Page 49 of The Betrayal
“Here we go,” I mumble.
“You used to date his dad… how did this happen? Were you two exes, or was it just a coincidence?”
Sage laughs softly, letting her head fall back and rest on her seat.
“Dex was a client of mine; it was agreed with Rhaegs that I would still work and do my clients.” Dex smirks.
“She did still do her clients—me, I’m her client,” he laughs, and she swats him with the back of her hand.
“It got a little much, Dex became a little more obsessive and before I had formally met him, he used to make himself known. Bumping into me at my place of work, meeting me at the club, it got a bit weird…” she raises her brows, “then, I was set to meet Rhaegar’s son. I was excited but nervous. I was young, twenty-three at the time and I was possibly going to be this kid’s step-mum.”
“Woah,” Keaton whistles through his teeth.
“Oh, it gets better mate, trust me,” Dex wiggles his brows up and I can’t stop the giggle that bubbles out of me.
“So, I wanted to get him a toy, his dad said he loved trains so I got him this cute steam train. We arrived at the restaurant back home in London, and as we’re shown to our table… guess who is sitting there with a smug as fuck look on his face,” the excitement in her voice is present and Dex watches her, hanging on every word that passes through her lips.
“No fucking way,” Keaton bellows, laughing. “Shit, so not only were you with his dad, you were with your sugar daddy’s son too!”
“Yup, and well… things just sort of blurred from there. Dex helped my mum get the help she needed, and he helped me too. I didn’t want to be a dancer, I didn’t want to give lap dances. I had a dream and that was to have my own car garage, to be a mechanic. I love cars, and Dex helped me achieve that dream. I owe all of this to him…” she pauses for a moment and twists in her seat. “I owe all of this to you,” her eyes glass over and Dex grips her chin, tipping her face back slightly.
“You owe me nothing Little One, this was all you.” I turn to look at Keaton, a sad smile tugs at my lips. “You make your own fate…” he says softly, before whispering, “baby.”
“But, I like to help out with the clubs. It’s fun and I get to meet people who are so much more than a dancer, people who remind me of myself,” Sage’s eyes narrow on mine now, Dex’s hand slipping between her thighs. “Like you, don’t tell me your dream was to be an exotic dancer,” her eyes lift to the announcement that croons through the jet, telling us that take off is imminent.
I rub my lips together and shake my head softly.
“Then chase your dream, Ari. Don’t get stuck in a rut because it’s easy. Your dreams are achievable, they’re in your reach… you just need to not give up.”
I nod, and then I nod again.
“Don’t stop chasing,” she leans over, placing her hand on my knee and I find comfort in her words.
We’re over halfway into our flight, lunch has been served and the champagne is flowing.
“Are you two not married?” I ask, my brows pinching as my eyes bounce between both of them and Sage shakes her head. “I did think that when the captain greeted you with ‘miss’.”
She laughs.
“Nope, not married yet. I mean, I want to… but it’s not the be-all and end-all for me.” She turns her face to look at Dex, “Where this man… he—and I make no joke—has weekly wedding magazines delivered to our house; he says he will take me shopping then we end up in a bridal boutique…”
“What? I’m a romantic.” He bats his lashes.
“Yeah…” she pauses, a blissful sigh leaving her, “you really are.”
“Apart from in the bedroom, of course,” he declares and Keaton leans across and spuds him.
Honestly.
Children.
“What about you Keaton? A man of your age… married? Kids?”
And I feel Keaton shuffle next to me, my eyes pinned to his side profile, but he doesn’t look at me.
Fuck, he is handsome.
“I was married once; never again.” He shakes his head, dropping his eye contact with Dex.