Chapter 18: Lexa

I wake up early the next morning to find a pale, red-headed naked woman in my bed. Don't get me wrong, she had a great body, but the problem is I don't remember bringing her down here or anything that happened. I quickly slide out from under her, heading to the closet for some clothes, then leave to look for food. I head upstairs and luckily see a crew member to ask where I could find something for breakfast. He's super friendly and tells me to follow him. He leads me to the back of the boat, where I find two chefs in identical cooking areas. I'm not sure what to expect because I really didn't get to explore too much last night. I walk up to one of the cooking stations, and the chef asks me, "What can I get you, Miss?"

I don't know what to say, so I ask him, "What are my choices? Never mind, can I just get a cheese omelet with a side of salsa…oh, do you happen to have a steak that you could grill to go with it."

He smiles and says, "I'm sure I can find one. Why don't you go and have a seat? I will have Petrona bring it out to you when it is ready. How do you like your steak cooked?"

"Medium, thank you. Where can I get something to drink?"

"I will send Petrona out to get your drink order. Now just go sit, relax."

I barely take a seat when an older Hispanic woman says, "Good morning, ma'am. My name is Petrona. What can I get you to drink? Perhaps a mimosa or juice."

I look up at her to find a beautiful pair of sparkling greenish-blue eyes. She's heavy-set, with long black hair, which is French braided hanging down her back. I say, "Good morning, Petrona. I'm Lexa. A mimosa with pineapple juice would be amazing. Could I also get a glass of ice water as well?"

"Yes, ma'am, no problem. I will be right back."

As I sit here looking out at the water, I can't help but wonder how Ash is doing and what happened with Callie yesterday. I'm surprised when Petrona puts down my drinks. I didn't hear her approach. She smiles, "Miss Lexa, are you okay? You look sad, especially for someone who had such a nice party last night."

Something about Petrona makes me feel like I can talk to her. She makes me think of a grandmother figure or something. I look at her, "Thanks for asking Petrona, but I'm okay. Although, I would really appreciate it if everyone would just call me Lexa. If I'm going to live on this boat, I want my crew to be comfortable talking to me as an equal, like a big family."

She smiles, "So, does that mean you are not replacing us?"

"What? Why would you think that I am replacing anyone?"

Petrona looks at the floor and says, "Well, Miss Lexa, in past jobs, when the boat changes owners, the new one usually brings in their own crew. So I just need to know if I need to start looking for another job and place to live."

"Petrona, it is not my intention to replace anyone. Look, I'm new to town, hell, I'm new to this country, I have no idea what I'm doing. I won this boat in a bet, and it is going to take me some time to figure everything out, but I plan on keeping everyone in some way or another. First, I have to talk to the captain and my friend Ash, but then I will speak to the entire crew. What is it that you do onboard?"

"Well, ma'am…"

I interrupt, "Please call me Lexa."

"Yes, ma'am, I mean Lexa. I'm one of the live-in caretakers. When the ship is docked, and there is no one aboard, I just make sure everything stays clean in good order. When there are guests aboard, I do various things like waiting tables, making sure all the guests have towels and things along those lines."

"Oh, how many of the crew normally live on the ship full time?"

She replies, "There are six of us that live here full time, Reed, Jose, me, Logan, Lora, and Stefania."

"That's all? What about the Captain?"

"No, he doesn't live on the ship."

"Oh, thanks for the information. But, just know that I don't plan on replacing anyone if they want to stay." As she walks away, Octavia comes and takes a seat at the table. "Good morning, sunshine."

She just grunts at me, "Why are you in such a good mood this early?"

"Unlike you, I had a great night's sleep, plus I get to spend the day with Ash. I do have a question for you though, who is the girl currently sleeping in my bed?"

She laughs, "I'm not sure. Something Irish, Ilene…no Aisling. I think. She came with Ahmed and his group of friends. Why?"

I just don't remember taking her to bed or anything that happened. How am I going to explain these one-nighters to Ash? Which reminds me, can you take the jeep for me? I'm going to have the captain take the boat to pick up Ash this afternoon."

