Lexi: Never Let Me Go

By Lena Ma

Lexi Grimes never knew love until she found it in the most unlikely of places. The moment she first laid eyes on him, her world changed forever. Little did she know, loving someone as much as she did would cause so much pain and lead to an eternity of blind forgiveness and second chances. Drake Taylor fell hard for Lexi, but that love wasn't enough to prevent him from repeatedly breaking her heart. His selfishness and inexplicable connection with Kendra Rhodes made him do things he wasn't proud of, but he could never truly get Lexi out of his head. True love wasn't supposed to feel like this. The one she loved wasn't supposed to make her cry, but that's what Drake did-too often. When Drake's unending infidelity soon became exposed, Lexi did the unthinkable, and that changed everything. As Drake's life spirals out of control, Kendra's jealousy turns to rage. Soon, that rage becomes deadly. Her seductive and unforgiving nature, ready to claim Drake as hers at all costs, proves disastrous as Drake discovers someone by his side. Can true love conquer temptation and lust?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lena Ma Publishing
• Release date: Feb 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781952716126

Lena Ma

The world is a dark and destructive place, and the mind is constantly flawed. Through personal traumatic and emotional experiences, such as domestic abuse, infidelity, and hospital-ridden adventures, Lena Ma brings her stories to life by exhibiting raw emotions that plague, not just her, but many others living in this world. "Broken & Abused: The Imprisoned Mind" brings out the painful experiences she encountered while living with a man with Asperger's, a love that was never meant to flourish. "Shamefully Vanished: A Memoir of a Girl Out of Control" documents her years under the grasps of a debilitating eating disorder that robbed her from nearly six years of her life. In one of her most recent stories, "#obsessed: Instagram Destroys Humanity", she explores deep into the dark sides of social media, influencers, and how the Internet is far from what it seems. Her stories come with dark, twisted scenes that reflect the horrors of reality. Happy endings are a thing of the past while the pain of disturbing reality shines. As an aspiring author, Lena hopes to make a difference in the lives of others by exposing the truths of psychological warfare and the manipulation of the modern world.

Book preview

Lexi

Prologue

"Lexi, I love you. It’s you. It’s always been you. The woman I’m destined to spend my life with. I’m so sorry I left. I’m so sorry I didn’t see it sooner. I was so blinded by lust and intoxication that I failed to realize how special you really are, how you’re the one I’m supposed to be with because you were always there for me, even when I kept screwing up.

I’m sorry I betrayed you when you needed me the most. Please, Lexi, be with me. Be my girlfriend, my wife, like we always talked about.

This ring, this engagement ring wrapped around your beautiful little finger, my great grandmother gave it to me when I was only seven to give to the girl I’m destined to marry.

I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner, but you’re the one I’m supposed to be with, not all the others I’ve fucked around with all these years, especially not Kendra.

You were always there for me, even when I pushed you away. You came to visit me when I was in the hospital, when I was drugged and messed up.

You were there by my side when I overdosed on cough syrup and had to spend four weeks in a psychiatric hospital, even when I didn’t ask you to.

But you came, for me. And I am, and will be, forever grateful for that. You chose me even when you didn’t even know me, and you opened your heart to me more than I could ever ask for.

I know I broke your heart. I know I betrayed you, time and time again. I know I said some things to you that I can never take back. I know. But I promise, Lexi, if you give me another chance, one last chance, I promise I will never break your trust again. Never.

I promise to love you forever. I promise to never leave your side. I promise to be the man you always said you wanted.

You deserve everything. I know I don’t deserve you, but I know you still have feelings for me. We’re meant to be together, Lexi. Soulmates, you and me, until the end," Drake pleads as he clutches his hand tighter around Lexi’s frail arm, her legs dangling in the air above the icy cold water of the Golden Gate Bridge, a strong gust of wind blowing his locks into his face.

"You’re lying!! I trusted you once before, many times before, and all you’ve done is hurt me. You need to let me go. I can’t keep going on like this. I need this nightmare of a relationship to end. I need this fucked-up cycle we’ve been having to just end.

I’m tired of hearing your bullshit promises and lies. I’m tired of opening my heart to you just to watch it get crushed over and over again. You’re lying to me, Drake. I know you are. I know you don’t mean any of the words that are coming out of your mouth. Let me go! Let me go!"

Lexi’s screaming cries are barely heard over the rapid waves and powerful storm brewing upon them, cars speeding pass as the rain slowly slips Lexi’s drenched arm from Drake’s grasp.

