Seth once more. Seth hadn’t moved a muscle, crippled with fear of the obviously skilled homeless man. And Sloan slowly walked forward, completely focused on him.
Scared shitless, Seth threw Lexi down hard to the ground and started running away. Sloan’s rapid fire instincts kicked into high gear and he swiftly grabbed a brick that had fallen from the crumbling wall and threw it with all his might. The brick hit the kid so hard in the back of the head that he was knocked unconscious before he even hit the ground.
Not caring if the kid was dead or alive, Sloan quickly went to Lexi to make sure that she was okay. Crouching over her as she laid in the spot where Seth had threw her, Sloan quickly smoothed his hands over her face and body checking to make sure nothing was broken as she looked up at him with tears spilling down her temples.
“Alexis! Are you okay? Tell me you’re okay!” Sloan said in a panic.
All she could do was nod. Tears clogged her throat making it impossible to speak. Sloan slowly got up, ignoring the growing knot on the back of his head or his bruised knuckles, only concerned with Lexi’s well-being.
Tank came up and nudged them with his head and whined, wanting to make sure that they were okay.
“Can you walk?” Sloan asked Lexi.
“I…I think so. I think I just scrapped my elbow and knee.” Lexi said, finally finding her voice.
Sloan held out a hand to her and she took it, hesitant to make physical contact. He pulled her to her feet gently and together they walked slowly out into the sunlight on the sidewalk and he walked Lexi to her bike. After several attempts to unlock the bike lock with trembling hands, Sloan shooed her away and asked for her combination. She gave it freely and he unchained the bike.
“I don’t feel comfortable with you riding this home in the state you’re in. Let me walk you home.” Sloan suggested and she just nodded in response.
They walked silently for a while, Sloan walking the bike between them and Tank followed a few feet behind. Sloan kept quiet for as long as he could before his concern for what happened overran his need to respect her privacy.
“Who were you talking to that upset you so much?” He blurted out.
“I don’t wanna talk about it.” Lexi stated firmly.
“Alexis, y ou ran into a dark alley known for drug addicts to hang out in, for fuck’s sake!” Sloan shouted, surprising her and him at his outburst.
“ Like I knew that! It doesn’t matter anyway.” Lexi ended softly.
Sloan stopped on the sidewalk, looking at her incredulously.
“‘It doesn’t matter’? It doesn’t fucking matter?!” Sloan got louder in his anger.
“I told you I don’t want to talk about it! What don’t you fucking understand about that sentence?! And why do you care anyway, it’s none of your business?” Lexi shouted back.
“Because I fucking care about you, Alexis! I consider you a…a friend.” Sloan started in a shout and ended softly, nearly choking on the word friend, knowing he wanted so much more.
“I’m sorry, Sloan. I didn’t mean to imply that you don’t care about me. It was just someone from my past that I’d like to stay there.” Lexi admitted with a sigh. “But can we please just leave it at that?”
Sloan only flexed his jaw in response, but kept quiet the rest of the way to her house before he said something that he’d regret.
After about forty-five minutes of walking Lexi stopped in front of a rundown cottage. The instant Sloan looked at it, he knew it suited her and had the potential to be an amazing little home for her.
“This is my house. I know it’s not much, but I love it.” Lexi said, unnecessarily defending her home to a homeless man.
“It’s lovely now and I’m sure it’ll be more so when you’re done.” Sloan said sincerely.
“Yeah, whenever I can find a contractor that isn’t a complete dick.” Lexi said in frustration. “So…uh…Sloan? I can’t repay you enough for saving me earlier
Scared shitless, Seth threw Lexi down hard to the ground and started running away. Sloan’s rapid fire instincts kicked into high gear and he swiftly grabbed a brick that had fallen from the crumbling wall and threw it with all his might. The brick hit the kid so hard in the back of the head that he was knocked unconscious before he even hit the ground.
Not caring if the kid was dead or alive, Sloan quickly went to Lexi to make sure that she was okay. Crouching over her as she laid in the spot where Seth had threw her, Sloan quickly smoothed his hands over her face and body checking to make sure nothing was broken as she looked up at him with tears spilling down her temples.
“Alexis! Are you okay? Tell me you’re okay!” Sloan said in a panic.
All she could do was nod. Tears clogged her throat making it impossible to speak. Sloan slowly got up, ignoring the growing knot on the back of his head or his bruised knuckles, only concerned with Lexi’s well-being.
Tank came up and nudged them with his head and whined, wanting to make sure that they were okay.
“Can you walk?” Sloan asked Lexi.
“I…I think so. I think I just scrapped my elbow and knee.” Lexi said, finally finding her voice.
Sloan held out a hand to her and she took it, hesitant to make physical contact. He pulled her to her feet gently and together they walked slowly out into the sunlight on the sidewalk and he walked Lexi to her bike. After several attempts to unlock the bike lock with trembling hands, Sloan shooed her away and asked for her combination. She gave it freely and he unchained the bike.
“I don’t feel comfortable with you riding this home in the state you’re in. Let me walk you home.” Sloan suggested and she just nodded in response.
They walked silently for a while, Sloan walking the bike between them and Tank followed a few feet behind. Sloan kept quiet for as long as he could before his concern for what happened overran his need to respect her privacy.
“Who were you talking to that upset you so much?” He blurted out.
“I don’t wanna talk about it.” Lexi stated firmly.
“Alexis, y ou ran into a dark alley known for drug addicts to hang out in, for fuck’s sake!” Sloan shouted, surprising her and him at his outburst.
“ Like I knew that! It doesn’t matter anyway.” Lexi ended softly.
Sloan stopped on the sidewalk, looking at her incredulously.
“‘It doesn’t matter’? It doesn’t fucking matter?!” Sloan got louder in his anger.
“I told you I don’t want to talk about it! What don’t you fucking understand about that sentence?! And why do you care anyway, it’s none of your business?” Lexi shouted back.
“Because I fucking care about you, Alexis! I consider you a…a friend.” Sloan started in a shout and ended softly, nearly choking on the word friend, knowing he wanted so much more.
“I’m sorry, Sloan. I didn’t mean to imply that you don’t care about me. It was just someone from my past that I’d like to stay there.” Lexi admitted with a sigh. “But can we please just leave it at that?”
Sloan only flexed his jaw in response, but kept quiet the rest of the way to her house before he said something that he’d regret.
After about forty-five minutes of walking Lexi stopped in front of a rundown cottage. The instant Sloan looked at it, he knew it suited her and had the potential to be an amazing little home for her.
“This is my house. I know it’s not much, but I love it.” Lexi said, unnecessarily defending her home to a homeless man.
“It’s lovely now and I’m sure it’ll be more so when you’re done.” Sloan said sincerely.
“Yeah, whenever I can find a contractor that isn’t a complete dick.” Lexi said in frustration. “So…uh…Sloan? I can’t repay you enough for saving me earlier
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