Keeping Her (The Lexington Series Book 2) (13 page)

“Grabbing something to eat.” He told
me and my stomach clenched.

So she was telling me the truth.
BASTARD! “Oh ok.” Was all I could get out before I hung up.

I sped home and didn’t immediately
get out of the car. After thinking it over for about 20 minutes I dialed
Naiyla.

“Lucy? Hey!” she greeted me
enthusiastically.

“Hey Naiyla, are you busy?” I asked.

“No actually. I’m here bored looking
through Netflix for something to binge on. What’s going on? I miss you we need
to spend time together.” She told me.

That made me smile a little. “Well,
that’s why I was calling. I was kind of hoping there was still a spare room
there… with a bed that I can sleep in for a few days?” I asked her.

She laughed. “It’s still your room
girl. Come on over, and you’re going to spill. There can never be a good reason
for a girl to leave a smoking hot guy in bed.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you soon. I have to
pack up some things and I’ll be on my way.” I told her.

I went in the house to seek out Nick.
He was in the family room watching TV. I took a seat next to him. “Nick?”

He turned to me. I saw a witty
response on the tip of his tongue but when he took me in he frowned. “What’s
the matter Luce?”

I sighed. “Today has just been rough.
First it was the whole thing with my pictures and the threat. Then Landon
texted me to go see him so I drove out to their hotel. He left a key to his
room for me at the front desk and when I got there, there was a naked girl. She
said that they hook up at away games and sometimes around here. When I asked
where he was she told me he was grabbing them food. I called him and he said
the same thing so I came back home. Today was just a lot and it’s taken a toll
on my emotions. Landon will be back tomorrow, would you mind watching Max
tonight? I want to go stay with Naiyla for a few days, get some girl time in
and get my head on straight.”

Nick sighed and dropped his elbows to
his knees. “Something about that whole situation isn’t sitting right with me.
But I understand, you’ve been through a lot today. Do what you need to do, but
don’t make any hasty decisions until you talk to him about it ok?” he asked. I
nodded and he grabbed my hands forcing me to give him all of attention. “I’m
serious Lucy. Promise me.”

I nodded again. “I promise you Nick I
will. I just need some time. I have too much going on in my head right now.”

He nodded and let me go. I made my
way upstairs and went into Max’s room. I ran my fingers through his hair and he
sighed. Max was so precious and I loved this boy so much. I wouldn’t admit it
to him because I’m afraid of confusing him, but he does feel like my son. I
kissed him on his forehead and then his cheek. I made my way to our room and
grabbed a duffle bag out of the closet. I set it on the bed and went about
packing up some clothes. I went into the bathroom to grab some toiletries and
looked around to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything. I stared at the
t-shirt on the bed and sighed. Landon, what am I going to do with you? I looked
down at my hand to see I was unconsciously twirling the engagement ring on my
finger. I stared at it for two minutes before I sighed and grabbed my duffle
bag to head over to campus.

I rapped on the door and Naiyla let
me in. she took one look at me and shook her head. “I knew that something was
up. Come in, come in.”

I gave her a small smile. I dropped
my bag down on floor by the door and tossed off my coat. I walked over to the
coach and plopped down and Naiyla followed suit. I looked at the table and
laughed. She had ordered pizza and had two bottles of wine waiting for us. She
paused the movie she was watching and turned her body to face me. She reached
over and grabbed the corkscrew and opened one of the bottles. She handed me a
glass and picked up one for herself and filled them. “You thought of
everything.” I commented.

She smiled. “I did. Now spill, what
the hell is going on?” she asked.

I sighed and started to tell her
everything starting with the massacre and threat at the art show. When I ended
with the call to Landon her eyes were wide and her mouth was gaping open. I was
on my second glass of wine and drained it then refilled. As if I talked him up
my phone rang, and I ignored Landon’s call. Two seconds later it rang again and
I ignored that one. When he called
again
for the third time I ignored
his call and turned my phone off. Once she gathered herself she shook her head.

