by Bella Jewel
Zariah huffs. “He’s a moody one, alright. It’s like when they get patched in they automatically become moody jerks. I had to deal with Kendric today, and let me tell you, that man is something else entirely.”
“Yep. Bikers . . .”
“Let’s stop talking about them. Tell me how things are going with Dax. Are you still feeling safe, because the moment you don’t I’m taking you out of there . . .”
“I feel safe, so far. Isn’t Alarick keeping you updated?”
“I know, but I worry about you . . .”
“You’re a cop; you’re supposed to.”
We chat for a few more minutes, and then, with a yawn, I tell Zariah I’m going to get some sleep and promise to see her when I get a chance, considering I may very well be stuck with Dax for the weekend.
Sometimes, I want to just curl up into a ball and hide.
But then I remember why I’m doing this, and I hold my head up high.
Because I’m a goddamned warrior.
5
WAVERLY
“We’ve secured accommodations two doors down from where Dax is taking you. It’s a large lake, people everywhere, so you’re bound to be safe, but we don’t want to leave your side just in case,” Alarick tells me a couple days later as we all sit around a table working out the details for our next move.
Dax is taking me and a few other girls to a lake. He is also bringing some potential ‘buyers,’ though that’s not what he actually calls them. Last time, I recall, he referred to them as good, loyal men looking for love. Snort—it’s not a fucking dating app. It’s real life and those girls are not toys—they’re people. They fall for it, though. Which is exactly what makes it a walk in the park for him and his evil buddies as they carry out their twisted plans.
“I really don’t want to spend two nights there,” I say, rubbing my hands together in a nervous fidget.
I don’t like Dax for a start, but the men he brings around give me full-body shivers that make me want to run and hide.
“You’re going to be fine,” Briella says, squeezing my hand. “We’re going to be there the whole time, and nobody is going to lay a finger on you.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” I say. “What bothers me is how it all makes me feel. Those men . . . they’re creepy. They just freak me out.”
“If you don’t feel like you can handle it—” Alarick begins, but I put a hand up to cut him off.
“I can handle it. I’m just explaining why I’m nervous.”
He nods. “Zariah has put a watch on, and we’re going to be there, too. If you can, take as much information as possible. Now we need to increase our efforts and get the info we need.”
I swallow but nod my head in agreeance. “I’ll get what I can.”
“When do you set off?” Briella asks.
“Dax is meeting me at the bus stop in an hour, so I had better check I’ve got everything.”
I stand and stare at the group of bikers all relying on me, all counting on me, and then I stare at my new friend. Briella has been through so much. She’s lost the only family she has left and the one she did save spends more time hating her than loving her. She’s been through all of this and yet she’s still strong.
“Can I talk to Merleigh before I go?” I ask Alarick.
“Yeah. I’ll get Briella to bring her in.”
Merleigh is a survivor, in the truest form. She has been in Dax’s hands. She has seen the evil that is unleashed when you’re sold to someone. She has been through it all and come out the other side. The club saved her, and Briella’s sister, Cova, only a few weeks back and since then, they have been working on helping both of them recover.
If anyone can understand what I see behind those doors, it’s Merleigh.
I walk out of the room while Briella goes to look for Merleigh, and I gather my things. A moment later, a beautiful woman comes into the room. She’s like a tiny angel, gorgeous, blond and so damned innocent-looking it’s hard to ever think she had been so badly mistreated. How could you treat someone who looks like her badly? It would be like hurting a child.
She’s strong, though.
Her looks are nothing on her ability to get through the worst things life can throw at someone.
“Hey Merleigh.” I smile when she approaches.
“Hi Waverly, how are you?” she asks quietly.
“I’m okay. I was actually wondering if we could have a chat?”
She nods and sits on an old bamboo chair that is beside the one I’m currently placing my bags on.
“I know this probably sounds silly, but I’m a little nervous about spending two nights with Dax and whoever it is he’s bringing in. I was wondering if you’ve had to go through this, and might know some of the things I should expect?”
Merleigh nods and crosses her legs, as if thinking on it for a moment. “We spent a few nights towards the end with Dax, meeting people, interacting with other girls. It’s a huge trust-building exercise, and I know it’s going to be different for you because you already know what kind of monster he is, but I remember not knowing and thinking it was complete paradise. I loved that he took us on mini vacations to the lake or a beach. We got to meet men, and interact, and we got fed well and had fun. That’s where I met . . .”
Her voice trails off and I give her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay if this is too painful.”
“No, no, it’s not that. It’s just now I look back on it, of course it was too good to be true, but the life I had been living . . . it was like I’d died and gone to heaven. The men I met were kind and generous, and I truly believed that I was going to start a better life.”
“So basically what you’re saying is nothing terrible is going to happen, but instead, quite the opposite . . .”
She smiles, but it’s wounded. “Oh, it’s terrible. You just don’t know it, and that’s what makes it scary.”
I nod, swallowing the hard lump in my throat. “Thank you. I really appreciate you talking to me.”
