"And everything is alright with Jack? Someone didn't steal all of your money?" Ramsey asked fire in his voice.
Seth smiled impishly. "Nah, Jack is perfectly content, if you know what I mean," Seth said with a wink for emphasis.
Lexi's stomach rolled at the comment. Of course Jack would be in a back room with a stripped for his bachelor party. It only made sense that that would happen. And really she didn't care that it was happening. It was more the fact that this right of passage really solidified in her mind that he was really going to go through with this. He was really going to marry Bekah. A woman so detestable, she would do literally anything to stay on top.
"Yes, I know," Ramsey said seeing Lexi's skin pale at the comment.
Lexi's skin suddenly pricked up and all the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She knew someone was watching her. She could feel the eyes from across the room. As her gaze found who was blatantly staring at her, her heart melted. "Jack," she murmured barely audible to the outside world.
Even from across the room, she knew that he wanted her. It was such an intense emotion, one that she was very accustomed to, that she could tell instantly where his mind was. She didn't think it helped that he was both drunk and likely incredibly horny from the strippers antics.
The rest of the group caught on as Jack made his way across the room. "Hey man how was it?" Luke asked as Jack passed him.
"Do you need more cash?" Hunter questioned him digging around in his pockets for some to give him if necessary.
Jack stopped in front of Lexi without acknowledging the rest of the group. Lexi could feel Ramsey tensing next to her, but she couldn't look away. It was like they were on the beach again when she had expected to see him. He was a vision that day drenched in sunlight and full of energy. He was looking at her the same way as if she weren't real, as if he had conjured her up out of thin air.
"Lex," he huskily muttered.
"Jack," she acknowledged not tearing her eyes from his crystal clear blue gaze filled with desire. She wanted to hold onto the disdain she felt for him that afternoon when she found out he was engaged. She wanted to feel the chains being broken and her release from his enslavement. She tried to hold onto that, but his eyes were just calling out to her.
She took a deep breath and moved to take a step backwards, a step out of his reach. Just as she moved, he stepped right into her personal zone and circled his arm around her. She gasped at the sudden movement and the feel of his arms around her.
Jack picked Lexi up off her feet as he straightened. Grappling for support, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. As this happened, her head dropped down to the crook between his shoulder and his neck and she breathed in sharply. His familiar scent filled her nostrils and she reflexively sighed out pleasurably. He smelled exactly the same. It was the exact scent of sex. She hadn't realized but when she thought about sex this was the smell that came to mind.
For just a brief moment, that scent carried her back in time. She was where she was supposed to be. Jack was pressed against her, his lips pressed to her neck as he nuzzled close to her. His fingers grasped her thin waist digging into the silky red material. She could close her eyes and remember a simpler time when this had been her world, her source of happiness.
Even though it had been a year, she couldn't keep her instincts in check not with his body pressed so tightly against her. Her body knew what Jack was capable of doing to her and just out of basic desire, it wanted that. With him so close to her, she couldn't imagine another time before this moment. Her world was right side up again and all the difficulties she had struggled with for a year were stripped away.
Her heart was racing, and if she pulled away just fractionally, she knew his lips would be on hers. The alcohol coming out of his pores was too strong and his inhibitions were mostly thrown out the window around her. She knew that she hadn't been capable of resisting him before. Her brain thick with the memories of past desires didn't want to think of a reason to pull away.
Then, suddenly, all the sights and sounds of where she was and what she was doing came crashing down on her. The music seemed too loud and her ears popped as they adjusted to her brain waking up from its daze. The beer and whiskey clearly potent mingled in with the stale smell of the strip club. She gasped into his shoulder as the smell of sex, which had been so enticing just a moment ago, completely overwhelmed her. Her body reacted instantly to his touch, and she knew that she needed to get away from him. Her mind had finally caught up with what she was allowing to happen, and she forcefully shoved him away from her.
Her breathing was coming out in rapid spurts, and she thought she might hyperventilate if she didn't calm down. She glanced at Ramsey and tried not to over-analyze the disappointed look on his face. She just needed to calm herself down enough to be able to give a proper response to Jack's appearance.
Before she could come up with something, Jack spoke, "You're here to celebrate with me."
"That's what I said," Seth agreed hurrying to intervene before Ramsey got a chance to speak.
Lexi just sputtered in shock. Why would he want her to stay? This hadn't been his idea. He didn't have a clue that this was going to happen, and now he wanted her to stay? She couldn't process this right now. She was at a strip club for Jack's bachelor party with Ramsey. She couldn't think of a much more uncomfortable situation. She knew, when she was in association with Ramsey, she might have to see Jack on occasion, but nothing like this. She just was not prepared for anything like this.
Suddenly a round of shots appeared before them that Luke had ordered at the bar. Lexi hadn't even noticed until a shot glass filled with clear liquid was shoved into her hand.
Seth raised his glass high. "A toast. To Jack's freedom. Soon enough, he won't have it anymore!"
The guys laughed and downed their shots. Lexi stared at the liquid that she knew would only make this night worse and debated. After a moment of hesitation she poured the liquid down her throat letting the burning sensation wash away any emotion she was presently feeling.
"Vodka," she sputtered covering her mouth and searching around for a chaser. She snatched a drink out of Hunter's hand and took a big gulp not caring what was in the glass. Not exactly a wise decision since she ended chasing the vodka with a large gulp of bourbon. She swallowed hard and tried to force back the tears that were threatening to be unleashed from the sheer toxicity of what she had just consumed.
"Are you okay?" Ramsey asked placing his hand gently on her lower back to steady her.
"Peachy keen jelly bean," she muttered indignantly.
The rest of the group had settled back into a cluster of chairs in the corner they had occupied. It was pretty clear that they were all obliterated though, and most of the cash they had brought with them was depleted. The bouncer who had spoken to them earlier appeared at Ramsey's side. "If you guys aren't going to be spending any more money, then you should probably do as you originally intended and get out of here," he said motioning towards the door.
Ramsey took the man aside and had a few words with him, but eventually agreed that perhaps it was the best time to get out of there. The guys had gotten in their good times, and had a few too many stories already about the trip. Ramsey corralled the group and forced them out of the door. He stuffed the four guys in one cab and took a separate one with Lexi to their hotel.