Were She Belongs (5 page)

He hesitated before releasing her to sit. He raised his eyebrows as if waiting for an answer to his question, and she froze trying to recall what he asked. She was losing her normally cool and calm demeanor.

Clearing her throat, she looked up into his eyes and embarrassingly asked him to repeat the question.

“I asked if you were okay, honey.”

“I’m fine. I just needed a few minutes to gather myself together.

I’m sorry if I insulted your family. I would never hurt Sierra—”

“I know that. No one said you insulted my family. Where did you get that idea from?” he asked, helping her to the sofa, then walking toward the small wet bar to pour them a drink. He came back a moment later.

“I shouldn’t.”

“No, I insist. I think we could both use one.” He smiled, then took a sip from his glass. She did the same with hers.

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She eyed him over the rim of the glass, trying to gauge his mood.

Why was he being so calm and nice? Not that he ever treated her badly, but he seemed different.

Something was seriously going on around here, and it appeared that she was clueless because she was human. God, she needed this job, and the thought of starting over caused a lump in her throat, and tears stung her eyes.

Before she could hide her emotions, Jacob was standing in front of her.

“Lexi, you’re so upset, and I can’t help but to have numerous questions. Sierra and you were best friends. She has spoken of you so often in the past that I’m shocked that you’re not making never-ending plans to do whatever it is best friends do.”

Lexi wouldn’t look up at him, and then he knelt down in front of her. A moment later, she felt his fingertips beneath her chin coaxing her to look up and meet his gaze.

“You’re scared, honey.”

She stared at him wide-eyed. Damn it, she was not going to get busted. She was not going to put Sierra or Jacob or any of these…people…in harm’s way.

Immediately, she stood up from the couch, placed her drink on the table, and turned her back on him. Staring out the enormous window overlooking the city, she feared her life was about to take a turn for the worse. All good things, all decent things come to an end.

Happiness was never part of her past, and it certainly appeared that it would never be part of her future.

“Lex?”

“Jacob, please understand that I…” She turned around toward him and had to swallow the lump and gain enough courage to face her boss, an alpha male with enough power in his hands that one click of the fingers could issue an order of death.

“I need this job, Jacob.”

“Lexi, I’m not getting rid of you.”

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Lexi felt the relief at his statement until his next sentence.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you knew about werewolves? That you knew what you were surrounded by and worked with?”

She couldn’t look him in the eye and reveal any of her past or her fears. She couldn’t let on that she felt somewhat protected in a way by working for him. She was escorted to her car every night and able to keep a low profile and mostly stay behind closed doors. Her existence was limited, practically nonexistent, and that’s the way it had to be.

“It wasn’t a big deal to me because Sierra had explained a lot. It didn’t matter because I really needed the job.”

“I can smell your fear. Who are you hiding from, Lexi?”

Lexi was shocked. How the hell could he know? Could he sense something so deep?

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!

Lexi clasped her hands and began shaking as her mind rolled into a thousand thoughts.
How much does Jacob know? Does me knowing
about the whole werewolf thing put me in jeopardy?

“Relax, Lexi. I’m not here to cause you more harm or pain. I’m here to help you.”

“No, Jacob! All I need is this job. I haven’t asked any questions. I just come to work, do what you ask, and leave.” She paced the room, afraid to let him get too close.

“I know you haven’t asked any questions. Nor have I. But now my cousin is involved, and I’m beginning to question a lot of things.”

She immediately froze in place to wait for worse.

“Don’t for one second believe that I am going to let this go. I know about your little apartment downtown in the middle of a shit area. I know you don’t get any mail. You don’t have any bank accounts or credit cards or any other means of leaving a paper trail.”

“I don’t want to have any debt. Money hasn’t always come easy for me,” she immediately stated, trying to fall into her calm and collected self and somehow get away without revealing the truth.

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“Nice try, Lexi, but you see, you might not have asked me questions, but I research everyone who works for me. Before I even offered you the job, I investigated you. Not because I didn’t trust you, but because I knew you were human and the rest of the staff is were.

