Unmasked, The Masquerade Trilogy, Bk 3

Chapter 31

AS SOON AS THERESE AND I EXCHANGED OUR awkward goodbyes and the door closed behind her, my rage surfaced. Feral screaming resonated, attracting my concerned and horrified PA, with Lexie hot on his tail, her alarmed expression checking out the damaged wall beside me.

She automatically rushed to my side and grabbed my hands, inspecting my knuckles through a tearful gaze. "Thomas, do you mind grabbing the first aid kit, so I can fix this buffoon's hands!" Her attention turned to me. "Ari, what on earth transpired for you to lose your temper like this?"

As I peered down at my bleeding knuckles and upon hearing Lexie's beratement, regret engulfed me. "I just had a surprise visit from Therese, Teddy's estranged mother," I uttered despondently as a confused expression crossed Lexie's face.

"Oh. What was she doing here?"

"To find absolution...."

A frustrated Lexie huffed in exasperation. "Ari, stop making me ask and just damned well tell me!" She sounded like me during my relationship with Teddy.

"For playing her part in the demise of my relationship with Teddy by allowing Emmett to manipulate her for years after... raping her, all because she rejected him. She was the fucking catalyst for every ounce of misery that transpired!"

Lexie glared. "How can you say something so cruel, Ari? Emmett and his oversized ego were the promoters in causing all this pain, hence the lack of accountability!" She gruffly steered me towards the sofa, thanking Thomas for his proficiency amidst directing him to pass over bits and bobs from inside the opened first aid kit on the coffee table.

Not that I was paying attention, either. My head was spinning. Therese's candour was as though I'd relived Teddy's trauma all over again. But it certainly explained a lot - a helluva lot!

Before Therese left, I had pointedly offered her some sage advice by suggesting she reach out to Evan and Teddy in the hope they'd take the time to hear her out as I had.

"Fuck!"

Lexie's worried gaze flicked up. "What? Did I hurt you?"

"No!" I growled, jumping up and running my good hand through my hair. "Therese warned me about Aayden, Emmett's equally psychotic son. He's just as obsessed with Teddy, if not worse if that's possible. Therese fears he'll take his obsession further than his father - again, if that's even possible after the crap he recently put her through."

"You can't keep rescuing her, Ari. She's a grown woman with issues she's refused to deal with, dragging you down with her in the process."

I understood Lexie's concern, but my ornery mood prohibited me from listening. "Thomas, book the first available flight to Sydney. Lexie, as much as I love you, I must finish this once and for all." I held up my hand as she attempted to interrupt. "I want you to come with me."

"For what? To protect you or to prevent you from kissing her again?"

I sighed. Once I'd manned up and confessed about the passionate kiss Teddy, and I shared, let's just say my revelation dropped like a lead balloon. As did the implication that we nearly slept together. I presumed Lexie's understanding and sympathy only stretched so far, and I'd say presently, the elastic was about at the end of its tether. "None of the above. I need you - no alternate meaning behind my request, I promise you."

Sobering, her shoulders sagged. "Okay, I'll come. And I'm sorry...."

I hated myself for upsetting her and rapidly returned to my seat beside her, where I gathered her into my arms and buried my nose in her silky hair, inhaling the sweet fragrance of gardenias. "What for? You've done nothing wrong."