Running Scared, page 17
‘Has he gone?’ Debs asked.
‘Yeah.’ Sighing, Lexi turned from the window and sat on the sofa.
‘So that was the infamous Ryan, eh?’ said Debs. ‘Doesn’t look much like his dad, does he? Not got his muscles.’
‘He’s got hair, though,’ Six, who had only ever seen Theo once in passing, interjected.
‘I quite like the bald look,’ Debs mused. ‘Wouldn’t suit you, mind,’ she added, eyeing Six’s shock of red hair. ‘With that beard and no hair, you’d look like a garden gnome.’
‘Cheers,’ Six mock-huffed.
Nudging him with her elbow to let him know she was joking, Debs turned back to Lexi, and asked, ‘So what did he want?’
Aware that she would never hear the end of it if she admitted that she and Ryan had kissed, Lexi gave an extremely watered-down version of the conversation they’d had, excluding the bits which she knew would alarm her friend, like Nic finding that text and threatening her; Adam prowling around; Theo being set up for murder by Nic’s dad . . .
It all sounded so dark and messed up, and some of it didn’t quite add up to her, but all she could think about right then was that kiss. For the few brief moments it had lasted before she came to her senses and pushed him away, it had felt so right. But it wasn’t right; it was wrong on every single level. Ryan was married and, until yesterday, she had been dating his father. That aside, she couldn’t ignore the fact that Ryan had asked Nic out all those years ago, despite now claiming that it was Lexi he had really wanted. And, given how desperately he was trying to keep Nic from finding out about his true identity, it was clear that he would choose her all over again if push came to shove. But she was never going to see him again, so she had to let go of the what-ifs and forget about the lot of them.
Still furious with himself for overstepping the mark and kissing Lexi, Ryan eased his foot off the accelerator when he hit the main road and spotted a speed camera up ahead. Lexi had said that she wouldn’t tell Nic about his dad, and he could only pray that she wouldn’t go back on her word. He didn’t think she would, but if living with Nic had taught him anything it was that women could change their minds ten times in as many minutes, and he wasn’t ready to deal with the fallout if Lexi betrayed him.
His phone started ringing as he passed the camera and he pressed the button on the steering wheel to answer it. Remembering that it wasn’t his car and his phone wasn’t paired to the system when nothing happened, he pulled over to answer it manually when he saw the name Django on the screen.
‘You found your charger, then?’
‘Had to buy a new one,’ Theo said. ‘Soon as I plugged it in I saw I’d had a missed call and a text off Alexis, but she didn’t answer her phone when I tried to call her back. Have you been round there yet?’
‘Just left,’ Ryan said, his gut clenching at the sound of Lexi’s name coming out of his dad’s mouth. The way he called her Alexis made him cringe, not only because it sounded pretentious, but also because it was ‘their thing’; a reminder that his dad had shared intimacies with Lexi that he would never get to share with her. The only consolation was the knowledge that she wasn’t in love with his dad, and he held onto that tightly now.
‘Was she OK?’ Theo asked.
‘Not really,’ Ryan sighed. ‘Nic called her this morning. She must have gone through my phone last night and found that text you sent. Obviously she assumed it was from me and jumped to the conclusion that me and Lexi are having an affair, so she rang her to warn her off.’
‘Shit! Alexis didn’t tell her about me, did she?’
‘No. And she said she won’t, so we’ve just got to hope she means it.’
‘Did she say anything else?’
‘If you mean did she ask about you, no. She’s still pretty mad, so I wouldn’t bank on getting back with her anytime soon.’
‘Fuck!’ Theo muttered. ‘I messed up big time, man. Should’ve been straight with her from the start.’
‘To be honest, I don’t think it would have worked out, whatever you’d told her,’ Ryan said bluntly. ‘She might have forgiven you for lying about prison, but finding out that I’m your son was always going to be a massive sticking point. I’m married to the woman whose brother nearly raped her, don’t forget. And I helped him get off with it by lying to the police.’
