2. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
“Damn, Jevry. I hate you aren’t coming with us. We planned this trip for a whole year before you and Stanton even got married,” I lamented to my cousin on the phone.
We’d been planning this trip to New Orleans with Saria and DeArie, our high school friends, for what seemed like forever. Everyone had made a pact to take the time off for this trip.
Now, six months after Jevry and Stanton’s wedding, we were ready to head out. Only Jevry was pregnant, and Stanton was having a cow about this trip. So, she decided not to go so her new husband wouldn’t have a stroke. It was that, or we’d have to travel with security. Overprotective wasn’t even the right word to describe Stanton’s behavior.
Our much-needed break to New Orleans was still happening, just not with the best cousin a girl could ever have. I was bummed out about it, but I understood.
“I know, but Stanton is having an anxiety attack as we speak because he thinks it’s too far away from him,” she finished.
I chuckled at the image of Stanton rolling up the sleeves of those button-down shirts he liked to wear, running his hand through his hair as he paced, trying to talk my cousin out of it.
I couldn’t blame him, and I do understand. Jevry had been kidnapped and almost killed. I couldn’t believe all that had happened to her, and I wasn’t there to help her through it. I just missed Jevry so damn much, and I never get to see or spend time with her anymore.
When she moved from North Carolina for school, it was like I’d lost a piece of myself. We were the only children of our parents, so she was like the sister I never had. Our fathers were identical twins and had married sisters who were fraternal twins.
For Jevry and me, it was always fascinating because if you didn’t know us, you would think we were twins too. With the exception of our hairstyles and now that Jevry was pregnant, you couldn’t tell us apart. People did a few double takes at her wedding even though I wore a bride’s maid gown.
Our personalities were polar opposites. Where Jevry was studious and had always known what she would do when we grew up, I was kind of floundering through life, hopping from job to job. Currently, I was in year two of being an event planner. Which was how we got a week’s long trip to New Orleans for dirt ass cheap. I tapped as many connections as I could.
“I’ll make it up to you,” Stanton said, amusement ringing clear in his voice.
“And just how are you going to do that?” I asked, folding up my clothes and putting them in my suitcase.
My carry-on was already packed. I had a few dresses to take with me, so my garment bag was wide open on my bed with not one dress in it.
“They’ll be a car there in about fifteen minutes to take you girls to a private airport where my jet will be waiting for you to board,” he answered, then a low, throaty laugh when I tried to say something, and squeaks came out instead of words.
Jevry snickered.
“Ask the crew for any food or drinks you may want. There’s a fully stocked bar and kitchen. Once you guys land, another car will be waiting to take you to the Grand Luxury Hotel. You ladies have the penthouse suite on the top floor.”
“You are fucking lying.” My voice rose in astonishment; I had to forcefully close my mouth. “What about the money we paid?”
“I’m not lying, so you better finish packing quickly. And all your money has been refunded. As I said, my way of making it up to you. If you all decide to eat in the hotel restaurant at any time, just tell them to put it on the Jacobs ticket.”
“I don’t even know what to fucking say to this. Thank you guys, so much.” My voice broke with the thickness of tears I tried to swallow.
“Don’t worry about it,” Jevry said, “You all just have fun, and we will talk soon. Okay?”
My head bobbed in agreement like she could see me, then I cleared my throat of that fucking lump that wouldn’t go away.
“Of course we will. We’ll take lots of pictures.”
Jevry’s melodic laughter filled my bedroom. “I know you will. I’ll talk to you later. It’s time for my nap.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Lyra!” Stanton called my name before I could hang up.
“Yeah, what’s up?” I asked, my brow furrowing at the abruptness and weariness of his voice.
I didn’t typically associate that tone with a Sinner. I didn’t know a lot about Stanton’s biker life other than they were a big deal. He saved Jevry, and they called him Ace. Jevry didn’t get into particulars, but it was enough to know that the Sinners are nothing to mess with.
“You girls be careful. If you get into a jam, get in touch with my brothers. I’ll send you a number in a few for a brother in New Orleans. I mean it, Lyra, don’t hesitate to call if you get into trouble. They’ll help in whatever way they can,” he finished, and I got the feeling that the real reason Jevry wasn’t going on this trip with us was because Stanton thought it was dangerous, not because she was pregnant.
And again, I didn’t blame him. You never think something like what happened to Jevry would happen to someone you know.
“You don’t have to worry about anything,” I said, trying to convince him. “Everything is going to be fine. Plus, I know how to kick a man in the balls and then run.”
