Snapshot: Chapter 25

My heart stops when I see the open suitcase on my bed. It’s half empty, just some shorts and shirts folded and tucked into one side. A few pairs of Lennox’s underwear are shoved into the mesh zippered compartment. To the right of the suitcase, there are two chargers with the cords neatly coiled resting beside her phone. No matter how much I investigate, I can’t tell if she’s in the middle of packing or unpacking.

Her phone lights up, and I can’t help but see the notification flash across the screen. A preview of a text from Alan catches my eye.

Alan

It was good to talk. Thanks for calling.

My whole body tenses. I try to relax my jaw, but jealousy seeps into my blood, making me jump to the worst conclusions. We just need to have a simple conversation.

She’s in the bathroom. I see the light under the door. I’m assuming the worst as I sit down on the bed and brace myself. Did I already fuck this up? One week… That’s all it took to completely ruin the shot at happiness my grandma was trying to give me. I turn my back for a few days, and now she wants Alan again?

The pounding in my heart becomes painful as it accelerates. Beads of sweat pour down my forehead, and no matter how hard I try to focus, the room starts to spin. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I press against my chest firmly with my palm as if I can hold my heart steady but it’s no use. The sequence of events are as they always go.

I can’t breathe. My hands are unsteady.

I can’t support my weight and slump to the ground.

There’s no use fighting it. I’m gasping for air on the ground, feebly waiting for it to pass.

“Dex?… Oh my God, Dex. Babe, can you hear me?”

She drops to the ground and scoops up my head, cradling it as best she can in her lap. The towel she’s wearing untucks at the top and falls into my face. Lennox rips it away from my nose and mouth, exposing herself completely. I look up at the underside of her bare tits as she strokes the side of my face. She makes no moves to cover herself, unwilling to release me.

“Dex,” Lennox says very calmly. “Are you feeling any pain in your left arm, neck, or shoulders?”

She thinks I’m having a heart attack. I shake my head. “Count…” I murmur. “Just count for me.”

“What?” she asks. “No, here, listen…stay with me. You’re safe. Are you hot or cold?”

“I don’t know,” I gasp.

She continues to stroke my cheek. “Think about it. How do my fingers feel? Cool or warm?”

“Warm,” I answer.

“Yeah,” she says. “I was just in a hot bath. I should feel warm. What do you smell?”

I focus on my senses one by one. Her thighs are smooth and soft. There are still a few water droplets on her legs, probably dripping from her wet hair. I nestle deeper into her lap. “Something sweet. Like candy.”

“The Starburst I was eating. I had a whole log. It’s probably molting out of my pores at this point.”

I laugh. “Smells good on you.” My breathing settles as my heartbeat slows. “Keep going.”

She mops up the sweat on my forehead with the edge of the towel. “What do you see?”

I smile as I look up. “Your nipples.”

She chuckles. “How do they look from below?”

“Perfect.” Relief spreads as the hot, anxious tension in my body subsides. I sit up and lean against the side of the bed. Lennox refastens her towel but stays seated, giving me space.

“Can I get you some water?” she asks.

“You know, I came home fully prepared to comfort you. But then I saw this.” Using my thumb, I point over my shoulder to her laid-out suitcase. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” she asks.

“For not being here. For not protecting you from all this bullshit… I was just informed about the article.”

“I should’ve called you, but you were flying, and I didn’t want to worry you.”

“I don’t care, baby. All I care about is how you’re doing. Are you okay?”

Her eyes drop to the floor. “Mostly.” When she looks up, she shows me a weak smile. “Honestly, I’ve been better.”

“Oh, Len⁠—”

“It’s my fault. I fucked up. I carelessly told her everything, no idea she’d use it all against me. We were just chatting—girl talk. I had no idea she would… She seemed like⁠—”

“A friend?” I ask. Lennox nods solemnly. “That’s how they get you. Len, listen to me⁠—”

She holds up her hands, stopping me. “No lecture needed, I promise. I will be extra careful moving forward. My lips are zipped unless⁠—”

I yank her into my chest and hold her tightly, my forearm braced against the back of her shoulders. “Don’t even go there. None of this is your fault,” I whisper into her ear. “It’s mine. I’m sorry. I should’ve been here to protect you. It won’t happen again. Please don’t leave me over this. I can fix it.”

She pushes away from me, her face scrunched up in confusion. “What?”

Staring right at her open suitcase, I ask, “Were you going to say goodbye or just disappear in the night?”

Her eyes pop into big circles. “You thought I was leaving you? I ran out of clean underwear, Dex. I had to dig into my backup stash. I can’t find the washing machine in this place.”

“There isn’t one. We just send laundry off with the housekeepers.”

She rolls her eyes and lets out an exasperated grumble as she balls up her fists. “Okay, enough. Surely, this place has washer and dryer hookups somewhere. We’re buying our own machines, Dex. I can’t live like this. Having to be so reliant on everyone. I don’t want anyone managing my schedule, I want to do my own laundry, and I want a car for fuck’s sake. I don’t want to call Joe every time I’m craving Taco Bell. Maybe all the convenience works for your schedule because you’re actually working. But all I have going on is humiliating my family members in interviews, so I have plenty of time to do my own shopping.”

