexis felt Steph stiffen next to her.  She grabbed her hand a gave it a squeeze, letting her know all was well.  "Just here to take Steph to lunch.  Don't worry, your job is safe."

"Speaking of job."  Steph narrowed her eyes at Erica.  "What are you doing here?  Your shift doesn't start until eight."

Alexis was taken aback for a moment.  That was true.  If Erica had taken over her position, she worked from eight at night til two in the morning.  What was she doing here now?  Alexis looked her over from head to toe, trying discern any similarities between Erica and the woman in the photos Stan had shown her.  It was hard to believe that Erica would go through so much trouble to hurt her because of a little jealousy.  Especially now that she had Alexis's coveted position.  Really, that had been all she wanted.  But, now that the idea had taken root, she couldn't get it out of her head.  She'd have to tell Stan to look into her.

"I left something in my locker last night,"  Erica answered their question (vaguely).  "I'm just stopping by to get it." 

Erica sauntered to her locker.  Alexis and Steph were not hiding the fact that they watched her.  She undid the lock, reached inside and withdrew a stack of papers from the shelf.

She waved them around.  "Not that it's any of your business, but I got myself a sugar daddy, too.  This here is a prenuptial agreement.  And you know what that means ladies, he's loaded.  Asked me to marry him last night on my dinner break."

"How romantic," Steph said, rolling her eyes.  "Did he give you the papers before or after he gave you a ring?"

Erica's smile dimmed.  "I'll get a ring after I sign the papers."  Her smile came back.  "My honey bear is just being cautious.  His ex took him for half of everything.  Says he loves me, but he's not making that mistake again."

"Sounds like a winner," Steph smirked.

If Erica's story was true, Alexis thought, that was double reason for her not to be responsible for everything that was going on.  Not only did she get her job, but she had a rich boyfriend to boot.  She mentally scratched her name off the list (a list that now had no names written on it).

"Well, I'm happy for you, Erica.  And I wish you best in your upcoming marriage."  Alexis took Steph's hand.  "Come on.  Let's get something to eat."

Alexis had just taken a bite of her turkey on rye when her phone dinged.

Jack:  where are you?  Just came upstairs, but you're not here

Alexis put her sandwich down and texted back.

Alexis:  with Steph at deli in west casino

Jack: order me a sandwich  be there in ten

Alexis: bossy much?  A please and thank you would not be remiss

Jack: sweetheart :)

Alexis threw her phone on the table.

"Who was that?"  Steph pointed her pinky at the phone while trying to hold on to her sandwich.

"Jack.  He practically ordered me to get him a sandwich.  He'll be here in a few."

Steph laughed.  "That man cannot stand being away from you for two seconds."

Alexis snorted as she got up from the table.  The line was longer than when they arrived, and she was still waiting in it when Jack showed up, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her to his side.

She smiled up at him.  "Just in time to tell me what you want."

"You, buttered, between two pieces of sourdough."  He nibbled on her ear.

Alexis giggled.  "Be serious, Jack."

"I was being serious," he gave her his signature grin, "but if I have to choose something from the menu, just order me whatever you got."

"If you're in a hurry, you can have mine," she nodded with her head toward their table.  "I'll take this one when it's done."

Jack's eyes got soft as he looked at her.  "No one's ever offered me their food before."  His lips grazed her cheek in a gentle kiss.  "I'm never in a rush when I'm with you.  We'll wait and eat together."

"Okay,"  Alexis whispered softly.

They were gone another ten minutes before they got back to the table.  Steph had finished eating.  She wiped her mouth before saying, "Well kids, It's been fun, but mamma's got to get back to work."

Alexis gave her a sheepish look.  "Sorry, we didn't get to talk much.  When's your next day off?  We'll go shopping."  Jack gave her a funny look.  "What?" she asked.

"I don't want you leaving the hotel by yourself until this mess is taken care of." 

"What about work?"

Steph stood from the table.  "And that's my cue to leave."  She blew kisses, turned on her heel and left.

Alexis turned back to Jack, waiting for an answer.

"I talked to Mike while you were sleeping."

When did he become on first name terms with her boss?  Oh, that's right, when they had their
talk
.  Her eyes narrowed on Jack as he continued speaking.

"I explained the situation, and he agreed with me that it would be best while all this is going down, if you didn't go into work.  He said it was no problem for you to go back when it was all over."

"But why?" 

"I don't want you at work by yourself.  Out on the lot alone.  Getting into cars with strangers.  We don't know who she is, and what if she hires someone to attack you?"

Okay.  That made sense.  But ... "What am I going to do all day?"

Jack leered at her.  "You can be my personal assistant."

"What about Becky?"  Jack gave her a horrified look.  She laughed.  "You know what I mean."

"You'll be my
personal
, personal assistant."

"And what's my job description?  Walking around your office naked, waiting for you to have sex with me?"

Jack smiled as if he thought that was a brilliant idea.

Alexis snorted.  "I don't think so, big man."

Jack trailed a finger down her nose then tapped it.  "I'm sure I'll think of something."  He pointed to her plate.  "Eat.  You'll need your energy."

CHAPTER TWENTY

Alexis sat at Jack's desk Saturday afternoon, reading a magazine while he was in a meeting.  She was bored.  She looked around the office, hoping something would pique her interest.  Nope, nothing.  His office was as boring as ever.

She quickly scribbled a note to Jack and left it sitting on his desk.  She would hit the hotel gym and burn off some of her restless energy. 

She popped upstairs and changed into cutoff sweats and an old T-shirt.  Not the height of fashion, but what did she care, she'd be sweaty soon.

The gym was located next to the spa.  She looked at it longingly.  A massage sounded way better than a stair stepper.  Oh well, at least Steph wasn't around to make fun of her out-of-shape ass. 

She stopped at the check-in counter and smiled, giving her name to the cute, perky brunette manning the desk (at some point, Alexis wasn't sure when, Jack had given her name to every establishment in the hotel, gaining her free and total access).

The girl handed her a towel and with a smile and with a point of a finger she said, "The door to your right is the women's locker room."  She next pointed her finger past the sea of workout equipment.  "At the back of the room is the door leading to the pool area and sauna."  She pointed her finger one last time.  "The door to the left is the men's locker room," she said, giving Alexis a wink.

Alexis thanked her and headed for the stair steppers. 

After twenty minutes, she was done.  Without Steph there to push her, she didn't have the will power to stay on the hated machine a minute longer.  She was hot and out of breath.  The pool sounded heavenly, but she didn't have a suit. She made her way to the door anyway.  She wanted to take a quick peek at it for future reference. 

The pool was Olympic sized, dominating the center of a large room.  Tables and chairs were randomly scattered and a strong smell of chlorine was in the air.  Only one person was in the pool doing laps. 

A wide hallway was to her right.  Curious, she went investigating.  It dead ended at a large, metal door.  Alexis opened it and peered inside. She had never been in a sauna, but assumed that's what this was.  The room was warm, humid, and seemed very relaxing. 

She stepped in, and the door closed behind her with a soft click.  She sprawled out on one of the long, wooden benches that lined the walls and closed her eyes, stretching.  A girl could get used to this.  She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.  The warm heat seeped into her bones, completely relaxing her.