Cohen (King's Descendants MC ) - Bella Jewel Page 0,3
I knew how at the time. Surely you can understand that. It wasn’t personal, Briella, it was survival.”
She gives me a sad look. “Yeah, I know. But ... we were best friends. I thought for so long you were dead.”
I wished I were.
God, so many times I wished I were.
“You should know I’m not that easy to take down.” I grin.
She laughs, but then her face grows serious as she whispers, “I was scared, Avi. You have no idea how many times I’ve thought of you over the last few years. Wondering where you are, especially when we found out about Peter’s involvement in everything. I was sure you’d been sold, or worse. Even though they assured me they had found you, and you were safe, something didn’t feel quite right.”
She would be correct in assuming that, because something definitely wasn’t quite right. I was stuck in a god damned world I couldn’t get away from. My god, they have no idea. If it wasn’t for sheer strength and determination, I wouldn’t be here today. Hell, I probably would have been sold or worse. I’m here because I fought, and continue to fight, I will.
“I’m okay,” I lie. “I was just ... messed up. I’m here now.”
“You really know where they all are?”
I do.
That’s one thing I’m not lying about.
I do happen to know where they are, once again, by sheer luck. I know where they hide out when all the things in the world goes bad, I know about the island, I know about the sales, I know about everything to do with the operation Uncle Peter is involved in, and I know I’m going to be part of bringing it down. Not because I want to help this club, but because I’m taking them down, too.
I’ll bring all the evil down.
They’ll never see it coming.
I look at Briella, a person I once called my best friend, and I know I’m going to ruin her whole life. It’s not because I don’t care about her, or because I don’t love her. I do, gosh, I really do. Seeing her again, it makes me feel a certain type of way inside, a way I haven’t felt for a very long time. Unfortunately, I have to look at the bigger picture, and the bigger picture is the club and what they did to my family. Mostly, Cohen.
I’ll make him wish he never did what he did.
I’ll make him wish he never met me.
“I’m glad you came back,” Briella tells me, smoothing her hand over the blanket on the bed. “Are you hungry?”
“No, but I’m sure Alarick is going to want to talk to me, considering I have all the information on Steven that he wants right now. So, lead the way.”
Briella glances at me, her face scrunching. “Alarick can wait, I’m sure you’re tired.”
“It can’t wait, you and I both know that.”
She exhales. “I’ll be glad when this is all over, really I will.”
Her and me both.
She walks out, and I follow her through the house. When I reach the living area, all the bikers are here, including recently returned Mykel, who was apparently in New York searching for his parents, or something of the like. I haven’t seen him yet, and I can’t help the automatic swell in my heart when I lay eyes on him. Mykel was always my favorite, he was always Briella’s favorite. He was always nice to us, and he always made time to make us feel good.
Every instinct inside of me tells me to rush over and let him embrace me, but at the very same moment, my body recoils at the thought. I’ll never be normal again—I swear for the rest of my days I’m going to be this god damned bipolar mess. Nothing will ever feel right, and nothing will ever bring me comfort.
“Well, I’ll be,” Mykel murmurs. “You sure did grow up to be a hell of a looker, Aviana. You goin’ to come over here and give me a hug or should I make the first move?”
I can’t help but smile, even though my soul is so god damned black I can’t think straight half the time. Smiling is rarely real, but in this moment, it is. “I’m not a hugger, I’m afraid,” I say, giving him a wink. “But I will opt for having a drink with you, old friend.”
If I could take one person out of this club when I destroy them, it would be Mykel.