I chuckled. He did not.
“I’m sure it will. And I’m sure you would fight like hell, but humor me and don’t delete Dragon’s number,” he said.
I relented. “Fine. I’ll keep the number and call if anything happens.”
Stanton wouldn’t let it go until I agreed to his terms. He was a man used to getting his way. He didn’t often hear the word ‘no’; when he thought something was right, he wouldn’t let it go. There was no way I would get by not agreeing with him.
“Good; now, my wife is yawning, so you have a good time, and we will talk to you later,” he finished, and this time, we did hang up.
I still couldn’t believe Stanton’s generosity.
Three short blows of a horn sounded as I was zipping up my suitcase. Since we were flying privately, I didn’t have to worry about what I packed now, which was fucking amazing in itself. I went back and put all the sundresses I wanted to pack in my garment bag.
My phone rang. “Girl, get your ass down here!” DeArie shouted. “This car is amazing!
I met DeArie in homeroom during my sophomore year of high school. She liked to dance. I liked to dance. She liked makeup. I liked makeup. The newest and trendiest clothes, we had them. We just clicked and been friends ever since. I could count on her to go along with my crazy ideas and antics more so than even Jevry. We just had fun together.
“Okay, I’m coming. I promise.”
I tried to suppress my giggle at the excitement of my friends.
I grabbed both bags, scooped up my purse, and headed to my front door. I looked around the room for only a moment to make sure everything was turned off before opening the door and closing it behind me. I looked forward to this trip and planned to live my best life.
As soon as the car door slammed shut, a champagne flute was pushed into my hand by Saria.
“Here, taste this,” she said, pouring another glass of some fancy champagne, no doubt. I knew that whatever was stocked would be grade A, coming from Stanton.
I took a sip. The flavor danced on my taste buds and went down smoothly.
“Good, isn’t it?” Saria asked, her eyes bright and shining like this wasn’t her first glass of the stuff.
“It is.” I took another sip and let Saria top me off.
“I cannot believe Stanton sent us a car!” DeArie took a sip of her own drink, something brown with ice. “Girl, I almost died when Jevry texted me that a car was coming around.”
“Oh, me too girl!” Saria chimed in. “I stared at that text for at least two minutes, trying to figure out if it was a scam or something. I just knew she was playing a trick on me.”
I laughed because it was so like Saria. Of everyone in our friend group, Saria was the cautious one and the over planner. If it looked shady, she wasn’t going near it. She planned for anything and everything. If something was closed, she had an alternate place to go. If it was overcrowded, she found us another place with the same vibe and a manageable crowd.
She accounted for everything and everyone and was a great addition to our friend group. I could imagine that she was reeling from the fact that her meticulous plan for how we were getting to the airport today and then landing were all obsolete.
“I just got off the phone with Jevry and Stanton,” I informed them. “He said this was his way of making up for Jevry not being here. And we get all our money back.”
“So, basically, this is an all-expenses paid trip!” DeArie squealed, tapping her nails on the outside of her glass, showing her excitement.
I held up my glass toward her like I was giving a toast. “You damn right!” I was happy as hell with how things turned out and that my cousin had snagged her a rich husband.
“You’ve got the right idea, Lyra. A toast is in order,” Saria encouraged, an easy smile played at the corner of her mouth, one that told she was feeling good.
We lifted our glasses in the air.
“To Stanton for putting money back in our pockets; let the good times roll!” I cheered.
“Let the good times roll!” they said in unison, and we all gulped down some of our drinks.
I wasn’t sure how long we’d been riding before we reached the private airport Stanton told me about.
“Ladies,” a deep timbre called out over some sort of PA system in the car that made all of us jump. “Mr. Jacobs wanted me to say that he hopes you enjoy your trip and please have fun. It’s on him.”
I looked at my two friends sitting across from me, and of course, my face mirrored what I saw on theirs. Mouths dropped open, eyes wide, and brows rose in amazement.
“Fucking wild,” I whispered in awe.
My friends nodded as the door opened. I took our driver’s hand and let him pull me out of the back seat. I stood outside the car and waited for him to help an almost sloshed DeAria and Saria.
“Alright, no more alcohol for you two. We won’t be able to do anything when we land,” I announced, walking ahead of my two friends and to the gigantic jet in front of us.
If I didn’t lay the law down with them now, then when we got to New Orleans, I’d be babysitting my two drunk-as-a-skunk friends, and I was definitely not doing that.
