Exposed

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Alexis' fork shoved the green beans around her plate. Up, down, and back again.

From the corner of her eyes she could see Justin lift his glass of water from the table, take a long sip and then set it back down.

Nobody said anything. There wasn't any movement other than the vegetables on Alexis' plate.

Another minute passed. The murmur of voices in the restaurant around them wasn't enough to distract them from the quietness of their own table.

Justin let out a sigh, the sound seeming to echo throughout Alexis' ears.

"How was the fish?" Justin asked carefully.

Alexis nodded, her eyes not moving from her plate. "Good."

Justin let out another sigh, this one a little louder as he tossed his napkin onto the table. "It would be nice if you would look at me."

Alexis let her fork stab at one of the beans, her eyes looking out of the corner of her eye again.

"Properly, Alexis." Justin remarked.

She shot her eyes back down, stabbing into more and more of the beans.

One by one she pushed them to the other side of her plate, taking her time with each one.

"Will you stop with that?" Justin reached over and took her fork from her hand in an aggravated movement.

However, her eyes still didn't rise to properly look at him.

She could hear Justin's chair slide across the floor before his hand was reaching for the bottom of her chin and lifting her head.

She could see the concern in his eyes the moment she looked up, overpowering the slight aggravation she knew he must have.

"I'm worried about you." Justin spoke softly.

"I'm not." She replied, causing Justin's eyebrows to rise.

She pulled her face away from his hand, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms.

"I'm more worried about our child. And you should be too."

Justin closed his eyes, taking in a long breath. "You're still on about this?"

"You're not?" Alexis couldn't help but scoff.

"Alexis, I told you, that picture was an empty threat."

"Then why were you holding onto it? And why did you get so upset when I burned it last night?"

"Because," Justin sighed. "It still could have helped. Anything could have helped."

"Then maybe you should have given it to Josh instead of keeping it in that book."

Justin opened his mouth for a moment before shutting it again. Alexis watched as he reached forward, his large hand cupping her smaller one.

"You're right." His brown eyes met her blue ones. "I'm sorry I put it there, and I'm sorry you had to see it."

"I'm glad I saw it."

Justin shook his head. "You've been a ghost all day Alexis. You've been in your own little world and it's scaring me because I don't know what's running through that beautiful head of yours. But whatever it is, I don't want you to worry about it."

"Easier said than done." Alexis replied on a whisper.

Justin nodded. "I know, but trust me Alexis. You trust me, don't you?"