"Are you insane? How are you going to explain to Ash how you came into possession of a multimillion-dollar boat overnight?"

"I'm going to tell her the truth."

She stands up instantly, sending the chair flying, "Are you crazy? You can't tell her about the fights. She will tell Bellamy, Abby, and god knows who else. Bellamy will kill me and probably have the whole thing shut down. Then what are we going to do for fun? Lexa, you can't tell her!"

"O, calm down. I will make sure Ash doesn't say anything to Blake or anyone else about the fights. I'm sure she can come up with something to tell people. Hell, she's rich. She can just tell everyone she bought it for me. Now sit down, and let's have some breakfast."

"Fine, but you better not screw this up. I still want to have somewhere to fight even though I don't need the money anymore."

Around nine-thirty, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker from Reed. He said, 'Good morning, everyone. The time is now nine-thirty, meaning it is time for all guests to disembark. Please gather all your belongings and head toward the gangway. There are takeout boxes located near the exit if you would like breakfast to go.'

I look at O, and we start laughing, "Boy, he knows how to say get off in a very polite way." As we continue to talk, we slowly begin to see our friends walking down the dock, heading to their cars. By around ten-fifteen, Reed and Jose show up. "What's up, guys? Have a seat and have some breakfast with us."

They looked at each other before Reed says, "Lexa, we are your employees."

"Yeah, and you guys are my friends. So, sit down and have some breakfast with me."

Reed replies, "The Captain will not like it if he catches us sitting down while on the clock."

"You let me worry about him. Besides, I need to talk to him at some point anyway." They reluctantly sit down, and I order them some food. Then, I ask, "What needs to be done to get ready to head over to Ash's."

Reed says, "The cleaning crew has finished cleaning up from the party last night, and all that needed to be done now is cleaning the suites. It should only take about thirty minutes to get there, and the captain already has the clearance we need."

Octavia asks, "So, Stryker, what do you have planned for today? Are you going to try romancing her on your amazing new yacht or what?"

"That's a good question. I'm not sure yet."

Jose says, "I feel like we are missing something. Are you and Ash not still together?"

I just shake my head no, "Now that is an exceptionally long story. Right now, why don't you tell me how you guys ended up here?"

Reed looked at Jose before saying, "The short version is, after we left Ahmed's, we wandered around trying to find a way to get out of Afghanistan. Finally, I decided to try going to the US Embassy since I was born in the US. They were able to verify who I was, what had happened to my parents and said they would get me on a plane back to the states. I didn't want to leave Jose, so I declined but had them get me an American ID and passport. Next, we tried to get in touch with the Brazilian government to get Jose's information, but we didn't have any luck. Unfortunately, they aren't as organized as the US government. So, we used the money you gave us to buy our way onto a ship headed for California. Once on the boat, we tried to learn as much as we could so that we would have some sort of practical skills once we made it to America. It took us forever to get here, but by the time we did, we knew enough about boats to pick up odd jobs around the docks until someone told us about a job aboard this boat, and now here we are. What about you? How did you become the owner of this yacht?"

"Well, I have only been in the States for about a week. Octavia is Blake's sister and my new best friend. She has shown me around and introduced me to many people, most of whom you met last night. Most importantly, though, she introduced me to Mickey, the former owner of this yacht. He is an underground fight promoter. I entered one of his tournaments last night and won. Mickey decided to bet against me, which I warned him about, but he did it anyway. So, of course, I won, and this is my prize."

Reed says, "Wow, that must have been one hell of a bet. What would have happened if you lost?"

O speaks up, "If this dumbass had lost a fight, she would be fighting for Mickey for free the rest of her life to pay him back. It was the stupidest bet I have ever seen anyone make, but somehow she pulled it off."

They just laughed, and O said, "What's so funny?"

Jose said, "Let's just say that the bet isn't the stupidest thing we've seen Lexa do and leave it at that. So, what happened with Ash?"

"I told you, long story. Short version, Ash found out she had a kid with her high school sweetheart, so she is going to see what happens with Callie."