“Girl, I’m not going to lie but
that’s a shit day.” She told me.

I nodded in agreement. “You’re
telling me? Now what’s new with you? I’m over this depressing shit.”

“Well there’s not much. I’ve been on
a few dates, but they’re all toads so far. Mainly I’ve just been running and
keeping my grades up. There is a party tomorrow, some girl named Jasmine
invited me to. She kind of just struck up a conversation with me one day after
class saying that she knew me… and said she didn’t know many people. I agreed
to go with her.”

I frowned. “This Jasmine girl… Is she
petite with brown eyes and hair with bangs?” I asked.

Naiyla raised an eyebrow and nodded
slowly. “Yea… you know her?”

I scoffed. “Not really. She went to high
school with us our last semester, but she knew Landon. Had a major crush on him
in a weird sort of way.”

Naiyla looked surprised and refilled
her glass. “What do you mean? I’m a bit freaked out here. I mean this random
girl comes and gives me this kind of pity story to hang out with her… and
you’re telling me that she knows my ex roommate and some guy that asked me out
even though he didn’t really want to date me.” She giggled. “I’ve come across
some wacky fucking people and I don’t believe in coincidences. The girl sought
me out. It wasn’t like hey cute bag and we started talking. She waited for me
and approached me.”

I laughed. “Ok well let’s see. When
she first came to the school she asked Landon to sit with us because she didn’t
know anybody. But I spotted the googley eyes right away. She would seek him out
for rides and things. Then she threw herself on him one day after a game. Then
she showed up at the house saying she wanted to drop off a book of his. Mind
you, they were both at the same practice because she was a cheerleader. At the
time though she didn’t know I lived there so I thwarted her plans. Nick and
Landon threw a party once and she was there and ‘
fell
’ onto his lap.
That night I slept in a different room because I was pissed and the girl snuck
into the room when he was passed out drunk. Found her in the bed in her
underclothes. I think those are the highlights…” I trailed off and took a sip
of wine. I was starting to feel a little buzz. I giggled and then my hand shot
up. “Oh and we ran into her the day I dropped off my now ruined paintings for
the show. She asked Landon to study with her. It was pretty awkward. That girl
makes him so fucking uncomfortable it’s insane. I find it funny because he
should’ve caught on to the signs the girl was in love with him. Now that it’s
out there plain as day he’s all too aware and she creeps him out.”

Naiyla shuddered. “That’s pretty
fucking creepy. I’m cancelling on her. Something about what you told me doesn’t
sit right. And I have a feeling the girl knows exactly who I am. She seems like
the type to be passive aggressive but she’s smart.”

I threw my head back and barked out a
laugh. “I’ve met bat shit crazy… trust me. My mother, Dan, even those bitches
Delilah and Molly. She just seems creepy I don’t think she’s capable of extreme
crazy.”

She shook her head. “I hear you and
all even though I don’t know who those people are but I’m sticking to my guns.
Did Landon tell her that she didn’t have a chance?” she asked.

I nodded. “Oh yea. When I found her
in the bed it led to this huge public fight with me and Landon. She heard what
he had to say about it, and he practically said she was an annoying little bug
he couldn’t shake. She had to have gotten the point considering she broke down
in tears.”

“Right. She’s fucking crazy then
because she’s
still
trying. Now she’s trying to buddy up to your friend.
No thanks, I am not ending up in an episode of CSI with this chick.”

I laughed. “Only you.”

We spent the rest of the night
polishing off the pizza and wine and indulged in some chick flicks. It was well
after 3 in the morning when we finally retired. This was exactly what I needed,
have some girl time and blow off some steam. I live in a house full of guys,
and I have to twist their arms to participate in anything girly. As soon as my
body hit the bed I was out for the count. I didn’t even undress or change my
clothes. I was woken up by loud banging. I grabbed a hold of my head and willed
it to stop hurting. I opened my eyes and the room spun. Crap I’m hung over. I
sat up and a wave of nausea came over me. I jumped up to run to the bathroom,
when I swung open the door I saw Naiyla edging towards the door with a bat. The
banging sounded again and the door rattled. It looked like I was about to be
knocked off its hinges. That immediately sobered me up. I raised an eyebrow in
question to Naiyla and she only shrugged. The banging began again and my
stomach rolled. I ran to the bathroom and reached the toilet in time to hurl.

