A few days have gone by since Knox and I first had sex, and I’m finally starting to enjoy it. Really enjoy it. Ken was right—I didn’t know what I was missing. I’m glad I waited for Knox, because I’m not sure anyone else would’ve been so patient and caring with me, but I think I’m done with the sweet, though. I nearly asked him to go harder last night, but I’m still not quite comfortable enough for that. Maybe tonight.
It’s the night of the gala for the human trafficking foundation, and I’m excited to be going with Knox. Stella had insisted on sending me here with a few formal gowns, and now I’m glad she did. My dress is a long white, sleeveless column, with an attached cape flowing down my back. It shows my curves, without making me look too thick in the middle. The camera apparently adds ten pounds, but I’m not going to start caring about that all of a sudden.
I pull my hair back on the sides, but leave the curls tumbling over my shoulder. A knock at my door has me hurrying to put on my shoes, and grab my clutch. When I open the door, Knox is standing there in a custom tux. It hugs his broad shoulders, tapered waist, and strong thighs in a way that makes my mouth water. When I look back up into his eyes, he looks as hungry for me as I am for him.
“You look very dashing, Mr. Edwards.”
“And you look absolutely stunning, Miss Stein.”
I notice the black velvet box in his hand, and motion to it. “Is that for me?”
“What? Oh yeah,” he says, shaking his head. “I borrowed this for you to wear. It’s why I asked for a description of your dress.”
He opens the box and I see a gorgeous necklace made of ropes of blue, green, and purple stones mixed with diamonds. A large, square blue stone sits in the middle. It’s absolutely beautiful, and will look perfect with my dress.
“Wow.”
“You’re the ‘wow’ Wave. This is just a bunch of rocks. I wish I could afford to buy it for you, though.” His parents are billionaires, but I know he tries to just spend what he earns himself.
“I don’t need the necklace,” I tell him as I turn and lift my hair so he can put it on me. However, I am going to buy it. Even if it takes every penny of my fee for this mission and the savings I have, I’m keeping this necklace he chose for me. He doesn’t need to know that, though.
I let him pull me in for a quick kiss, even though I’ve actually put lipstick on today. I wipe the little smudge off his lips and smile. I’ll fix mine when we get there.
Taking his hand, I let him lead me downstairs to where Cohen is waiting. Martha’s there, too, and she scowls as takes in my appearance. “You look amazing as usual, Wave.”
“Thanks, Coh. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
He gives me a little bow, and I roll my eyes. “Goodnight, Martha,” I say, just to rile it up. I see her eyes flash, but she returns my greeting as Cohen laughs.
“Is something going on with you and Martha?” Knox asks once we’re in our limo.
“She doesn’t think I’m good enough—or skinny enough—for you.”
His voice is full of ice when he speaks. “What did she say to you?”
“Just that. I can handle her.”
“You shouldn’t have to deal with her speaking to you that way.”
“Or throwing your breakfast on the floor,” Cohen adds as I glare at him.
“She did what?”
“Really, it’s fine Knox. I don’t need her to like me, or approve of me.”
“She needs to show you respect, and she will. I wish you’d told me.”
“I don’t need you swooping in to save me from every person who’s rude to me.”
“Even if I want to?”
“Even then. But thank you for wanting to. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.”
We kiss again, but this time it’s longer, and hotter. I flip Cohen off when he starts coughing, and I pull back when he yelps. Knox has his ear in his hand, twisting it as Cohen tries to push him away. I burst out laughing, and they follow. Soon enough, it’s time for me to fix my lipstick, and get ready to meet the press.
“Let’s do this,” Cohen says, getting out of the limo first when the driver opens the door.
Knox puts his hand on my knee to stop me from following him right out. “Do you want them to think you’re with Coh?”
“Oh! No. Sorry. I’ve never done this.”
“Another first I get to give you,” he tells me with a smirk. “You can go out now.”
I roll my eyes, and allow the driver to help me out of the car. I’m not exactly graceful, but I think I did okay. There aren’t too many flashes going off around me until Knox steps out, straightening his tux, and placing his hand on my back. Then, it gets crazy.
We’re guided into position on the carpet, and I’m asked to step back so they can get pictures of Knox by himself first. He only lets that go on for a couple of minutes before he reaches for me. We stand together, arms around each other as the flashes go off. I have to fight not to squint or close my eyes, and I don’t know how stars like my friend Audrey’s husband, Blake, do it all the time.
I’m having fun as we move along, until I hear the comments start. Once again, they’re in Afrikaans, which goes to remind me why I didn’t want to come back here. I let it go until I hear something especially bad said about me, and then I step away from Knox. Getting right up in the reporter’s face, I speak to him in our language, letting him know what a pig he is.
Within moments, Knox is at my back. “What did he say to you?”
“I’m not going to repeat it.” It’s bad, like really bad, and I would never even speak those words about another woman, even my mother, and she sold me to a trafficker.
“Are we scheduled for an interview this week?” Knox asks the man, who has the decency to look contrite.
“Yes, on Monday.”
“Consider it cancelled.”
“We’re the biggest network in Africa.”