It could have caused quite the situation.”

“So why did you hire me, Jacob? Why take a chance on a human?” She was on the defense, instantly filled with anger. It was an attempt to mask her fear. “Haven’t I done my job? Does my personal life matter?” Maybe if she picked a fight with him he would let her go and leave her alone?

“You have done your job, Lexi. You have gone above and beyond any staff member in this place, never mind members of my pack.

Your loyalty is respected and noted.”

“Then why can’t we just continue as it was? Why do I need to explain anything?”

“Because I care for you, Lexi. You have become part of the family whether you want to or know it.”

She was taken aback by that statement. Part of a family? Never.

She exhaled in exasperation in an attempt to minimize but not disregard Jacob’s revelation.

“Lexi, I want to help you.”

“I don’t need any help, and you’re the one who stated at the beginning of this business relationship that sometimes I would have to do things with no questions asked. I complied, haven’t I?”

This time it was Jacob who fell silent a moment and absorbed her words. She walked closer toward the center of the room and the exit.

“Do you know why I hired you?”

She looked at him and felt guilty for being the least bit disrespectful or insubordinate. But there was no way she was dragging Jacob, Sierra, or anyone else into her mess of a life. When she didn’t answer, he continued.

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“Because, I saw a beautiful young woman, down and out, living on the streets, and something told me you needed help even though you wouldn’t ask.”

Tears escaped her eyes before she could swipe them away. He had seen her on the streets? Did he know she was homeless and that she went to the shelter to get that dress and shoes too small for her feet to show up for the interview? Instantly she had flashbacks of the drunk volunteer who tried to attack her in the public bathroom as she showered just so she wouldn’t look homeless. She closed her eyes and winced at the painful memories.

“How did you…know? Wait, don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter.” She straightened her spine and lifted her chin.

“Do I still have a job or not?” she asked, annoyed at herself when her voice cracked.

“Are you going to let me help you? Are you going to tell me who you’re running from?”

Lexi walked past him, releasing an exasperated sigh.

“I don’t need any help. I’m fine as long as I have this job. So do I have it or not, Jacob?”

“Lexi, I can help—”

“Do. I. Have the job or not?”

Lexi assumed it was a “no” as Jacob stood in front of her appearing angry. She turned the knob on the door and pulled it open.

To her surprise, Sierra was standing there.

“Lexi!”

“Sorry, Sierra, I need to go.”

Sierra grabbed Lexi by the arm to try to stop her.

Lexi stopped, but wouldn’t look her friend in the eye.

“Lex, I know you’re scared and that you’ve been alone. Why didn’t you try to contact me? I could have helped you.”

Lexi fought to remain in one piece. How easily Sierra and Jacob made it seem for her to have gotten help. They didn’t know the whole
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story. They didn’t know that her situation went way beyond being homeless.

Lexi placed her hand on Sierra’s shoulder and smiled.

“Because I love you like family, Sierra. I wouldn’t allow anything bad to happen to you.” Lexi quickly headed down the hallway and to the elevator.

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“Jacob, what are we going to do? She’s so scared. It’s obvious that she’s in some kind of trouble.” Jacob watched as tears filled Sierra’s eyes.

“Let her cool off a bit. I have the guys watching her through surveillance to keep track of her.”

Jacob looked toward the elevator that Sierra arrived on and that Lexi left in. Two men stood guard watching over his cousin.

The elevator doors opened, and both Valco and Paul emerged.

“What’s going on? Where’s Lexi?” Paul asked as Valco pulled Sierra to him.

“Sierra, what happened?” Valco asked, obviously sensing that his mate was upset. Jacob knew Valco was perfect for his cousin and that he loved her.

“Lexi is upset.”

Jacob filled them in on what had transpired in the room.

“If someone is after her, I’ll put a stop to it,” Paul stated, pulling out his cell.

“Paul, this is a sensitive situation. Obviously, more is going on than even Jacob suspected,” Valco added.

