He was talking to another cop holding a glass of coffee. It looked like the guys here knew who he was and were fond of him judging by how they laughed together. He'd filled out his T-shirt in the two years she was gone. The black V-neck molded his body, stretching across his chest. His hands looked like they wanted to rip the material because of how big they were. As if feeling her gaze on her, he turned their eyes colliding. She should have looked away but Alexis wasn't one to shy away. She stared back at him not willing to look away first. Why the hell was he looking at her like that? As if..... His eyes shifted looking behind her before she could decipher what that look meant. Then he smirked shrugging his shoulders and Alexis turned to see who he was looking at. Vince. And he was furious his eyes on his son. He hadn't seen her yet so she looked back at Ray who gestured to her with his eyebrows.
"Alexis?" Vince asked from above her. She would deal with that idiot later.
"Hey Vince" she got up walking to his outstretched arms that went around her squeezing the life out of her.
"When did you get back? How are you, princess?"
"She's a lawbreaker now. What do ya know?" Ray said his voice sounding like he was beside his father. When had he walked over?
"Quiet. What did you make her do Raymond?"
"It's not always my fault you know. It's not like she's perfect"
"Alexis would never break the law unless you coerced her. She's an upstanding citizen unlike some people I know" Vince said his arm now around her shoulders. Alexis stuck her tongue out at Ray who just shook his disapprovingly. "Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me you were back?"
"I haven't told anyone."
"Did you just get here? Where's your luggage?"
"It's at.... "
"Princess! You're back" Nick said walking in with JR hot on his heels. He pulled her from Vince and hugged her for a second before JR pushed him aside, to get to her. "Hey I wasn't done yet"
"You have two daughters Nick. Leave mine alone" he said pushing her hair out of her face. "Hey"
"Hey dad." she tightened her arms around him and he did the same, resting his chin on top of her head. She hadn't realized how much she missed him until he hugged her.
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And just like that, they'd forgotten he was there with them. Alexis had that effect on people. Everyone loved and adored her. She stole the spotlight wherever she went. That's why she was known as America's Princess. Ray stood aside looking on as his father and his friends doted on her, fighting for her attention. The second they saw her, they all forgot they were in a police station or why they were there in the first place. He remembered how he used to envy her when they were kids. Everyone had worshiped her and he couldn't see why since she was like every other kid out there. Nothing about her was special. That was until he'd seen her walk down the stairs on her fifteenth birthday. Then he had understood why everyone wanted to be her friend or even talk to her for a minute. She was so beautiful and had made him forget how to breathe. She still was. Only she wasn't a child anymore. She'd grown up to a stunning woman.
Ray had almost fallen off his bike when she took off the black wig and cap she had on. Yes, he'd goaded her into racing with him but she would have ignored him if she wanted to. He hadn't known it was her. All he saw was a nice ass he wanted to get himself acquainted with. If he'd known it was her, he would have stopped to race her officially and ask for a prize if he won. Which he would have made sure to because the kind of prize he would have asked for would have been worth a night in jail for breaking all speed limits. Running his gaze from her head to toe, he wondered if she'd finally seen him. The way she looked at him before his father walked in had made everything around him stand to a halt. Had the Rutherford Princess finally seen him?
"I know that look," Nick said from beside him startling him.
"What look?" Ray said sipping the already cold coffee he was still holding. It tasted like shit and that made it even better. He liked to remember that even though he was a Lachlan, he hadn't always been. Once upon a time, he had been a normal person living in a one bedroom house with his mother.
"The one that says you're smitten."
He scoffed "I don't know what you're talking about Nick. Go fuss over the Princess."
"Let me give you some advice my boy...."
"I didn't ask for one" he cut him off but Nick just continued ignoring him.
"As someone who's watched Alexis grow up, I'd say she's way out of your league. Even if you were the King of England, she'd still be out your league. That's how special she is. But as a hopeless romantic I'm telling you to make a move before someone else snatches her up. You might never be good enough for her but you can still try"
Turning to face him Ray glared at him "Gee thanks for your useless advice. I'm leaving" he said the last part loud enough for his father and JR to hear him.
"Where are you going?"
"Home dad. I promise to break any laws but I can't guarantee it" he retorted feeling annoyed. Who the hell did Nick think he was telling him he wasn't good enough for Alexis? And why the hell was he mad about it? He didn't care what anyone said. If he wanted Alexis..... He stopped beside his bike. He did want her dammit. He'd wanted her for years but he never had the courage to tell her. So he'd settled to watching her from a distance. When she left, he thought that was his chance to move on. Find someone who could make him forget her but he'd come empty. No one could replace her. There was only one Princess. Alexandra Barret Rutherford.
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"What did you say to him?" Vince asked Nick who just shrugged.
"I gave some advice."
"What kind of advice?"
"The kind uncles give their nephews. Do you have a problem?" Vince shook his head. He knew his son. He also knew what was bothering him and he was going to have a sit down with him soon. He wanted his boy to be happy and if he kept acting the way he did, he was never going to be happy. Not everyone was lucky enough to find love.
