40 – Alex
I can’t believe I’d passed out.
Sitting on the sofa, after Joey had stitched my leg, I was brooding, staring at the knife sitting in a plastic bag on my coffee
table.
The blade on the fucking thing was no longer than my darned finger and about as thick
“How’s the pain?”
I looked up at Joey, who had changed out of her blood–stained pajamas and was standing at the doorway. Everyone had been avoiding me for the last hour, because of my foul mood, and I honestly couldn’t blame them. But I could hear them in the kitchen, and they sounded about as happy as I was, “About a five.”
“Out often? That’s not too bad.” She said, pushing a tendril of hair from her face. “Do you need anything? A drink? A snack? Maybe a new ego, since the last one took off”
“Jolene. Don’t push it.” I smirked, trying to keep from laughing aloud, She had a point. My ego was bruised and battered and in hiding, since I’d woken.
“Yeah, yeah.” She walked over and adjusted the cushion under my knee and ankle. I’d been told to not move for the rest of the day, and it was going to drive me batshit crazy. “What are you going to do?”
Again, she had a point. I wasn’t going to be moving in a hurry.
Joey sat on the armchair next to me and reached out, grabbing my hand and she played with my fingers. Ones that had been buried to the third knuckle in her pu-
“Are you safe?”
The question threw me off and I blinked, moving my hand and threading my fingers through hers. “It was a one–off break–in at the office, Joey. We spooked them, gave chase and cornered one of them. This was purely a miscalculation on my
behalf
Fuck, I hated lying to her.
She looked up at me and I could see she was st
struggling. I didn’t blame her.
We’d made love, then I had left her alone again, and come back injured and asked her to patch me up.
“But-”
“Joey, I promise you, I am safe. It’s not going to happen again.”
She was quiet for a moment, her gaze moving away, before she looked back at me. “I don’t want to think about what might happen, if it happens again, and I’m not here to patch you up.”
There was a moment’s silence between us.
“Are you
“Are you asking to stay?”
No way-
Joey’s face brightened and she licked her lips. “I mean, I could teach Sota how to patch you up, he was really good and
didn’t-”
“Just ask, doll”
Her gaze lifted to mine again and her cheeks brightened further. “I–I’d like to stay for a little longer… if that’s okay?”
I lifted her hand and kissed her fingers, smiling at her. “I’d like that,”
“Oh, jeez you two, get a room.” We both looked at Oliver, who was grinning ear to ear, and he stepped into the room “Heads up, Yuka is on his way. He heard about what happened and wants to come and check on you.”
“Fuck it.” I sighed, tipping back my head and Joey’s fingers left mine.
“I better go and make sure all the blood is cleaned up and make some tea.” She stood and left the room and Oliver took her spot, reaching for my hand. He threaded his fingers through mine and gripped tight.
“So, what were you two love birds talking about?”
1 snatched my hand away and slapped out at him, wincing when my calf muscle sang in pain. “Fuck off.”
“No, come on. Tell me. I’m your bestie.”
Hipped my head back, earning a chuckle and I sighed, looking at him. “Fine. Joey asked if she could stay a little longer.”
“Oohhhhh.” Ollie clapped and I slapped at him again. My best friend cackled like a madman, and I rolled my eyes, tipping. my head back again. “This is going to be so much fun.”
“You can fuck off whenever you want. You know where the door is.”
“Rade.” Oliver chuckled and I heard him stand. “I’ll go and help Joey.”
He left me on my own and I closed my eyes, a smile creeping to my lips. Joey was staying.
I had been worried about her leaving. About what it would do to me. I had been a miserable ass when I’d had to leave her alone in Miami. The thought of her leaving was a constant thought in the back of my mind, since she had got to New York with me the day before. Now, I didn’t have to stress about it so much.
“Alex” Mr. Takada is here.”
My eyes opened and I looked to the doorway. Yuka was standing in the living room, with Joey by his side. “Sir!”
I made to move, and Yuka clucked at me, stopping me instantly. “Sit down, Alexander.”
My face heated as he came across the room. Stopping at my leg, he leaned over and looked at the neatly dressed wound, then turned back to Joey. “Very well done, Miss Brewster.”
“Thank you. Mr. Takada.” She said, “Would you like some tea?”
“No thank you, but I would like some iced water.”
“Of course. Joey bowed again and left the room, returning with a glass of water and placing it on the table. She bowed and turned to me. “Let me know if the pain gets too much, I will bring you some more painkillers.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled and left the room, leaving us alone.
Yuka turned and took the seat opposite me. “Sota told me what happened.”
“I had them, sir.”
“I think they had you, Alex. You are very lucky. You could have been severely injured.”
My lips pursed together, and my gaze dropped to the floor. I hated being told off. It made me feel like a failure, especially when it was by Yuka.
“Is this the knife?”
I looked at the plastic bag, as Yuka picked it up. “Yes, sir.”
He held it up, turning it in the light and I saw the change in him. A frown came to his lips and his brow furrowed, making
me sit forward.
My boss. The man who I trusted, who I looked up to, lowered the knife and looked at me, frowning and I knew what he was about to tell me, would be crap.
“I think I know who is behind this.”
