King's Descendants MC - BOXED SET

by Bella Jewel

  Blanche leans down on my desk, getting in a little closer, so I can smell his very masculine aftershave. “I have my methods. Let’s just say I don’t ask the other police officers who they think should suit, they’ll always tell me themselves. I ask the other people, the ones who are always watching but nobody notices. The receptionists, the cleaners, the janitors ...”

  Proving just how smart he is.

  “Your receptionist said you’re the nicest person here and always bring her lunch, even when you’re so busy you don’t get to eat your own.”

  My heart swells. I love Jacey at the front desk; she’s so nice and she works so many hours. On my way to work each day, I go past a deli and I always pick her up her favorite turkey sandwich. I did this because one day I saw her faint because of hunger, because our stupid boss wouldn’t let her go on a lunch break. I wasn’t going to let that happen again, so I make sure every day she has something to eat, even if she can’t leave her desk.

  “The cleaners, two, in particular, said you always clean your office and empty your trash, like you’re trying to make their job a little easier. They also told me every Friday you leave them a bottle of wine each on your desk.”

  I’m probably going to cry in a minute.

  That’s true, the two cleaners, older ladies, named Betty and Muriel, are always so nice to me and, as with everyone else female around here, they don’t get treated the same. They’re working hard and they’re most certainly underpaid. I like to know that I can help them out by doing my bit, and everyone deserves to go home on a Friday night to a nice glass of wine.

  “The janitor said that when he’s in here on a weekend, you always bring him a muffin from the local bakery and tell him that you won’t tell if he eats it in the supply closet.”

  I laugh. Old Jake. He’s so nice and does all the repairs and harder work around the office. He’s only in on the weekends when the two cleaning ladies aren’t here, and he’s quiet and sweet. He’s such a nice man and reminds me of my grandfather, so I like to give him a treat.

  I swallow the lump in my throat.

  “Those are the kinds of people I want working for me, the people who selflessly help others over themselves. All the other officers might tell me they’ve got the most experience and the most knowledge, but they’re not who I want on my team.”

  Sweet Jesus.

  It’s a damned miracle.

  “So, would you like to work this case with me?”

  Would I?

  Sweet lord, yes.

  I know I’m taking on a lot, being that I’m secretly helping Alarick find Dax, but I can fit in this, too.

  “I’d love to, I really would.”

  He grins and stands up straight. “Wonderful, I’ll be getting permission from your boss to take you for the next month or two. We’ll be working here, but you’ll be relieved of all your other duties during that time. This will go very well for you stepping up into a higher role, Zariah. Congratulations.”

  I’m going to cry.

  No, no I’m not.

  “Thank you so much, it’s an absolute honor.”

  He smiles and then tells me he’ll be in touch.

  With that, he leaves.

  And my whole world is changed forever.

  5

  ZARIAH

  I open my front door when a knock sounds out to see Alarick and Kendric standing in the doorframe. I stare at them for a moment, quite surprised to see them here. “What do I owe this pleasure?” I mutter.

  I haven’t spoken to Alarick since he refused to allow me the chance to know who he got information about Blanche from. He kept me on the sidelines after everything I’ve done and, quite frankly, I’m still pissed about it.

  “Can we come in?” Alarick asks, peering past me when he noticed Jayden come barreling out from the kitchen with an apple in one hand and a truck in the other. “That your boy?”

  “No, I stole him off the street,” I murmur, shoving the door open so they can come inside.

  Jayden skids to a halt when he sees the two very big, very scary men standing in the doorway. He’s not met anyone from the club, mostly because I never involve my son in any of my business, work or otherwise. But I know they’re good people, so I have no problem with them meeting him.

  “How are you, little buddy?” Alarick asks, squatting down so he’s not so scary. “Is that a fire truck?”

  Jayden looks at the truck in his hand and then looks back to Alarick. “Yeah,” he says in his cute little boy voice.