‘That fucker’s a dead man if I ever get my hands on him,’ Theo said darkly.
‘Yeah, well, he’s another problem,’ said Ryan. ‘Lexi reckons he drove past her place a couple of times before I got there. And Nic’s the only one who could have given him the address, so she must have sent him.’
‘He didn’t see you, did he?’
‘No, he’d gone by the time I got there. And I’m in a courtesy car, so he wouldn’t have recognized it even if he’d come back. But he’s a slippery bastard, and it could get tricky if he starts spying on me.’
‘OK, well, go do what you need to do and I’ll see you later,’ Theo said. ‘But keep your wits about you, son. If you think that rapist is following you, don’t lead him here. We don’t want him sussing things out and alerting his old man.’
Glad to hear that his father sounded like he was back on the ball after the soppy whining over Lexi, Ryan said goodbye and eased back into the traffic. For her own safety, he hadn’t told Lexi the full story, so she was now under the impression that he wanted to work on his marriage with Nic. But she didn’t know the half of it. Nic wasn’t some poor little betrayed wife, she was a Harvey through and through – and the older she got, the more like her mum she became. Both women had used their looks and Danny’s reputation to get whatever they wanted out of life; and now Ryan was running things, Nicole would fight tooth and nail to maintain her position as first lady. But as much as she claimed to love him, when the shit hit the fan – which it undoubtedly would – she would be baying for his blood right along with the rest of her family.
23
Adam’s head was all over the place as he drove home, and he desperately needed something to help him think straight. After parking in the underground garage, he rode the lift up to his apartment on the seventh floor and scooped up the mail that had been delivered while he was out. He tossed the letters onto the sideboard along with his keys, then poured a glass of neat whisky and swallowed half of it in one before pulling a wrap of coke out of his pocket and tipping a heap onto the glass top of the coffee table. Expertly chopping two lines, he snorted them in quick succession, one up each nostril, and let out an appreciative roar when it set his brain on fire.
As his bitch sister had snidely pointed out that morning, his parents paid his rent, and what little was left subsidized his coke, whisky and loose-women habits. But he was fucked if he was going to thank them for the crumbs they threw him when, in reality, he ought to be running things. For years, they had used the allegations of rape that had been levelled against him as justification for keeping him in his box. But those lying tarts had all been up for it – Lexi James included.
He’d always known Lexi fancied him, right from the first time his sister brought her round to their flat on the Kingston and he’d seen the same longing in her eyes as he saw in the eyes of every other slag who threw themselves at him. He’d seen through her pathetic wallflower act from the start, and had always suspected there was a right little raver hiding behind the lank hair and shapeless clothes; so when she’d gone out of her way to look sexy for him at the party that night, he’d decided to give her what she’d been craving. She had repaid him by trying to get him arrested, and he’d never forgiven her for that, blaming her for his dad later handing over the reins of the business to Ryan instead of him. Now, though, after learning that Ryan was sniffing around her – and might have been doing so for some considerable time – he couldn’t help but wonder if his brother-in-law had been behind her sudden change of mind that night.
He’d been high on booze and Ecstasy at the party, so his memory of the actual events had always been a little hazy. What he did remember, very clearly, however, was how breathless and weak-kneed Lexi had been after their first kiss; and how she had gone upstairs straight after – a clear invitation to follow her if ever he’d seen one. But just as he’d been about to fuck her, that twat Ryan had charged in like some jealous boyfriend and knocked him out. And then Ryan had finished with Nic and walked out – minutes after Lexi had left. Coincidence? He didn’t think so.
With the coke sharpening his mind, Adam could actually see the pieces slotting into place. He’d never liked Ryan and had always suspected that the cocky gutter-rat had only gone after Nic in order to make a name for himself as Danny Harvey’s son-in-law. And what better way to make that happen than to manipulate Lexi – who’d been so drunk and upset that night she probably hadn’t known right from left – into making that allegation, purely so he could ride to the rescue the following day and worm his way into Danny’s good books?
