Chapter 130: Plans of leaving
1081words
The thought of leaving Drake behind while I went back to Seattle for the weekend left me nauseated. I knew in the bottom of my heart that I could trust him, but I also knew how much these women could be vultures. They better all keep their hands to themselves while I was absent, or I'd come home to crack some skulls.
Excitement coursed through me as I packed a small bag. I hadn't seen my true family since I was last home, watching who I thought were my true family be put behind bars. I'd kept in contact with my immediate family as much as I could, but the thought of seeing them again made me anxious. We had lost so many years, yet they never made me feel like I was a stranger. I was family.
A light knock came from the door as I smiled and turned, hoping it was Drake. Dakota's warm smile greeted me instead and my smile widened.
"Hey, Dakota. I haven't seen you for a while. How did your appointments go today?"
She nibbled on her bottom lip. "They went fine. The baby's fine. I'm fine. Everything's fine." But when she slumped down on the bed beside my luggage and grabbed my sweaters to fold them, I knew everything wasn't fine.
I stopped packing and sat beside her. "What's going on, Dakota?" I asked with a small voice.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at my sweater in her hands and that's when I saw the tears falling. Everything wasn't fine and she was hurting.
"Dakota," I whispered.
She shook her head and chuckled through her tears before she looked over at me. The malice and pain in her eyes made my heart clench. "Lex wants me to come back to his place. He wants to take care of me and the baby, but... but Drake thinks that's the dumbest thing I could do. He's so angry with me and I don't want to lose my brother."
I nibbled on my bottom lip as I studied her. My relationship with Melissa wasn't something I ever worried about so I honestly had no idea where Dakota was coming from, but I'd try.
"Drake loves you, Dakota. He's just looking out for you. Lex hasn't exactly proven himself to either of you. Is this... is this something you're actually considering?" I worried about her. She told me that Lex had put his hands on her before. I knew all too well what that was like and wouldn't want that for anyone.
She slowly nodded. "I am. Lex is the father of my baby. All I've ever wanted was a normal family to call my own. I never had that growing up."
"He has hurt you, Dakota. Have you forgotten that?"
Her red eyes turned to me as she shook her head. "I could never forget that, but he's different now. There's something so much different about him. He's gentle, kind, and warm. He was never like that before. I truly believe that he has changed."
I didn't know how to tell her that he hadn't without shattering her hope, but maybe the truth was what she needed to hear. "Dakota, people like Lex and Jason don't change. They disguise themselves until they get what they want. It will only be a matter of time before his true self comes back out."
She let out a small sob, nodding her head as she looked back down at the sweater in her hands. "I know that," she whispered. "But it still doesn't matter to me. I love him."
My eyes squeezed shut, knowing I had been here once too. I thought Jason was the love of my life and I gave him the benefit of the doubt because I thought I loved him. Oh how wrong I was. Dakota was a big girl, though, and I knew she'd do whatever she wanted to regardless of warnings from others. I didn't want to see her go back to him, but I knew I couldn't stop her.
"Think about the baby," I whispered as I reached over and gently placed my hand on her stomach. "If you believe in your heart that Lex will do right by the both of you and not hurt you, then go back. But if there's even the slightest doubt in your mind that this is wrong or you fear for your child, stay here."
Her hand covered mine before she turned her eyes back on mine. "Thank you, lynn," she whispered.
The sound of Luis's whistling echoed from the hallway before a large crash shook the floor. "Ah, fuck!!" Luis whined.
A giggle tore from mine and Dakota's mouths as I got up and peered into the hallway. Luis was on his hands and knees trying to scramble together a huge box of DVD's he had just dropped all over.
"How's it going out here, buddy?" I asked as I tried to swallow back the laughter building in my chest.
He glared up at me. "How does it look like it's going, lynn? It's a fucking shit show out here. Look!" He held up his finger and pouted. "I have a paper cut."
"Awe, poor baby."
"Don't patronize me, sugar tits." He finished gathering the DVD's and stood up. "I heard you're ditching out on us this weekend."
I nodded. "Going to Seattle to meet an Aunt Rose I never knew existed. Apparently it's her 60th birthday." My eyes fell to the disc's in the box. "What are those?"
Luis's cheeks flushed. "Old films of Drake's. He wanted me to try my hand at editing to get used to it all."
My face paled as I tore my gaze from the box. I didn't want to know that Luis had a box full of videos of my boyfriend fucking other women. This weekend might be good for me to get away and take a breather. Lord knew I needed one.
"I also heard that you fucking killed it with those still-shots. Your name is buzzing around the industry today. Are you sure you don't want to be my assistant?" He winked.
I laughed nervously. "They weren't that great. I just took photos, luis And no, I really don't want to be your assistant. That was a one time thing."
He pouted. "Boo! You suck. When do you leave?"
"Tonight." I looked down at my phone. "In two hours actually." I added.
