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 nod again.
“Mykel will drive you to the location where we’ll be waiting so you can see it, and you can enter Dax’s house from there.”
“No,” I say, my voice a little harder this time. “Anyone else but him.”
I don’t look at Mykel when I say this. I can’t.
I can’t handle any more pain right now.
“Bohdi then.”
I nod, and then stand. “I need to get some things ready. I’ll be back here at the agreed time to do this.”
“Waverly?” Alarick calls when I reach the door.
I turn back and glance at him.
“We appreciate this more than you’ll ever fuckin’ know. What you’re doin’ for us takes guts, and you’ve proven yourself one hundred percent true.”
Yeah, I have.
What fucking good has that done for me?
I leave and go home, where I take five minutes for myself before everything goes down. I need to clear my head; I need to figure myself out; I need to be strong for this. If I’m not, then I’m going to end up letting the entire club down and quite frankly, I’m not willing to have that happen.
I take a long, hot shower, and then I make sure my phone is charged, I’ve got my gun loaded, and that I’m ready for the next twenty four hours of my life, because they’re going to be intense. I’m in the bathroom, brushing my hair, when the door behind me opens. In the mirror, I see Mykel enter. He meets my eyes and for a second, I’m confused. What is he doing here?
Better yet, why is he in the bathroom?
I go to ask, but he steps up to me, takes hold of my shoulder, spins me around, and then he’s kissing me. He’s kissing me with such ferocity he renders me breathless. For what seems like minutes, I stand there completely stunned. The kiss he’s giving me right now, it’s unlike every other one we’ve had together.
It speaks more than any words ever could.
After what seems like an eternity, my body finally works and I kiss him back. I let my lips move against his, and I relish in it. I burn into my mind the way his tongue feels against mine, the way his lips are so soft but his beard is so rough. I take in how one hand is resting on the small of my back, and the other is around the back of my neck, holding me close to him.
I take every single moment and lock it away.
Because it’s likely going to be the last one.
After a few more blissful moments, he pulls back and without a word, he walks out of the bathroom.
He leaves me standing there, completely confused and yet feeling so much better.
He didn’t need to say anything, because he told me everything I had been desperate to hear in that one passionate kiss.
It gives me a spark of hope.
A tiny little light in this ever-growing darkness.
I’m grateful to him for that.
More than he’ll ever know.
16
WAVERLY
“I was wondering if you’d come back . . .” Dax says when I arrive at his house later that day.
He’s looking a whole lot more together right now, like he’s not going to just lose it and do something stupid. He’s wearing a suit, his hair is clean and brushed, and he looks well-presented and incredibly powerful. If I had to guess, I’d almost say he was preparing for something huge. My heart slams against my ribcage because I’m scared. One wrong move, and this is all over.
I take a deep breath and force myself to smile up at him. Tonight, I need to put on the best damned show of my life, because it’s essential I get him out of this house, and the only way I’m going to do that is to give him something that’s far better than what he’s planning here. I have to do what I have to do. I have to offer parts of myself to him for the good of everyone.
“Of course I was going to come back. Why wouldn’t I?” I ask, innocently.
“I have showed you a lot in the last few days. You must be overwhelmed.”
“I’ve seen worse out there,” I lie.
He reaches out and strokes a finger down my cheek. “I’m sure you have, my strong girl.”
“Is Peter coming tonight?” I ask.
“Tomorrow morning. He’s away on business right now.”
“Have you got enough buyers for those girls?”
Dax’s eyes scan over my face. “That’s not for you to worry about, my angel. Tonight, we’re just going to enjoy each other.”
“Speaking of enjoying each other,” I say, trying to make my voice sound lusty, “we should go somewhere. Dinner, maybe a nice hotel . . .” I let my voice trail off and I look down as if I’m feeling shy about what I just asked him.
He takes my chin in his hands and tips my head back. “You’d like to be with me?”