“Miss Demery!” the driver called, causing me to pause and turn back for a moment. He dug into his pocket as he caught up to me. “I was told by Mr. Jacobs to give you this.”
He pulled out a folded sticky note and handed it to me. My right brow rose a fraction as I studied his face before taking it from him.
I opened the small note. There was a name and phone number scribbled on it. The same name and number Stanton had already texted me earlier.
“Thank you,” I said, giving him a nod. He nodded back and turned towards the car. I stuffed the paper in my purse and followed my friends.
Again, my jaw dropped, and I stared at the jet before me. I wasn’t going to lie, I was thinking of a small jet that would seat maybe four, five people at the most, but that was not this. I should’ve known when he said there was a full kitchen and bar. This one was as big as a regular airplane.
And we had the run of it.
“Holy shit!” DeArie said as we climbed onto the jet. “This is what we are flying on?”
“Good afternoon, ladies. Mr. Jacobs welcomes you. Please take your seats and buckle your seatbelts,” the stewardess instructed us as we looked around the place.
As soon as we were settled, the captain’s voice came over the PA system. “Good afternoon, ladies. Mr. Jacobs welcomes you, and I hope you enjoy the flight.”
After a few more minutes, we were racing down the runway and lifting into the air. As soon as we leveled out, I unbuckled my seatbelt and got up to explore.
“Guys, I’m doing the self-tour.”
DeArie and Saria got out of their seats and followed me down a corridor. It opened into a space with a bar in the center. Surrounding the bar were four tables and an entertainment center wall.
“Can I get you ladies something?” the bartender asked. Before I could say anything, DeArie planted her ass on one of the stools.
“I’ll take a bourbon…” she ordered.
I turned quickly on my heel. “No. No. No more liquor. Get her some water, please.”
The guy grinned at something DeArie said, and a sigh of contentment left her. I rolled my eyes because I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, my friend was about to become a member of the mile-high club. But I didn’t blame her. The guy was gorgeous. Smooth dark skin and the lightest brown eyes I’d ever seen. He had a vivid-white smile. The full beard and mustache just made him sexier. His body was fit, and he moved with such grace reminiscent of a predator.
He was in for an adventure because he didn’t know that he was about to become prey.
“I’ve got to find a bathroom,” Saria announced, slightly stumbling around the bar.
“It’s just down the hall and on your right,” the bartender instructed. “Just before you get to the kitchen. If you get to the kitchen, you’ve past it.”
“Thanks,” Saria called over her shoulder and headed the way the bartender pointed.
I followed her down the hall because I wanted to see what else this plane had to offer. Stanton was rich, but apparently, he was stinking rich. The bedrooms were amazing. I expected one, but there were three. The décor was all cream and beige, with a brown base color. Cream carpet flowed throughout all the rooms and the entire plane.
This plane was beautiful.
As I strolled back toward the bar, DeArie was in full prowl mode now. She smiled at the right times. Giggled at whatever the guy said while batting her lashes. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, then headed back to our seats. I was feeling a little nauseous. When I settled in my seat and closed my eyes, I took deep breaths to stave off the impending sickness, then drifted off to sleep.
The captain’s voice coming over the intercom eventually awakened me. I was feeling a little better now that my nausea had settled.
“Okay, ladies, button your seatbelts as we prepare for landing,” the captain instructed.
Landing? What the hell? Already?
I looked at the time on my watch and couldn’t believe I’d been asleep that long. I blinked my eyes several times to clear the sleep from them. When I was focused, Saria sat directly in front of me, her eyes flicking to something coming behind me. Then Saria rolled her eyes.
I turned just in time, unfortunately, to see DeArie pulling her dress down in the back and pecking the bartender on the cheek.
I rolled my eyes too and buckled my seatbelt. “You fucked him, didn’t you?”
“A lady never kisses and tells,” DeArie stated, sitting in her seat and buckling her seatbelt as the bartender disappeared in the back.
“Lady, my ass,” Saria muttered.
I shook my head. My friends never ceased to amaze me. DeArie was such a slut, but I loved her.
“When we land, there should be another car waiting for us, and then we are off to the hotel,” I told them, excitement welling inside me for this new adventure.
“Before you ladies go, I was told to give you this by Mr. Jacobs,” the stewardess who greeted us when we boarded said, handing me an envelope.
“Thank you.” I nodded, taking the envelope from her.
I couldn’t even imagine what else Stanton was giving us, but I would make sure he knew how appreciative we all were for funding this trip. But now, I was ready to get this party started. I rose from my seat and stepped off the plane.