Bohdi: King's Descendants MC #6

by Bella Jewel

I can give you the really quick and short answer—nothing.

  “Is that honestly how you see yourself?” she asks, her voice softer now. “You think nobody could love you? Well, I do, Bohdi. I care so much about you it hurts sometimes to see you don’t care about me in return.”

  Fuck.

  She’s wrong. I do care about her. I like her a lot and we have fun. I don’t love her, though.

  I’m certain I’ll never love anyone.

  I turn and face her, pulling her in until her cheek rests against my bare chest. “Do care about you; I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

  She exhales and wraps her arms around me. “I know you don’t believe it, but I do love you, Bohdi. Please, just let me.”

  I don’t say anything.

  I don’t want to let her love me.

  People who love me ... They break.

  I’m not enough to hold anyone together.

  Just look at my mother.

  I’m a damned failure.

  She’s going to have to learn that the hard way.

  “GOD DAMN YOU, BOHDI!” my mother screams, hauling a half empty glass of whiskey across the room at me.

  My hands shake, because fuck her and these outbursts. They’re getting worse and worse. Eventually, she’s going to hurt me. I’m not having that. I can’t take her anymore, so, I called in some help. Two of her close friends. They’re good ladies, people who tried to support her after my dad left. They’re clean, sober and good parents.

  They don’t speak to her a great deal anymore, but I knew they’d help if I asked.

  It didn’t go down well.

  My mother lost it, screaming for them to get out. She threw things and smashed lamps. She didn’t want them in our house. The problem is, I don’t want her in this house anymore. Coming home is a fucking nightmare, smelling her piss-stained bed and her vomit-covered clothes, along with unwashed dishes and dirty laundry, is giving me fucking anxiety.

  I don’t want to be here, but she’s my mother.

  She has nobody else.

  On the way out the door, her friend Doris told me that I could come and stay with her if I was ever in trouble.

  She didn’t mean it.

  Of course she didn’t fucking mean it.

  Nobody wants a broken teen in their house.

  She was just being nice.

  Deep down, I know she’s hoping I don’t show up.

  “Mom, stop,” I say through gritted teeth as I dodge something else, god knows what, a shoe I think.

  “How could you?” she screeches. “Now they’re going to gossip about me, telling all their friends how pathetic I am. The whole town will know.”

  I take a calming breath. “They’re your friends, they want to help.”

  “They don’t want to help me!” She laughs bitterly. “They were never there for me when I needed them.”

  God, the drugs have really messed her up. Those women spent days, weeks, months coming around here trying to help Mom after Dad left. She must have forgotten that she was the one who pushed them away.

  “Those women stood by your side when Dad left, you were the one who pushed them away.”

  “Don’t you dare say that, don’t you dare call him Dad in this house. Don’t you dare. He left us, Bohdi. He left you. He can’t stand you, or me. He has a new family now, a new baby.”

  A new baby?

  I didn’t know that.

  “You’re still looking him up?” I ask, my voice shaky.

  I haven’t looked him up. I have never been brave enough to. I don’t want to know how happy he is without us.

  “Of course I am,” she screeches. “He left us. That pig owes me.”

  I glance at my watch. I need to calm her down so I can leave. That’s not going to be an easy task.

  “Mom, you need to go and lay down. I have to work soon. Let me get you a sandwich ...”

  “Fuck you,” she bellows, picking up a nearby remote and hauling it at me. This time, it hits me in the head. Pain shoots through my forehead, and I let out a bellow as I slap my hand over the spot she hit. I can feel warmth. It’s bleeding.

  Her eyes widen.

  “I didn’t mean to hit you. I didn’t ...”

  “Didn’t you?” I roar, losing it. “Because you’ve been fucking throwing shit at me for the last hour. What sort of mother are you?”

  She presses a hand to her chest, horrified. “You’re just like your father.”

  “Of fucking course I am. Have you thought about looking in the mirror lately at yourself? You’re way fucking worse than he is. Look at the kind of mother you are.”

