I can’t do this, I can’t do any of this.
She steps forward, her eyes not moving from mine. My breath hitches and my fingertips start to tingle: she’s coming toward us. I can almost see the wheels turning in her head, she’s figuring it out and I haven’t got a clue what to do or say as I hear Kitty and Kay calling my name.
“No!” I shout when I feel someone’s hand touch me. My head swings their way, but I can’t make them out as my eyes start to mist over and my breaths come faster and faster.
I need to sit down, I need go home.
I can feel Geena getting closer, her aura swirling like an angry cloud. She knows, they know, everyone knows. The rational part of my brain kicks in; there’s no way that they can know.
“If it isn’t little Lexi.” My breath stutters as she comes to a stop in front of me, her lips lifted into a sneer.
“I…” I swallow. “I… erm…”
“What’s the matter, huh? Cat got your tongue? Or should I say Evan?”
My gaze moves from Kitty and Kay then back to Geena. Her eyes are screaming at me, the fire burning in their depths trying to scorch me.
“What are you doing, Geena?” Kitty asks, stepping forward and coming to stand beside me and opposite Geena.
I watch intently as her hand flutters down to her waistband, her fingers resting on the gun and I start to panic. She has so much power, the police uniform she wears and the way she stands proud tells me that.
“I just wanted to come on over and say hi.” She smiles sweetly, but from the look on Kitty’s face, I know that she knows that isn’t the truth.
Geena steps forward, moving her head toward me and whispers. “If you think I’m gonna let a little bitch like you get away with what you’ve done, then you’re wrong.” She leans back and smirks. “I’ll be seeing you around.”
My eyes widen at her threat: the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice tells me that this isn’t the last I’ll see of her, and it’s all my fault.
“Lexi?” I hear a soft voice call, but I’m too far gone and before I know it, I’m dropping all the bags and running back to the community center, unlocking the door and slamming it behind me as I lock myself inside.
I squeeze my eyes closed as soon as I see the room: the same room he teaches his classes in, the room we had sex in.
My hands lift to the sides of my head, covering my ears and trying to block out all of the noise that is running through my body at such a high volume I’m sure it’s going to deafen me.
It was a mistake; the whole thing was a mistake. I can feel it in my gut, we shouldn’t have done it. He had a girlfriend a month ago, and then I come along and we do that. I can only imagine how Geena feels right now.
My nose starts to tingle as I feel the tears build, and I wrap my hands around myself, stepping to the side and leaning against the wall.
“Lexi? Come on, it’s okay, come back out,” I hear Kay shout through the glass doors, but all I manage to do is shake my head.
There’s no way that anyone will want me here now, not after they’ve seen what happens when I get inside my own head. What happens when I panic.
I’ve done so well at keeping it under control, at not letting people see that part of me, but now it’s out, and there’s nothing I can do to put it back inside.
It’s like a tube of toothpaste, once it’s all been pushed out, there’s no way in the world you can get that minty whiteness back in the tube.
“Wait.” Ty holds his hand up in the air, his eyes widening. “He’s gonna pay you three million dollars?”
I raise a brow, nodding my head. “Yep.”
“I don’t get it,” Luke says, leaning back in his chair.
“This software,” I start. “Is the software to all software. It’ll be inserted into cell phones to manage updates, to record all of your information. There’s nothing that this software won’t see of your life.” I let that sink in. “Once Darrell has his code in there, it means he can access anything, anywhere, anytime. Bank details, addresses, records, pictures... anything.”
Ty stands up, starting to pace around the table, his head down as he thinks about what I’m saying.
When I finally got back to the warehouse it was after ten and I’d missed the morning meeting. Kay and Kitty had gone to see Charlie at the precinct with some information he has on a case they’re working, so there’s only Ty, Luke, and me here right now.
I went right to my safe room, putting the case and the chip in there safely before I came here.