Page 93 of Finding Lexie
“I will. I am,” Lexie reassured her.
“The guys have been walking us home,” Ashlyn explained. “Setting up the second location for Food For All is also a good idea for safety reasons. I’m hoping to concentrate on getting meals to people who aren’t necessarily homeless, but are struggling financially and could use some help. So we wouldn’t necessarily be handing out food to the homeless.”
Lexie nodded. She’d never mentioned to Midas how uneasy she felt walking home. If she did, she knew without a doubt he’d do whatever it took to make sure he was there to pick her up, or one of his acquaintances. And she never wanted to be a burden like that. Besides, she was a grown adult, she could more than take care of herself. Had done so her entire life.
“Looks like you girls have some talking to do with your boss. And some pretty hefty convincing. But I know you can do it!” Elodie encouraged.
The three women smiled at each other. Tonight was not only fun, but the women had begun to forge a strong bond. Lexie had wanted girlfriends her entire life, and it seemed that she now had them.
“You guys want to take leftovers home?” she asked.
“Yes!” both Ashlyn and Elodie said at the same time.
“And I’m gonna eat all the cookies before Scott gets back!” Elodie exclaimed.
Deciding to let that go, as they had no idea if it would be one day or twelve or more until their men got home, Lexie headed into the small galley kitchen to start preparing the leftover food. The others helped, then each got another drink and headed over to the bed to hang out and continue chatting.
Five hours later, Lexie’s stomach hurt from laughing and her face was sore from smiling so much.
She’d never had as good a time as she’d had tonight. She was exhausted by the time Ashlyn and Elodie left in a taxi, but happier than she’d been in years. The only thing that could’ve made this night perfect was snuggling up to Midas as she fell asleep.
She didn’t know where he was or when he’d get home, but she had to believe that he’d come back to her safe and sound. The alternative was unthinkable. Midas was tough, and smart, and he had five of the best SEALs at his back. Six, if she included the mysterious Baker. Lexie was fairly sure if Midas and his team needed him, Baker would somehow know, and would do whatever it took to send in the cavalry. She really needed to meet this guy. He sounded both scary and amazing at the same time. He was definitely a man she wanted on her side. Maybe she’d make him a plate of pumpkin spice cookies to butter him up.
The room was spinning when Lexie finally climbed under the covers, but she couldn’t help but smile. She was excited about Ashlyn’s idea for the extension of Food For All. It would make the commute longer for her…unless she stayed over at Midas’s house. That made her grin even bigger.
Yes, it was safe to say that Lexie was more than happy with how things were going in her life. She had an amazing boyfriend, great friends, and a good job. A few months ago, when she was staring up at the stars from an African desert, she never could’ve imagined she’d be this content right now.
Reflecting on being a hostage made her smile dim as she thought about Dagmar. He hadn’t been as lucky. She hated that he hadn’t made it out alive.
Closing her eyes, she sent up a short prayer to the other man. “Rest in peace, Dagmar. And please help your brother heal. He misses you terribly.”
She knew Magnus was struggling by the way he talked about Dagmar in his emails and when they spoke on the phone. Maybe seeing how well she was doing would help him. Would bring some closure to what had happened. That, and getting involved in the organization that Dagmar loved so much.
Turning onto her side, Lexie put Dagmar, Magnus, even Elodie and Ashlyn out of her mind. Her thoughts were on Midas, the boy she used to know who had grown into one hell of a man. And he was hers. “Come home soon,” she whispered before falling into a deep sleep, aided by the alcohol she’d consumed.
Chapter Fifteen
Magnus Brander scowled when he walked out of the Honolulu International Airport, just over a month after he’d first told Lexie he’d be visiting the island. He’d wanted to get here sooner, but there had a been a lot of red tape and paperwork to struggle through. He’d begun to think Food For All wouldn’t allow him to travel to Hawaii at all, but after they’d received a very generous “donation” from the Brander family, the board had finally signed off on his visit.
He could have come at any time, of course. But he needed an official reason for being here to deflect suspicion when poor Lexie was found dead.
He wasn’t one hundred percent sure as to his plan, other than not leaving Hawaii before killing the bitch who was responsible for his brother’s death. There were too many unknowns to effectively plan from afar, but the fact that Lexie worked with the homeless population in downtown Honolulu should give him plenty of opportunities for a solid strategy. He’d always been good at thinking on his feet. He’d play things by ear once he’d observed Lexie and Food For All.
In less than a week, his brother’s death would be avenged. That was all that mattered.
Magnus took a deep breath. Honolulu was way too fucking hot. And humid. He already missed Denmark. But with every day that passed after his brother had died, he’d felt more and more empty. The hole inside him was growing, festering, taking over his body little by little. Soon, he’d be nothing but an empty shell, and he needed the person responsible to pay.
Every time he got an email or message from the little bitch, the urge to kill her grew stronger. She sounded so happy. So content. She went on and on about her boyfriend and how much she loved Hawaii. Fuck that shit. She didn’t even care that because of her, one of the greatest men he’d ever known was dead!
And worse, she’d used her feminine wiles to escape the hospital when the kidnappers came to take back what had been stolen from them. He’d read the report from the Jaeger Corps. Knew exactly what happened. He wasn’t surprised she was fucking the SEAL who’d rescued her. She’d probably had her legs spread for him even as the kidnappers closed in on the hospital. What a whore. It should’ve been her who’d died in that fucking cesspool of a town in Somalia. Not his brother. Not Dagmar!
Magnus climbed into a taxi and gave the driver the address of the Food For All headquarters downtown. He needed to get the lay of the land before heading to his hotel. Lexie had told him about an incident with some men who’d had outstanding warrants, who’d caused trouble at Food For All. She’d also mentioned someone named Theo, who apparently was out of his fucking mind and had scared her a time or two.
He hoped to exploit her fear as best he could.
He’d spend a few days solidifying a plan, while messing with Lexie at the same time. He didn’t give a shit about the audit he’d been sent to complete. As far as he was concerned, the entire organization could go down in flames. It was his next target, after he took down Lexie Greene. Food For All was just as much to blame. If it hadn’t been for that company, Dagmar wouldn’t have been in Somalia, wouldn’t have been taken hostage, and wouldn’t be dead.
Yes, he had a lot of work to do before he could go back to his beloved homeland. He wouldn’t rest until everyone and everything with a hand in Dagmar’s death burned to the ground. It wouldn’t bring his brother back, but maybe it would make the giant hole in his soul begin to shrink.
