“Actually, because you refuse to use them, what’s ruined is your hair, your skin, and your wardrobe.”
“You’re such a shallow, unlikable bitch, Daniella.”
“And you’re nothing but a hippie shill. God, you’re boring. How is it possible that we’re even sisters?”
“Girls!” Blackwell said. “Listen to me.”
“All right,” they said.
“Alex and Jennifer have to go to Singapore on business. I’m going with them. We leave tomorrow night.”
“What’s a Singapore?” Daniella asked. “Is that, like, where poor people sing for their supper or something?”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Alexa said. “Singapore is a sovereign-city state. It’s in Southeast Asia. Did you learn nothing in school?”
“I learned enough to keep me busy on Friday and Saturday nights…”
“You’re such a whore.”
“Enough!” Blackwell said. “Are you two going to listen to me or not?”
“Look, bitch,” Daniella said in a low voice that neither Blackwell nor I was meant to hear. “My credit card is riding on this. I’ll be nice to you for one week if you just put a lock on your lips now. Listen to what Mom has to say, and stop arguing with me. Can you at least do that?”
“I won’t do it for you. I’ll listen to my mother because I respect her.”
“Whatevs.”
“Mom, we’re ready to listen,” Alexa said in a clear voice. “What’s this about? Why Singapore?”
“You each have the chance to join Alex, Jennifer, Me, Lisa, Tank, and the rest of the security team tomorrow night. We have to fly there for business. Lisa will come along and will be your escort—she’ll take you shopping and to the best restaurants. We’re taking Alex’s Boeing, so all of us will have a place to sleep. With travel time, we’ll be gone for about a week—that’s an estimate, but I think it’s accurate given the circumstances.”
“Does Singapore have a Barneys?” Daniella asked.
“They used to have one, but they don’t anymore.”
“Why? Are you taking me to some kind of slum?”
“Hardly.”
“A week without access to a Barneys? Now I want to cry.”
“Singapore is a major city—they’ll have everything else you want,” said Blackwell. “It’s a shopping paradise. Stella, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Juicy Couture, Louis, Van Cleef, all of them are there. And it’s a fantastic city filled with culture. Remember culture, Daniella? It matters as much as couture.”
“Did you really just say that?”
“I did. Furthermore, this might be your first and last chance to see this city, so I suggest that you take it.”
“I’m up for it,” Alexa said.
“Are you going to let me keep my credit card?” Daniella asked.
“If you behave.”
“Umm…could you define the word ‘behave’ for me?”
“No.”
“Whatevs. If I have to, I’ll just steal Alexa’s card. Or I’ll ask Uncle Alex to give me one of his. He always comes through.” She paused. “By the way, is Cutter going to be there?”
Blackwell shot me a look.
“Yes, Cutter will be there—and he’ll be working.”
“And, when he’s not working, I’ll be working him. He’s a stud. We had a connection last Christmas. I need to make sure that it works out between us this time. That he understands my needs—and that I’m happy to listen to his.”
Blackwell shook her head in exasperation. “Are you interested or not, Daniella? If you don’t want to go, just say so, and we’ll leave you behind.”
“I’m totes going,” Alexa said.
“Since Cutter is going to be there, count me in,” Daniella said. “But you can’t take away my credit card, Mother. If you plan to, either count me out, or know that I will go to Alex.”
“If you remain polite, I don’t plan to take away your credit card, Daniella. Within reason, you can buy whatever you want.”
“Good,” she said. “Then I guess the little tree hugger and I will get to packing. When does the plane leave?”
“I don’t know yet—but sometime tomorrow evening. I’ll call you later today when I know.”
“Am I going to get my own bed?”
“You’ll be sharing a bed with Alexa.”
“Gross. If I’m going to have hairy legs rubbing up against mine, I’d rather they be Cutter’s.”
“That won’t be happening.”
