Jamie realized he actually was pleading with her to agree. He needed her approval and he was scared that she wouldn't give it now that she knew what he had done. She reached out and touched his hand. "I understand why you did it," she said simply. "I'm not saying it was okay for you to lose it like that, but your intentions are completely admirable."
Alex looked up at her, surprised. "You really think so?"
"I do. I mean, I can hardly say it was wrong of you. Nobody else stood up for that poor girl. You did the same for me."
Alex breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed her fingers. "Thank you," he said. "I was sure you would think I was a monster."
"You’re not even close to being a monster," she chuckled. “Maybe a demon of a businessman, but that doesn’t make you a monster.”
He smiled weakly. “My father would disagree. He was furious when he found out. Except, instead of backing up his son, or even taking the fucking time to ask why I had done it, he just assumed I was guilty. When the weasel-shit called the cops and pressed charges, my father backed him up. The asshole raped his girlfriend and then I was the bad guy for taking action! You’d have thought my father would have been proud. He could be ticked for me beating the asshole up but he should have been proud I defended someone who was weaker and unable to defend themselves. Wasn’t that the whole friggin’ reason he was in the Navy. To serve justice and all that shit?” Alex stared at her, his eyes bright and angry.
“I don’t know.” Jamie tried to smile and felt her eyes sting with tears she didn’t want to fall. “You defended and protected me when Stephen came by drunk. I think that was pretty admirable of you.”
"Well, I spent three months in juvie. With no thanks to Naval Captain Reid." Alex played with Jamie's fingers, unwilling to let go of the comfort of her hand. "I was there three months and not once did my dad, or even fucking Mark, come visit me. It was like they were all embarrassed! My own family couldn't bear to look at me. When I came home, my father didn't speak or even make eye contact with me. He sent me off to boarding school as soon as I was out of juvie and then enrolled me in boot camps for the summer.”
Jamie stared at him, horrified at what he had gone through. Why would they do that to him?
“I was seventeen—almost eighteen—when I left. I graduated early, only because I was able to test out. I moved as far away as I could freakin’ get from where I came from. I got a job waiting tables to put myself through college. When I was nineteen I made my first investment and started researching the stock market, and Wall Street. By the time I graduated with a bachelor’s in business, I was already making enough off of my investments to live off of, quite well off, actually. I started my own stock broker company the week I graduated.”
“That’s incredible.”
“I was determinded to make something of myself and prove to that bastard he was wrong every time he called me a lazy-ass bum."
"That's why you work so hard?" Jamie asked. "Because you’re angry at your father?"
He shook his head and let go of her hand so he could motion to the bar to bring them another drink. "It started out that way," he admitted. "Then it became an obsession. The more money I made, the easier it was to pretend I was someone else. Someone who didn't have a screwed-up past and an asshole father. Or a brother that never once tried to back me up.” He paused when the bartender set two new glasses on the table. Alex took a swig and then cleared his throat. “Don’t get me wrong, I tried to keep a relationship with my brother and mother. After all, they were innocent in this. However, they let him stay mad at me and never tried to defend me. I refused to go home for Christmas, never called on birthdays, nothing. I stayed in touch briefly with Mark, but when he started pressuring me to make up with Dad, I pushed him away. He took my father's side, of course, and told me to apologize. The last time I saw Mark, it ended in a fistfight with him having a broken nose and me a black eye. That was ten years ago. The next time I saw him was when he walked into my office."
"I'm so sorry," Jamie said. "I had no idea."
He shrugged. "Now you do. So, don’t ask me to be sympathetic to my family. They are better off without me, and I’m better off without them.” He reached for his glass and pointed the rim in her direction. "It's similar to your family, in a way. Your sister’s a spoiled little bitch who your mother can’t stop trying to polish and shine. Only difference is that you handle it a lot better than me."
"Hardly," said Jamie and traced the wood grains on the table with her finger. "I've pretty much been a wet blanket all my life. I tried to bend to my family's wishes and whim. Heck, I even got fired from my sister’s maid of honor position. Not demoted to bridesmaid, but basically kicked out of the wedding."
Alex's head snapped up. "What?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It only happened on Friday, not exactly news to share at a work brunch."
"Oh shit!" Alex ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Jamie. That's all my fault.”
“No, it’s not. I didn’t do what they wanted and my sister freaked out. I’m finally getting some backbone. That’s because of my job. I should be thanking you.” She tried to smile, but the disappointment of not meeting her sister’s expectations hurt more than she thought it had.
“I was trying to make things better and instead I screwed it all up again."
"What do you mean?" Jamie had no idea what Alex was talking about.
"I couldn't get over how Stephen had assaulted you in the parking lot and I was worried he would do it again. Since he's marrying your sister, he'll always be in your life, and the last thing I want is for something like that to happen again when I'm not around to protect you."
"What did you do?" Jamie whispered. Her heart rate sputtered and belted out a rapid rhythm.
"I threatened Stephen." Alex looked at her, anger blazing in his eyes from the memory. "I told him that if he didn't stay away from you, or if he made you uncomfortable in any way, I was going to wreck his father's company. I could buy it way below its real value and then rip it apart and make sure no one would even know that it had existed. Not only would it destroy his father's lifework, but it would kick Stephen out of his easy and comfortable lifestyle effectively. I think he told your sister to kick you out of the wedding." He shook his head. "I’m so sorry, Jamie. I was trying to help. I'll fix it, okay? I'll explain it all to Christine and—"
"No." Jamie shook her head, smiling suddenly. She couldn't help but feel proud and oddly excited at the thought of Alex threatening Stephen to protect her. She knew a cold-hearted move like that could ruin his reputation if the press got the right spin on it. But he was willing to do it to protect her? "I didn't want the maid of honor job anyway. It was exhausting work and I had to deal with Christine's nagging, and for what? An ugly, size-six mermaid gown? It definitely isn't worth it.” She chuckled again. “Did you really threaten Stephen?” When he nodded, she continued, “It was really sweet that you did that on my behalf."
Alex smiled hesitantly. "Really sweet? I was kind of thinking it was barbaric and manly.”
"Yes," she laughed. "Very barbaric and tough and monster-like. You probably shouldn't have, but I appreciate you risking your reputation on your assistant."
Alex grabbed her hand and pressed his lips against her knuckle, which made Jamie's heart stutter again. "I would follow through, in a heartbeat," he said. "You matter more to me than just about anything else."