by Bella Jewel
Kendric shrugs. "No fuckin' idea, but I'm goin' to chat with Zariah about it now. She's got to know somethin'. Goin' to get her to look into him."
"Be careful with her, Kendric. She's a good cop, but she's still a cop, and we don't fuckin' deal with cops."
Kendric looks to me, and his eyes flash. "I'm not fuckin' stupid. We can't even have a decent conversation, believe me, it's not a coffee and a fuckin' chat."
I snort. "Didn't say it was."
"Zariah is helpful, and that's it. She holds no further use after that."
"You're right. She doesn't. Keep your dick in your pants when it comes to her. We do not fuck cops."
"No, you're right, we fuckin' don't."
He turns and walks out, and I grin. Fuckin' Kendric, he takes everything personally. A few minutes later, Waverly comes into my office, her face flushed, her hair bouncing around her shoulders, slightly messy.
"Anyone would think you just got fucked..."
She snorts and waves her hand. "I went for a jog, my god, do you have any idea how fucking hard that is? Why do people insist on doing it? It's the worst."
I laugh. "I have no idea."
"Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Dax is taking me out tonight. I'm getting a whole lot closer to him and everyone in that house. Bennett included."
"You see this man there?"
I flip through a few pictures on my phone and then turn the picture of Aviana's uncle towards Waverly. She leans in, studying it, then shakes her head. "No, I haven't seen him. But I'll keep an eye out."
"Please do, he's bad news that one. I think he's head of the operation. Find out what you can about him."
She nods. "I'm on it. I just wanted to check-in. I better get going, Zariah wants me to go to her place for a beer. Now we have to see each other in private, it's super hard."
"Yeah, well, make sure you're hidden. Shouldn't even be here."
"Don't worry, Mykel smuggled me in, nobody saw me. Mind you, I'm fairly certain he was just happy to shove me in the back of his truck and make me look like some sort of used trash..."
I chuckle. "Bit dramatic, yeah?"
She laughs. "You have no idea how much that man dislikes me. Couldn't you have put anyone else on my case?"
"I could have, but I like the entertainment..."
She laughs.
"Plus, Mykel can't do any heavy lifting. It's the best option for him until he's better. You're just going to have to deal with it."
"Things are going to get messy. I hope you know that..."
I grin at her. "I intend to enjoy every second of it."
"I'm sure you do. Anyway, I better go. He's impatient, and I'm desperate for a drink."
"Keep me updated, yeah?"
She nods, giving me the thumbs up. "You got it, boss."
With that, she spins around and skips out of the room.
Damn girl, she's a god damned minx.
She and Mykel are going to make a hell of a story. I can just feel it.
Fuckin' can't wait.
Maybe he'll fall out of love with my girl then.
"HOW'S COVA DOIN'?" I ask Briella, running my hand down her naked back.
She shivers beneath my fingertips, and my dick starts getting hard again, and I let my hand glide down further, caressing her perfect little ass.
"She's doing okay," Briella murmurs. "She's still pretty angry, but she's not destroying the room. Her therapist said she wouldn't talk, but she's just been giving her ideas anyway, things for her to think about. I think she is thinking about them because she's not as aggressive."
"It's goin' to take time..."
"Oh, I know. I'm happy to spend the time with her."
"Know you are, honey. You're doin' a great job."
She rolls to her side and looks at me, hair flowin' down around her face, makin' her look like a god damned angel.
I could stare at her all day and not get bored.
She's fuckin' perfection.
"Thank you," she murmurs. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"You're wrong; you could have."
She stares at me, and then in a soft voice, she says, "I love you, Flick. I hope you know that."
"Love you too, no idea how much."
"I think I've got a clue," she smiles.
"I'm just glad to see you've got some family back, somethin' to make your life feel a little more whole."
"It has helped so much, even if Cova doesn't want anything to do with me right now. Plus, having King home, it makes it feel not so empty..."
Got to admit, having King back has helped. It has made a fuckin' world of difference to our lives. He has balanced out the bad and replaced it with a whole lot of fuckin' good. Now, we have one more obstacle in our way before we can finally fix all the damage that has been done.
Once Dax has gone, it'll be normal again.
Everyone can be happy once more.
At least, I hope that's what'll fuckin' happen.
"Got to tell you, it's lookin' a lot like Aviana's uncle might just be the top dog in this show."
Briella rolls and stares at me, her eyes wide. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, babe, seriously. Found some shit at Bryant's house, linkin' it all back, and it turns out it's lookin' a whole lot like he's the ring leader. Could be wrong, but it could explain a lot when it comes to Aviana and her family."
"I know you said Avi was okay, but do you believe that?"
Not goin' to lie to her anymore, even if the truth is harder to deal with. "Look, there have been some things come forward that have suggested that maybe Aviana isn't as safe as we thought, that maybe it's all just a big set up. Hard to tell, and I can't promise you anything, but we'll find out what we can."
