Page 14 of Beneath His Vow (Knocked Up and Locked Down #1)

TWELVE

LEXI

My stomach is a tight coil. The room is too hot, too busy. My colleagues are gathered around the boardroom table, talking about forecasts and expectations for the next quarter and I should be listening, but I’m not.

Because I can feel his eyes on me.

Tasha is on my left, Simon on my right, and yet I still feel exposed. Every inch of me is screaming with warning. I’m around dangerous men all day long. I’m not stupid. I know Casey’s club does illegal things, but I’ve never felt scared with them. Never.

James is the kind of monster no one sees. He’s too busy hiding behind sharp suits and smiles. And he’s got me in his crosshairs.

My hand rests over my belly where my daughter shifts inside me.

James has backed off lately, but that doesn’t ease my anxiety around him. If anything, it makes it worse. I feel like I’m just waiting for him to strike again.

Tasha nudges me, and I jolt. The entire room is looking at me.

Including James and his smug fucking grin.

“Sorry, uh, I missed what was said.”

James clucks his tongue. “I was asking about the Holcroft file. There’s data missing.”

Holcroft.

Fuck . I don’t even remember James asking me to pull off those reports. “I wasn’t aware they were needed for this meeting.”

His smile is patronizing and I can feel the weight of the room judging me. Colleagues who once supported me are suddenly finding the table in front of them fascinating. “Of course they’re needed. How are we supposed to pitch the client without the information, Alexis?”

You’re very pregnant. Launching across the table is a bad idea…

But fuck, I want to. I want to wipe that smug look off his face. I want to tell everyone in this room that he’s a pervert, a gross asshole who has weaponized himself against me.

Instead, my anger fizzles into something worse.

Shame.

I’ve never been called out like this. Never needed to be. My cheeks are warm, my heart thumping.

He’s left me alone for weeks. I let my guard down, and that was my mistake. Men like him, they don’t stop.

They don’t know how to.

“I’ll do it as soon as I get back to my desk.” My voice is small. I fucking hate that. I’m not someone who shrinks, but I’m so ground down, so tired, I don’t have any fight left in me.

I want to keep my job, but there are days when I wonder why I’m still fighting for my place here.

He flicks his brows up. “And what about the mid-forecast? Do you have those?”

What the fuck?

They’re not due for another month. Why the hell would he want them now?

“No one has the mid-forecast figures,” Tasha says. “I know you’re new to this role, James, but those reports aren’t compiled for another month yet. Do you need me to go through the schedule with you? I’d be happy to make sure you’re on the same page as the rest of the team.”

I could kiss her. The tension bleeds out of me, just a little.

Especially when James’s cheeks flush and he squirms.

“It’s important to keep on top of these things,” he mutters, but doesn’t push.

I barely hear a word of the rest of the meeting. All I want to do is escape back to my desk and survive until the end of the day.

I don’t look at James. I can’t. My skin is crawling at having to be in the same room as him.

When the meeting ends, everyone gathers their stuff and files out of the room. I shoot Tasha a grateful look, and she winks at me—as if to say I’ve got your back, babe.

One of the team members pulls her into her conversation as I grab my notepad and pen. I sense him behind me just before his hand slides onto my hip.

My body recoils even as I freeze. His touch isn’t subtle. It’s in a room filled with people, and yet no one is saying anything. No one is pulling him up on it.

“I am going to need that report,” he says, his hand moving from my hip and grazing along my ass before he drops it.

My throat is so clogged I can’t breathe. I didn’t imagine that. It was deliberate.

I glance around, but everyone is deep in their own conversations, not paying attention. He just groped me and no one saw. No one said anything.

My mouth is dry. My stomach churning.

I step back, my feet like lead as I try to put distance between me and the threat.

Is he even a threat?

He touched me and no one yelled or protested.

Am I imagining this shit?

“Excuse me,” I murmur and escape the boardroom.

By the time I make it back to my desk, my skin is clammy and my head is pulsing in time with my racing heart.

I need air. I need to get the hell out of here.

No one stopped him.

Maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Maybe you’re overreacting. There would be a reaction if it was.

My brain is fried.

My thoughts are chaotic, drowning me.

I can’t breathe.

I grab my phone, my purse and jacket. I have to go.

“Lexi?” Tasha’s voice cuts through the heaviness crushing my mind, just for a moment.

“I don’t feel well,” I say. “Tell James I’ve gone home.”

It’s not entirely a lie. My stomach is in knots and nausea is coating my throat. The baby rolls inside me, and I palm my bump, like I can calm my daughter even though my body is on high alert.

“Hey, Lexi, are you okay? Do you want me to call your husband?”

No. Fuck no. If Casey sees me like this, he’ll lose his mind.

I shake my head. “Thank you for having my back in there,” I say.

“Always. The guy’s an asshole. I wasn’t sitting there while he tore you apart.”

That warms me, but not entirely. “Did you notice anything? Back there? With James? Like…” I swallow hard, watching Tasha’s brows knit together. “Did he seem weird to you, or was it just me?”

Did you see him grope me?

Did you see me freeze?

Tasha stares at me for a moment. “I mean, the guy tries too hard to be the main character, but what do you mean weird? Did something happen?”

I shake my head, forcing a smile. “He was just really close to me. He makes me uncomfortable.”

“I saw him talking to you,” she admits. “Did he say something shitty again?”

My heart sinks. She didn’t see him. She didn’t see him. And now I’m doubting what happened.

“Tell Janice I’ve left,” I say and before she can say another word, I take off.

As I step into the elevator, my skin prickles and the last thing I see before the doors slide shut is James watching me with that smug smirk, like he knows he’s breaking me down, piece by piece.

And the worst part? I’m letting him.