  “Get out,” she screams, so loudly the shrill sound pierces my ears.

  “Gladly.”

  I turn, grab my things, and walk out, blood still running down my forehead. I have two hours before work starts, so I head to the beach. I use the salt water to wash the blood from my head and then I sit and put my head in my hands, exhaling.

  I don’t know how much longer I can do this.

  “There you are.”

  I lift my head to see Isla walking toward me in her bikini, a board under her arm. She takes one look at my head and her eyes widen. She rushes over, kneeling down. “What happened?”

  “My mother happened.”

  “She did this to you?” she gasps.

  “Yeah.”

  “Why?”

  I exhale. “Doesn’t matter.”

  “It does, Bohdi. You can’t keep letting her treat you like that.”

  “She’s all I have, Isla,” I growl. “The only family I have left.”

  “Maybe so,” she says, carefully stroking my cheek, possibly the nicest thing she’s ever done. “But family shouldn’t treat you like that. They’re supposed to love you, support you, and protect you.”

  I glance at her. “She’s my mother.”

  “Yes, she is. But abuse is not okay.”

  She’s right, it’s not.

  I sit down, staring out at the ocean. “I have to get to work soon.”

  “Stay with me for a few days, have a break.”

  “Nobody will be there to look after her.”

  “You can’t be there forever, Bohdi. Eventually, she is going to have to clean herself up or live with the consequences.”

  I nod, just slightly.

  “Stay with me?” she urges, grabbing my hand.

  “A few days.”

  “Yeah, a few days.”

  “Okay.”

  She smiles, putting her head on my shoulder. “Okay.”

  The beginning of the end.

  7

  NOW – MERLEIGH

  “This is so nice,” Briella says, sweeping through my cabin with a gleeful look on her face. “Seriously, wow.”

  “She’s right, this is somethin’ else,” Alarick nods. “Good for you.”

  Waverly hugs me, pulling me close. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without you,” I say, squeezing her. “Thanks for the money—I’ll pay it back.”

  “Don’t even mention it. Mykel and I were happy to help.”

  I flash Mykel a grateful smile, and he winks at me.

  “Are Kendric and Zariah coming?” I ask Waverly.

  “Nope, they’re off celebrating Kendric’s freedom. No doubt they’re still in bed. Cohen and Avi will be here soon, though.”

  “Awesome.”

  “The beach is so close,” Briella claps. “I can hear it!”

  “How’d you go getting a job?” Mykel asks, glancing out the window.

  “I got one,” I say, smiling. “I start Monday. It’s only part-time, but it’s enough for me. The rent here is super cheap, and I don’t need much to live. The hours will be negotiable once I’m settled.”

  “Good on you,” he nods. “Settin’ yourself up.”

  “That’s the plan. How is Cova? She didn’t come?”

  I want to see Cova. Our relationship is strained, she doesn’t like how I’ve settled in, bu
t the truth is we spent years living the same kind of hell. She got attached to the man who purchased us and, because of that, she’s never been the same. She has never wanted to be part of this world, or the club, she just wants to be on her own, and she’s made that very clear.

  Still, I want to mend bridges with her, so to speak.

  She and I have been through a lot.

  We have a connection even if we don’t want to.

  “She is coming later, too,” Briella says. “She’s not happy about it, but I convinced her. She’s still struggling. I don’t know if she’s ever going to be the same again.”

  “It’ll take time, god knows, she had it so different to me,” I say softly. “Anyway, let’s go set up a fire on the beach and take our drinks down there. It’s so nice today.”

  Briella claps and Waverly nods eagerly.

  Then, we get all our things and make our way down to the beach.

  I didn’t ask if Bohdi was coming, even though the question is on the tip of my tongue. Part of me wants to see him, yet another part wonders if it’s a good idea or not to see him. We agreed to be friends, but that’s not going to be easy.

  Or maybe it will be.

  Who knows?