  “That’s a cool truck. I have a cool motorbike I ride; do you want to see it sometime?”

  Jayden nods. “Bike!”

  “Yeah, bike.” Alarick grins, standing. He looks to me. “He’s a cute kid.”

  “Yes, I know,” I say, my voice a little too full of sarcasm.

  “Look, I know you’re pissed at me, Zariah, and I get why, but you gotta understand I just got fucked over in a big way, Kendric took the fall for it, and my club has a fuckin’ snitch I don’t know about. You gotta understand my hesitation.”

  “I understand it, Alarick, but you shoving me aside when I’ve already risked so much makes me feel like you don’t trust me. I don’t appreciate that.”

  Kendric crosses his arms, and then his eyes flitter to Jayden when he walks up to him and hands him the truck. Jayden rarely approaches strangers, he’s a really shy kid, so to see him walk up to the big, burly biker has me pausing. I’m not sure if I pause in concern at how this is going to play out, or awe that my little boy has the guts to walk up to a stranger in such a confident manner.

  Kendric looks down at my son and surprises me when he too squats down and says, “How are you, boy?”

  Jayden gives him the cutest, shyest smile I’ve ever seen and then reaches for Kendric’s hand and demands, “Play?”

  Oh god, he wants to play with him.

  My heart flips and feels a little strange.

  “I’ll play with you in a minute, okay?”

  Jayden lets Kendric’s hand go and turns, sprinting toward his room to, no doubt, grab his toys and prepare them.

  “You don’t have to play with him,” I say, my voice careful.

  Kendric straightens and looks to me. “I don’t have anything against your son.”

  No, just me.

  Of course.

  I look back to Alarick. “What are you here for exactly?”

  “We’re here to fill you in on what we’ve found out about Steven.”

  I exhale. This feels a lot to me like they’re wasting their time looking for the wrong person when they should be focusing on Dax and Peter. I’m not going to turn them away though, considering I’m about to start working with Steven. I’m curious to hear what they have to say, even though I don’t believe he has anything to do with it.

  I just can’t come to that conclusion, no matter which way I try to present it to my brain.

  “Come in.”

  We walk into the kitchen and take a seat at my dining table. Both men sit down, and Alarick starts talking immediately.

  “We’ve got word that he’s been seen with Peter, speaking to him and exchanging information.”

  I frown. “That could literally be about anything. Steven is an investigator, how are you to know that he’s not working for Peter or even working the case on Dax? The station has that case pretty high on their radar right now.”

  “You could be right, but we found a document in relation to the selling of those women, and on one of them that we managed to pull up, there is a receipt stating that two women were sold to someone of the same name, that’s not a coincidence.”

  Okay, that’s a bit sketchy, but it could be a way of concealing something else, too. Perhaps they were using Steven’s name to cover another track. If it goes down, they take someone else. That’s a logical plan.

  “There could be a number of reasons for that. Look, I’m not saying that he has nothing to do with it, and I’m going to look further into it from my end, I’m si
mply stating I can’t see why he’d risk his entire life and career for something like that. He is well known and does an incredible job ...”

  Alarick and Kendric look to each other, and then Kendric states, “You know how fuckin’ deep this goes, we’d appreciate your help on this.”

  Well, that’s probably the nicest thing he’s said to me.

  “Send me the documents you’ve got, I’ll run them through some databases at work, see if I can pull any information off them. Also, I’m now working with Steven on a case. He personally asked me to.”

  Alarick frowns, crossing his big arms. “He asked you to?”

  “Yes.”

  “Out of nowhere?”

  I exhale. “Maybe I’m good at my job. I’m not the only one he picked.”

  “You didn’t consider that he’s gettin’ close to you because he knows you’re workin’ with us and wants to cover all his bases?”

  Well, now I’m considering that.

  “I have,” I lie, “but I’m not going to pass the opportunity up if he actually wants my assistance. I’ve been waiting for this chance for a good long time.”