“You can explain how you insulted my girlfriend to your boss. I’m sure he or she will understand.”
The reporter is still muttering curses as Knox pulls me along the carpet, ignoring all other requests for pictures. Once we’re inside, he finds a quiet alcove, and pulls me in close. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” I am okay, mostly because I stood up for myself, but also because Knox stood up for me, too. “You didn’t have to cancel your interview.”
“The hell I didn’t. No one disrespects you, Wave.”
“Thank you.”
“I love you. I know this isn’t a perfect time to tell you, but I can’t hold it in any longer.”
My heart pounds so hard I think it’s going to break out of my chest. “I love you, too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“We’re going to make this work, Wave. Somehow.”
I nod, because we can do this. I know he’ll have to be off somewhere training while I’m working, but I trust him to be faithful, so I can wait. We’ll make a plan, and it will be okay. Like he said, somehow, it will be okay.
Knox
I feel lighter—and better—than I’ve felt in…ever. I don’t even remember feeling this good when I was with Gwen, and I had planned to marry her. I don’t know if it’s because Waverly is more my equal than anyone I’ve ever met outside of a pool, or if it’s because she lets me add my help when she’s rescuing herself. Either way, I’m glad we’re both wanting to keep this going. And she loves me. Waverly loves me.
“You’re both smiling, so I guess that little bump on the carpet didn’t upset you too much,” Coh says when we get to our table in the front of the room.
“I cancelled my interview the asshole, and then Waverly said she loved me.”
“You said you loved me first,” she reminds me.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Please tell me you’re not going to stop being snarky with each other, and turn to all mush. I heart the verbal sparring the two of you do.”
“You ‘heart’ it? Seriously?”
> “Yup. I’ve also been shipping the two of you since I watched the two of you on those treadmills. I just can’t decide if you’re ‘Knave’ or Waox.’”
“Oh my God,” Waverly says, covering her face when she starts to snort. “I vote for ‘Waox.”
“I vote that you’ve both lost your minds, but since I also love you both—in different ways, of course—I’m willing to overlook the crazy.”
I feel Waverly stiffen under my arm before I notice she’s stopped laughing. I turn to look at her, and become alarmed when I see how pale she’s gone. “Wave? What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head as our hosts arrive. I recognize the billionaire, as we’ve met before. The woman with him must be his new wife, the one he said had been affected by human trafficking. She looks like she’s okay now, but then, I don’t really know how a trafficked woman or child would look once they’ve escaped or been saved. I can imagine their ordeal would haunt them for life, but that’s just a guess.
“Hello,” I say, standing up to greet them, but keeping a hand on Waverly’s shoulder to let her know I’m still here for her.
The man introduces his wife, who I’m thinking looks familiar, and then they take their seats. Waverly didn’t even acknowledge them, but they don’t seem offended by it. Too bad for them if they were anyway. I don’t know what’s happened to my sassy girl, but it’s got to be bad if she’s gone almost catatonic.
Cohen catches my eye, and I can see he’s worried, too. “Do you want to leave?” I ask her.
“Not yet,” Waverly tells me, her voice monotone as she tries to smile for me.
I kiss her lightly. “Okay, but you just say the word, and we’re out of here.”
“Thank you.”
Dinner is a tense affair, but Waverly allows me to feed her some of her chicken and vegetables. When dessert comes, she picks up her own spoon and looks at the woman across the table as she takes a bite. I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know the woman has to look away, and it looks like she might burst into tears.
Once our plates are cleared, she joins her husband on the stage in front of us. He introduces her, saying how they started this foundation to help women and children. Waverly grabs my hand and squeezes it as the woman takes her place at the microphone.
“Hello, and thank you for coming here tonight. Human trafficking is a cause close to my heart because I was affected by it. Twenty-five years ago, I made the hardest decision of my life. I was poor, and my family had almost nothing to eat most days. A man made me an offer, and I took it. I’ve regretted it every day since.”
She starts to cry, and beside me, Waverly gets to her feet. “No,” she yells, her voice like steel, “you do not get to play the victim here. You are not the victim. I am the victim in your story. I am the one you sold to a monster when she was only three years old.”
“Waverly, please,” the woman wails.
“Do you have any idea what he made me see and do? Do you? No, of course not, because you didn’t care. You bathed me, did my hair, put me in a pretty dress, drove me to a mansion, and then took your wad of cash.”
“I’m sorry. You have to know how sorry I am. We were so hungry.”
“Save your tears. God knows, I had to hide mine for years. You can start this foundation, and try to ease your conscience, but know it means nothing to me. You mean nothing to me. I will never forgive you for selling me off to be a soldier and a sex slave. I was lucky to escape, and better my life, but that doesn’t change what you did.”
I don’t remember getting to my feet, but my arms are around Waverly as she turns into my chest. “Take me out of here, Knox.”
I immediately start to move. The woman on the stage is still crying out, and I want to kill her. I’ve never wanted to murder someone else, but I want to kill that woman for what she did to Waverly. Instead, I walk us through a room that is completely quiet except for the wailing sobs coming from the stage. I hope that bitch chokes on her tears, although that would be too easy a death for her.
