by Bella Jewel
“There’s always a monster out there, Waverly. Can’t save them all.”
“No, but I can sure as hell try.”
He studies me and then exhales and murmurs, “You need to get some rest.”
He takes a few steps toward the door and I take one more look at the board. I zone in on a picture of his mother and only then do I realize something so incredibly obvious. She looks a lot like Briella. It’s in that moment that I understand something, something incredibly huge—Mykel thinks he’s in love with Briella because she reminds him of his mother.
Not in a twisted, weird kind of way.
He doesn’t love Briella in a sexual way. That much is clear.
He loves her in a compassionate way, in a way that makes his heart feel a little better.
It’s not twisted, but rather beautiful.
And it helps everything suddenly make a whole lot of sense.
I press a hand to my heart, and I know one thing is for sure . . . I’m going to help Mykel find his family, because he deserves that.
I STARE AT THE GROUP of bikers sitting around the table in the shed at the compound, and I know they’ve come up with something, something that’s going to end this once and for all. I’m not sure I feel good about it, but it has been a few days since I helped Dax and since then, he’s been calling me an insane amount. He’s losing it. His footing is getting shaky, and because of that, he’s in the perfect position to have something bring him down.
Something being this club.
Zariah is here, and has informed us that the police are now actively looking for Bennett, who was reported missing when he didn’t show up for a shift. That means this is going to blow up in a big way really, really soon.
I’m scared. I’m scared because my DNA is all over that crime scene, and while Zariah assures me she’ll keep me safe, there’s only so much she can do without risking her career also. She’s a cop, and she shouldn’t be working with the club, so if anyone finds out she is, she’s going to end up with no job. All because of me.
So, really, what can she do?
“We’ve discussed it,” Alarick says, standing in front of everyone, his jacket firmly on his shoulders, his presence powerful.
Beside him sits his father, King. I don’t know King very well, but I do know that he spent many years trying to undo what Dax has been creating all over the countryside. He’s been trying to get vengeance for his woman, Briella’s mom, who has now passed. He’s been trying to fix what has been broken, and in doing so, has nearly lost his life.
He’s dedicate a whole fucking lot to this.
“The plan is simple, but complicated in the same breath. We could just leave it to the cops, but we’d be riskin’ Zariah’s career, and we’re not willin’ to do that after she’s helped us so much. We need to make sure that neither Zariah, nor Waverly, will have any fallout from this. The problem with that is that Waverly’s DNA is all over Bennett’s body, so we have to get rid of it.”
I blink.
Say what?
Get rid of it.
What does he mean, get rid of it?
Before I can open my mouth, he goes on. “We’re skilled, so to speak, in removing people without a trace, and that’s exactly what we’re goin’ to do. If we don’t, there’s no way Waverly is goin’ to get away with it. Her DNA is everywhere. In the house is one thing, because she’s been in the house as part of the attempt to bring Dax down, but on the body is a whole different playing field.”
“How?” I ask, my voice a little squeaky. “How are you going to get on Dax’s property, dig up the body, and remove it without leaving a single trace of anything?”
“That’s where you’re going to come in,” Alarick tells me. “You’re going to figure out how to disable that security system. Know it’s a big fuckin’ ask, but if you can do that, and then distract Dax, we’ll be able to find our way onto the grounds and do what we have to do.”
I shake my head. “I don’t . . . even if I can do that, you’ll never find the body . . .”
“You’re goin’ to tell us where it is, and we’re goin’ to have to risk it.”
“So what happens if you do get it out, how are you going to leave no evidence? There’ll be a big goddamned hole in the ground with Bennett’s DNA all over it. The cops will see that and that’ll be the end of it.”
Alarick holds my eyes. “You gotta trust us, Waverly. We’ll clean it up so that nobody ever fuckin’ finds it.”
“Even if they do find it,” Zariah says, adding her two cents in, “without a body, they’ll simply not have anything to go on. They might get some DNA if they’re lucky, but if we’re careful about this, we’ll make sure that Dax looks guilty and if anyone can be taken down for it, it’ll be him.”
“I helped dig that hole. My DNA will be there . . .” I protest. “If they see my DNA there, they’ll know I helped and . . .”
“That’s why you’re going to make a statement that Dax forced you to help him dig a hole, but you’re going to maintain that you didn’t see the body nor did you have anything to do with the murder. With all the evidence that’s going to pile up against Dax, you’ll be the least of their problems. As soon as the police find out what he’s been doing to these girls, they’re going to see that you’re another victim and brush it off,” Zariah assures me. “It’s a good plan, Waverly. Worst case, they find DNA and we spin a tale; best case, they don’t and without a body, they’ll simply have nothing to go on.”
“Without a body, they’ll have nothing to use against Dax!” I cry, throwing my hands up. “It’s a terrible plan.”
“We don’t need the body,” Cohen pipes up from his spot beside Alarick. “We just need reason for them to go out there and search him. When they do, they’re goin’ to find everything they need to make an arrest. Bennett disappearance will only add to the case. He can be charged with murder without a body. Add in everything else, and the man goes away for a long fuckin’ time.”
I shake my head, running my hands down my face and exhaling. “How are they even going to know to look at Dax in regards to Bennett?”
“Because I’m going to make sure they find something that’ll lead them out there,” Zariah says, her voice calm. “Then, they’re going to find everything they need. You stated yourself that Dax was bugging because without Bennett, there is nothing protecting him from the cops. You said he’s not clean and Bennett had enough evidence to use against him.”
I feel a little unwell.
I really do.