She stands and looks up at me, her smile softer now. “You’re strong, Waverly. You’re also protected. You’re going to come out of this with no damage. But I do want to thank you for what you’re doing. It really means a lot to me.”
Dammit, this girl knows how to make my heart feel a whole lot heavier than it normally does.
She’s good people.
Strong people.
People like that, you hang onto.
STANDING ON THE BALCONY peering out, I can honestly say it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life. There’s a huge lake full of people doing watersports, and big thick trees surrounding the water, and sitting behind beautiful big cabins. There is a little shop overlooking the lake where people are sitting, laughing and enjoying lunch. A large jetty goes out into the water where visitors are putting in boats, and canoes, and jet skis.
It’s gorgeous.
I could vacation here for a good long time.
Maybe forever.
The smell of fresh coffee brewing fills the air, and a cool breeze tickles over my face as the sun begins to warm the day. The sky is blue, the water is fresh, and I want to stay here until I’m forced to leave.
It’s just a shame to be stuck here with a man I loathe.
Dax.
However, there are also two other men and two other girls.
Both girls, who I’ve been introduce to already, are only young. They’re possibly younger than me. I’d guess they’re only about eighteen, if that. It’s a little alarming that at their age, they’ve lived such hard lives. You can see it written all over them, which makes me wonder if I’m doing my job acting as a traumatized person real well.
Bobbie, the first girl, is young and pretty. She has blond hair and brown eyes, and is petite in build. She’s had a hard life though; her skin seems to be struggling against the trauma she’s putting it through by using drugs and drinking alcohol. She’s got premature age lines and her eyes have dark shadows underne
ath them. When she’s wearing a shirt, I can see marks on her arms to indicate she’s been using quite heavily.
Amy, the second girl, looks similar to Bobbie, except she seems to be holding her age a little better. She’s got blond hair, slightly ashier than Bobbie’s, and her eyes are blue. She’s a little curvier, but also petite. She, too, carries the marks of drug abuse, but mostly she seems quiet, and withdrawn, and if I’m seeing things correctly, there’s a bruise fading on her left eye.
Someone has hurt her.
She has a different kind of story to tell.
My heart breaks for both of them, mostly because I know what’s about to happen to them. They think they’re going to enter a better world, but soon they’ll find out the heaven they’re being promised is actually in disguise—this is hell. The doors will close behind them, and they’ll have no way out.
I’m not going to let that happen.
“What do you think of the lake?”
I jump when Dax comes up behind me and places a hand on my hip. All day, he’s been putting his hands on me in an affectionate manner. In a way that would make me think he’s got some sort of warm feelings for me. I heard him speaking to Bobbie, and while he wasn’t being cruel, he wasn’t using the same gentle tones he’s been using when we talk.
Does Dax see straight through me, and is playing the game?
Or does he actually feel something different when we’re together?
Both options scare the hell out of me.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he tells me, his voice low and gravelly.
I turn to face him and look up into his gaze. He’s a gorgeous man; it would be hard for anyone to overlook that.
I glance away.
“I’m sorry. I was just taking in the scenery. I didn’t hear you come around.”
“That’s okay; enjoy it. Would you like to take a walk with me? The other girls are enjoying some time with Yates and Jack. I think they might like them.”
Stop talking like you’re introducing a few old friends, you sick motherfucker. Anger bubbles in my chest and I struggle to fight it down, so much so I’m forced to look away and pretend I’m gazing at the lake again. If I don’t, he’ll see the blind rage I feel for him over that horrible comment. Yates and Jack are here for one thing only—to buy themselves a little fucking slave.
They’re rich.
I saw the cars they arrived in.
I saw their clothes and the watches.
They’re not here for fun.
They’re here for business.
“A walk sounds nice,” I say even though it takes every strength inside my body to stop myself from screaming.
“Wonderful.”
We start a walk along the lake, and I can’t help but glance at the cabins, wondering which one the guys are staying in. They said they were close. I notice a few cabins set back into the thick trees a little more, a dirt road leading to them. If they were smart, they’d be in one of those where they can’t be seen. If they’re seen, this all goes to shit.
“How are you feeling today?” Dax asks me, standing a little too close for comfort.
His woodsy aftershave does smell incredible, though.
I’m sure the devil did too, when he was a fucking angel.
“I’m okay. A little nervous,” I tell him, using a soft voice. “I’m not sure I fit in here.”
Dax reaches out and takes my hand, and I want jerk it back. A couple walking the opposite way to us smiles, like we’re the damned cutest things they’ve ever seen. I grit my teeth.
“You’re with me. I’ll make sure we have a wonderful time.”
Oh, I’m positive you will.
“It is a lovely place,” I say, trying to change the subject. “Do you suppose it’s too cold to swim?”
“Not at all.”
“Good,” I say, taking my hand from his quickly and running towards the water.
If this is what I have to do to get away from him, I will.
