Beautifully Twisted (34 page)

Martina makes the men tea and stares nervously at them, wondering just how pissed off Alexa will be when she finds out she helped them find her. But honestly, what choice did she have? She prays Alexa will understand.

Just then, the silence in the room is broken by the sound of a ringing phone. Martina looks at it and gasps. “It’s her!”

Scott rushes to the desk and snatches the phone before Martina can answer it. “Alexa! Where the hell are you?”

Alexa draws in her breath, shocked to hear Scott’s voice answering her office phone. She’s quiet for a moment while she composes her thoughts then speaks as calmly as possible. “Where I am, is none of your business. Why are you answering the phone in my office? Where is Martina?”

“Alexa, I’m here because we’ve been worried about you, all of us. Brett, Martina, and me. We need you to come home.”

“I need you to give the phone to Martina. I have nothing to discuss with you.”

“Alexa, I’m begging you, just come back. What would it take?”

“Nothing that you could give me. I’m going to say this as nicely as possible, hand the goddamn phone to Martina.”

Scott sighs and hands the phone to Martina. “Hi, Alexa.”

“What’s going on? Why is
he
there?” Alexa’s voice shakes as she speaks.

“He’s not the only one. Brett is here too.”

“Why?”

“For you.”

“I’m not there.”

Martina sighs. “Yeah, I know. They came because you haven’t been here and they are worried about you. I think they plan to stay until they find you,” she says, looking up nervously at the two men listening to her every word.

Scott leans across the desk. “Tell her I’m not leaving until I see her. Period.”

“I heard him,” Alexa says to Martina. “Tell him I said fuck off.”

Martina winces and looks up, “She said, um, fuck off. Her words.”

Scott frowns and takes the handset away from Martina again. “Listen to me, Alexa. Just listen. You don’t have to say anything. I was wrong and I know it. Sorry isn’t enough to make it right, I know this too. When Brett told me you’ve been MIA for two weeks, I knew I had to get here. I have to see you and at least explain my side of things. Just… please come back to London and let’s talk.” He’s silent waiting for a response. All he hears for a moment is her breathing.

Alexa sits in shock for a moment. She wanted him to come back for her but now that he has, all the anger and hurt she feels rises to the top, robbing her of any other emotion.

“You know what? I can’t even stand the sound of your voice much less the sight of your face. I can barely stand to even know you’re in the same country I’m in. I hate you. I never want to see you again. Listen to me, Scott Patrick, because that’s the last time you’re going to hear my voice say your name. Fuck. You.” Alexa slams down the phone and runs her hands through her hair.
How dare he think he’s going to waltz in my office and demand I show up?
She immediately falls into another fit of tears, surprised she has any more to shed.
Goddamn him. Why can’t he just leave me alone?
Her heart hurts more than she could imagine was ever possible. She knew what was next. He wouldn’t give up that easy. She had to get out of the cottage and figure out where to go until she could make sure he left London. If she ever saw him again, she wanted it to be on her terms.

Scott turns back to Martina and Brett. “She hung up.” He sighs. “We just need to go there. Maybe I can talk some sense into her in person.”

“Mr. Patrick?” Martina asks.

“What?”

“If I know Alexa, I’m pretty sure she’s packing her bag and getting the hell out of there.”

Scott nods and Brett looks worried. “I have an idea, Scott.” Brett says. “Why don’t I go to the cottage and you go to her place. We’ll split up and maybe catch her in between.”

Scott considers his suggestion. “I don’t know which one of us she is going to be angrier to see. It’s your fault I’m back in London. Might make her pretty mad.”

Brett scratches his chin. “You’re right. Martina, you know her well, what’s your suggestion?”

“My suggestion is both of you leave her alone until she’s ready but I don’t suppose that is going to happen. So barring that, I think Brett has a fairly decent idea. I can go with him to the cottage and at least run interference with Alexa if she’s there. Mr. Patrick, you’re on your own, buddy.”

Scott smiles at the perky assistant. “I’m glad she has you, Martina. You’re good to her. I promise I will be just as good if she gives me another chance.”

“Honestly, I don’t know if she will. I’ve never seen her like this before and… well, it’s just bad.”

Scott looks serious for a moment and asks, “Does she love me?”