“Okay…okay,” I say. “Whatever you want. Just promise me you’ll stay.”

“Of course I will.” She kisses my cheek. “But out of curiosity, why do you want me here if you’re not going to be?”

I inhale deeply then release my breath in a loud exhale. “Fair point. Do you want to get dressed, and we can talk?”

“Let me drain the tub first,” she says, rising to her feet.

“You didn’t finish your bath?”

“No, I heard my husband collapse so I hopped right out mid-soak.”

Standing up, I grab her hand, leading her back into the bathroom. The thick white foam is still coating the top of the tub, looking like a fresh layer of snow. There are bath salts and little bottles of oil lining the tub rim. Starburst wrappers are bunched into tiny balls and tucked into the corner of the tub. A beer, dripping from condensation, sits next to them.

“You really went all out, huh?”

She laughs. “I was hoping to just move into the tub forever, never having to face the world again. I’m so embarrassed.”

I squeeze her hand. “It’ll pass. No one’s going to care about it tomorrow.”

“I don’t care what people think, Dex. What bothers me is how Kat made our marriage sound like it was some kind of money grab. I know this all fell into place in an unexpected way, and we’ve been on a giant friendship detour for the past few years, but…this is real to me. I want to be with you. If anything, your money and your company are a real pain in the ass right now. You don’t believe any of that stuff she said about me, right?”

I hang my head and shake it. “Not a goddam thing,” I say.

“And the stuff about my dad⁠—”

“I don’t believe that either,” I assure her.

“It’s true, though.” She wraps her arms around herself, clutching her towel tightly. “In a way.”

Crossing the space between us, I stand in front of her, rubbing the outside of her arms. “What happened?”

“It’s so far over my head, my mom had to explain to me why so many lawyers and law enforcement were involved, tearing our house apart, asking for phone records, confiscating all our laptops. She said my dad’s bosses were doing some shady shit. He found out they stole a lot of money from their clients and employees and lost it. Many families were going to be impacted, so he said that they should do the right thing and fess up. I guess declaring bankruptcy would help recover some funds. They all agreed…to his face. But when my dad went to give his statement to the SEC, his bosses pinned it all on him. They forged documents, put his name on secret accounts he didn’t know about… They set him up. Even their lawyers were in on it. They created an iron-clad case, and no matter how much my dad told the truth, nobody believed him. A fall guy was easier than watching such a lucrative company crumble to pieces. I would’ve told you sooner, but I didn’t think I would ever be called a criminal by association. Especially when my dad didn’t do anything wrong. He was the good guy.”

“Oh, Len. I know.”

“To make matters worse, the company recovered. A few stocks went the right way. They invested in some big tech companies that had a great return on investment. Had my dad kept his mouth shut⁠—”

“He’d be complicit,” I say.

“And his life wouldn’t have been ruined. I feel like over and over again, the universe teaches me that when it comes to money, assholes reign superior.”

I give her a sheepish smile. “You think I’m an asshole?”

“No,” she whispers. “You tricked me, Dex Hessler. You got me to fall for you well before I knew the stakes.”

“I’m sorry, baby… About not preparing you. But making you fall for me was the smartest thing I ever did.” I tap her nose, then make my way back to the tub. Dunking my hand in, I confirm it’s still warm. “Join me?” I pull my shirt overhead, then unbuckle and drop my pants and boxers before kicking them to the side.

“I just got out and dry.”

“Come on, Trouble,” I singsong. “I missed you so much. Me and my magic schlong want to take a bath with you.”

She breaks out in a cackle, then covers her eyes. “I did not say ‘schlong,’” she grumbles.

Taking her hand, with her eyes still covered, I pull her towards the tub. Barely tugging at the top of her towel releases it to the ground. “But you did say magic, right?”

She opens her eyes and rolls them. “Is your ego asking?”

“Perhaps.”

Using my shoulder as leverage, she steps over the ledge and settles into the warm water. Sinking down until her neck is covered, she moans appreciatively. Then, she scoots forward, making room for me behind her.

The water level rises to the brim with both of us seated, a mere inch away from spilling over. “Lean back.” I trail kisses from her ear down her neck, nipping at her shoulder. “Thank you,” I murmur against her skin.

“For what?”

“After business trips, I usually return to a house. This time, I’m returning to a home.”

“You’re returning home to a hot mess express of a wife who just humiliated you in the media. I gossiped like a schoolgirl about my boy toy to a fucking rat of a human being.”

“Embarrassed me?” I ask, smirking into her neck. “I didn’t actually read the article. What else is in there about me and my dick?”

“Nothing. Just that you’re well-groomed and have long, thick fingers and know how to use them,” she mumbles hurriedly.

I burst out laughing. “None of that is embarrassing for me. Flattering, actually.”

“There’s a forum on Reddit of women who say they’d be willing to—and I quote—‘skull and crossbones emoji’ me if it meant they’d have a chance with you.”

“Hence the need for security.”