I take my shirt off until I’m in my bra and shorts, and I launch myself into the cold lake. It’s not as bad as I thought, but it’s still enough to make me let out a little squeal. Dax grins and then, before I know it, he’s taking his shirt off and walking towards the water. The man has a body on him—there’s no doubt about it.
I look away, irritated. I duck under the water, holding my breath and letting out the tension in my body by screaming as loudly as I possibly can.
When I surface, I feel a little better, though my chest is tight and sore.
I glance back in Dax’s direction but I can’t see him, which means he’s already in the water. Super. Now I’m stuck in here with him.
Great job thinking on your toes, Waverly.
He appears in front of me, hair wet, face chiseled. God, it’s not a wonder people fall for this man. He’s gorgeous and he knows it.
I duck back under the water quickly, not wanting to have to look at him a single second longer, or face this awkward encounter that I so stupidly put myself in.
When I surface again, he’s smiling. Damn, if I don’t have to avert my gaze.
“You’re beautiful, Waverly. I’ve met many women in my time, but none quite as exceptional as you.”
Right.
Great.
Fab.
“Thanks,” I say softly.
He extends a hand and places it on my cheek and for a moment, for a terrifying moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. If he’s going to do something that I’m sure he hasn’t done before, right here in the water, with a girl he’s supposed to be preparing for sale. When he leans closer, and my fears are nearly confirmed, I turn my face away. My cheeks are burning, thankfully, because it only helps when I say, “Oh, oh . . .”
I act nervous, but honestly, it isn’t hard, because I am nervous.
“It’s okay,” he says, stroking a thumb over my cheek before dropping his hand. “I know you’ve had a hard time. But understand something, Waverly. I won’t hurt you. I will not harm you in any way.”
You filthy liar.
I swallow and give him a weak smile, and then in a soft voice declare that I need to get out because it’s cold.
But really, what I need to do is get away from this situation and the mind fuck that it’s currently giving me.
I need space.
Stat.
6
WAVERLY
“Here. I got you another drink.”
I glance over, my head a little light from the alcohol I’ve been consuming to make this situation easier to handle.
Bobbie is standing, glass in her hand, looking down at me. She’s still and not smiling. The poor girl has had a hard life—it’s clear in her face. What has she got to smile about?
My heart twists because I don’t want to sit here and talk to her. I don’t want to hear her story. I don’t want to hear that she’s found some sort of escape in Dax. That she’s going to get a better life. I don’t want to hear it because what if I can’t help her? The odds are against us. What if I can’t do anything to stop the horror that’s going to unfold in her life the moment she is sold?
The chances of the club destroying Dax and his business before these two girls are sold is slim to none.
I feel like I’m watching someone walk to a cliff and step over the edge, only my hands are tied, I’m gagged, and I can do nothing but watch as they plunge to their death.
“Thank you,” I say softly, because I really just want her to go.
Yet I want her to stay.
I feel a little unwell right now.
“How are you enjoying the lake?” she asks me, sitting down.
“It’s nice. I haven’t been away like this since I was a child. I’m enjoying the peace.”
It’s a lie.
I’m not enjoying it.
I want to scream.
“Me too,” she tells me softly. “I’m glad not to be sleeping on the streets, or at a random stranger’s house. It’s horrible when you don’t have a h
ome.”
God.
She doesn’t have a home.
I take a long sip of the vodka she gave me, not even pausing to taste it.
It’s sweet—that’s enough for me.
“I’m sorry things were that bad for you,” I say, staring at her.
“You haven’t slept on a street?”
“Not yet,” I say quickly. “But I have a cruel ex, and no family, and I’m so glad to be here.” I want to vomit.
“I’m sorry. Cruel boyfriends are the worst. I just got away from one myself. He . . . he gave me a lot of drugs. I’m struggling, to be honest. It’s all I can think about. Have you ever had that feeling?”
Please stop.
Sweet girl, please stop.
“Yes,” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
“I’m so glad Dax appeared when he did. He . . . he has given me life again. I’ve met some wonderful people, I have a nice bed to sleep in, and he has given me more food than I could imagine . . .”
Oh.
Don’t.
Just don’t.
“I also like Yates. He seems super nice and wants to take me on a date next week. I haven’t been on a date in . . . well never.”
I don’t know what to do. My body feels stiff and my heart is racing. I turn to her and am about to open my mouth and say something stupid like ‘Yates asked me out, too’ or anything to make her reconsider seeing him.
But Dax appears, and looks at the two of us, smiling. “Are you ladies enjoying your evening?”
“Yes,” Bobbie says, her voice soft. “Thank you.”
“Bobbie, I think Yates is wondering where you are.”
“Oh.” She finally smiles, and it breaks my heart into a thousand pieces. “I better go and find him.”
She stands and leaves, and I can’t stop it. I can’t help the lone tear that rolls down my cheek. I feel like I’m going to explode into a bucket of emotions. I can barely keep the stress from bubbling out. I’m strong, probably the stronger than most, and yet this is breaking me. It’s ripping me apart from the inside out. I feel like I’m here, doing something to stop the trafficking, and yet I’m not doing enough to stop it.