“Who is it?” I heard Naiyla scream.

“Landon, open the door.” When I heard
his voice I paled and my stomach rolled again. I peeked my head out the door to
Naiyla and shook my head to indicate that I wasn’t here. She nodded and I
closed the door quietly and huddled into the corner. I could still hear them clearly
through the door.

 “Landon are you insane?”

“Where’s Lucy? Nick told me she came
here.” he practically growled.

“She did come here but she went out
already.” I could kiss her right now.

“Where did she go?” he asked. I felt
sick again and willed my body to hold tight until he left. If I started
throwing up he would know someone else is here. Knowing his crazy ass he’d barge
in here to check and make sure that it isn’t me.

“I didn’t ask. You just woke me up
actually banging on the door like a lunatic.” I could hear her starting to get
aggravated.

There was a deep sigh. “Her phone is
going straight to voicemail. I can’t get a hold of her. Did she say anything to
you?”

“Not really. She was kind of out of
it when she got here yesterday. We just watched movies then crashed.” Ok she was
pretty good with the lying. I didn’t blame her I wouldn’t want to put myself in
the middle of our drama either.

“Can you tell her to come home or
call me when she comes back?” he pleaded.

“I’ll let her know.” She agreed.

I heard the door close and lock and I
let out the breath I’ve been holding. I waited two minutes before I opened the
door just to be sure. I got up off the floor and made my way into the kitchen
and fixed a huge glass of water and drained it. Naiyla was sitting on the coach
looking completely exhausted.

She looked up at me. “That man of
yours is nuts. You should’ve seen him. It doesn’t look like he slept and he was
frantic. His eyes were totally wild. I was afraid to put down my bat in case he
went nuclear on me. I pity you when you have to deal with him.”

I waved my hand and refilled the
glass and took it with me to the couch. “He’s a big boy. He’ll be fine. I need
some time before I deal with him. I wonder if Nick told him everything.”

She turned and looked at me. “Lucy, I
really think you should go home and talk to him. That man looked like he was on
the edge on his sanity. What if he heard about that threat? He’s probably
worried sick. I know you’re pissed at him and all but no one deserves to be
worried like that.”

I sighed and dropped my head. “I
know. You’re right. Let me get a few more hours of sleep and I’ll get ready and
head home. I can’t face him right now feeling half dead.” She nodded and patted
me on the back and I headed back into bed. I fell asleep quickly.

When I woke up again it was after 3
in the afternoon. I got showered and dressed and hugged Naiyla goodbye. I stopped
for some greasy food since my stomach was normal again and I drove home. I ate
in the car as I dreaded going into the house. Both Nick and Landon’s cars were
there so I knew that there would be no avoiding once I went in. when I was done
I gathered my garbage and headed inside. I heard the TV playing so I checked
the family room first. Nick and Max were there watching a movie. I went in to
greet Max and caught Nick’s eye. He grimaced and shook his head. Great, he was
preparing me for hurricane Landon. I headed upstairs to our room and the door
was closed. I stood there for a minute before I gathered the courage to enter.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. I walked over
to stand in front of him and he didn’t move.

“Where have you been?” he asked in a
low voice.

I sighed. “I needed space.”

He looked up at me and he looked worn
out. “You ignored my calls last night, and then I come home and you’re gone and
so is a duffle bag. Your phone has been off… were you with someone else Lucy?
Just tell me now.”

My head reared back like I’ve been
slapped and my anger escalated quickly. He had the fucking audacity to accuse
me of cheating when I caught his ass. My hands flew to my hips. “And what if I
was?”