“Oh, Mom—you really don’t know me yet, do you? I’ll get that man in my bed even if I have to kick Alexa out of it. You’ll see. In fact, just you watch. On this trip, Cutter finally becomes mine.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The next evening at seven-thirty, we arrived at LaGuardia in three separate black SUVs, none of which bore the Wenn logo. For Alex, this was a discrete trip—he didn’t want anyone to know that he was leaving New York. Or why he was going to Singapore. The media knew the SlimPhone was manufactured there, so this trip was on lockdown so that nobody would question why he had to travel overseas.
Best not to raise any suspicions.
While our luggage was being loaded into the belly of the plane, we boarded Wenn’s lavishly outfitted Boeing 767, and began settling in for what I already knew would be a grueling journey that would take us to Los Angeles and then Manila to refuel, and finally to Singapore nearly thirty hours after we’d left New York.
I’d only been on this plane once before—the first time Alex and I went to Singapore—and when I stepped inside, its beauty again struck me.
The interior of the cabin was just under one-hundred-eighty feet long. It was cleverly divided into several segments designed for privacy. From front to back, there was the cockpit, a full kitchen, a front sitting area for security and our flight attendant, Amy, a beautiful woman somewhere around thirty who looked sleek and slim in her black uniform. Next came the large middle living area with plenty of plush seating and a wide-screen television. Beyond that was a full bathroom with a shower. Then, came a convention area, and finally three bedrooms—two of which were smaller and outfitted with one queen-sized bed each. The third was a master suite that featured a king-sized bed, a separate full bath, and gleaming woodwork.
The whole space was as impressive as it was massive, so much so that when Daniella stepped inside, the first thing I heard her say was, “Holy shit. What the fuck? Oh my God. Pinch me. I’m dreaming.”
“Classy as ever,” Alexa said.
“As if you’re not impressed.”
“It is pretty sweet,” she said. “I just hope the seats aren’t upholstered with leather. It looks as if they are.”
“If leather offends your delicate sensibilities, might I suggest that you sit on the couch over there? It looks as if it’s made of some kind of fabric—and that way you’ll be sitting far and away from me. Just think of the benefits of that alone. Meanwhile, I need to find a way to sit in Cutter’s lap. Did you see him? Did you see that body? His dark hair? Those blue eyes?”
“I saw him.”
“Tell me you don’t think he’s good looking.”
“He’s very good looking, Daniella. And he seems nice, so why don’t you just leave him alone?”
“As if that’s happening. That man is about to be mine. My only problem is that I’ve only got a week or so to make it happen.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Girls,” Blackwell said. “Alex and Jennifer will sit there. I will sit opposite them. The other seat will be left vacant should we need Tank’s counsel. Otherwise, Tank will sit next to Lisa there, and you two will be behind them. Just behind this room, you’ll find a full bathroom, and deeper into the cabin you’ll find the bedroom you two will share. I have the one right next to you, and I can promise you this—I’ll be able to hear every word you say, so don’t press my buttons. I think you both know right now just how lucky you are.”
“Thanks for bringing us, Mom,” Daniella said.
“Well, you’re welcome, Daniella, but this was Jennifer’s idea.”
“Thank you, Jennifer.”
“It’s our pleasure, Daniella. I think you, Alexa, and Lisa are going to have a blast in Singapore. We’ll all meet up for dinner each night, and you can tell all your stories then. I can’t wait to hear them—and also to see what you buy.”
“Why are you always so nice?” Daniella said.
“Because the world works better that way.”
“What does that even mean?”
“One day, it’s my hope that you’ll understand.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. And by the way, who is that woman at the front of the plane?” Daniella asked. “You know, the one who is in the same room as Cutter and Max?”
“That’s our flight attendant, Amy. She’ll be serving us throughout the flight and making sure that everyone has what they need.”
“What I need is Cutter.”
“I’m not sure anyone can help you with that.”
“Is he gay?”
I giggled at that. “No, he isn’t gay. He’s just Cutter, and he has work to do, just as Tank and Max do.”
“Are they always going to be at the front of the plane?”