Reed says, "What? I'm not sure exactly how things work when two women are together, but I'm quite sure you should know if you have a kid or not."

We all start to laugh before I say, "How that happened is an even longer story. Let's just go with it, we aren't together right now, but I'm not giving up hope that eventually we will find our way back to one another. Right now, I just want to enjoy being alive and free, and I want the same for you guys. Jose, were you ever able to get your citizenship with Brazil verified?"

"Um…no. Right now, I'm working illegally."

"Okay, no problem. I will ask Ash how to go about getting you whatever you need to make you legal. Speaking of Ash, O, you need to head out. Take the jeep for the day, and we'll catch up tomorrow. Guys, I think I just want to keep things casual today, starting with maybe a light lunch, then a full tour of the ship, and go from there. I would like to have a nice dinner set up around nine, maybe steaks and potatoes. Can we set up the dinner down on my floor out by the fire pit and have some soft music playing as well."

All three of them laugh, "What's so funny?"

O says, "Lexa, a candlelit dinner by the fire isn't exactly keeping it casual."

"Is it too much? You think…should I do something else?"

Reed says, "No, I think it sounds great. If you are trying to win her back, you should do something romantic, and dinner by candlelight is romantic but not over the top. I think it sounds great. Now Jose and I should go make sure everything is ship-shape and ready to go. We'll be available when we drop anchor to see you to shore."

They get up to leave, and so does O. I decide to walk her to the jeep. As we pass by the guard booth, I notice there is a different person on duty and make a mental note to stop by on the way back and introduce myself. Once at the jeep, I hand O the keys telling her to take good care of my baby, and I'll text her either tonight or in the morning, depending on how today goes.

As I walk up to the guard booth, the guy comes out and says, "Good morning, where are you headed?"

"Actually, I was going to stop by and introduce myself to you. I'm Lexa Trikru. I just recently acquired the yacht in slip number twenty-two. I'm assuming you're the day guard for the docks since I met Roger last night."

He replies, "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Trikru. Roger left me a note telling me the yacht had been sold or whatever. I hope that you use it more than the last owner. He failed to even name her, and she is such a beauty. Oh, sorry, my name is Taylor, Taylor Haney."

"Nice to meet you, Taylor, and you will be glad to know that I have already given her a name and intend on using her as my home."

"That is good to hear. May I ask what you named her?"

"Sure, her name is the Untouchable Stryker. Sorry to rush off, but I am taking her out today and need to get back aboard. I look forward to seeing you from time to time." I turn and head back to the boat. Once aboard, I text Reed to let him know that we can leave whenever they are ready and then head to my room. I had just turned on the television when the phone in my room rang.

"Hello."

"Hello, Ms. Trikru. This is Captain Miguel. I was calling to let you know we are ready for disembarkation. I have acquired clearance to dock by the sea cliffs. I will just need the house number so that I know where to dock. Also, if the owner of the sea cliff residence will just call the harbormaster, we will be given the all-clear to stay anchored there as long as you like."

"Thank you, Captain. The house number is 2211." I hang up and dial Amelia's number. She answers, "Hello, Lexa, how are you?"

I reply, "Hey, Amelia, I'm great. Is Ash in the room with you?"

"No, why?"

"I have a surprise for her, but I need to ask you a question first. Would it be okay to dock a yacht near the beach on your property?"

Amelia says, "Lexa, what are you talking about?"

"Please don't tell Ash. I will explain when I get there to pick her up in a little while. I just need to know if it will be okay to anchor near the beach at the house and if it is, can you please call the harbormaster and give the okay."

"Lexa, I don't know where to even begin, but sure I will call and okay it. I do, however, expect an explanation when you get here."

"Yes, ma'am. I will explain everything to you and Ash when I arrive. Thank you."

Now the only thing to do is go outside and wait until we arrive. It isn't long before Reed texts saying we would arrive in about five minutes. So I decide to text Ash to have her and Amelia meet me on the beach.

Me: Hey, I should be pulling up in about five minutes.