Now he thought about it, his sister had most likely put the idea into Ryan’s head in the first place by telling him about the girl who had accused him of assaulting her before Lexi did – a prime example of Nic’s complete lack of loyalty to her own blood. Armed with that information, Ryan would have known that Danny would assume Adam was guilty the minute Lexi opened her mouth, thus laying the foundation for what came later: Danny not trusting his own son to run the family business and handing it to that conniving bastard instead.
It was all so obvious he didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it at the time. But now he had seen it, he needed to decide what to do about it.
24
Lexi had fed and watered her old people and dispensed their various medications, and was now tackling the laundry while the residents congregated in the common room for whatever activity had been arranged for them that day. Monday mornings were usually a mixture of armchair yoga and massage therapies, but she could hear somebody sound-checking a PA system as she pushed a cartload of soiled sheets toward the laundry room, and guessed that they were going to be treated to an hour of songs from the crooner who came in once a month to serenade them.
Sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases loaded into the washing machine, she was stocking her trolley with fresh bedding when one of her co-workers popped their head around the door and told her to come to reception.
‘I’m a bit busy,’ she said. ‘Can it wait till I’ve made the beds?’
‘No,’ the girl insisted, grinning widely. ‘Come on.’
Curious to know what was going on, Lexi abandoned her trolley and followed the girl out. Several of the other women were already gathered around the desk, and Katie, the receptionist, beckoned her over with a wave when she saw her.
‘These came for you,’ she said, gesturing to a huge bouquet of flowers in a gold box-vase that was sitting on the countertop.
‘You’re one lucky cow, you,’ Julie mock-huffed as she admired the colourful blooms. ‘These must have cost someone an arm and a leg.’
‘What’s going on?’ Debs asked, bustling out of the common room.
‘Lexi’s had a flower shop delivered,’ Julie told her. ‘All right for some, eh?’
Flashing a secretive smile at Lexi, Debs nudged her, and whispered, ‘They’re even better than the last lot. He must be really desperate to get back into your good books. Let’s see what he’s saying.’
She reached for the envelope that was sticking up out of the middle of the flowers, but Lexi grabbed it before she got to it and slid the gilt-edged card out. This one wasn’t handwritten like the last one, but was printed in gold italics, and she guessed that Theo must have ordered them over the phone.
‘I forgive you, kiss kiss,’ Debs read it out over her shoulder. ‘That it?’
Lexi turned the card over and nodded when she saw that it was blank.
‘Forgives you for what?’ Debs pulled a face.
‘I’ve no idea,’ Lexi frowned. ‘He’s the one in the wrong, not me.’
Ada strode into the reception area and pursed her thin lips when she saw the flowers. ‘Who do they belong to?’
‘Me,’ Debs lied, covering for Lexi because she knew Ada wouldn’t be so quick to take the funnies with her.
‘Remove them from sight, please,’ Ada said, a little less curtly. ‘And tell whoever sent them not to do it again. This is your place of work not your home.’
‘Will do,’ Debs said, lifting the box off the counter and jerking her head at Lexi to follow her when Ada walked away.
‘You’d better ring Theo,’ she said quietly as they made their way to the staffroom. ‘I know you’re not ready to talk to him yet, but if you don’t and he keeps sending stuff, Ada’s going to suss they’re for you and get on your case again.’
‘I know, and thanks for telling her they were yours,’ said Lexi. ‘I’ll ring him at lunchtime.’
‘Do it now, in case he’s got anything else up his sleeve,’ Debs advised. ‘Go in the changing room. I’ll distract Ada if she comes in.’
Not looking forward to speaking to Theo, Lexi took her phone out of the locker and went into the changing room. Theo answered after two rings and sounded surprised, delighted and nervous all at the same time.
‘Hey, how you doing?’
‘I’m OK,’ Lexi said, keeping her voice low in case Ada entered the staffroom. ‘Thanks for the flowers, they’re beautiful, but can you please not send anything else. We’re not allowed to get deliveries at work, and—’
‘Sorry?’ Theo cut in. ‘I haven’t sent any flowers. I wanted to, but Ry said I needed to give you space.’