“Cutter and Max likely will be, but not Tank. Tank will occasionally join them to talk strategy. Otherwise, he’ll be with us, sitting next to Lisa.”
“Jennifer, look at me. Look at how I turned myself out tonight. Hair, makeup, clothes—the works. Have you seen my heels? Behold the heels. You’ve got to get me to Cutter—I did all of this for him. I’m crazy about him.”
“Here’s an idea,” Alexa said. “Why don’t you just stop at ‘I’m crazy’? It’s so much more accurate.”
“Fuck you, bitch.”
“Do you and Cutter even know each other?” I asked.
“Not really, but physically we’re drawn to each other. I just know it. I know he’s thinking of me right now—probably because I squeezed his ass before we got onto the plane.”
“You did what?” Blackwell said.
“Mom, you don’t understand. I had to. It was just there—right in front of me. Solid, round, bouncing, and inviting.”
“Don’t you ever do that again. Cutter is an employee here at Wenn. He could sue us if you keep this up.”
“Maybe, but he won’t.” She flashed her eyes at her mother. “I caught a glimpse of desire on his face.”
“That probably was just gas,” Alexa said.
“Go to hell.”
At that moment, Alex stepped out of the cockpit. He spoke with Amy, Max, and Cutter for a moment, and then joined us in the living area.
“What have I missed?” he asked.
“Hormones gone to the dogs,” Blackwell said. “And I’m not talking about your wife. I’m talking about my daughter, and trying to keep her in check.”
“Is this about Cutter and Daniella?” he asked.
“It is. And it’s ridiculous.”
“Actually, Cutter just asked me about Daniella a moment ago.”
I buried my face in my hands.
“I’m going to faint,” Daniella said. “I really am. Have we already taken flight? No? Then why does it feel as if we have? Why does it feel as if I’m floating? I know why—because my future husband asked for me. That’s why I’m seeing hues of red, purple, and blue. And why I’m seeing sparklers. Somebody catch me in case I go limp. He actually asked for me!”
“What did he ask you?” Blackwell said.
“How old she was.”
“How old is he?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“That’s a five-year age difference.”
“Daddy’s gonna teach his pupil plenty,” Daniella said.
“It wasn’t about that,” Alex said. “He was concerned that you were underage. From what I hear, you grabbed his ass?”
“I might have pinched it.”
“You probably shouldn’t do that.”
“But I’m twenty-two. I’m of age.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to invade someone else’s personal space—especially in a sexual way. Look, Daniella, if Cutter is interested in you, then he’ll let you know. How about if we leave it at that for now? OK?”
“Now you sound like my mother, Uncle Alex.”
“I’m just looking out for everyone’s own good,” he said. “Including yours. Have you even asked if Cutter has a girlfriend?”
I watched her face go pale with disappointment.
“Does he?”
“Well, it’s possible.”
“It’s impossible!”
“Actually, Daniella, I don’t know whether he does or doesn’t—but what if he does? Would your behavior be fair to either of them?”
“Who gives a damn about being fair? I’m a gladiator. May the best woman win.”
When she said that, I walked over to Lisa, and lowered my mouth to her ear.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“It’s not as if I didn’t know what I was going to be up against. Don’t worry about it, Mommy. Clearly, this trip is going to be a trip.”
“You can borrow one of my guns if you need it,” Tank said.
She placed her hand on his knee. “Save your gun for later. Jennifer told me that the couch over there pulls out into a queen-sized bed, and that we’ll be sleeping on it. Maybe we can use your gun later, stud.”
“Oh, my God—you’re as bad as Daniella,” I said.
Lisa pointed a thumb toward her fiancée. “Can you blame me? Look at him. He’s a God. And I think that after having lunch with you yesterday, your hormones have started to affect me.” She glanced over at Tank, who was trying to suppress a smile. “Hear that, big boy?”
“I heard you.”
“Something to look forward to, right?”
He checked his watch. “I think I’m on the job right now.”
