Sweet Satisfaction

The lights flickered and everyone squeezed through the doors to find their seats. I hesitated. If I left, no one would care. They would find a seat filler for me. Someone like Olivia would say I wasn’t able to make it to accept my award. But screw that. I was stronger than what they thought they knew about me .

I had a song to perform tonight .

I had awards to collect .

I had an image to rebuild, and I wasn’t going to start that by running away. I didn’t know if Luke was in my life anymore, but he had taught me that strength wasn’t sporadic. It wasn’t a convenience you could turn on and off. It was a part of my DNA .

The Lexi Wilde that clawed her way to the top was going to dig her boots in and stay .

Thirty-Four

Luke

I heard an obnoxious pounding sound coming from the foyer. I opened one eye and then another. I looked down at the empty bottle of bourbon on the floor. It was at least the third one. Fuck. My head hurt .

I heard it again. Someone was at the front door .

I pushed myself off the couch, stumbling to the door. I opened it .

Alexa was on the porch, dressed in a long beaded gown that hugged her hips and dipped between her breasts .

For a second I had forgotten that she had betrayed me. That we were no longer together. I saw her and my instinct was to pull her in my arms and kiss every inch of her skin. And then I remembered .

“What are you doing here?” I growled .

“If this is the only way I can get you to talk to me, I had to at least try .”

“I don’t want to talk .”

I stumbled back .

“Are you drunk?” Her eyes widened .

“Fuck yeah. You have a problem with that ?”

“Is this my fault? Have you been drinking for two days? I called Linc and he said you had a cold. This isn’t a cold. This is stupid .”

“Go back to Nashville, Alexa.” I started to close the door in her face, but her palm slammed on my initials .

“No. You are going to hear me out, Luke .”

She busted past the loose hold I had on the double doors and marched into the living room. She was a blurry whirl of glitter and sequins. I couldn’t keep up. I was fucking drunk .

She stood in front of the fireplace. I tried to keep my focus on her, but the room spun .

“You need to get in bed.” She looked at me. “You are drunker than I thought .”

Before I knew it, she had my arm over her slender shoulder and started to push me toward the bedroom .

“You are not getting in my bed,” I threatened .

“I know,” she whispered. “But you need to sleep this off and we can talk in the morning .”

“I don’t know about that.” I shook my head .

But as soon as I saw my bed, I collapsed in a heap. I felt the tug of my jeans, but I was too exhausted to fight her. Her cool hands worked the pants off and she slid me under the covers with some effort. She returned a few minutes later with a tall glass of water and some ibuprofen .

“Take these and then I’ll let you sleep .”