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The house hadn't changed. It was still as she remembered it, standing tall like nothing could shake it down. Even in the dark, Alexis knew she could walk around it perfectly without bumping or tripping on anything. She still remembered the first day Jim had moved them in. Her mother was so mad that she'd punched her dad for calling her a drama queen. Smiling, she stepped out of the car just as the front door opened and her mother rushed out. "Alexis" she cried out walking towards her. Having this overwhelming need to cry, she buried her face in the crook of her neck, trying to hold back her cries. She still smelled the same. Everything was still the same except for Jim. He wasn't there to welcome her home. "Oh baby it's okay. It's alright honey" Hayley said rubbing her back while looking at her husband worriedly.Not wanting to make a scene, Alexis pulled back wiping her eyes with t
"Morning fam" Alexis asked the next morning. She was determined not to feel sad anymore so she'd woken up early and gotten herself dressed having decided to look for her own place. Her parents would not be happy about it but she wasn't going to tell them until she was ready to move out. She figured it would be the only way for her not to be haunted by her grandfather's memories."Morning. Going somewhere?" her dad asked while she bent down to kiss his cheek."Nowhere in particular. Which reminds me, where is my bike?""I hid it somewhere you can never find it. That thing is a death trap and that's why I never wanted to buy you one. You know that""Come on dad, I'm not a child anymore.""I
Raymond congratulated himself for thinking so fast. He was taking a chance by forcing Alexis to spend the day with him but he had to make her see him somehow. This date was the perfect opportunity he needed. She was a New Yorker but she'd been away for two years and a few things had changed. His first destination was his favorite place. An orphanage he liked to visit whenever he had a chance and spend time with the kids there. He was always grateful that his mother had left him a letter telling him who his father was or he would have ended up there himself.His parents had been high school sweethearts and they would have ended up married had it not been for his grandfather who had threatened her to leave. Not even once did he grieve for that man when he died. Sylvester Lachlan was the worst human being he'd ever known. Even after conducting a DNA test behind his father's back, he'd still
"Hey, the food's getting cold""What?""Food. Get off so I can too. I'm really hungry" Ray said trying to push her of the bike."Go eat alone. I have things to do""Oh no. That wasn't the deal Princess. The day isn't over yet""Come on Ray....""Don't even think about it. I'm not my dad who'll melt at your feet with just one look from those puppy eyes of yours. I mean it Alexis.""Argh I hate you""I thought we already established that already beautiful."Alexis stomped in to the restaura
"Hello""Hi. Oh my God the photos don't do you justice. You're like way hotter in real life. Look at those arms. Do you like work out? And that chest" she said fanning her face with her hand.JR blinked at the girl. She had to be around twenty years old, tall with red hair and brown eyes. He also noticed the suitcases behind her and wondered who she was. "May I help you?" he asked but she just gawked at him like she'd never seen a man in her life before. Deep down though JR was gloating because apparently he still got it. "Hayley" he called for her positive she would know what to do. Okay maybe he just wanted to show off to his wife that even after so long, he could still attract attention from other women. Younger, to be precise. It was just a harmless eye opening experience. Of course he would never look at anyone else because he
"She didn't? Wow I'm wounded Alexis. Why would you try to make this sweet girl hate me? Unless you like me and don't want anyone else to set their eyes on me"Having had enough Alexis stalked to where Marjorie was and pulled her towards the stairs. "My room. Now!""Wow. You women in this house are like super territorial over your men." Marj said stumbling because her attention was still on Ray."What do you mean by 'we women'?""You and your mom of course."Alexis groaned throwing her inside and locking her room. "Tell me you didn't try to hit on my dad""I didn't. I just told him he was hot and that had your mother unleashing her claws o
They stood outside the gates looking for the familiar face among the throng of students filing out of the college. Alexis had taken Marjorie's advice and slipped into a sexy number. A cream off shoulder figure-hugging dress with cut-outs at the waist and a slit that stopped mid-thigh. Paired with red pumps, she looked drop dead gorgeous if the looks people threw their way weren't obvious. She'd taken after her mother when it came to her physique. Well endowed was the term Marj had used that one time. Not that she hadn't tried to change how she looked.Like every teenager out there, Alexis had gone on diets, starved herself, lived on water just to look slim. Attempts that had all gone in vain because the weight always came back, almost immediately. At least that's what she'd thought. After countless times, she had given up and embraced her body. All because of Connor. He'd told her she was
Marjorie wished she had a Vudu doll that looked like Connor so she could stick pins in it and hurt him like how he was about to hurt her friend. Although Alexis couldn't see it, Connor was a lying, cheating, hypocritical, ugly ass bastard. It made her so mad that he was getting away with it. Worse? Alexis believed him. How could she?They'd met at an event and became friends instantly. And when her grandfather had died, Marjorie had been the one that suggested they go abroad to study so she could get away from the place that reminded her so much of Jim. He was a nice guy, who spoiled Alexis giving her whatever it was she wanted. Not that she was complaining. Her parents had bought a ranch just to accommodate all her pets. As kids who grew up in rich families, she knew what it was like to be dotted on. And just like Alexis, she was also the only girl at home with four brothers which is why