Briella frowns, and then exhales. "I let her down. I should have gone after her a long time ago."
"We've all made mistakes, don't take yours to heart. There is nothing you could have done to prevent what happened with her family."
"No, but I could have gone looking for her. I should have trusted my gut, and I didn't. She could be anywhere now..."
I press a kiss to her forehead. "We'll find out what happened to her."
Fuck, I hope it's good news.
How much more can one person possibly take?
28
BRIELLA
"It'll be okay," I tell Merleigh. "They're nice, and we have a lot of fun at our cookouts. I promise you, it's going to be a great night."
Merleigh rubs her arms and glances around. It has been ten days exactly since we got them here, and it has been a hell of a ride. Cova has good and bad days, but mostly good in the last few. She doesn't say much to anyone, but I think she's finally past the worst of the drugs leaving her system, so it's an uphill ride now.
She's still determined that she's in love with Bryant, and part of me thinks it's going to take a lot more therapy to get her to believe otherwise, but we're doing our part. She comes out of her room here and there, but mostly she stays inside, hidden from the world. I talk to her every day. I drop off photos of our family, and I tell her stories. She acts like she's not listening, but I could swear her eyes softened just a touch when I went in this morning, and she didn't yell at me once.
I have to believe that's her finally coming around.
Tonight we're having a cookout. The place is heavily guarded, due to everything that's happened in the past few months, so I'm sure it's safe for Cova to come out and join in. I've told her she's welcome and left it with her. I can only hope she decides to take me up on my offer.
Merleigh was excited to join in, though a little anxious. It has been a long time since she's been to any sort of party, and she's not sure if she'll fit in anymore. Her words, not mine. I assured her it'll be great, and together we are joining the party.
I've dressed her in some of my clothes, and I did her hair.
She's stunning, and I honestly don't think she knows it. She would have to be one of the prettiest girls I've ever laid eyes on, and t
hat's saying something. I'm friends with a lot of gorgeous women, but she takes the cake.
"I'm worried I'll make a fool of myself, or say something stupid, in front of all those men."
Merleigh squirms at the thought, and I place a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. I promise you that. They are great people, and they're not going to judge you in any way."
She nods and takes a deep, shaky breath. She glances around at the fire, and all the men starting to sit around it. The smell of our dinner cooking on the grill makes my stomach rumble, and I'm looking forward to a night off. It's been a long time since we've enjoyed ourselves. I've invited Karen and also Waverly. I think Merleigh will like them, and the more friends she can have, the better.
"Come on, let's go and sit down. I'll get you a soda," I tell her.
We join the group, and the guys smile at Merleigh as she nervously sits down. Bohdi comes over, and my heart does a little flutter when I look back and see him talking to her. Together, they're like blond angels. Their hair is so beautiful, their skin so perfect. They'd make a hell of a match, and I can only hope Merleigh keeps bonding with him. I think they've both got dark pasts, and might just very well help each other heal.
I reach the grill where Alarick is flipping some burgers.
"How's Merleigh going?" he asks me.
"She's doing okay. She's super nervous, but okay. I think she's settling in, little by little."
"And Cova?"
"She can come out at any time. I don't think she will, but at least she has the option to. I think she's slowly getting better."
"Yeah, it'll take a little longer with her, but you're doin' a great job."
I smile and lean up, kissing him, before moving to the drinks fridge and getting two sodas out. I'm not going to drink because Merleigh can't, and I'm supporting her as much as I possibly can right now. She deserves that.
I take a seat beside her and hand her the soda just as Karen walks in. I wave her over, and she joins us with a smile. I introduce her to Merleigh, and the two of them hit it off right away.
I can't wipe the smile from my face.
It feels like Christmas has come all at once here.
Like things are finally falling into place.
Finally.
"I CAN'T GET HOLD OF Waverly," Zariah says, standing in front of Alarick, the fire flickering over her pretty face and making her look even more beautiful.
"What do you mean you can't get hold of her?" Alarick asks, his eyes narrowing.
Zariah shakes her head. "It means exactly that, Alarick. I can't get hold of her. I've been trying for the last twenty-four hours. She had a 'date' with Dax, and since then, I've not been able to contact her."
Oh god.
This is not happening.
No.
"Are you sure she's still there and not just sleepin'?"
"I'm sure," Zariah nods. "She's not been home, I've checked. I'm worried something bad has happened to her."
"Listen, take it easy. Unless Dax has found out, which I highly doubt, she's probably just spent the night there or is meeting a potential buyer. Now isn't a time to overreact."
"How can I not overreact?" Zariah snaps. "She's my sister! I told her to find a way to call me, no matter what, and she hasn’t done that."
