Deceptions: Chapter 5

Chapter Five
Thanks go out to CandyCentric for helpful suggestions 🙂 You rock, babe!

Betrayal, Betrayal,
It rips right through me,
How you lie right to me,
Betrayal, Betrayal,
Will this world make better sense?
Once you mean nothing to me…
~ ‘Betrayal’, The Black Maria

Alec listened closely to the recorded transmission, filtering out the static and wind and concentrating intently on the words being spoken. His initial reaction was quickly replaced by anger and indignation on behalf of himself, his friends and above all others, Max.

The folder contained close to one hundred clips of recorded conversations ranging from discussions at Jam Pony during lunch break to arguments between the himself and Max to Cindy’s intimate interludes with her girlfriend to Max gratifying herself in what she thought was the privacy of her own home. Alec found himself feeling a bit hot under the collar as he heard Max keening and crying his name in passion. And he allowed himself a moment of regret and longing for the woman he still loved but had lost.

It was clear to Alec that Logan had somehow managed to bug not only Max’s person, but her workplace and her apartment, or had been close enough to use a long-range mic to capture Max’s interactions with others. The man had no qualms invading Max’s personal space and privacy, and had blatantly broken her trust by spying on her.

He leaned back in the chair and ran a hand over his face all the while desperately trying to wrap his mind around this shocking revelation. Logan is a psycho! This isn’t love, it’s a sick obsession! Needing to know, now, more than ever, just how far reaching Logan’s unhealthy interest in Max’s dealings was, he squared his shoulders and reached for the mouse.

Axel relaxed back into the freshly fluffed pillows Mena had slipped behind his back and sighed contentedly. He smiled at the woman he loved, watching her fumbling and befuddled attempts to make him comfortable.

“Mena, baby, stop running and just sit with me! You haven’t stopped for days.”

She turned flashing eyes to glare at him and planted her hands on her hips. “I can’t, Axel! Don’t you get it?! I can’t just sit. I sat for days. Days, dammit! Waiting and hoping and wondering if I was going to lose you! I need to know you’re okay, need to make sure you-” A sob escaped her throat and her face scrunched up when the enormity of the situation seemed to break over her.

Axel longed to cross the room and go to her side, to take her in his arms and comfort her, but he was confined to the bed for the time being and in no shape to sit up on his own, let alone walk. He bit his lip, wishing he wasn’t so helpless, watching as tears ran down her cheeks, her chest heaving with deep, shuddering breaths.

“I – you – I -” she hiccupped violently, unable to form a full sentence in her state of distress.

“Mena, baby, look at me,” he called softly, willing her to see him through her tears. “Look at me,” he repeated firmly. She raised red rimmed eyes to meet his and he opened his arms to her.

Mena all but flew across the room and into his embrace. He ignored the pain and pressure in his bruised chest and arms and held tight to the woman who meant the world to him.

“I’m sorry I scared you, Me, but I’m fine now. I’m home, I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere, baby,” he cooed softly in her ear, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down her back as she sobbed into his shoulder.

When Mena’s breathing finally calmed, she laid her head on his chest and traced random patterns with her fingers. Her voice was almost a whisper when she spoke.

“I almost lost you and I never told you that I loved you.”

Axel clutched Mena to him and kissed the top of her head. Pulling back, he tilted her chin up so their gazes were level and poured his heart out through his eyes.

“Me,” he said in an unwavering voice laced with longing and sincerity, “when they surrounded me, the only thing going through my head was, ‘I never told Mena how much I love her.'” He smiled softly and brushed his knuckles along her jaw line. “And I do, baby. I love you.”

“Meet me at Café Voilé on the corner of Fourth and Sinclair at midnight,” he spoke sharply into the phone, his tone leaving no doubt of who was in control.

“I can’t be out at midnight, you know that!” she hissed angrily.

“Worried that he’ll find out all you dirty little secrets?” he sneered, knowing he’d hit a nerve.

“I’ll be there, but you’d better have the rest of my money. You’ve had long enough to come up with the final installment!”

“Oh, don’t you worry, sweetheart, I fully plan on paying in full and closing this deal out. After tonight, I want nothing further to do with you, and good riddance.”

Logan made his way down the alley and came to a stop beside an abandoned garage. Making a quick visual sweep of the area and concluding that he was alone, he walked behind the garage and pulled back the broken chain-link fence, squeezing through to the yard beyond.

He approached the dark and silent house and knocked once on the back door, waited, and then rapped three times more.

A gravelly voice called out, “Who’s there?” Logan could hear footsteps approaching from the other side.

“It’s the Stockholder,” he replied in code.

“Shares first. Slip ’em through the window by your feet. Wait here,” came the muffled reply.

Logan noticed the open window to the basement and bent down to pass a carton into the void. He stood up again and waited somewhat impatiently, shifting from foot to foot. It was late and dark and being in one of the shadier parts of town, he wanted nothing more than to get back to the safety of his Bessie and be on his merry way.

The sound of locks disengaging startled him and he glanced sharply at the handle as it turned. A figure hidden in shadow nodded abruptly and said, “It’s all there. Now get out of here and don’t come back.”

A small package was thrust into Logan’s hands but before he even opened his mouth to thank his contact, the door slammed shut.

Taking a roundabout way back to his car, Logan slid in behind the wheel and opened the gummed flap of the envelope and smiled.

Alec was nearing the end of the list, having listened to almost two hours’ worth of illicit recordings. He knew it was late, knew he had to get home, that Hailey would be wondering where he’d gotten to and waiting impatiently, but some extra sense told him that the next clip was important.