  We set up a small fire on the beach and take some chairs down with a few coolers full of beer. Then, we sit back and relax, watching the sun go down and listening to the waves crash against the shore. It’s beautiful, and as the night falls and the weather becomes cooler, we all find ourselves relaxing. Cohen and Aviana join us and, eventually Cova and Bohdi come, too.

  I don’t ask where Isla is.

  He didn’t bring her, but that’s okay, it’s probably for the best.

  “Gosh, this is so nice. I could move here.” Briella sighs, leaning against Alarick as the two of them sit on a large blanket on the sand.

  “Fuck, me too,” he murmurs. “I’m done with ink and bad business. Be nice to relax.”

  “You couldn’t live without the club,” Cohen grunts. “Let’s be honest.”

  “Yeah.” Alarick chuckles. “True.”

  “Well, you’re all welcome to come here whenever you want to get away,” I say. “I’m going to grab another round of cocktails, do you want any?”

  The girls all give me a yes, the guys have beers in the coolers. I stand, walking back up to the cabin. It’s only halfway up that I realize Bohdi is following me. I turn and glance at him, the alcohol slowly effecting my head. I don’t drink a great deal, because of the situation I was in, so it hits me a lot harder than everyone else. I take it slow and steady. I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.

  “You’re following me,” I say, my voice soft.

  “Thought you might need a hand.”

  Right.

  We make it to the cabin, and the lights burn my eyes when I walk in. It’s getting dark and peaceful on the beach. I grab a bunch of glasses and make some cocktails—Bohdi leans on the counter and just stares at me. His expression is so intense, it makes me slightly uncomfortable.

  “It seems like you want to say something,” I say, stirring the fruity drinks.

  “You ever surf?”

  I look up at him, narrowing my eyes. “No, why?”

  “You want to learn?”

  Do I want to learn? Hell yes I do. I have a list of all the things I want to do, the things I never got the chance to do, and surfing is one of them. I love the ocean, and I’d love to spend as much time out on the water as I can. That includes sailing, but one thing at a time.

  “Yeah, I do,” I tell him, placing the glasses on a tray.

  “I’ll teach you. I haven’t been in the water for years. I’d like to get back into it. If you’re interested, I’ll come down a few times a week and teach you.”

  “I don’t have anything,” I say. “I don’t even have a wetsuit.

  He stares intensely at me, like he wants to say something other than what comes out of his mouth. “You get the wetsuit, I’ll bring everything else.”

  God. Is this a bad idea? Probably, but he has spent time in the water, and I know, once, he was great at surfing. He can teach me, but the idea of being that close to him is scary. Still, my life now is about taking calculated risks that bring me happiness.

  “Okay,” I agree, lifting the tray.

  He follows me out, opening the door for me. We walk back down to the beach, and I hand out the drinks.

  “We should go night swimming!” Briella says, standing up.

  “Is that safe?” Waverly asks, frowning.

  “Just in the shallows.”

  “There ain’t a lot of sharks around here, should be fairly safe. We used to do it all the time when we were younger,” Bohdi adds.

  “Perfect, let’s do it. You in, Merleigh?” Briella asks, lifting her shirt over her head until she’s down to her bra and panties.

  “Fuck me, I’m in,” Alarick growls, standing and pulling his shirt off, tossing it to the ground.

  “Fuck it, let’s go.”

  Mykel stands, doing the same, and Waverly follows suit. I stare at Aviana, who grins and stands, stripping down to her bra and panties too. I stare at them, uncomfortable. I’ve never gotten down to anything less than a shorts and shirt in front of anyone willingly before, but ... maybe it’s time to change that.

  I hesitate, fingers on the hem of my shirt, and then I carefully pull it over my head. I take my shorts and shuffle out of them, putting my arms around my belly to try and shield myself. I’m tiny, and I’m sure I have a nice figure in other people’s eyes, it’s not why I’m shy. It’s because I’ve never, ever exposed myself before. Never. Not once.

  The only time my body has been seen, is by force.

  I glance at Bohdi, who has his shirt off. He is looking at me with an expression that makes my cheeks heat. His eyes slowly scan over my body and, in typical Bohdi style, he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to, though. The look he gives me tells me enough. I turn and rush off before he can see how he’s making me feel. I run to the water and put my feet in the shallows.

