His Drug Of Choice

13 - Follow Us

Dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty sucka
You think I can't get hood like you
You motherfucker I can do it like a brother
Do it like a dude🎼🎤- Jessie J

Larah's POV

I've always had my own thoughts about Bella, even during the time we were friends. From the moment we crossed paths in high school, it was clear we were as different as night and day. She was the type to wear her confidence like a shield, wielding it like a weapon against anyone. But it wasn't true confidence—it was just a public facade. So, when my phone buzzed and I saw the name on the screen, a wave of disgust hit me. De Vil. It had been months since that disastrous night at the club, when she had confronted us and sparked a fight. I reluctantly tapped the notification.

- De Vil
Larah. I know we haven't exactly been friends, but I wanted to reach out. I'm sorry about the fight a few months ago. I shouldn't have said what I said about Clay. Can we talk?

I stared at the screen, disbelief washing over me. Was this for real? An apology from Bella? It felt so... disingenuous. I glanced out the window, chuckled at the drama I was anticipating from this whole act.

Later that evening, I gathered my girls at our favorite diner, right across from the Valdez Co. building. It was a cozy spot with mismatched furniture and the best milkshakes in town. As soon as I plopped down, I recounted Bella's message, trying to gauge their reactions.

"This has to be a trick. Bella doesn't just apologize. What does she want?" Clay, always the first to voice her thoughts, narrowed her eyes.

"Could be a setup. She could be looking for a way to get back at us. We need to stay on our toes," Briah shrugged, sipping her strawberry shake. Candice leaned in, tapping her fingers rhythmically against the table. 

"What if we invite her out? See what she's really up to? We can keep an eye on her." Candice suggested while I hesitated. The idea made my skin crawl, but it was also tempting. What if she really had changed? Still, my gut told me it was a trap. 

"You think we should invite her to one of Ethan's clubs?" Clay asked, directed to Briah.

"Absolutely," Briah said, a sly smile creeping onto her face. "If she's planning something, we'll catch it on camera. Ethan's workers can keep an eye on her, too, I'll organize that. We won't let her out of our sight."

"I think we'll need a plan B too; you always must have something to fall back on ladies," Clay added and we all nodded. 

We stuck around for about two more hours before saying our goodbyes, reminding each other to stay sharp regarding the situation. Briah mentioned she had dinner plans with Ethan, so she had to rush off. Candice headed back to the office to finish some pending work. I rode with Clay to the mansion since she had dinner plans with Valdo and Mimi, and Nate and I would be joining them this evening.

We arrived at the mansion, and both ran upstairs to freshen up. I quickly changed into my sweats and Nate's shirt, then headed down to the mancave. I decided to use that time to invite Bella over for the night out. Clay had changed into a comfortable floral dress and took a high stool, sitting opposite me at the bar island. I poured us glasses of champagne as we started talking.

"Larah, we need a plan. You know me—I don't do missions without a master plan, no matter the size of the mission," she started.

"I know. What do you have in mind?" I asked her. 

We continued talking about the plan until the guys joined us, killing time with jokes until dinner. After dinner, Nate and I headed to bed, allowing Clay and her little family to bond while giving Nate the best hours of his life.