‘Oh . . .’ Lexi felt stupid. ‘Sorry, I assumed they were from you.’
‘Wasn’t there a card with them?’
‘Yeah, but it’s not signed.’
‘What’s it say?’
‘Nothing much,’ Lexi said evasively. ‘There’s probably been a mix-up at the shop and they’re for someone else. Anyway, I’d best go before my supervisor catches me on the phone.’
‘Alexis, wait,’ Theo said before she could hang up. ‘I know you’re still upset with me, and I honestly don’t blame you – especially after that misunderstanding with Nicole thinking my boy sent you that text. But I’ve really missed you, and if there’s any way I can make it up to you . . .’
Lexi heard the emotion in his voice as he tailed off and knew that he regretted messing things up. But as much as she liked him, she didn’t feel strongly enough about him to put herself through the torture of worrying that his son might turn up whenever she was with him. She and Ryan had history, albeit only as friends until he’d turned up at her place and kissed her, and she couldn’t deny that she was still attracted to him – more, if she were honest, than she had ever been to Theo.
‘I’m sorry, but I think it’s best we leave things as they are,’ she said. ‘You and Ryan have got stuff going on that you don’t want me to know about, and I don’t want to be with someone who can’t be completely honest with me.’
‘I understand,’ Theo sighed. ‘And I respect your decision, so I won’t try to persuade you to change your mind. I just hope your next man is worthy of you, because you’re a special lady. Don’t ever forget that.’
Thanking him, Lexi ended the call and scrolled through her recent calls list. Biting her lip thoughtfully as she stared at the number which she still hadn’t assigned a name to, she took a deep breath before ringing it.
‘Lexi?’ Ryan answered a couple of seconds later. ‘Is everything OK?’
‘Yeah, everything’s fine,’ she said. ‘I just wanted to ask . . . you didn’t send me any flowers, did you?’
‘No,’ Ryan said, a questioning note in his voice.
‘I didn’t think so,’ she said. ‘But your dad said they’re not from him, and I couldn’t think who else might have sent them, so I thought I’d best check. Only we’re not supposed to get stuff delivered at work, so I was going to say please don’t do it again – if they were you, which, obviously, now I know they’re not. Anyway, sorry for bothering you.’
‘You’re not,’ Ryan assured her. ‘I’ve actually been thinking about calling you. To make sure you’re OK after – you know.’
‘I’m absolutely fine,’ said Lexi. ‘And I, um, hope you got everything sorted with Nic,’ she added, more out of politeness than a desire to talk about his wife. ‘Bye, then.’
Quickly hanging up, she cursed herself for waffling on at him like a tongue-tied idiot. The sound of his voice had instantly made her feel flustered, and she wafted a hand in front of her face to cool her cheeks before re-joining Debs in the staffroom.
‘All done?’ Debs asked.
Nodding, Lexi replaced her phone in the locker and locked it.
‘Are you OK?’
‘I will be.’ Lexi forced a smile. ‘It wasn’t Theo who sent the flowers. He had no clue what I was talking about. And neither did Ryan.’
‘Do you think Nic could have sent them?’
Lexi gazed at the flowers, which were now standing in the middle of the table, and shook her head. ‘Doubt it. She never gave me a birthday or Christmas card when we were mates, never mind a gift, so I can’t see her splashing out on them.’
‘Well, whoever it was, I’m sure they’ll make themselves known before too long,’ Debs said, linking arms with her as they left the room. ‘How did you leave it with Theo?’
‘I finished it.’
‘It’s probably for the best, hon. Can you imagine the family get-togethers with Nic as your stepdaughter-in-law?’
‘No thanks.’ Lexi shuddered at the thought.
‘Right, if you’re officially done with him, we need to get you back in the saddle before your lady garden starts sprouting weeds,’ Debs declared. ‘Six has got the night off and some of his mates are coming over for a bevvy. How about we crash the party and see what’s on offer?’