  “Do it,” Kendric murmurs. “You working with him gets us even closer.”

  “I’m not doing it for information,” I say, narrowing my eyes.

  “Can’t hurt to fuckin’ gather it while you’re there, find out what you can. You’re working directly with him, it’s the perfect opportunity,” Kendric fires, his jaw tight.

  “I’m not risking my job ...”

  “You fuckin’ owe it to us.”

  “That’s enough,” Alarick barks, then looks to me. “Zariah, we’re not goin’ to make you risk anything but would appreciate if you could, at the very least, keep your eyes peeled when around him. Listen out, if anything comes up, let us know.”

  “I can do that,” I say. “I’ll see what I can find about the receipts. Where did you find that information?”

  “We have our sources,” Alarick says, his voice stern.

  He’s not going to tell me where.

  Fair enough.

  “Well, get those sources to keep digging. The more we have, the closer we’ll get to finding Dax. Are we any closer to locating Peter?”

  “Peter has been seen, but he’s clean as a fuckin’ whistle. The man is smart, and we have no reason to barge in and demand shit. One wrong move, Kendric is going down, otherwise I’d have the skinny fuck tied up doing things to him you couldn’t even imagine for information.”

  I have no doubt.

  I try to turn my cop brain off when I hear that. I know some of the things Alarick and the club do would have my hair standing on end, but I also know they’re good people. In a strange sense of the word. They’ve helped me, and I know that Kendric doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him. For that alone, I’m going to make sure that he’s cleared. Then, well, then I’ll probably have to cut my ties with the club.

  It’s not safe for my career to be friends with them.

  Even though the idea of not having them in my life bothers me.

  “What about Aviana? Have you made contact with her?”

  Alarick glances at Kendric, who exhales and growls. “There’s somethin’ off there. She’s twisted up in somethin’. We’re tryin’, still tryin’.”

  She could have the answers we need.

  “Have you thought about getting Briella to try? Considering the two were best friends?”

  “Yeah,” Alarick answers. “Don’t like her involved in this, but it might be the only way. Her friend Karen has been quite savvy in helpin’ us with computer work. She’s good at findin’ shit and so we’ve got her helpin’ to get some information, too.”

  Karen’s nice, I like her. The more hands the better, I suppose.

  Sometimes, though, more hands means more chances of getting caught.

  Either way, we’re in so deep now I don’t think it matters anymore.

  “What about Cova and Merleigh?” I continue to question. “They’ve been in amongst it. Surely they might have something we haven’t heard of yet. A name? A location? Something that stands out?”

  “We’re talkin’ to Merleigh, but she was kept away from most of it. If anyone has answers, it’s Cova. She don’t want a bar of us, though. Every time we try to speak to her, she simply spits in our faces and refuses to talk. She hates us. No luck there.”

  “Maybe I can try?” I suggest.

  I feel bad for Cova, I feel bad for the life she’s lived. I know her mind is warped and twisted, that she’s living with an abuse she doesn’t fully understand. She was ripped away from a life she thought was her own, and is now living with a whole lot of emotion she probably can’t figure out in her own mind.

  “Worth a shot. King has been tryin’ to talk with her daily, but she can’t stand him. He’s tryin’ all the same, though. Guess he’s tryin’ to step up because her momma is dead.”

  Poor girl.

  I nod. “Well, I’ll get onto seeing what I can find out. Let me know if anything comes up in the meantime.”

  God, I hope it does.

  I want this to be over, mostly because I’m ready for my life to just move forward.

  Also, I want to make the most of the chance I’ve been given to help investigate a case.

  It’s my stepping stone.

  The last thing I want is to trip on it and fall face first to the ground.

  “COVA, HI, I DON’T KNOW if you know me, but my name is Zariah. I’m Waverly’s sister, I was wondering if I could come in?”