"Yeah, she is, but goin' off ain't goin' to fix anything," Alarick growls.
"We'll go for a drive past, scour around," Kendric says, standing. "Do the best we can to see if we can find her."
"Driving around isn't going to find her!" Zariah mutters to him. "She's not going to be just walking down the street."
"Listen, lady," Kendric growls. "I'm tryin' to help you out here."
"I don't want your damned help."
They're practically nose to nose now, glaring at each other. For the love of God, why are they bringing their little drama fest when we need to be worrying about Waverly right now?
She's the most important thing.
The most important.
"Calm down, you two," I say, standing and putting my hand on Kendric's chest to push him back. "This isn't about either of you, this is about Waverly. She's likely with Dax and hasn't been able to check-in. It can't hurt to do a drive around, and Zariah, I think you need to talk to Bennett. Not to ask questions, just to get a general idea if he's seen or heard from her."
"He won't tell me anything, I've already tried," Zariah exhales and runs her hand down her face. "I knew this would go bad. I knew he'd figure it out."
"Before anyone panics, we don't know if he's figured out anything. There are a million reasons why Waverly hasn't shown up, and not all of them are dark," Alarick throws in. "We'll get a team out to look for her now, and we'll do what we can to find her."
"There's somewhere else Dax goes," Merleigh says, her voice soft. "I went there a few times, stayed overnight. It's usually right before he sells you, or introduces you to the person he's selling you to..."
Everyone turns and looks to Merleigh.
"You remember where that is?" Alarick asks.
"Yes, I do. But you won't get in. It's fully secured. However, I did do overnight stays with Dax, and during them, our phones would be somewhere else, intentionally, no doubt. So, please don't panic about Waverly. If it’s what happened to me, it’s part of the plan. If Waverly is acting, she’s not going to demand her phone. None of us did, we were so excited."
Zariah looks to Merleigh, and her eyes fill with a little relief. "Thank you, that helps."
"Give her a few hours," Merleigh tells them. "I've never seen Dax hurt a girl, not unless he had to. He wants them to believe he's offering a better life, just remember that. Waverly is safe, I'm sure of it."
God, I hope she's right.
I do because if she's wrong, that means Waverly could be anywhere.
Going through anything.
I don't like that thought, but there's also nothing that can be done about it.
We just have to trust Merleigh and pray that what she's saying is true.
Pray that Waverly is safe.
Pray that she's going to come home tomorrow and everything will be fine.
I have to believe it will be.
I have to have faith in the work we've done.
Dax might be smart, but we're smarter.
Waverly is clever.
She'll come out on the other side of this.
I just know it.
Still, behind my back, I cross my fingers anyway.
I cross them and pray she'll be okay.
God, please, let her be okay.
THE END
MYKEL
BELLA JEWEL 2020
DEDICATION
To Lance,
For believing in me and kicking my ass to keep writing even when I didn’t want to.
For this awesome title. I suppose it’s pretty good ☺
For always making me laugh, even if I occasionally snort.
For loving me harder than I’ve ever been loved.
For being the best damn thing to ever happen to me.
This is for you.
It’s always for you.
~*MYKEL*~
All rights reserved. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any form without prior written permission of the publisher, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.
MYKEL
Copyright © 2020 Bella Jewel
MYKEL is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events portrayed in this book either are from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, establishm
ents, events, or location is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
~*ACKNOWLEDGMENTS*~
As always, my heartfelt thanks to every single blogger, reader and author that has supported my journey. From reading my books, to sharing them, to raving about them, to being there for me. Thank you. My career would be nothing without any of you. You might not know it, but you’re my everything in this.
A huge thanks to the gorgeous ladies from Give Me Books for organizing my reveals and blitzes. You all do such an amazing job. No matter how many times I use you, I am always blown away by how efficient you are. Nothing is ever a drama. Thank you for giving me so much support.
A massive thanks to Ben Ellis from Tall Story Designs for this gorgeous cover. You’re the easiest, most efficient person I’ve ever worked with. You make my covers absolutely gorgeous every single time. I couldn’t do it without you.
To the team at CREATING ink, most especially Lauren McKellar, for the editing of this book. You’re beautiful; I swear, you’ve made my career such an effortless and easy journey. Working with you is, without a doubt, an absolute pleasure. Thank you!
And of course, to my admin, MJ, for ALWAYS keeping my page running beautifully. I couldn’t do it without you, girly. I love your teasers and your passion; thank you for taking the time out of your life to help this poor girl keep everything running.
And, last but certainly not least, to my loyal readers. To each and every one of you who picks up my books and gives me a chance. Thank you for the reviews you write, good or bad. For the time you take to make me a better person. You make this real for me; never stop giving such love and passion. You make our journey so amazing.
PROLOGUE
Hi there . . .
Hmmm, no, that doesn’t work.