When we get in the limo, Waverly pushes me away and curls into one corner while I sit in the middle of her and Cohen. I try to comfort her, but she pushes me away again. “Don’t touch me. Please don’t touch me.”
As soon as we’re back at the house, she runs out of the car. I walk, not trying to catch her because I know she doesn’t want to be caught by me. She needs someone right now, and even if it sucks that it’s not me, I have to get her who she needs. I pull out my phone, and dial Reina.
“Knox, is everything okay?”
“No. That human trafficking gala Wave asked you about?”
“What about it?”
“The foundation is being run by her mother.”
There’s a sharp intake of breath. “How bad was it? No, don’t answer that. I already know how bad it must have been.”
“She’s pushing me away. I-I think she needs that doctor. Her best friend.”
“Kendrick. Yes, she’ll need him. I’ll have him on a plane within the hour.”
“Thank you, Reina. I’ll make sure she’s okay, even if she won’t let me near her.”
“You’re a better man than I thought you were.”
“She said she loved me. How could I not be a good man if Waverly loves me?”
13
Knox
I spent the last 24 hours outside Waverly’s door. For the first few hours, I knocked frequently, making sure she was still breathing. She finally got tired of answering me, and unlocked the door so I could look in and see for myself. After reaching for her and having her shrink back, I’ve satisfied myself with just quick peeks inside to make sure she hasn’t hurt herself.
Her crying has been killing me, but I won’t force myself or my comfort on her. I tried to convince her to eat, but she threatened to lock her door again, so I’ve let that go, too. I got a text from Kendrick saying they had landed, so I know they’ll be here soon.
I can’t pretend that knowing she’ll let him hold her isn’t killing me. I know he’s got a girlfriend, and even if he didn’t, I love Wave enough to want to her to have comfort, no matter who it’s from. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, and I wish it could be me, but apparently, it can’t.
The doorbell rings, and I hear Cohen answer it. Running footsteps alert me to Kendrick’s arrival, and then I see him. The man she trusts more than she’ll ever trust me.
“Is she in there?”
I nod, and he enters the room. I hear her cry harder as the door closes, and then there’s silence. I force myself to stand up and walk down the stairs, since I’m definitely not needed up there.
“Knox.”
I hear my name, and look up, surprised to see Isabelle Mason here in my house. Matisse is also here, chewing on a nail as she looks to the ceiling above us. “They’re more that way,” I tell her pointing behind me, and to the right.
“He’s going to help her.”
“I know,” I say, a little of the pent up bitterness I’m feeling slipping out.
“Don’t be like that. If you knew their past, you’d understand.”
“But I don’t, Matisse. I didn’t even know she’d been trafficked until she stood up and told her mother off.”
“We saw the video from the event. That was pretty awesome.”
“Not the point, but yes it was.”
“I need you to take me to that woman,” Isa says.
“Are you going to kill her?” I ask, secretly hoping the answer is yes.
“That remains to be seen.”
“I like you, Isa,” Coh says, in answer to that.
“My husband likes me more.”
“Gotcha. How about you, Matisse?”
“The good doctor,” she says, motioning to the stairs.
“Well, damn. Is there anyone you could hook me up with?”
“That’s our cue to leave, Knox. I’d hate to have to hurt your friend,” Isa says, giving him a hard look as she passes him on her way to the door.
“Call me
if you need me, and try not to get yourself killed while I’m gone,” I tell him.
“Roger that.”
“Oh, and thanks for putting off your diving until tomorrow. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Go take care of business. We’ve got it covered here.”
No. Kendrick has it covered. I don’t say it out loud, but Matisse sees it on my face, and flashes me a reassuring smile. I don’t feel assured, but I manage to smile back at her.
I know where the bitch and her husband live, because he wanted us to come to his house for dinner before we left the country. That’s not going to happen, but at least I can take Isa there. It’s a short drive away from my rented house, and we’re let through the gates immediately.
The woman—Elani—runs out, but stops short when Isa and I get out of the car. “Waverly’s not here?”
“No, and you won’t be seeing her again,” Isa says.
“She’s my daughter. You can’t tell me whether I can see her or not.”
“She stopped being your daughter the moment you sold her. I know you invited Knox to the party the other night because you saw pictures of them together, but it will not happen again.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
I don’t even see Isa move, but Elani is on the ground with Isa behind her, and there’s a knife at her throat. “I don’t think I made myself clear. Go near Waverly, and you’ll be dead. If it’s not me, it will be one of my friends.”
“Who are you?”
“That’s not important. What is important is that you understand what I’m telling you.”
“I need to atone. The foundation is a start, but I need Waverly to forgive me.”
“Your foundation had better be on the up and up, because we’ll be watching you. As for Waverly, if she chooses to forgive you, I’m sure she’ll seek you out. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.”
“I-I understand. I’ll leave her alone.” Isa lets her go, sticks her knife back in her boot, and walks to the car. I start to turn, but Elani stops me. “Knox, please tell her again that I’m sorry. And tell her…tell her I named her Waverly because she always kicked when I was at the beach. I knew the water was her destiny.”
Waverly (Socierty Girls #4) Page 10