Ash: Ok, can't wait to see you.

Me: Can you and Amelia meet me down on the beach?

Ash: What?

Me: Just trust me. Meet me on the beach and bring Amelia.

Ash: Fine, see you shortly.

I hear a knock on the door. When I answer, it is Reed, "Are you ready? I thought we would use the Limo tender to really impress Ash. How does that sound?"

"That sounds amazing. I'll follow you. We'll be picking up Ash and her mother, Amelia. Once we get on board the yacht, I would like to go up to the outdoor dining area and maybe have snacks or a light lunch and drinks while I explain how I am now the owner of this boat. Is that doable?"

Reed replies, "Sure, I will radio Jose so that he can have everything ready when we arrive back on board."

I climb aboard the tender for the first time. I can't believe how nice it is. First, you step down onto the back deck of the tender, where there are four seats on the outside. Then as you walk toward the front of the boat where two steps take you down into the boat's interior. On the inside, it reminds me of the limousine that Ash and I rode in when we were in Dubai. There are two long rows of bench seats along both sides of the interior. I decide to follow Reed up to the helm for the ride to shore.

I just had a thought, "Um…Reed, how are we going to dock the boat when Ash doesn't have a dock?"

He laughs, "This boat is equipped for a beach landing, meaning we can just beach her. There is a ladder on the back. Then when we are ready to leave, I'll just push her out."

"Oh, another question, how did you get the name painted on so quickly?"

"That would be Jose's doing. Once he knew the name of the yacht last night, he started painting the tenders. It's one of the things he learned while we were at sea. He is really good at it, as you can see."

"Yes, he is. I will have to remember to thank him later." I can see Ash and Amelia coming down the walkway to the beach now. We beach the tender about the same time that Ash and Amelia make it onto the beach. I help Reed secure the boat before walking to meet them.

I wave as I walk towards them. "Good afternoon, Ash, Amelia."

Ash says, "Um…Lexa, what the hell is going on?"

"I will explain everything over lunch. Come on." I turn walking toward Reed and the tender. I glance back to see that they are following me. I look at Ash and Amelia and say, "Ash, Amelia, this is Reed, and he will be taking us back to the Untouchable Stryker. Once we are aboard, he will show us to the dining area, where we'll have lunch on deck and talk. I promise I will explain everything and answer all your questions."

Ash looks at Reed and says, "Hey, don't I know you?"

He smiles and says, "I wasn't sure you would remember me or not. Yes, I was at the battle of the valley and on the mission where you were captured by Omar. I'm glad to see that you're okay and out of your coma."

Ash says, "Thanks, but how…."

I say, "Ash, I will explain on the ride to the yacht. Now everyone aboard."

Once aboard the tender, Reed pushes us off and heads toward the Untouchable. I explained what I had learned earlier this morning about how Reed and Jose made it to the US on the short ride. I also asked Ash and Amelia if they could help me figure out a way to help Jose. They both said they would make some calls after getting more information from Jose.

We docked the tender and followed Reed up to the deck, where we found a table set with plates and glasses of water. Before we could get seated, Petrona was asking, "Ms. Trikru…."

I interrupt, "Petrona, I thought we covered this, this morning. My name is Lexa, and this is my friend Ashley Fletcher and her mother, Amelia Fletcher."

"Sorry, Ms…I mean Lexa. It is nice to meet you, Ms. Ashley, and Ms. Fletcher. What will you all be having to drink?"

I answer, "I think we will start with a round of mimosa's, Petrona."

She nods, turns, and leaves. "Before either of you say anything, what would you like to eat. I told them that we would probably just want something lite, like sandwiches, but I'm sure we can order anything you want. Just let me know."

Amelia smiles at me, "Thank you, Lexa. I think I will just have a salad with some grilled chicken."

Ash says, "Fine, I'll play along. I will take a turkey sandwich."

