“Laura, I love you. I’d kill for you. You know this. But I need you to face one fact,” she stated.
“What fact is that?”
“You are as bloodthirsty as you’re painting those men to be. My logic might be messed up because of how we grew up, but the way I see it, it’s justified when you kill to protect someone you care about or love against monsters like DG6.”
Beverly
Laura was acting off. Being on the run from DG6 and being caged up with these men was taking a toll on her. As soon as her body relaxed and a few light snores sounded, I eased her head off my thigh.
I approached one of the main sources for her problems: Dax. She’d been right. He was an expert at letting you see what he wanted you to see, but I’d spotted bits and pieces of the hell I knew he was capable of.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” I called to his back. He and D turned and stared at me.
“Sure,” he answered.
He followed until I stopped near the front door, out of earshot of D. I didn’t miss the fact he kept glancing at Laura as she slept on the couch.
“What did you do to my friend?” My accusatory stare met his and held.
“Nothing. What did she tell you?” he returned, his face not revealing a thing.
“She didn’t tell me anything. But I’m not blind. She looks like you shot her dog or something. You know just because you guys are helping us, it doesn’t mean you get to treat us any kind of way. I know Laura has a mouth on her, but she always means well, even if you can’t see it right away. You have to be a bigger man, find a way to excuse that mouth, and see the loyal and beautiful person behind it.”
“I’ll talk to her. But, trust me, I’ve excused that mouth more than you could possibly know,” he declared. The playful twinge in his tone and the hint of a smile in his gaze melted my irritation, and I allowed a smile to creep across my lips.
I knew Laura better than anybody. She’d probably lost the fight they’d had and wouldn’t be right again until she got the last word. Dax’s smile mirrored mine until it dropped. Seriousness reflected in his gaze and put a wrinkle in his facial features.
“I was a little hard on her last night,” he confirmed. “But, I’m sure you already know that if anybody could take a licking and keep ticking, it’s Laura.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “Whatever you said, I’m sure you’ll get it back with more gusto than you issued to her.”
Dax nodded and an unreadable expression sat on his face. He wasn’t eager to face Laura, but if there was one thing I was learning about these men, they stuck to their word.