“I’ve got this,” he whispered.
He threaded his fingers through my hand and pulled me behind him.
“Come on, I’m parked over here.” He took off, tugging me after him. I ran, trying to keep up with his long stride.
But we could hear them. The press was behind us. I thought they had left through the front entrance of the hospital after I posed with the nurses and doctors. It was the final picture. Jake had checked to make sure they had cleared out before he let me venture near the parking garage, but somehow they had outsmarted my devilish manager.
“Lexi!”
“Luke!”
“Are you two dating?”
“How long ha
s this been going on?”
“Lexi, do your fans know?”
“How are they going to feel about this?”
I felt his hand clamp down harder on mine as we got to his truck. He unlocked it with his remote, shuttled me into the passenger side, and we peeled out of the parking garage. I didn’t know what to say, and looking at Luke I realized what he meant last night when he said he didn’t talk.
We both stared at the road, neither one of us able to come up with the first words. I didn’t know what I felt. The shock had wrapped around my body. Luke still held my hand tightly, while he drove with the other on the wheel. That felt like something. He was some kind of anchor. But was it the kind that was going to make me sink?
My phone started to light up with texts and phone calls from Jake, but I hit ignore. I’d never cut him out like this before. I could imagine the things he was thinking. The things he would say if I answered.
I needed time. And right now I needed Luke.
Eleven
Luke
Fuck.
Alexa was terrified. I didn’t have to know her long to see every glimmer of fear reflected in her eyes. I stared ahead at the road. The only thing that broke the silence was the sound of the cold air whirring through the vents as I drove us farther outside of Austin.
It had been a fucking ambush. Cameras. Questions. We were swarmed and I felt like a damn caged lion trapped while the shots were fired.
Every time Alexa’s phone beeped she tapped the side to silence it. I could tell the calls made her anxious. I caught her scrolling through some sort of newsfeed, but I couldn’t read it while I drove.
I clicked the button on the truck to open the double gates when we reached the ranch. I heard Alexa sigh, but maybe it was a whimper. I shook my head.
“No one followed us,” I announced. I had watched the rearview mirror. The press had been on foot. No one bothered to tail us once I peeled out of the hospital’s garage.
She threw me a nervous smile. “That’s good.”
I made sure the gates locked securely behind us before we were inside the garage. Levels of security were exactly what we needed. Layers that kept Alexa safe.
I hopped from my side of the truck and walked around to the passenger side to help her down. It was a big step for her small frame.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t meant for these kind of situations. I didn’t offer comfort. I’d never been a shoulder for someone. Hell, I’d never bothered with it.
I led her inside and walked straight to the bar. If there was one thing I knew, it was what kind of whiskey helped when everything was stacked against you. I poured two rock glasses full and handed one to the shaky girl.