Page 72 of Twisted Revelations

33

Beverly

My body buzzed with excitement at the anticipation of reuniting with Megan. When she called and informed us she was getting married, the news floored me, but I couldn’t have been happier for her.

Given the horrors she’d faced in her youth, I’d support whatever brought her happiness. After Megan’s news, I’d had to pry the phone from Laura’s frozen grip before snapping my fingers at her face to get her blinking again.

So far, D and Dax had been a blessing during the storm that had blown into our lives, and they continued to protect us like family. I’d been keeping a closer eye on Laura with Dax. They weren’t fighting like they used to, and I was becoming increasingly convinced there was more happening between them than they’d let on.

Maybe we’d all grown to care for each other since the guys had saved us from the DG6 monsters that lurked. We’d taken out Santino, but we’d found out that Sorio was the source that had ordered his men to catch and capture us.

Although it was wise to be cautious, with the top of the vicious organization gone, we were able to roam about with more freedom than we had before.

Compliments of Dax, Laura and I were being spoiled rotten. In preparation for our trip to California, he’d treated us to another shopping spree that had landed us designer shades, clothes, and even a few pieces of expensive undies.

My silk Carolina Herrera blouse hugged like strong arms, and my ripped boyfriend jeans fit like they’d been measured and tailored. My new Louboutin platform heels made perfectly-pitched clicks against the pavement as we were escorted toward Dax’s private plane.

The April weather was perfect for what I called the cute-girl outfits. I lived in the moment, my head so high in the air you’d think I was a king’s daughter. For the most part, I stylized my outfits mindful of dressing to compliment my size. Thankfully, I was evenly portioned, but thick and curvy in the areas that drew the most attention—ass, hips, and chest.

Laura was in a cream Max Mara jumpsuit paired with a four-inch red and gold Saint Laurent gladiator heel. She had an eye for style that blew me away sometimes. She attracted a lot of unwanted attention from men she’d learn to brush off as smoothly as she’d learn to pick up women. She had confidence in herself, but I believed she was clueless as to how gorgeous she truly was. The fact she still looked like she was in her teens garnered her even more attention.

I hardly flinched at the pressure of her nails digging into my forearm when the first view of the plane caught our sight. Our eyes bucked, and our steps faltered, messing up the rhythm of the expensive-sounding clicks under my feet.

Dax stopped at the edge of the steps to assist us up, always the gentleman. Although I didn’t see D, I sensed him someplace, watching, being our eyes to ensure our safety before he boarded.

Stepping onto the plane, my steps hitched when I made a sudden stop to enjoy the first view and inhale the scent of newness. I aimed my phone and snapped a photo, adding to a collection I’d been building during this journey. My hands skimmed the wide, peanut butter leather seats that flowed like butter under my freshly manicured fingers.

Dax stepped into the cabin behind us. “I’ll give you ladies a quick tour before we take off.”

A full-sized bedroom, a kitchen that came with a cook, two flight attendants, the pilot and co-pilot, and rows of large reclining seats lined each side.

The cabin could seat ten people comfortably. The bathrooms, including the one attached to the bedroom, was full sized. They weren’t converted closets designed to allow everything inside to reach out and touch you. If this was how the other half lived, I wanted to be signed up.

If Laura hadn’t been a determined lesbian, I would have been forcing her down Dax’s throat for the perks of knowing someone with his kind of connections. I quieted my shameful ideas of pimping out my friend and glanced up to give thanks for what we already had, especially our lives and safety.

D eventually climbed aboard. No sooner than the plane lifted from the ground, Laura’s head was heavy against my shoulder. Awed by my surroundings, I sniffed another whiff of the new leather scent before I slid lower in the plush seat.

My mind refused to rest. I imagined what California would be like since I’d never been before. A moment later, my mind limped back to Dax and Laura, sensing I was missing something.

When he’d escorted us into that large bedroom, I’d gotten the sense he’d have liked Laura locked and alone in there with him. I recognized their chemistry, but the likeliness of it emerging into something meaningful was highly doubtful.

As a matter of fact, Dax didn’t hide it. The way his hand kept brushing her back while taking us around and the fact Laura had allowed it caused my eyebrows to sit high on my forehead. Also, his eyes were saying things she either ignored or didn’t notice. Dax was supposed to sit where I was, but Laura had chased him off before tugging me into the seat. He’d chosen to sit two seats ahead of us, across the aisle from D.

One of the most stubborn people I knew, I was starting to believe Laura liked Dax. However, I didn’t think she’d act on her interest. Or would she?

She respected him now as much as she respected Kadeem. However, she didn’t sneak peeks at Kadeem or allow her gaze to linger on his body the way she did Dax. He, not Kadeem, piqued her interest whether she wanted to admit it or not. For now, I’d cast aside my speculations, but Laura and I were going to have a talk.

My head dipped, my brain attempting to shut down while my mind fought to stay alert. When I jerked my neck up, my best friend was drooling all over the shoulder of my new expensive blouse, and the pilot was announcing our descent into San Diego. The sun hadn’t fully set, so the view from the sky was a breath-stealing eye-popper.

The plane dropped lower, making my belly flip as my neck stretched to glimpse the bright, vibrant lands of California. Thanks to Megan, Laura and I had been on a few trips. We’d met a couple of times in Hawaii for a girls’ week, in the Bahamas, and in Belize. It was the safest way to see Megan, considering who she was hiding from. Other than those trips, we’d only driven to a few other states outside the great state of Texas.

Once on the ground, we gathered our bags for the few days we’d planned to spend with Megan. We had to return to Texas for our annual Rec-Celebration at the center, where we celebrated the achievements of members and picked up much-needed donations and a few new sponsors.

The scheduled event would cut our time short with Megan. However, it was well worth the sacrifice for the sake of the children and teens who had nothing and no one else to depend on. Now that we had gained the freedom of seeing Megan whenever we wanted, we didn’t feel bad about our short visit.

Upon arrival at the airport, I wasn’t surprised that a BMW SUV awaited us. The drive to Ansel’s house was a quiet one. Laura and I stared past our tinted windows and pointed out interesting figures as we took in our surroundings.

San Diego was beautiful, but the landscape eventually started to turn into wide-open hills and plains. We passed residences scattered along the wide-open hilly path until we drove up to the tall gates of a mansion.

---