Lexi turned back to Martina.
Before she could speak, Jax said, “This won’t be a problem. ”
“How can you be sure of that?” Martina asked, more rhetorically since they all knew he couldn’t be sure of anything.
“Because like I said, I will take care of whoever took this picture. ”
“Jax. ” Lexi put a hand on his arm, but he shook it off.
“And because we aren’t seeing each other anymore,” he said. “There won’t be any more opportunities for pictures. ”
Lexi opened the door for Martina. She didn’t have anything to say to the woman, and even if she had, Jax had just knocked the wind out of her.
Martina looked over Lexi’s shoulder and up toward the loft where Jax had gone. “I think that’s a good decision. Listen to him, Lexi. This is your future. Don’t throw it away for one hot guy. ”
Lexi said nothing. Because saying nothing was far kinder than anything else that would come out of her mouth now.
As soon as Martina stepped out of the shop, Lexi locked the door and turned toward the stairs. She barely kept herself from running and reached the landing just as Jax was starting for it.
She put her hands up and blocked his path. “This is not your fault, and you’re not leaving just because some idiot—”
“No. ” He said, resolute. “Not just some idiot, Lexi. All idiots. And there are plenty out there. ” He had pulled on the T-shirt Lexi had brought home from New York after wearing it back to her room after their first night together. His eyes were dark with guilt and shame and pain. “It won’t end, Lex. And I won’t be the reason everything you’ve worked for goes to shit. I don’t know how I ever thought…”
“Jax. ” Lexi had never felt so desperate. It was completely illogical but so very real. She couldn’t lose him. “I don’t care. I don’t care about the competition. I don’t care about the partnership. I was already considering trashing the idea—”
“Make your decisions. Do what you’re going to do. But they won’t be based on whether or not I’m in your life, dragging you down. ”
“You’re not—”
“I’m sorry, baby. I should have known better. ”
He pushed past her.
She grabbed the back of his shirt, feeling like a psychotic stalker. “Jax, please…”
He stopped only to turn back and pull her in for a kiss. “I’m so sorry. ”
He broke free of her grip and skipped down the stairs as if he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Lexi had to force herself not to plead with him, but she was desperate enough.
She turned toward the balcony and gripped the metal rail. “Jax, if you really loved me, you wouldn’t leave. ”
He stopped with the front door halfway open.
Please don’t go.
He turned his head, looked up at her. “I’m leaving because I really love you, Lex. ”
Twenty-Four
Six weeks to the day that Jax had walked out of her studio, Lexi sat at her drawing table, a pen in hand. She toggled it back and forth between her fingers. Dragged her lip between her teeth.
“Just write it already. ” Rubi sat cross-legged on Lexi’s bed, surfing the Web. “I’m not staying here all night. ”
Everything with Jax had been a risk. That was what Jax was all about—risk. Lexi was pretty good at taking risks. Calculated risks. But this wasn’t the least bit calculated.
Still undecided, Lexi penned his name on the envelope, each letter careful and deliberate.
Bentley Jaxon Chamberlin