Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
It’s just not.
“I want to get out in the water again,” I say, without thought.
Isla stares at me, her eyes wide. “Of course. I wondered why you hadn’t.”
“I work three jobs, Isla. I don’t have time.”
She looks away, guilt flashing across her face. “Because of me.”
“No, because it’s my job as a husband.”
“I could work, too, Bohdi. I’ve just ...”
“I know,” I say, knowing what she’s going to say.
“I’ll get better. I’ll get a job. We can surf again.”
She squeezes my hand. I say nothing.
Because I’m not sure she’ll do that.
I’m right.
She lies in bed for the next two weeks.
Then the next.
Until finally, my cold heart loses it.
And the monster in me finally rears its ugly head.
The coldness grows.
And little by little, I lose every piece of who I am.
11
NOW – MERLEIGH
“This place is ... wow,” Briella says, staring with wide eyes at the club I’m oh so familiar with.
It’s an expensive sex club. Men and women with money and time come here. The women selling their bodies are anything but cheap. They’re expensive as hell and they’re raking in more money than a normal person could wrap their mind around. This is top of the line. This club is elite.
“Yeah, it’s something else alright,” I murmur, glancing around at the tables full of men in suits, women in classy but very sexy outfits serving drinks, and lines and lines of rooms being used for all sorts of sexual acts.
It brings back a whole lot of memories for me.
Nothing bad ever happened to me in this club, but it’s memories all the same.
In fact, if I’m honest, I didn’t mind being here. It got me out of the house and one of the bouncers who used to work here became a friend of mine. His name was Deacon and he was a great guy. Of course he had no idea who I was, he just figured I was with Bryant and we never corrected him on that. It wasn’t worth the punishment if we did.
Still, he was kind, and he made me laugh.
He left a few years in, but I never forgot him.
“Where might we find the owner of this joint?” Alarick asks me, glancing around.
“Office up the stairs,” I say, pointing.
“Merleigh?”
At the sound of my name, I turn and am surprised to see Deacon walking towards me wearing a crisp suit. His light brown hair is slicked back atop his head and his blue eyes are sharp and intense. He smiles when he sees me, a genuine smile, but I’m not used to seeing him so dressed up. So sophisticated.
“Deacon?” I say, unable to stop the smile that spreads across my face.
“What are you doin’ here, kid? I never thought I’d see you again after Bryant disappeared. I figured you went with him.”
I guess the bikers hid that death well.
“No, I’m not with him anymore,” I lie, reaching out to the man I was dear friends with and hugging him. He wraps his big arms around me and holds me tight for a moment before letting me go.
“What brings you to my club then?”
“Your club?” I ask, raising my brows. “You took over this place?”
“Yeah, believe it or not I bought it out when Bryant disappeared. Highest bidder. I guess those years as a bouncer were a good thing.”
“Wow,” I say, eyes wide. “That’s incredible. Good for you.”
He shrugs and gives me a winning smile. He’s handsome and tall and huge in build. I suppose he had to be to be a bouncer for a place like this.
“I’m happy for you. We’re actually here looking for Cova, we heard she might have swung by this way.”
Deacon looks to Bohdi, Alarick and Kendric standing behind me. All of them not wearing their leathers, but all of them intimidating all the same.
“These guys with you?”
“Yeah,” I nod. “They’re friends of mine, dear friends. This is Cova’s sister, Briella.”
Briella steps forward and gives Deacon a little wave. He studies her, then smiles. “Yeah, I can see that. I did see Cova, she was in here with Riff earlier. She was looking for Bryant, figured she was with him for sure, their connection and all, but she didn’t know where he was. That means he’s dead, guaranteed.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Why do you say that?”
“He hasn’t returned, left everything. Men like Bryant don’t just disappear. Either way, not my fuckin’ problem. Still, I for sure thought Cova would be with him.”
“She and I left together,” I say. “When she found out she had a sister and a family. I guess you could say we were curious.”
It’s such a bad lie, but a lie I have to use all the same.
“Well, whatever she’s doin’, she’s hanging with the wrong crowd now.”
“Riff is bad news,” I exhale.
“He’s even worse now than when you knew him.”