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“I love this bikini,” he says back, playing with the strap of the top. His finger slides under the material, gliding back and forth. I shiver, even in the hot sun.
“Behave. I don’t want to get kicked out of this place. I finally see the appeal of condo living.”
“No promises.” Giving me a wink, we both settle in our chairs and spend the afternoon basking in the sun. The heat between us only gets too intense to ignore after playing in the pool. And I can without a doubt say that shower sex in an outdoor bamboo stall is epic.
???
Completely exhausted from another morning at the daycare and an afternoon shift at the bakery, I’m lying haphazardly on Grant’s bed when my phone starts buzzing. Giving it a quick glance, I see caller unknown flash across the screen. I watch as the phone vibrates a couple more times, then the screen goes black.
I’m getting so sick and tired of these calls. I should just pick up and confront who I suspect is on the other end. If I don’t, soon the situation could blow up in my face. Maybe next time I would. Maybe.
Deciding that I don’t want to start a movie before Grant gets back from his team meeting, I hoist myself up, thinking I will raid his kitchen and make dinner. I’m not even off the bed when my phone begins buzzing again.
Caller unknown. This time though, the number is different.
I don’t know why I reach for my phone. Or why I hold it like a bomb. But something deep in my gut is telling me disaster awaits. Sliding my finger across the green icon, I bring the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Is this Lexi?”
“Speaking.”
“Shit, Lexi. It’s Bax. Cassidy’s man. I need…I need you down at the bakery. There’s been a break-in and Cassidy’s been hurt. I can’t stay with her and I need someone with her.” He talks fast, his voice almost drowned out by the sirens in the background, but I hear it all. My heart is in my throat.
“What? Yes. Yes, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” The line goes dead faster than I would like. I have so many questions but no time to waste. I run out of the room, grabbing my shoes from the front entrance as fast as I can. I lock the door and yank on my shoes as I wait for the elevator.
My anxiety spikes as I realize I don’t have my car with me. Grant had driven me today and we were supposed to have a chill night at his place. I was spending more time over here than I was at my own apartment lately. It had been nice. Until now.
Shaking my head to get my thoughts in order, I pull up my Uber app. Once I’m in the car and on my way to Cassidy, I send a quick text to Grant. Letting him know what’s happened. The closer we get to the bakery, the sicker I feel. I’m so worried about what I’m going to find, if my friend is okay, that I’m shaking. I know I need to be brave and strong going into this situation but I’m failing.
I see red flashing lights before we’re even on the street. Telling the driver he can let me out here, I jump from the car and make a run for it. I don’t understand what I’m seeing as I come to a dead stop in front of the bakery. The front window is completely busted. Glass litters the sidewalk. Yellow tape blocks my way as uniformed cops guard the area. Tears well in my eyes as panic sets in. What the hell am I supposed to do? I don’t see Cassidy or Bax anywhere.
Ducking and weaving through the chaos, I come to the edge of one of the marked off areas. Frantically looking around, I’m about to lose my shit when I hear my name being called. My head twists so fast, I feel a kink, but it’s forgotten as soon as I see Cassidy.
A sob leaves me. She’s being led towards me by Bax, hobbling on one leg. I don’t care if I’m breaking the law or any stupid procedure, I rip the yellow tape away and run to my friend. As soon as I’m close enough, my arms wrap around her. She squeezes me back, crying into my shoulder. She’s alive. She’s okay. And right now, that’s all that matters.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Heat Wave
Lexi
Something’s not right, I think to myself as I enter my apartment complex. My stomach feels funny and I’m just…low energy? I don’t know what I feel anymore. After the events of two days ago, everything’s just felt like a bit of a blur. Guilt and paranoia weigh heavily on me still.
It didn’t matter that Cassidy was fine and moving forward in her relationship with Bax. The drama at the bakery had only brought them closer together and with her attacker captured, she was almost back to her normal self. I wish I could say the same. I was still having some trouble not dwelling on the horrible what-ifs. I’d spent this morning seeing the destruction first-hand as I tried to help Harrison sort out a plan for the rest of the week.
Half-way up the stairs to my apartment, my cell phone starts to vibrate in my back pocket. I silently pray it’s not the number I think it is. Some of my worry fades away when I see it’s Luna. I don’t even get a word in before she starts up.
“There’s a picture of you on a gossip site saying that you and Grant are married.”
“What?” I shout into the phone, not understanding what she’s saying. “Married?”
“Yeah. In one of the pictures you have a massive ring on.”
Balancing the phone between my shoulder and ear, I dig into my purse, looking for my apartment keys. I can’t for the life of me think what the media could be spinning now. “Is Grant in the pic?”
“No, just you. This ring is huge though, it’s got to be photoshopped or something. It’s this big red thing.”