“Dex—”

“Len, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. What do I need to do to make you feel safe?”

She turns her head so her lips are close to mine. I’m just grateful she’s in my arms. Naked, wet, warm. All I want is to taste her lips, but the worry lines on her forehead are keeping me from claiming what’s mine. “Just be here with me as much as you can. Help me do a good job at all this. I don’t want to let you down.”

“Okay.” I run the back of my fingertips across her chest, grazing her nipple, then dipping below the water line down her stomach. Something primal in me takes over when I touch her like this. Mine, mine, mine. The beast in my chest chants. No one gets to hurt her. No one gets to touch her. I waited so fucking long… She’s mine. “The article doesn’t bother me, baby. But you did let me down.”

“How?”

I wedge my hand between her thighs. “I’m your husband now. I take care of you.” I slip my fingers between her center, and she moans. “You stay wet for me and only me.”

Her breath quickens as I tease her entrance, just slipping the tip of my finger into her warmth.

“Next time you get into trouble, or you need help, you call me first. Not Finn, not your dad, and most fucking definitely not Alan.” I slip my finger fully into her, and she groans. But the moment she registers my words she clamps her legs shut so hard she makes a wave in the water, causing it to slosh over the side.

“You read my texts?” she asks, her tone devoid of arousal and instead borderline pissed. She turns her torso so she can look me in the eye.

“No. A notification popped up on your phone right when I walked into the bedroom before…”

“What did it say?”

“It was from Alan, and he said he was glad you called him.”

“And then you got so pissed you had a panic attack?” she asks in a whisper.

“No, Len. I have a lot of stress that causes panic attacks…more often than I like to admit. But yeah, I don’t love that you called Alan today instead of me.”

She buries her head in her hands. “I didn’t want to distract you during your meeting. You said you had a lot of important issues to iron out. But so did I. Avery was the one who called to tell me about the article. She begged me not to read it and she was calling all her PR contacts in the industry to try and have it taken down. Finn was tasked with keeping my parents off the internet. The stuff they said about my dad was vile. I didn’t want him to see it and get hurt. I got so many calls and text messages from friends who were offended I didn’t tell them we were married or dating. I’m not just a prop, Dex. I have a life, too. I gave up my friends and family to come here and support you. Then, you weren’t even here.”

“I…” I can’t finish my sentence because I have nothing reasonable to offer. I wasn’t thinking about what Lennox left behind. My mind was fixed on where we were headed.

“And then I got a text from Alan who asked me to be honest with him… He wanted to know if I had been cheating on him with you the entire time. He and I broke up and I married you not even a week later. Tell me, how does that look? I owed him an explanation, at least.”

I promised myself I wouldn’t feel bad for Pocket Protectors anymore. But fuck. “What did you tell him?”

“In a nutshell, I told him that while I was his, I was his alone. And when we broke up, I became yours and yours alone. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still care about who I hurt.”

“Was being with Alan easier than being with me?”

“Yes,” she says, spinning around, leaning back into my chest. “But I don’t want easy. I want you. I want my whole heart feeling like it’s going to explode every time you enter a room.”

I laugh. “That sounds terrible.”

“It’s not so bad.”

Now that she’s relaxed, I go back to trailing kisses on her neck. “My grandpa worked incessantly. His dad was the same. I never actually knew my own dad. My mom got pregnant out of wedlock. Grandma told me after she passed away that my grandpa threatened to disinherit her if she married that man. I don’t know what was so awful about my dad that my grandpa didn’t want him to be part of our family…but at any rate, my mom was willing to leave the money behind to be with him.”

“Then what happened?”

“When the threat didn’t work, Grandpa offered my dad a check to disappear. He took it. I was curious about the amount. How much is enough to walk away from your kid, you know?”

Lennox bends her arm, reaching backward. She holds my cheek tightly in her hand. “That’s awful.”

“I want to be more like the men in your life and less like the men in mine. I want to be as loyal to my family as your dad is. I want to be as enamored with you as Finn is with Avery. Basically, I promise if you stick around, I’m going to do better. I think that was the whole point of Grandma leaving the company to someone else for a while. She didn’t want me to focus on being a good CEO. She wanted me to focus on being a good man. All I want is to be a good man to you.” I press my hand against her stomach. “If you let me put some babies in here, I promise I’ll be a good dad.”

“Since when do you want kids?” she asks with a scoff. “I thought that was off the table. You always said you didn’t want kids.”

“When did I say that to you?” I ask.

“About five million times over the past few years.” She squeezes my knee under the water.

“No, I asked, when did I say that to you?” I smile into her neck before tugging on a loose tendril of her hair. “Maybe I just always wanted my kids to come out with purple hair.”

“You sure you graduated from Harvard? Did you miss the class where they explain how hair dye works?”

Reaching around her body, I playfully pinch her nipple. “Are you making fun of me?”

“A little.”

I pinch harder, and she squirms. “Hmm, two things to address now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your sassy little mouth and the fact that you closed your legs on me.” I bite down with pressure on her shoulder and she gasps. “You know how I feel about that.”