Mykel (King's Descendants MC #3) - Bella Jewel Page 0,13

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 underneath 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