I nod. When Petrona comes back with our drinks, I give her our order. She says she'll have it out shortly. As soon as she is gone, I look at both of them and say, "I know that you are both dying to know what is going on, and I'm going to tell you, but I need for you to hear me out and not get mad. I also need you both to promise not to tell Bellamy Blake anything, understand?"

Ash says, "Lexa, I need to know what's going on before I make that promise."

"Ash, you once told me that you trust me completely. Is that still true?"

She shakes her head, "Yes, I trust you completely."

"Alright, then trust me not to ask you to do something you would be opposed to. It has nothing to do with me but Octavia. She's not in trouble or anything. She just wants the opportunity to tell him herself. So, can you both promise me?"

They both say, "Yes." Petrona sits our food in front of us and asks if there is anything else she can get us.

Ash speaks up, "For some reason, I think that I am going to need something stronger than this mimosa. Can you bring out a pitcher of margaritas, please?"

"Sure thing, Ms. Ashley!"

"Thank you, and could you also just call me Ash."

Petrona looks at me. I nod, and she walks away. About two minutes later, she sits a pitcher of margaritas on the table. I thank her, and she tells me she will check back with us later. Now it is Amelia's turn, "Okay, Lexa, start talking and make it from the beginning."

I laugh, "Alright, you both know I have been spending a lot of time with Octavia and her friends. Well, come to find out, O has been fighting in an underground fight club for some time now, and she had a fight last night. I ask…"

Ash interrupts, "What do you mean an underground fight club?"

"I'm getting there. Apparently, there are these types of clubs all over the world. The fights are held in underground locations because they are unsanctioned therefore technically illegal. Before you say anything, they are completely safe or as safe as fights can be. The rules are the same as the rules for the UFC fights. They have refs and everything. Anyway, I asked Octavia if she could get me in to fight, and I entered a tournament held yesterday. As you can see, I am fine, so don't freak out. Turns out that there wasn't really much competition for me, and I won the tournament."

Amelia says, "Lexa, I don't know that I'm comfortable with you fighting in an underground fight club, but I'm glad that you did well."

Ash says, "Lexa, I'm with mom on this, but as I said before, I trust you. So, if you think you can handle it, then I believe you. I would like to know what a fight club has to do with this boat, though."

"The guy that runs the fights here in San Francisco, Mickey, lost the boat to me in a bet. So the Untouchable Stryker and everything on her belongs to me now. Plus, a good amount of money in my bank account."

Ash looks at her mom, then me saying, "What the hell are you talking about?"

I spend the next half hour explaining how I used the money I took from Omar placing a series of bets on myself to win the tournament, and then the side bet with Mickey winning his yacht. Amelia didn't seem incredibly happy about the fighting or the betting but said that she has seen me in action and knows that I can take care of myself. Ash, on the other hand, was more upset about me placing the bets. She said she doesn't want me to get carried away and lose all my money or get addicted to gambling. I tried to assure her that I wouldn't, but I don't think she believes me. So, I say, "Ash, if it will make you feel better, I promise not to make any more bets. Besides, I don't really need to. With the amount of money I made last night, I should be set for life. Although, I am going to continue to fight but not for the money, just for fun."

Ash says, "Lexa, exactly how much money did you make last night? Also, I appreciate you promising not to make any more bets, but I trust you. Just don't make any stupid bets, okay."

"Thanks, Ash, that means a lot to me. I only bet on sure things. As for the money, let me pull up my account. Give me a sec." I log into my accounts and say, "I made close to 54 million-plus the yacht."

Ash said, "You have got to be fucking kidding me?"

Amelia says, "Lexa, honey, are you serious?"

I just turn my phone toward them so that they see my account. They look at each other and then back to me. Finally, ash says, "Babe, how did you…what are you going to do now?"

"I was hoping that you and Amelia could help me with that. I don't have a clue what I'm doing. It started off as one bet of $250,000 on me to win the tournament, then people kept telling me I couldn't do it, so I had to prove them wrong, which led to more bets. The way I looked at it, I could prove them all wrong while making enough money so that we never had to work again. I knew I could win because none of them have been through what I have. That's when I made the side bet with Mickey. Ash, what I realized last night is that I was born to be a fighter, and although it didn't start out as being my choice, it is now, I enjoy fighting. I don't need to anymore, but it is what I want to do."