“HvL01-Op3M.avs,” he murmured the file name aloud. Generated over a year ago, before Logan and Max got back together.

Hearing the pulsing, pounding music, staccato bursts of laughter compounded with heavy and erratic breathing, shouting and general bedlam left him with no doubt in his mind; he recognized the familiar sounds of Crash.

Filtering out the unnecessary background noise and focusing on the words being spoken, he listened intently as Logan began to speak.

“I’ve been watching you,” he said quietly.

“And I should care because…?” came the muffled reply.

“Because I know what you want,” he paused, “and I can help you get it.”

The silence was swallowed by the perpetual din.

“I can help you,” he repeated.

Alec stopped the clip and replayed it, struggling to make out who it was that Logan was propositioning. The voice was distinctly female but she must have been facing away from the mic, which would explain the distorted sound quality.

He tilted his head, eyes narrowed in concentration, and pressed play again.

“I don’t need any help, mister. I don’t know what your game is, but I’m not interested, okay? Take a hike.”

She must have made a move to leave, there was a rustling and then a quick slap.

“Get your filthy paws off me, you jerk!”

Clearer. But not quite clear enough.

“Look, I don’t want anything like that. Just give me five minutes. If you’re still not interested, I’ll leave and won’t bother you again.”

“Fine,” came the reluctant reply. Another pause. “Wait, I know you,” she insisted. “You’re were Max’s boyfriend.”

Logan gave a soft snort of derision. “If you’ll just hear me out, I might be able to fix both our problems.”

“Both?” she asked in a tone full of interest and curiosity.

“Yes, both. I’ve seen you watching him, following him. You want him,” he stated confidently.

“What are you talking about?” she bristled. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t have time for this.”

More rustling could be heard and Alec had almost given up figuring out what the point of the conversation was and he went to stop the clip and close the file out. But Logan’s next words made him stop cold.

“I want Max back, but she’s with him,” he spat bitterly. “You help me get her back and I’ll make sure you get-“

He stiffened. This time there was no denying that he recognized that voice.

“…Alec,” the mystery female finished for him. Another pause. “I’m in. What do I have to do?”

Alec fell back in his chair heavily, expelling a deep, ragged breath.

Jesus!

No. Just…no.

Some time later, Mena shifted in his arms and he winced at the pressure being applied to his bruised limbs. Though he tried to hide it, she noticed and quickly disentangled herself from him and rising to her feet.

“Oh, Ax, I’m sorry!” she exclaimed in regret and embarrassment. Axel grasped her wrist before she moved out of reach.

“It’s fine, just a bit sore is all. Me, can you grab my jacket for me?” he asked, changing the subject quickly.

Without a word she retrieved the requested item and laid it gingerly across his stomach. Axel fumbled with the material, hands in search of something as her curious eyes followed his every movement. Axel chuckled at the bemused expression on her face. Extracting the small box from the inside pocket, he tossed the jacket carelessly aside. Looking up at his girlfriend he grinned sheepishly.

“I should be down on one knee doing this, but given the circumstances…” he trailed off, grinning wider as he saw realization dawning on Mena’s face, her mouth forming a silent “O” as words failed her.

“Me, baby, will you marry me?”

*BANG!*

The door slammed open and Hailey stalked into the apartment, screaming infant in her arms and a murderous look in her eyes. She forced her way into the bedroom, ignoring the obviously tender moment she had intruded upon and practically barked at the occupants of the room.

“Where the hell is Alec?!”

Axel scowled darkly while Mena’s eyes narrowed in anger at both the intrusion and the manner in which her boyfriend was being addressed.

But Axel kept his irritation in check and replied, albeit a bit coldly, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Her patience was wearing frighteningly thin and Hailey glared at Axel. “You usually know where to find him. Fine, so you don’t? Frankly, I don’t care right now. I have to go out and Alec isn’t home. I’m leaving Kaie with you.” She turned on her heel and was about to exit the room when Mena found her voice.

“What the hell do you mean, you’re leaving him with us?! We’re not a babysitting service! Take him with you, or something, but he can’t stay here! Axel’s still recuperating and a crying baby isn’t going to help him get any rest!”

“I can’t take the kid and there’s no one else. I don’t have time for this,” she hissed. “I’m out of here.”

Axel and Mena watched in shock as the irate transgenic mate of their closest friend left the squalling child on the living room floor and walked out the door.

Mena turned to Axel in disbelief and shook her head. “I don’t believe that girl! Of all the nerve…!”

“Yeah, well,” Axel shrugged, “she knows I’d do anything for Alec…”

Mena scoffed. “Maybe so, but that doesn’t give her the right to drop Kaie and run! And Alec’s an idiot.”

“Connect the dots for me, baby?”

“Just, I can’t believe he mated with…that! I’ve never liked her, Ax, I doubt I ever will. She’s an opportunist and, in my opinion, a complete bitch. I don’t understand what he sees in her!”

“It’s complicated, hon. Let’s just say that Alec is honorable and leave it at that.”

Mena’s eyes widened in comprehension and she swallowed hard. “Gotcha,” she replied slowly.

Axel smiled sadly, remembering times when Alec had seemed so unreservedly happy at the prospect of a future with Max, back when it had looked like she returned his feelings equally. Alec had changed following their falling out and the result was Hailey. He sighed and glanced at the metal band in his hand, suddenly remembering what had transpired before the unwelcome  encounter with Hailey.

“Mena,” he said quietly, watching with a tender smile as she hefted the small, squirming child onto her shoulder and soothed his cries, “You never answered my question.”

In a few short steps she was by his side, pressing her lips to his firmly.

“Did you doubt my answer for a second?”