“She could be embarrassed about being homeless?” Sierra suggested.

“Homeless?” Paul asked, and Jacob explained further.

“She thinks that she’s all alone in this. Survival hardens you up.

Look at Saber,” Valco added.

They each sighed at thoughts of Saber. Years of serving as Special Forces in the military, then security for the packs weighed a toll on
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him. Saber was a solid rock. He showed no emotion, no desire to connect to anyone. He was a loner and only socialized with his brothers and some others in the pack. No one dared to challenge him as alpha, not Paul nor Andre. Any of them alone would kill to defend the Sinclair pack.

Paul spoke into his cell. “Yeah, keep an eye out for Lexi. Do not let her leave the club, and don’t make a scene.” He hung up, then looked at the others.

“Let’s see where she is,” Jacob stated, then walked down the hall through two other security checkpoints with passcode doors before coming to the surveillance control room.

Frank opened the door before they had a chance to knock. “I saw you coming,” he stated with a smirk toward Jacob. Jacob nodded his approval, then made the introductions.

“What’s with finding Legs so quickly?” Eddie asked, referring to Lexi by her nickname.

Jacob looked toward Paul, sensing his anger. Before Jacob could warn Eddie, Paul spoke. “She’s my mate, and we need to find her.”

Eddie and Frank looked shocked. Frank maneuvered the cameras on his end. “Lucky bastard,” he whispered, though everyone in the room heard him.

“There! Look right there.” Paul pointed to the screen. Lexi was giving Paul’s guards the shake.

“They won’t get her. Lex is too good at going undetected,” Frank stated.

“The little minx is that good?”

“And then some,” Eddie added

“Wait a minute. She’s headed out stairwell three and the emergency fire exit.” Eddie spoke next, and all eyes went to the screen.

“All of our cars are parked back there. She doesn’t have a car, but we always walk her out at the end of the evening and to the subway station. I didn’t know she had that access code, too?”

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“She has all the codes, moron. She’s head of security,” Eddie added.

“Who’s that over there?” Jacob asked as Frank maneuvered the outside parking lot cameras to focus on a black van.

“Whose van is that?” Paul asked.

“Wait, what the hell is Sierra doing down there?” Valco growled.

Everyone was silent as Lexi exited the building.

Paul called his guards and Valco called his while Jacob initiated their own guards. But they weren’t fast enough.

Jacob watched as four men exited the van and rushed toward Lexi just as Sierra exited the door.

“What the hell is Sierra doing out there?” Jacob yelled, all eyes were on the screens.

* * * *

“Lexi, where are you going?” Sierra called, and Lexi turned toward her with the most fearful look in her eyes.

“Please Sierra, stay inside. I need to leave now.”

“Wait, I want to talk to you. I want to help.”

Sierra watched Lexi struggle with giving in and staying as she held the door open.

Suddenly, they heard a noise, and Sierra watched as Lexi turned to check it out.

A second later, Sierra felt Lexi shove her and the door slam shut leaving Lexi outside.

* * * *

In the control room, Paul watched in astonishment as his mate attempted to fight all four men off. On another screen, Sierra was trying to open the metal door, but without the code, she didn’t have a chance.

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“Fuck! Get down there now!” Paul ordered, exiting the room along with Jacob and the others.

* * * *

By the time everyone made it down to the parking area, Lexi and her captors were gone.

Jacob rushed over to Sierra, who was already being assisted by her guards.

“What the fuck were you thinking heading after her without us?”

Valco yelled at his mate, caressing her cheek and the cut by her head.

“I must have hit the steps as Lexi shoved me out of harm’s way,”

Sierra cried. “She protected me. She needs our help, Valco. Who were those men?” she asked as she tried to stand up with his assistance.

“You’re lucky they didn’t take you, too, cousin,” Jacob stated.

Paul ran his hands through his hair. “We need to move quickly in order to find her. I’ll be better in wolf form. I can catch the scent and trail the vehicle.”