Ash says, "Babe, slow down. If you want to fight, why don't you do it legally? I mean, you've been offered a spot on the UFC's Ultimate Fighter; why not take that if you want to fight?"

"Ash, if I did the Ultimate Fighter or the UFC, I wouldn't have a choice in when or who I fought. I would have to do what someone else told me to. I don't want that. I have spent my whole life doing what someone else tells me to do. With Mickey, I get the choice of who or if I fight."

"I understand, babe, I do. If this is what you want, I will support you. Mom, can you help me open an account for Lexa in the Cayman's?"

"Sure, honey."

"Thank you both for hearing me out and understanding. I never thought I could be in a position to support myself, much less have any of this. It means the world to me that I have the two of you. I don't know where I would be without you. Now would you like to take a tour of my new place?"

Ash looks at me, "Wait, does this mean you are moving out?"

Amelia says, "This is why you called me earlier asking me about anchoring here. You want your own space, but you want to stay close to Ash."

"Yes, to both. Ash, I want to be close to you, but I don't want to have to worry about running into Callie or Asher like I did on Friday. I know they're a part of your life, but it was so awkward, you know. Baby, I love you, and that will never change, but I just feel like this is for the best. Do you understand?"

Ash looks at me sadly, "Babe, I do understand, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it."

"Ash, you can come and go as you want. I will leave one of the inflatable tenders on the beach so that you can come out whenever you want, even if I'm not here. Now come on, Reed and Jose are going to take us on a tour. I haven't even seen the entire ship yet."

For the next hour, the three of us follow Reed and Jose around the ship. As we tour the ship, I talk with Ash and Amelia about what I should do about the crew, my money, and everything in between. Ash and I come up with a plan for the staff, while Amelia says she will help me invest my money and setting up a company. Once the tour is over, Amelia looks at us and says, "I think I will head back to the house and let you two have some alone time. I think you have a lot more to discuss. Lexa, thanks for lunch and the tour. Please be careful fighting and know that you are always welcome in my home."

I give her a hug goodbye asking Reed if he will take her back to shore, and when he returns to inform the Captain, I would like for him to have all the crew on deck a two o'clock. I then turn to Ash and say, "So, once we take care of the meeting with the captain and crew, what would you like to do today? Do you want to play with the boats or jet skis, or would you rather go shopping?"

She snaps her head at me, "Did I just hear you right? Did you say that you are willing to go shopping? I thought you hated to shop?"

I laugh at her, "I do hate to shop, but I know you like to, so if that is what you want to do, it's fine with me. Besides, traffic around here is crazy. I think I want to buy a motorcycle so that I can just zip in between the traffic, plus I need to pick some things up for my room. I mean, it's nice, but I want to add my personal touch to it. We have dinner at nine. But, other than the meeting with the crew, the rest of the day is yours to decide."

Ash says, "I'm not passing up a chance to shop. I say we go shopping since it is already late in the day. Maybe we can spend some time on the jet skis and stuff tomorrow. Do you even know how to ride them?"

"Nope, I was hoping you could show me how to use everything. If we are going shopping, can you come to help me decide what to do with my space?"

I take her down to my space, giving her a more in-depth tour. I tell Ash that I don't need the his and her dressing room or the beauty room. I express that I want to turn the beauty room into a walking closet and the dressing rooms into a training room with mats, punching bags, etc. Then I look at her, "I have a question for you about where you would like to stay when you are aboard. Would you prefer to stay in one of the suites or if I turn the office into a bedroom would you sleep there? I could even turn the studio into a kid's room for Asher."

She replies, "I can't believe you are willing to do that. I would definitely rather be as close to you as I can, so I think it would be amazing if you would create a space for Asher and me in your area."

"Great, consider it done. Do you know anyone that could make these changes?"

"Actually, I think I do. I will give them a call, but right now, we need to go meet with Captain Miguel."