"Mexico?" With shocked eyes Dana stared at Juice. "Are you serious?" The news came out of nothing. Nobody had ever spoken a word about their neighboring country. "How..." She was so blindsided she couldn't get any words out.
Juice laughed. "Sí! Vamos a Mexico, baby!"
His enthusiasm made her lips curl up as well. With his warm smile he could convince her to go anywhere. He dipped his head to kiss her, where after he hoisted himself on the bar stool next to her.
Dana had experienced a bad feeling when the guys went to Chapel a while ago. She'd been afraid they would be breeding on another impossible plan, but that they would bring her to another country, together with Juice, hadn't crossed her mind once.
"One of our allies, the Mayans, only have Latin members and most of them have their roots in Mexico. Jax will talk to their president, to see if he can get us across the border. They're smugglers, so I bet they can."
"And you trust their president?" Dana asked, doubting.
"He's a respectable man. And we ain't knocking down each other's doors, so I don't think Maddox will ever expect them to make a deal with us." He looked her in the eye. "You disagree?"
Dana had the feeling nothing could stay hidden from Maddox, but she knew that was bullshit. However influential he might be, he couldn't have a finger in every pie and Mexico was far, far away. If they had money to support themselves – and that shouldn't be very difficult as soon as Happy had access to their legacy and the yield of their mother's house – and kept low profile, it might indeed be a solution. The chance that Maddox would find them there, was much smaller than when they stayed in California, and especially in Charming.
"No one can know, by the way," Juice warned her. "We make it look like they take us to a safe house near Charming. By the time Maddox finds out we're not there, we're long gone."
A tickle of excitement bubbled up inside her. Impulsively she grabbed Juice's hand and squeezed. It was rare for her, but Dana didn't know what to say. For the first time in a long while, she really felt a small flame of hope.
"You don't mind?" she asked after a while, being aware of the fact he was giving up a lot to be with her. True, temporary, but still...
"To go on a vacation on Mexico? With you?" He showed a wide grin. "Well, I can imagine less pleasant things."
Despite his grin, she saw the hesitation in his eyes. She slipped off the stool and stepped toward him. Between his knees she stood still, looking up to him. "You ever spend a day without your brothers?"
"No," he admitted. "But neither did I have you."
Her hands rested on his thighs. "You really want this, Juice? It's a big step, you know. I can tell you're not so careless about this as you want me to believe."
A bit apologetic he bowed his head. "It's like you say. A big step. I just hope... I just hope nothing will change between us. That you won't trade me for some Mexican guy." He tried to make a joke of it, but she knew he really felt insecure.
Dana leaned forward, until their noses were brushing. She kept his glance. "You really think I will ever let someone go who is willing to flee with me to another country? I was about to return to my worst nightmare to make sure nothing would happen to you. Don't think I will do that for every random Mexican guy." She gave him a feathery light kiss, that quickly changed into a much intenser one.
"That's the only thing troublin' your mind?" she asked after she got out of breath.
He lifted his hand, raking it through her hair. "I've never been outside the US and I honestly find it hard to imagine a life without the club."
"Hmm. What about bakin' in the sun, swimmin' in the sea, drinkin' cocktails and havin' sex on the beach?"
"Think I can get used to that." The smirk on his face returned and showed her he wouldn't mind if they would start with that already. "We might wanna stay there."
Dana chuckled quietly. "Then the others have to come to us. The Sons don't have a jungle charter yet, right?"
His arms snaked around her as he pulled her close. "I love you. You know that, right?"
"You do? Thought you wanted to go to Mexico to hit on a monkey for once."
Her laughter filled the air as his fingers moved to her sides to tickle her. "I hit on my monkey a while ago." He slipped off the stool and lifted her. "And it's about time she's goin' to bed!"
Chuckling she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he carried her through the club house, right to their bed room.
She brushed his lips with her thumb as she looked in his sparkling eyes. "Goof," she smiled. "I love you."