The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway novel Chapter 2

Lexi's POV.

Eventually, the guests leave, followed by the girls. I help my parents clean up and then head back to my house, excited to see Rixon. I text him and meet him in the woods a few minutes later.

'I missed you,' he tells me as he pulls me into his strong arms. I open my mouth to say something, but words fail me as his eyes drop to my lips and darken considerably. A shiver involuntarily shakes my body, and his full, pink lips pull up into a smirk.

He knows what he's doing to me.

'I missed you too, look, in the kitchen today—' I begin, but Rixon interrupts.

'It was amazing,' he comments, and I smile shyly.

'Yeah it was, but about the ball, Mum wants me to take one of those guys as my date.'

'Over my dead body,' Rixon growls and I can only smile at his possessiveness.

'I'm not going to obviously, but I can't take you either,' I lean back against a tree and look at him, 'I could probably make the girls understand, they'd let me explain, Myra will understand the most because she's been in a similar situation, but my parents— I don't think they'll take it well, at all, my Dad has always been so protective of me and I'm just so scared to tell them because I don't want it ruining what we have, I don't like sneaking around, but it's better than them knowing,' I explain to him and he reaches over to put his arms around me again.

'Look, I get it, it's okay,' he kisses my forehead and I close my eyes, savoring moments like these when I'm with him and I'm not worrying about my family.

'I want you to come round to mine tomorrow, you can meet my sister,' he suggests, and I feel flattered.

'I'd love to,' I reply, a warning howl sounds out and I wince.

'You need to go; they know you're here again.'

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'Mum, I'm staying at Lucia's tonight,' I inform her as I sit down for breakfast.

I've lost count of how many lies I've told my friends and family, but as long as it's for Rixon, I don't care.

I spend my day working at the clinic, everyone comments on what a good mood I'm in, and I know it's because I'm staying at Rixon's tonight. Time passes ridiculously slow, but eventually five pm comes round and I rush home to pack. My phone buzzes with a text from Rixon, apologizing that his sister has invited round some of his friends because they want to meet me. I suddenly feel a bit nervous and decide to find a dress to wear.

Finally, happy with the way I look, I drive over to Rixon's using the address he texted me. I drive down a long, secluded road until I reach a beautiful, pale stone house. Rixon opens the door before I've even stepped out of my car.

'Hi,' he grins, and for a moment I'm frozen, completely captivated by his gorgeous face.

'Hey,' I respond as I pull myself together and grab my stuff.

'I'm sorry my sister invited my friends, I didn't know they were coming, I hope that's okay,' he apologizes, looking anxiously at me as if to gauge my reaction.

'Don't worry about it, it's fine,' I hitch my bags higher on my shoulder and follow him up the steps to the front door. To be honest, I'm slightly nervous at the prospect of meeting his friends, I'm anxious enough just knowing I'm going to meet his sister. In the nicest way possible, I'm not sure what to expect, I don't know what she'll be like. She's been through a horrible experience that I can't even begin to relate to, and I don't know how that has affected her.

As soon as Rixon opens the door, laughter and conversation bounce off the walls, emanating from down the hall.

'Hey Lexi, perfect timing I've just lit the coals on the BBQ,' Ben, Rixon's younger brother, pops his head around the doorjamb to greet me. Rixon places his hand on the small of my back and leads me down the hall to the kitchen, the small action offers some comfort.

As we step inside, the conservation abruptly stops, and three pairs of eyes turn towards us. The first people I notice are who I presume to be Rixon's friends, two guys, one very tall, the height of Rixon, the other smaller, closer to my height. The tall one has his hair cropped very short with piercing blue eyes; I recognize the shorter as the one that I spoke to in the bar the night I met Rixon.

'This is Alec,' Rixon introduces us, Alec, the taller one, steps forward and shakes my hand.

'Everyone calls me Knuckles,' he shrugs, and I notice the smattering of silver scars all over his knuckles, 'Bare—knuckle boxing,' he explains, and I can only nod with wide eyes.

'And you've already met Sam,' Rixon says as Sam steps forward and takes my hand, lifting to his lips to kiss the back of it. Rixon growls quietly next to me but Sam ignores him.

'Nice to see you again, Lexi,' he winks and Rixon quickly turns me away, so I finally see his sister. I don't know what I was expecting, but I'm not ready for how stunning she is.

She has ebony black hair that falls in shiny waves to her waist, the same brown tan as Rixon, giving them a GrecianItalian look, and similar deep brown eyes to both her brother's.

'I'm Callie, it's so lovely to finally meet you, I've heard lots about you,' she pulls me into a hug and surrounds me with her sweet scent, I hug her back, at a loss for words.

'Rixon, why don't you get Lexi a drink whilst we get to know her' Alec suggests and Callie nods in agreement.

'And take her bags upstairs will you,' she suggests and Rixon rolls his eyes at their bossiness. I offer him my bags with a sheepish smile, and he sighs at me, but does as they ask.