“You’ll be on the job later, too.”
“So, we’ve become Club Med,” I said. “Perfect. You two behave yourselves.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lisa said.
As I rolled my eyes at her, the plane started to move away from the gate and the captain’s voice came over the speakers. “We’re about forty minutes away from takeoff, folks. There’s quiet a line of departures ahead of us, but we’ll be airborne as soon as possible. Amy, if you’d like to serve refreshments, there’s time. Otherwise, folks, if you wouldn’t mind fastening your safety belts, the flight crew and I would appreciate it. If you need to use either of the lavatories, please do so now. We’re about seven hours outside of L.A., where we’ll refuel. By that time, I suspect everyone will be asleep. Then, we’ll cross over to Manila so we can refuel again. From there, it’s finally on to Singapore. It will be a long flight, but we promise to keep it safe. So, sit back and relax. Watch a movie. Read or sleep. Amy will be around for drink orders in a moment, and when we’re in the air, she will serve dinner. While you’re seated, please do your captain proud and keep your seat belts buckled at all times. Enjoy the trip, everyone. As usual, we’re happy to serve you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
After a night of eating and drinking with all of our guests—including Cutter, Max, and Amy, who joined us in the living area—Alex and I were the first to retire to our bedroom. We wanted to go to bed early so we could wake up refreshed to discuss any potential strategies with Blackwell and address any issues Tank had when it came to security before we landed in Manila—and especially before we landed in Singapore.
“Are you ready for bed?” Alex whispered in my ear.
“I’d feel better about going to bed if Daniella wasn’t moving in on Cutter. That girl is unstoppable. Look at her, for God’s sake. She’s practically sitting in his lap at this point.”
“Blackwell will put a stop to her. But Cutter also will intervene—if she becomes too aggressive, I’ve asked him to be direct with her, and he will be. So, how about some sleep? You need your rest. I worry about you and the little one.”
“Just get me through the morning sickness, and I’ll be fine. But look at everyone. They’re having a great time. Won’t we be considered a buzzkill if we leave this early?”
“Maybe for a moment we will, but that doesn’t mean that the party won’t roll on. And besides, we won’t even hear them at the rear of the plane. Our suite is soundproofed.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “It is?”
He raised his eyebrows back at me. “In fact, it is.”
“Is there a lock on the door?”
“I can bolt it shut if I need to.”
“Well, then, Mr. Wenn. You might just have to have your way with me before we drift off into the ether. I told you that I’m a hormonal mess. Seeing you in that suit all evening has made me unreasonably needy. And you’ve been hands-on all night. You’ve been touching my waist, caressing my back, placing your hand high against my inner thigh, and even stealing your share of kisses. I’m a hot mess. If this girl is going to get any rest, you’re going to have to exhaust her first.”
“Who knew that married sex could be the hottest sex?”
I raised my hand. “That would be me.”
He grinned at that. “It would be my pleasure to service you, Mrs. Wenn.”
“Oh, look,” I said. “Magical words falling down from the heavens.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Daniella asked.
“Just that it’s probably time to tuck in and go to sleep,” Alex said. “We have a lot to prepare for before we land in Singapore. Tomorrow morning, your mother, Jennifer, Tank and I will need to meet in the conference room to discuss strategy. For us, this is a business trip, Daniella. For you, Alexa, and Lisa, it’s fun. And we want you to have fun. We want you to explore the city and see how great it is.”
“Can Cutter join us?” Daniella asked. She was sitting next to him on the couch— with perhaps only a foot between them. “After all, we might need protection.”
“How about if you sit across from Cutter?” Blackwell said. “I’m tired of you inching your way toward that poor man. Be a lady, for God’s sake.”
“It’s not as if I had a role model,” Daniella said.
“Please,” Blackwell said. “If only you were as clever as you thought you were. Now, move it.”
Annihilate Me 2: Omnibus (Complete Vols. 1-3, Annihilate Me 2) Page 19