Martina crosses her arms over her chest and stares at him. “Gee, Mr. Patrick, I’m not sure. I guess it’s possible that she would give up everything she’s worked her entire life to get for a guy she has no feelings for. I suppose that would make sense.”

Just then, Oswald enters the room and looks around confused. Martina introduces everyone and Oswald narrows his eyes at Scott. “Ah, so you’re the chap that ruined Alexa. Well played, mate.”

Scott’s jaw twitches and for a moment, he looks like he might punch Oswald. Instead he takes a deep breath and rubs his hands together. “You know what, I deserve that. Now, can we just get on with finding Alexa and bringing her back? We need you to take us to her, Oswald.”

He laughs. “Are you kidding me? She’ll boot me on my arse for that. I have strict orders, no one, especially, and I quote, Scott Fucking Patrick, is to know where she is. That means you.” He points to Scott.

Now Scott is clearly pissed and Brett steps in to smooth things over. “Oswald, you seem like a caring man. We’re here because we’re worried about Alexa. We know she doesn’t want us around but she won’t come back. We just want to talk some sense into her. Besides, Martina and I are going to the cottage and Scott will wait back at her place. How does that feel to you?”

Martina smiles at Brett, noticing he is definitely a masterful negotiator. Oswald’s demeanor softens and he says, “Well yeah, I’ve been worried too. It’s not like her to miss work.”

“Right,” Brett agrees. “It’s so unusual it’s got all of us worked up. We’re all here because we care about Alexa, including Scott.”

“Alright,” Oswald says. “I’ll take you. It’s a forty minute drive from here.”

Martina forwards her phone and grabs her handbag, and the group walks down to go find Alexa. She may not want to be found, but she’s going to be anyway.

Alexa quickly packs her bag and looks around one last time before she rushes out to meet the cab she called. She had a sneaking suspicion that Martina would cave under the pressure of both Brett and Scott drilling her for information. She decided that if they were going to come here, she would just have to go away.

The cab driver throws her bag in the trunk and asks where to take her.

“Just take me to a bar somewhere. I don’t care where.”

He nods and starts driving. Alexa would figure out what to do later. She wouldn’t go home until she was sure the coast was clear.

An hour later, Brett dials Scott’s phone. “Martina was right, she left.”

“She’s not here either,” Scott replies. “I’ve been outside her apartment for an hour with no sign. Has she called anyone?”

“Not at all. Now I’m really worried. Martina’s a wreck and Alexa won’t answer her phone.”

“Jesus, Brett. What are we gonna do if we can’t find her? Call the fucking police? I don’t know what to do,” Scott says.

“I know. Let’s try and stay calm. We’re heading back that way. She has to come home at some point. We’ll wait with you.”

“I’ll be here.” Scott hangs up his phone and paces the foyer, desperately wishing that the next person who came off that elevator was Alexa.

Alexa drinks down her glass of whiskey. A quick look at her watch shows it’s been three hours since she heard Scott’s voice. She almost can’t believe he’s back in London. As much as it hurt, she knows if she has any chance of healing and truly getting over him, she has to avoid him at all costs. She motions for the bartender to bring her tab and after paying, grabs her things and begins the short walk back to her apartment. London is beautifully lit up with holiday lights and people swarm the streets with bags filled with their Christmas shopping. Alexa hates this time of year. It always reminds her of just how lonely she is.

She bundles herself up, her thick scarf a shield from the brisk London air. She welcomes this short walk back, the crisp weather clearing away the whiskey cobwebs that swirl around her mind. She turns the corner to her building and smiles warmly as she sees James standing at his post, ever on guard. In spite of herself, she actually feels happy to be coming back home. Tomorrow she would announce her resignation and start the next chapter of her life. Hopefully, she could find a way to be happy once and for all.

James opens the door and practically hugs Alexa as he grabs her bag and ushers her inside the warm foyer. “Miss Drake, so good to see you. How was your time away?”

“Much needed, James. Thank you. Now, I’m ready for a nice bath,” she says as she starts to walk towards the elevators.

“You have some friends waiting for you upstairs,” James says.

“Friends?” Alexa’s heart starts to race. She doesn’t have friends.

“Yes, friends.”

She turns to leave but James stops her by softly gripping her arm. “If I may, just go up there and at least let them see you. They’re considering filing a police report if they don’t see you soon.”