  It’s warm and so damned nice.

  Everyone is in already, splashing around and laughing. I take a deep breath and dive in.

  The moment the water covers my body, I feel exhilarated. Free. I surface, and I can’t wipe the huge smile from my face. Bohdi has dived in too and is floating beside me, his hair wet and loose, falling down around his shoulders.

  “You’d be right at home, Bohdi,” Waverly calls out, arms around Mykel’s neck.

  “Yeah,” Bohdi answers.

  “You used to surf, didn’t you?” Aviana asks.

  “I did, spent years in the water.”

  “He’s going to teach me,” I say, kicking my legs and swirling my arms through the warm ocean.

  “Oh, my god, can you teach me too?” Briella cries. “I’d love to learn.”

  “No fuckin’ way are you learnin’ to surf, you’re ridin’ a bike first,” Alarick growls, nipping at her neck.

  “Aw, come on,” she whines. “Let me have a go.”

  “Nope. Let them do their thing.”

  My cheeks flush. Waverly grins at me, followed with a wink. I turn and swim away from that conversation, turning onto my back and putting my head back in the water, closing my eyes and letting the waves float my body wherever it wants me to go.

  A sting has me launching from my position with a screech.

  It comes out of nowhere, hitting me on the leg like a hot poker. It burns, an immediate pain that has me clutching it and crying out.

  “Merleigh, what’s wrong?” Waverly calls, as they all start swimming quickly toward me.

  “Something stung me,” I cry, clutching my leg and wailing. “Oh, god, it hurts.”

  “Get her out of the water,” Alarick orders.

  “All of you get out, I got her,” Bohdi says, swimming over and scooping me into his arms, getting me out of the water quickly.

  “What stung her?” Briella asks as Bohdi runs me back toward the cabin, dr
ipping with water.

  “Probably a jellyfish,” Bohdi answers. “Not dangerous, but incredibly painful.”

  I whine and press my face into his chest as he jogs back up to the cabin. Of course this would happen to me. How horrifying. I clench my eyes shut when we get inside, trying not to think about the burning pain on my leg. Briella gets a towel and places it on the sofa and Bohdi puts me down before kneeling to look at my calf where the stinging is.

  “Yep, jellyfish, you can see the lines. Have you got vinegar?” Bohdi asks me.

  “There was some in the cupboard when I got here, I think it’s still there.”

  “I’ll get it,” Aviana says, rushing into the kitchen.

  “Vinegar will take the sting out, and we’ll check there is nothing left behind in your leg. Then we’ll give it a wash and some painkillers will help. There isn’t much you can do, it’ll be sore for a bit,” Bohdi tells me.

  “Okay,” I say softly.

  Aviana returns a moment later with a bottle of vinegar. Bohdi uses a cloth and carefully wipes my calf, inspecting it to make sure there is nothing left in my skin. It helps, and after some pain killers, I’m feeling a little better.

  “Are stingers something I should be worried about while learning to surf?” I ask Bohdi once he’s done.

  “Yeah, they’re a thing. Get a stinger suit for surfing, will protect you. But you get used to them.”

  “I’m not sure how you can get used to that.”

  Bohdi gives me a gentle look. “Yeah, believe it or not, you do.”

  “I hate to ruin the night,” Briella says, coming back into the house after taking a phone call, “but I just got a call from Zariah. She was going to come out and bring Cova with her, but when she got there ... Cova was gone.”

  I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean gone?”

  “She has packed her things and left, there is nothing there. Zariah looked around, and found a note ...”

  “What did it say?” Alarick asks, looking like the last thing he wants is to have to go on a hunt to find Cova.

  “It said she’s sorry, but she can’t be here and needs to find her own way. I think she’s going to try and find Bryant.”

  “She won’t find him,” Alarick mutters. “We took care of him.”

  I stare at them, eyes wide. “Took care of him? You ... killed him?”