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)
It’s dangerous.
It’s risky.
My involvement is going to be a problem.
“Okay,” I say softly, crossing my arms. “Okay, I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
“It’s going to be fine,” Zariah says. “You have to trust that it’s going to work out.”
“I’m scared,” I admit.
Mykel looks up and his eyes meet mine, and a warmth travels through me. “We’re goin’ to make sure you come out of this clean, I’m fuckin’ tell you that.”
I nod, rubbing my arms.
“We’ll go over what you need to do when you go back. It’s essential you’re careful, Waverly. Everything you do right now needs to be done properly so that we’re able to get in and out as clean as possible,” Alarick tells me, his voice gentle.
“I’ll do whatever you need to me to do,” I tell him.
Alarick nods, and then looks to Zariah. “You tell us when you’re ready on your end, and we’ll sort out our end. Let’s get this done so we can all get on with our lives.”
Zariah agrees and then we leave.
My mind is spinning.
I’m a mess.
This feels like it’s going to get so much worse before it gets better.
I don’t know if I’m ready for it.
12
WAVERLY
I take a stinging shot of vodka that burns my throat and lean against the chair, staring out at lush green forest across from Mykel’s back patio. Briella, Merleigh, Karen I are all sitting, having a few drinks. I need them—god knows I need them. I’ve been wound up since Alarick’s announcement earlier and I wanted some time out. When the girls arrived with a bottle of vodka, some shots and pizza vouchers, I knew I had made friends who got it.
Who got me.
I need people like that in my life.
“God damn, why is vodka so strong?” I gasp, after the liquid has hit my stomach, burning a path all the way down.
“It’s strong because it’s good.” Briella laughs. “It makes everything better.”
“Gosh,” Merleigh murmurs, dropping her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a straight shot.”
“Think yourself lucky.” Karen chuckles. “It’s horrible.”
“I’m grateful, though,” I say to Briella, smiling at her. “You being here to pick my ass off the floor and keep me on my feet really means a lot. Thanks.”
“I’m here for you one hundred percent. We all are.”
“Especially me,” Merleigh says, softly. “I know exactly the kind of confusion you’re living through. Being in that world messes with your head.”
“Yeah, it does,” I admit.
Briella and I are the only two who know about Bennett outside of the club. Alarick wanted it as quiet as possible, so Merleigh and Karen don’t know. The last thing we want is for word to get around and really screw everything up.
“Just keep reminding yourself it’s nearly over, and if you need to recall why you’re doing it, look at me. Without you guys, I would still be there, still living that hell. You all saved me and I’m forever grateful to you for it.”
God damn, Merleigh is an angel, and I love her.
“You’re such a nice person. Seriously, stop.” I giggle.
Merleigh giggles, a sound you don’t often hear coming from her lips. She’s had such a hard life that I’m sure sometimes she’s forgotten how to smile, so seeing her do it makes me feel like everything we’re doing here is for a good reason.
“So,” Briella says, her voice lightening a little, “you and Mykel? How’s that going?”
None of them know we’ve had sex. None of them know the complete turmoil I’ve been going through this whole time. It’s not that I didn’t want to tell them; it’s merely that I didn’t want to create more complications in an already twisted situation.
But, now, well . . . it would be nice to have someone to talk to.
“We slept together.”
“Wait!” Briella screams, launching to her feet. “What?”
“It was once, at the lake. It was . . . I don’t know. God, it’s so hard to explain how weird that whole night was. He just . . .he confuses me.”
“Girl, rewind,” Karen says, her eyes wide. “We need all the details from the start.”
I laugh, take another shot of vodka and then start from the beginning. I tell them about how things are around here. I tell them about the lake. I tell them about every moment we’ve had together. After I’m done, I lean back in my chair and say, “What say you to that?”
Briella shakes her head, her mouth slightly agape. “Wow, like how did I not know this stuff? I thought we were friends!”
I roll my eyes dramatically. “We’re friends alright, but I can’t go sharing all the juicy details of my life, especially with everything that’s happening right now.”
“Girl, I don’t care if the world is on fire. You share the details!”
I giggle.
“So you two have slept together, but nothing has come of it? It hasn’t happened again?”