Chapter 47.

Chapter 47.
Lexi's POV.

I chuckled softly, hearing him scoff as I walked back to the corner where I'd spoken with Sam earlier. 

"You're back?" Sam was surprised to see me. "What about your emergency?" 

"It's sorted out," I replied with a nod, hoping to quell any further questions.

“Now I can wait for the FBI myself,” I added with a teasing grin.

“And I’ll be right here with you,” Sam affirmed, as he gently took my hand. 

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching. I stepped out of the corner with Sam to meet the FBI agents rolling in, their presence immediately commanding authority. “Alpha-1?” their superior approached me, and I nodded, confirming my identity.

“You've been doing excellently,” he said, a satisfied smile on his face.

“She's really good,” Sam chimed in, looking at me with admiration. 

While the FBI handled the aftermath outside, I finally turned to Sam. “Let’s go back to the party,” I suggested, hoping to regain some semblance of normalcy. As we walked back, I replayed in my mind the whole reason I had left the party—to visit the restroom in peace.

“Give me a minute,” I told Sam before ducking into the restroom. 

After tending to my business, I walked to the sink and splashed some water on my face, staring at my reflection. The image looking back at me wore a mixture of determination and confusion. I sighed softly, recalling Sam's earlier words about wanting to kiss me. 

“I’m sorry about... about wanting to kiss you... and... I just couldn’t control myself. Lexi, you’re irresistible,” he had said, his eyes earnest and full of warmth.

Then my mind drifted to Leo—the way he'd claim my lips with a fierce passion like he owned them, dominating every moment until I finally get a hold of myself. 

Shaking the memories away, I wiped my face dry with a napkin and stepped back out. I returned to the party with Sam, our walk being quiet as he stole glances at me. 

Getting to the party hall my gaze swept across the place, searching for Leo, but he was nowhere to be found. Was his eyebrow genuinely hurting, or was he just bluffing? 

I settled at a table, pulling out my phone and dialing Leo’s number, but there was no response from him.  I tried again, my impatience growing with each unanswered ring. The silence was deafening, and my unease turned to frustration. 

I stood up to leave, but Sam’s hand caught my arm. “The dance is about to start,” he urged, his voice laced with concern.

“Oh, but I really need to go. I have a stomach ache,” I replied, trying to brush him off gently.

“Stomach ache, or... you wanna see Leonardo?” His accusation caught me off guard, stirring something defensive within me.

I yanked my hand free from his grasp, shooting him a glare. “I’m not,” I insisted, my voice sharper than intended.

“I just told you I have a stomach ache, and that’s all you have to say?” I shot.

His gaze softened, his bravado fading. “I’m sorry, I just…” he trailed off, unable to finish his thought.

“I know, but whatever this is, I’m getting tired of it,” I said, turning on my heel and making my way toward the exit.

Seriously, I was exhausted by his and Leo's endless drama and the way it was tangled up in my life. 

As I made my way to the hotel room, my heart sank when I paused at the sight of Leo leaning casually against a car just outside the party hall. He wasn’t alone. Next to him stood a woman, laughing at something he had said, their chemistry palpable. The genuine smiles on their faces ignited a sense of betrayal within me. 

I scoffed, an unknown origin of annoyance coursing through my veins. I had been worried about him, convinced that his eyebrow was hurting, but here he was, enjoying himself with someone else. So this is why he didn’t respond to my calls? Wow, Leonardo! Nice one!

Feeling the heat of unspent anger, I retreated back into the party hall, my mood darkening. I found Sam again, his surprise evident when he saw me return. “Lexi?” he exclaimed, eyes widening in confusion.

“About that dance you wanted, do you still want it?” I asked, determination masking the turmoil inside me.

"Yeah, but your stomach ache..." he said in concern.

"It's fine, I'm good now," I replied.

“Alright, let’s dance,” he said, leading me to the center of the party hall where the crowd swayed in rhythm to the music.

Sam held me close, his hands resting gently on my waist, and I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. As we began to move, I tried to focus but my mind was all over the place.  

“Hey, are you alright?” Sam’s voice broke through my thoughts, a note of concern in it. 

"I'm good," I forced out a smile.

"You don't look good," he insisted, concern etched on his face.

“Yeah, just got a little distracted,” I admitted reluctantly, not wanting to ruin the moment for him. 

"Whatever it is that's got your mind troubled, don't think too much about it. It'll be fine," he tried to soothe my mind with his words. At this point I felt bad for lashing at him earlier. He was just purely concerned for me and yeah, he was right. Leonardo is a red light I should avoid in every way possible. 

Sam pulled me gently closer, his eyes holding mine as the music slowed down, creating a bubble of warmth between us. “Let’s just enjoy this moment,” he said softly, the sincerity in his voice coaxing a genuine smile from me despite everything swirling in my head.

I took a deep breath, letting the rhythm of the music wash over me. For a fleeting moment, I did enjoy it. With Sam swaying with me, I could forget my frustrations. The way he moved with me felt natural, easy—like we had danced together many times before.

Just as I started to relax, the music changed again, shifting from a romantic tune to something upbeat and lively. “Okay, this is more my jam!” Sam exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. 

I laughed, the tension easing out of my shoulders as he pulled me into a playful spin. “Let’s see what you’ve got!” he challenged, and just like that, we broke into laughter while trying to out-move each other to the pulsing beat.

With every twist and turn, I felt lighter. “Alright, not bad!” I teased, watching him try to execute a silly move he’d just pulled from who knows where. He stumbled a bit but caught himself with an exaggerated flourish that had me doubled over in laughter.

“Let’s add a little flair, shall we?” Sam said, eyes sparkling with mischief. With that, he dipped me low in a playful dramatic swoon, the laughter around us blending with the music. I threw my head back, letting the sound of happiness erupt from me—it felt good to let go.

But just as I was beginning to lose myself in the fun, I caught a glimpse of Leo lingering at the back of the hall, his eyes fixed on us. My heart plummeted like a stone in water. He looked... annoyed?

“Dance-off?” Sam quipped, drawing my attention back to him, and I shook my head, forcing a smile. “No, really. I’m serious.” He pulled me back into the fray, but my heart wasn’t in it anymore.

When I turned to face Sam again, he must have sensed my shift in energy. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

"No...more like I've seen a load of reports," I replied. That's what stirs up both annoyance, frustration and self-sympathy within me.

“Load of reports?” Sam chuckled, clearly amused. “That’s a very funny comparison.”

With a swift, theatrical dance move, I turned dramatically towards Leonardo’s direction, flashing him an infuriating smirk before refocusing my attention on Sam, giving him a bright, albeit forced, smile. It was my attempt to mask the storm brewing inside me.

But when I glanced back at where Leonardo had been, confusion crept in. He was no longer there. 

Suddenly, his voice jolted me back to reality. “Looking for me?” 

I turned, startled, and found him beside me, arms crossed, a cocky smirk dancing across his lips.