Page 44 of Lex

Summer was gone, and he blamed himself.

Chapter seventeen

“You asshole!” Summer bellowed, kicking out and catching Scott’s shin with her heel. “You tricked me! How could you?”

“I didn’t have a choice!” he hollered back, nodding to the men in front. “They would’ve killed me—”

“I’m going to kill you!” She huffed out a frustrated breath, forcing herself to calm down. Get her shit together. To think clearly. Because she needed to escape and get back to Lex. Then the worst thought possible occurred to her. “Did they hurt him?”

“Who?”

“You know damn well who! Lex.”

“Oh, your bodyguard?” he asked dismissively. “He got stunned.”

“What?” she roared.

“You shouldn’t have involved him—”

“You shouldn’t have involved me!”

“Shut the hell up!” one of the suits in front yelled.

Summer momentarily clamped her mouth shut, glaring at her ex. “This is all your fault,” she seethed, voice low and accusing. “You always drag me into your bullshit, and I’m sick of it.”

“It wasn’t on purpose! It wasn’t my fault a simple job went bad. I was just minding my own business, driving along when—”

Summer punched him in the nose, and he cried out like a damn baby, covering it with his hand. “Shut up, Scott,” she snapped.

How he’d ever survived a bullet graze was beyond her. The man had to be the biggest whiner she’d ever met. She was fucking done, and now was as good a time as any to tell him. To make sure she was crystal clear, so he didn’t misconstrue a single word. “Listen closely, because I’m only saying this once.”

“Jesus, would ya shut up already?” the driver groaned.

“No. No, I will not,” Summer answered indignantly. Because no, she wasn’t going to be stifled. Not by the two men sitting up front, or by Scott beside her. She had a lot to say to Scott fucking Holt, and for once in his life, he was going to listen.

“When we were married, I always tried to accept you exactly how you were, schemes and all. I never tried to change you or judge you, to the point where outsiders might say I was a doormat. But I wanted you to be happy and pursue your crazy ventures, even though I doubted they’d ever amount to anything.”

“You never belie—”

“Shut. Up.” Both Summer and the driver snapped out the words at the same time, and Scott’s mouth closed. Finally. She meant business. She would not be walked over any longer, or used or abused in any way by him ever again. And he’d better recognize that.

“Okay, geez.” When he saw she really was serious, he slumped back in his seat, crossing his arms and pouting. Still holding a hand over his nose. Honestly, she’d barely bopped it that hard.

“Spineless loser,” one of the suits mumbled, watching their drama play out from the rearview mirror.

“I let you get away with far too much, for far too long, and I blame myself, too. But no more. I want this to be clear as day—you crossed a line and put me and the man I love in danger.”

Oh, wow. She abruptly paused, and Scott’s eyes bulged. The man I love?

Hell, yes, she loved Alexander Battle. No point pretending otherwise.

“That is not something I will tolerate,” Summer continued, setting up and clarifying boundaries. “Do not text or call or ask for money. From this point forward, you do not involve me in your schemes and fuck-ups. As far as you’re concerned, I no longer exist. Are we clear?”

“You act like I’ve been bothering you—”

“Answer my question, Scott, or I’ll punch you in your stupid nose again,” she threatened, fingers curling into another fist.

“Fine! I won’t ever talk to you again, if that’s what you want.”