  Cova, a gorgeous girl, stands in the doorway of Briella’s apartment. She looks like she’s just woken up, her hair is a mess and her eyes are dark. She isn’t living, not really. She’s breathing but she’s not moving forward. She’s not giving life her best shot. She’s stuck in a dark, dark place, and I really hate that for her.

  “Briella isn’t here.”

  “I know, I was wanting to talk to you.”

  “Know nothing about Dax,” she mutters. “I’ve told Alarick that. I’ve told them all that. Nobody listens.”

  “Actually, it isn’t about Dax.”

  “Aren’t you a cop?” she asks me, narrowing her eyes.

  “I am. But right now, I’m just a person, a person wanting to help another person.”

  “That’s the fucking thing you’re all not getting. I don’t want help. I don’t want pity. I want to get the hell out of here. I wouldn’t care if I never saw any of you again.”

  Her face is tight as she speaks, and oh, she’s got so much pain behind her eyes.

  I know how that feels.

  “I feel you,” I say. “I’m not here for pity, or to convince you to get help, or whatever it is you think. I’m just here because I wanted to talk to you. As a friend, if you will.”

  This must shock her because she narrows her eyes in confusion. Has nobody just offered to be her friend? Has nobody just let her be who she is, without trying to fix her? I know Briella loves her sister, I know Cova is the only family she has left, but I also know that sometimes when you’re in a scary place, a place where Cova is firmly planted right now, you just want someone to understand, to accept, and not to try and change you.

  “Did Briella send you?” she asks, her voice a little less hostile.

  “No, nobody sent me. I came here because I wanted to. There is no ulterior motive, I’m not trying to trick you. I honestly have thought about you, and how you’re doing, and wanted to come by. I’m not here to try and fix you, Cova. Believe me, I know what it’s like to be so horrifically broken and for everybody to be swarming around you trying to put the broken pieces back together again, only for them to shatter the moment they all leave.”

  She jerks a little, like my words hurt her.

  I don’t want to hurt her, but I don’t want to understand her.

  I want her to know that she’s not alone.

  “If this is a trick ...”

  “It’s not.” I shrug. “I’m not that kind of person, believe
me. Can I come in?”

  She steps aside, letting me walk into the messy apartment. I know Briella spends most of her time with Alarick, which is understandable considering Cova doesn’t want her around. It shows, because the place is a mess. There are pizza boxes strewn about everywhere, dishes on the sink, blankets and clothes on the sofa, and it’s stale in here. Desperately in need of a window to be cracked open.

  I’m not here to judge her, though.

  No.

  “I don’t have coffee,” she tells me.

  “That’s okay, I’m not much of a coffee person.”

  She stops and turns, facing me. She looks like she has absolutely no idea what to say, so I go ahead and start the conversation.

  “Have you seen the town center yet? It’s pretty nice.”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t go out. I don’t like it out there.”

  “Yeah, I feel you. If you even want to go out, I’m more than happy to hang out.”

  “Why are you here, Zariah? Surely it’s not to make small talk.”

  I hold her gaze. “No, it’s not. But it’s also not to push you to do something you don’t want to do. I guess I’m just here, to, well, be here.”

  “I’m not great company.”

  “That’s fine,” I say, flopping down onto the sofa covered in clothes and blankets. “Neither am I.”

  It takes her a moment, but she sits down.

  Then she flicks the television on, and we sit in silence.

  It’s not much of a step, but lord, it’s a step.

  6

  ZARIAH

  “Who were those men here the other day?” Reece asks, the moment I step through my front door.

  I’ve been at work since six AM and I’m tired. I’ve been workin with Blanche and he’s more than made sure we’ve got our fair share of things to do. I’m working alongside him and another officer named Corey Shaper. He’s quiet and nice and he works well with us, so I’m glad he was the second choice on the case. Not one of the other arrogant assholes that will do nothing but drive me up the wall with their constant “you’re a girl and aren’t as good as us” comments.