Page 88 of Betraying Bexley

As they lifted off, she stared at the ground as it grew further and further away. Sadness washed over her. She couldn’t explain why she experienced such a visceral reaction like she did other than it swamped her almost immediately. She wanted the pilot to take her back. She needed to go home. Bronx came up beside Bex and tugged her into her side. A moment later, Alé took a seat to the right of Bex. She gave a watery chuckle when the others finally joined her.

“It’s called being homesick,” Bronx said. “I saw it in your eyes the minute the doors closed. I should have joined you sooner. Still, you’re in luck. It goes away with time.”

Homesickness? Is that what it was called. Why silent tears tracked down her cheeks. Why she yearned to go home? She’d never experienced it before. Then again, she’d never had a family to miss or people she considered friends to go back to. “I-I d-don’t understand.”

“You will.” Alé pressed a kiss to Bex’s temple. “But, as much as we’re going to work on this mission, we’re also going to have fun, something you’ve seriously been missing.”

“Yeah, I’m taking you to meet my pops,” Jacolbi said.

“We’ll see about that,” Mr. Escobar stated.

“You can meet my dad,” Bronx said. “He sent me to Jamie so I could have a better life. I know he’ll like you.”

“We’ll go to the beach too,” Alé said. “You’ll see Bex, before this is over, it’ll be like no time has passed, and we’ll be home.”

“Until then, Noah will take care of Mateo,” AJ added. “Knowing that man, he’ll sit in your room, just to be close to you. Mateo is a rare gem.”

“Yeah, he is.” Bex gave a watery laugh. “He’s the best. If it wasn’t for Mateo, I’d never have met any of you.” She wiped away her tears and smiled. “You’re my family now.”

“Yeah we are,” AJ replied. “And family sticks together. Always.”

“Always,” Alé agreed. “We love you, Bex.”

“Hell yeah we do,” Bronx added.

“Speak for yourselves,” Eito said. “We tolerate Bex.” He gave her a wink. Then he continued his conversation with Alex.

“Don’t mind them,” Jacolbi muttered. “They’re assholes.”

She didn’t. Truth be told, she knew Alex and Eito cared about her. Alé told her everything Alex and Eito had done to get information to help her and to protect her. It’d been Alex who figured out the video and talked to Jannica, and Eito who found the money trail. She didn’t deserve any of them, but she hoped every day she’d become worthy of them.

“Anyway,” AJ said. “I heard from the pilot we can watch movies back here. We have an almost eight-hour flight and I know we won’t be able to sleep the whole time. So, what do you say? Movie night?”

“Hell yeah!” Bronx thrust her fist into the air. “Let’s do this.”

Bex laughed. Hell yeah. She was right where she needed to be. With her new friends and her family. After years of yearning for a better life, she finally found it, and she’d never take it for granted.

Tarpley, Texas...

Calvin Drake held the leash of Midget, his bomb sniffing yellow lab and all around dork, while Paul and Wayne explained the explosives course they’d be giving for the next eight weeks at the Sheriff’s Department, to the small group of people who’d stopped at their booth. When he arrived in Tarpley, Texas with his brothers, the Sheriff, Jack Riggs, invited them to an annual fair of sorts. The community get together involved the volunteer fire department and raised funds for Tarpley after a tornado ripped through the area the previous spring.

He appreciated Asher trusting Calvin and his brothers. In the year, almost two, since they’d joined R.O.O.T., Calvin had done his best to prove to Asher that he could rely them, and Asher had been correct in his assessments of their skills. It wasn’t always easy though. Several truths about the Drake brothers had been brought to light, and one of them almost cost them everything.

Before his fall from grace, Calvin had been a military man. Living the life. He had a girl on each arm, regaled them in stories to finesse them into his bed. Women got off on the fact he’d been a Navy EOD—Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technician and had traveled the world for different missions. Then the accident happened, and everything changed. But, it wasn’t all bad. After he came home and had been medically discharged from the military, he started Drake Demolition Company with his brothers, the youngest of which, Paul, was still getting his feet wet in the trade. Once again, he and his brothers were living high on the hog. They had everything they could ever want, until Barclay and that son of a bitch Lincoln destroyed their once thriving company.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Sheriff Riggs held a bottle of beer out to him.

Calvin accepted it and took a swallow. He studied the man. He reminded Calvin of those good ol boys. Very polite. Kind of an ‘ah shucks,’ persona. But looks and dispositions could be deceiving. There was steel there too in Jack’s spine. Along with a languid grace. He reminded Calvin of the best friend character inRoad House, especially with his loose-legged gait. “Sorry.”

“You look like you’re a million miles away,” Sheriff Riggs replied. “Not having fun?”

Was he supposed to be? “You caught me.”

Jack laughed. “Relax, son. You’ll attract more flies with honey than vinegar.”

How could he relax? The latest update he received was Raul had been shived in his solitary cell in a maximum security prison. The remainder of the case rested with him and his brothers being able to find Ambrosia McCall, daughter of Lucas McCall, member of the Quorum of Twelve within the FLDS—Fundamentalists Latter Day Saints sect. Ambrosia was set to become wife number four for Anderson Gunther, grandfather to Marybeth Gunther, a tormenter of Bexley Iniguez—now Bexley Aquino-Hanover, and then some.

“Trying to.” Calvin took a swallow of his beer.

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