Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
I look up at Dax and nod. Whatever he wants. That means I don’t have to sit here alone with him.
I need to find a way to get into the cabin and see Alarick before the morning is through. He’s going to want to make sure I got back to the house safely and I don’t trust that Mykel is going to give him the correct run of events. No, I’m fairly certain Mykel isn’t going to do anything but be, well, Mykel.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to go for a bit of a walk and clear my head. I won’t be long?”
“I can come with you, if you’d like?” Dax offers.
I stand, shaking my head. “No, if it’s okay I’d like to go by myself. I’m really not feeling well. I wouldn’t want you to see me like that.”
I give him a shy look, and a small smile.
That does the job. He smiles back at me, and nods. “I’ll await your return.”
Yeah, okay, prince charming.
I take a plain pancake, get my shoes, and then give him another bashful look before walking out the front door.
The air is crisp and cool, and the water is gorgeous and flat. There’s not a cloud in the sky and people are already out frolicking on the shore and enjoying the day. I walk towards the cabin where Alarick is staying, even though I find myself a little confused for a few minutes, trying to remember how to get to it. With a quick glance behind me to make sure I’m not being followed, I walk up the small dirt road that leads to it.
Everyone is sitting on the patio, having breakfast, and when they see me, they all stop talking. Briella makes a relieved sound and jumps out of her chair, running towards me. She throws her arms around my body. “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re okay, honey.”
“I’m okay. Feeling a bit stupid and sore, but I’m okay.”
She pulls back. “Don’t feel stupid. It’s not your fault. At all.”
I nod, and then glance up at Alarick, Samson, Kendric and Mykel, who are all sitting around the table, eating. Mykel’s eyes meet mine, and I get a funny feeling in my chest. A feeling I’m not familiar with. It almost feels like a schoolgirl crush, only I’m not a schoolgirl and I don’t crush . . .
I look away towards the rustic cabin and swallow, walk up and say good morning.
“How are you feeling?” Alarick asks. “You were in a bad way last night.”
“I’m okay. Not feeling great, but I’m okay,” I say softly. “Dax has been surprisingly nice and made sure I’m taken care of.”
“I fuckin’ bet he has,” Mykel mutters.
Like he cares.
“You remember much of what happened?” Alarick asks.
I glance at Mykel again, and he holds my eyes. For a moment, it feels like the world just pauses and I can only see him. My heart does a little flip-flop and, still holding his gaze, I say, “No, not really.”
I manage to pull my gaze away and see Briella looking between the two of us, a confused frown on her face. “Is something going on that we don’t know about?” she asks.
“No,” I say. “I called Mykel last night, that’s all. I was . . . drunk, or drugged, or whatever the hell it was. I don’t remember what happened.”
Mykel glances back down at his food, his jaw tight.
“Was it definitely Dax who drugged you?” Alarick asks me.
“No. It was one of the other girls.”
“Goin’ to have to be extra careful, Waverly,” Alarick offers, gently. “You don’t know who the fuck he’s bringin’ into those places. Anything could have happened to you.”
He’s right; it could have.
“Lesson learned,” I say. “No more taking drinks off anyone.”
“I think you should take her out,” Briella pipes up, surprising me. “It’s getting too dangerous; she could have gone missing or been hurt, and we wouldn’t have known. When Zariah finds out about this . . .”
“Zariah isn’t going to find out,” I say, my voice stern. “And I’m not giving up now. I know it’s scary, but I’ll be more careful. Dax, he told me things last night. About Peter. About his life. He is starting to trust me and because of that, I’m going to find out exactly what we need to take them down. If you pull me out, we’re back to square one.”
“It’s dangerous, honey,” Briella says softly.
“I gotta agree with Briella,” Mykel says, his voice gruff. “You need to pull her out.”
Fuck him. Of course he’d say that. Of course he’d be on her side. She smiles at him, and he gives her one in return that’s so genuine my heart slams against my ribcage. I let Mykel fuck me last night. I was literally a one-night stand for relief. He’s in love with her, and I forgot it. For a damned second, I forgot it.