I mean, their plan makes sense, but it also has so many goddamned holes in it.
“We need you to be thorough in telling us every single thing you used to help Dax with that body. You need to tell us what equipment was used and where it was placed,” Alarick tells me. “Did you help him clean the house after it?”
I nod. “Yes. I washed the floors.”
“That’s good because it’ll work with our story that you were made to help him . . .”
“Why wouldn’t we just say the truth?” I point out. “If we’re going with the story that I was made to help him, we can simply say I arrived, saw Bennett was dead and then was forced to help him bury the body?”
“That could work,” Zariah says. “But I’m worried with that much involvement, it might throw too much suspicion your way, or towards me when they find out you’re my sister. I think if there’s no body, we run a much higher chance of them not finding anything at all. They’ll search, but if they don’t come up with anything, we’re a lot better off . . .”
“I still think it’s worth the risk,” I say. “It’s a lot cleaner than me trying to sneak the entire club in there. If they use dogs to search, they’re going to be led right to where Bennett’s body was, and I figure we might as well leave it there . . .”
“She has a point,” Mykel declares. “If we leave the body, and still stick with the story that she was forced to help, it’ll give us even more to get him on. Murder is a huge charge and he’l
l be taken down . . .”
“If we risk that,” Zariah says, “and they don’t believe that she’s been forced to help, she’s risking everything. She’s risking them searching and seeing her phone records, her time spent with him, the fact that she hasn’t been sold, the fact that she’s my sister, the fact that she hangs with a club, and a lot of questions are going to be asked. They’ll most certainly find her DNA with a body, but without one, they are far more likely not to find a damn thing, or if they do, it’ll be minor.”
“I agree with Zariah. The less questions we can be asked, the better,” Alarick says, his voice firm. “We think they’d believe she stumbled in and helped him because she had to, but if they don’t, if they fuckin’ decide to look into it further, they’re goin’ to see a lot more and ask more questions. No, it’s too big of a risk.”
I mean, I see their point. If they do decide to inquire about me, then they’re going to come up with a lot of stuff that’s risking the club and Zariah. If we remove as much of me as we can, they might very well put my DNA down to nothing, if they find some at all. I trust that Alarick knows what he’s doing, and I have to trust that the chances of the police finding anything on me are slim to none.
I’ll cooperate with their plan, because I see that it’s the better option, but I’m still afraid of it going horribly wrong.
“You’ll have the chance to clean yourself out of that house, Waverly,” Samson says, standing. “I’ve got a tip or two for you. If you’re careful, you can remove as much as you can before the cops visit. We’ll deal with the body and the DNA that lies around the grave site . . .”
I swallow and glance to Mykel. He is staring down at his hands, his jaw tight. He doesn’t like their plan, but then, to be fair, he hasn’t liked a goddamned thing about this from the start, and I’m starting to see why.
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?”
I shake my head. “Nah, it hasn’t. He said it was a one-time thing so . . .”
Briella looks to Karen, and then two of them roll their eyes. Merleigh gives a slight grin.
“I saw the way he looked at you that night when you ran out to see Dax. You two looked like you were going to rip each other’s clothes off right there and then,” Briella points out.
“She has a point.” Merleigh nods. “The tension between you two is huge.”
I shrug. “Maybe, but my heart isn’t the one he wants.”
Briella’s cheeks go a little red, and she exhales. “I’m sorry. I feel like I’m the reason you two aren’t getting closer and you should be . . .”
“You’re not at fault,” I say to her, waving a hand. “Mykel has feelings for you, and that isn’t anyone’s fault.”
“Wait, he’s in love with you?” Merleigh asks, her eyes wide. “What have I missed?”
So, I fill her in on that, too.
“I feel horrible about it.” Briella frowns.
“Do not,” I say, before taking another shot. “People can’t
help who they love.”
I say that, but deep down, right into the depths of my heart, it hurts. It hurts a lot more than I’m willing to admit, because I think I care a whole lot more about Mykel than I’m accepting right now. It makes me feel stupid, if anything, because he’s made it clear he doesn’t feel the same about me, and yet I’m still here wondering if there’s ever going to be any more between us than what we’ve got right now.
If only I could break down that wall he has built up so high, I might just be able to figure him out.
He won’t let it down, though.
Not right now.
Not yet.
But maybe one day.
Maybe.
I’M DRUNK.
So damned drunk.
Do I care? Oh, absolutely not.
It feels amazing, and freeing, and I want to spend forever not feeling the horrid feelings I’ve had over the last few days. I just want to feel like this forever and everything will be fine.
Briella and the girls went home after we all drank way too much, ate way too much, and danced out little hearts out. It was exactly what I needed to feel good, and it worked. I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, like maybe things aren’t going to be so bad after all.
I trust the club.
I trust the girls.
I trust Mykel.
I just have to get through this one final deception and I’ll be free to do what I need to do.
I’m sitting on the patio after my shower, staring at the sky, watching the stars twinkle, when Mykel comes home. He walks up the back stairs, takes one look at me, and stops. For a moment, his eyes just move over me, slowly, as if he’s taking in every inch of my body. Then he smiles wryly and says, “Been drinkin’ a bit, have we?”
He smiled at me.
He smiled.
My heart swells and I forget everything that has happened up until this point.
Confidence soars in my chest and I stand without thought. I walk over to him, and before he can even think about it, I go up onto my tiptoes and I kiss him. I press my lips right against his and curl my fingers into his hair. It takes him a moment to respond, but when he does, oh, he makes my knees weak. He kisses me back, with the same ferocity that I’m kissing him.