"NO! I can’t! I promise to never hurt you again. It pains me when I know I am destroying your trust, and if I ever break your heart again, I promise to end my own life so I can be sure to never do so again.

Please, Lexi, please come back to me. Those other girls meant nothing. I couldn’t bring myself to admit that I finally found the one woman I could settle down with so I kept running away from my true calling, you.

I know I led you on. I know I spent my whole life preaching about love, finding my soulmate, and other nonsense. But that was just me being scared.

I love you, Lexi. I’m ready to admit that now. I love you with all my heart," Drake continues to profess as he grips on tighter, his clutch slowly unfolding as the vehement downpour roars.

Chapter One

Drake Taylor

Let me go! Let me go! I don’t belong here! Lexi Grimes screamed as her entire body is dragged down Windsor Hall of a local and notorious psychiatric hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The guards wrapped Lexi’s emaciated arms behind her back, tying them tight with thick burlap ropes and silver chains.

Despite her cries for help, Lexi was no stranger to situations like this, for this was her third time locked up in her own cell, covered in blood and filth, and she knew her impending fate.

Her days were always the same, people finding excuses to confine her for the safety of society, drain her insurance company for all they’re worth, and finally, expel her from treatment with no solution or follow-up plan, all just to use her psychosis as justification to lock her back up once again.

Lexi had grown tired of others trapping her inside her own life. This time was no different. She had tried defending herself before, tried executing the First Amendment to get herself out of these hellholes before her predetermined time.

However, time after time of trying, she was always left with nothing but disappointment and an even longer sentence.

Day Four. Still locked in this sad excuse for a hospital, a hospital that is supposed to help people and support them, not drain them of their essence.

I knew I shouldn’t have made that suicide threat. I knew the potential consequences, given my history, but I did it anyway.

Don’t ask me why. Maybe I was just bored. Maybe I wanted attention. Hey, it’s not my fault my ex is a cheating and conniving asshole.

If he didn’t fucking break up with me so many times and fucked with my mind, I wouldn’t even be here right now.

It’s his fault I’m locked up. It’s his fault I’m fucking depressed. FUCK YOU, BILL!

Anyway, whatever the reason, whoever’s fucking fault it was, it brought me back here. Once again. Maybe this time, they’ll let me finish my fucking puzzle.

Suddenly, she heard a quiet knock on her door, a light tap that resembled that of a rat, unwanted company she thought she would never witness.

Usually, those who knocked on her door were burly nurses trying to shove lithium down her throat, but this time, the sound was oddly different, warming almost.

Wrestling her hands free with the key she had pilfered from one of the guards while they were busy conversing about the outside world, she removed the remaining ties from her body and proceeded to the overarching wooden door.

Who the fuck is it? Lexi demanded to the other side.

"Hey, um, my name is Drake. Drake Taylor. I was in your art therapy class earlier today, you know, the weird one who spoke about being eaten alive by an alien.

Anyway, I’ve seen you around a few days now and noticed that you seemed bothered by something. I wanted to come talk to you yesterday, but you were crying after your phone call, and I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries and invade your personal space."

Okay…what do you want? Lexi repeated, a hint of irritation coming through in her tone.

"I…uh…just came to tell you that I think you’re really cute, super cute actually, and I wanted to see if you want to take a walk with me around the ward, you know, since everyone else is sleeping.

We won’t be disturbed so we can just talk. I heard what you said the other day about how people control their own destinations, even when all the stars seem to align against them. That was really insightful. I’m really into philosophical topics like that and thought it might be fun to pick your brain a little. What do you say?"

Drake scratched the back of his head as he spoke, his fingernails clearly having been torn off by his teeth. He was perplexed by Lexi’s ensemble, for it was much different than his and everyone else’s.

Lexi’s body was decorated with a long white gown and ruffles around the neckline and cuffs, while everyone else wore simple white t-shirts and white scrub pants, even the women.

Despite thinking it was oddly strange, Drake kept his invasive thoughts to himself, as he did not want to say anything that would make Lexi feel uncomfortable, for he truly wanted to go on that casual stroll.

Sure… Lexi answered hesitantly after giving it a long thought.

She hated this god-forsaken place, and the last thing she wanted to do was become friends with one of these…whatever they were, always lurking around at night like they lived here permanently.

However, this man seemed decent. A bit strange, but decent. Besides, he was incredibly handsome, so why not go on that stroll with him? There’s no harm in a leisurely walk. It’s not like he can murder her with all these people around. Even if he tried, she’s already in a hospital.

Why not have a little fun with the brooding stranger if medical assistance was