Page 109 of Twisted Revelations

52

Laura

Suffocating silence filled the interior of the SUV on the drive back to Houston. I aimed my gaze at the roving landscape outside the window, staring, but not seeing anything. The reach of Dax’s gaze may as well have been tapping me on the shoulder. I resisted the urge to swivel my neck to glance in his direction.

My brain kept making attempts to rethink what I’d already decided not to do. I was not going to start a relationship with a man. We’d had our last spat on the subject before leaving the bed-and-breakfast. Luke and Bev were unaware that their lives were in jeopardy because the tension between Dax and me was enough the cause a chemical reaction.

Every time I became consumed with him, I reminded myself of the kids at the center. They needed me. I needed to lead them from the traps I’d been pulled into as a kid, and I missed them like crazy.

I wondered if I’d miss Dax as much when we parted ways. Hades had to have been missing his flames for me to dwell on the kinds of thoughts I was having about Dax. He was wealthy, educated, well-dressed, proper in public, privileged, and most importantly, a man!

He was my polar opposite in every way I knew. However, for some unfathomable reason, we fit. The strangest most confusing shit I’d ever encountered. A part of me enjoyed the sparks he brought to existence within me. A part wanted this to end so I could return to my life. The loudest part of me was screaming I’d changed and needed to at least consider the changes.

Dax was under my skin, so far under it saddened me to think I’d no longer have him in my life. What am I now, a fucking Hallmark Card?

The kids, I reminded myself. Other than Megan and Beverly, no one was more important than the kids.

Damn Dax! Fuck him, actually.He’d climbed his way onto my short list of people to care about, and I didn’t know how to get him off it.

My nagging mind spluttered when my gaze landed on his which had been aimed at me the entire time. His devilish mind tricks had my emotions all over the place. One moment, I wanted to hate him, the next, I was thankful he’d taught me a few life lessons I’d had no one else to teach me.

Somewhere along the line, Dax had taught me to accept I wasn’t going to disappear into a cloud of smoke if I allowed a man to connect with me. In a short span of time, he’d proved accepting help from a man didn’t make me weak. He constantly reminded me I didn’t always have to be defensive because the world wasn’t against me. I’d learned not to be too quick to judge because the surface of a person only gave you a tiny glimpse.

Dax wanted to continue our month-long fling, something I figured would’ve burned out after our first time together. However, the flames had grown out of control and refused to be extinguished.

Logically, he’d done what I’d done to many women. I don’t believe Dax’s objective was to turn me. He’d been upfront about his attraction from the beginning. I, on the other hand, had hidden my feelings until he’d forced them out of me with his demanding patience and determined spirit.

Beverly was in the same situation with Luke as I was with Dax. However, based on the way they were smiling at each other, I’d say they’d decided to keep their relationship going.

I’d freaked the fuck out when I’d seen they had selfies of them as a couple as the background on each other’s phones. They’d accepted their connection with open arms, snuggles, and kisses. She was up there right now playing a game on his phone, while most men protected their shit like it contained the launch codes for nuclear weapons.

The buzzing of Dax’s phone lured my attention.

“What? Hold on,” he stated, his tone firm. His face was pinched with concern as he placed the phone on speaker and sat it face-up in his palm to allow the rest of us to hear Aaron’s voice.

“Aaron, would you please repeat, so the rest of the group can hear?”

“Regina’s been taken. Ansel, Scott, and Marcus were in a shoot-out with who we suspect are DG6 members. D is meeting us at Ansel’s to see if we can get a lead to track Regina down.”

We glared at each other as Luke’s gaze met ours in the rearview mirror.

Aaron’s voice returned. “Where are you guys?”

“We’re headed back to Houston,” Dax informed him, but the concern in his gaze met the stress that had started to fill mine.

“Okay. Stay alert. The bastards are clever at hiding themselves,” Aaron warned before hanging up.

Silence fell over us with suffocating intensity.

“So, guys,” I called. “Regina is one of us now, and those assholes have her. Should we be on our way back to Cali to raise hell or do you think that hell is already someplace here in Texas waiting on us?”

My question was answered by the alarming growl of an engine being revved and the grated bumper of a large, heavy-duty, black-and-tinted truck on our ass.

The hard crush of metal pounding metal sounded before our bodies surged forward. The bullying impact caused Luke to fight the wheel to keep us on the highway. My heart fought to stay seated in my chest as our harsh breathing sounded over the vehicle’s accelerated speed.

My eyes widened as an SUV sped past us and swerved dangerously to the left to cut in front of us, inches from clipping the front bumper. Luke swerved to avoid the truck behind us as it attempted to bump the rear passenger fender. I didn’t notice we were being boxed in until a third vehicle morphed out of nowhere.

The truck behind us was so close to the back of us it appeared connected. As soon as the vehicle in front of us was aligned, it braked to force us slower. Dax, Luke, and I raised our weapons, aimed, and prepared to let bullets loose.

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