Page 65 of Duke
“Yes. He told me to come in the back, for us to change into these outfits, then follow the long hallway to the room at the end.”
I tug ineffectually at the short hem of the skirt I’ve been provided, then when doing so exposes a sliver of my tummy, on the bottom edge of the shirt. I can’t win. I’m either going to be showing off my stomach or my thighs all night long. “And we’re just serving drinks?” I clench my teeth together to stop them from chattering while I totter down the hall in the highest pair of heels I’ve ever worn in my fifteen years. “Are we even old enough to serve alcohol?”
Juliette flips her dirty blonde hair over her shoulder and winks with a dainty shrug. “We’re serving drinks to a bunch of obnoxiously rich guys. It’s a private party, so I don’t think they care much about who is bringing around their drinks—or their age—so long as we keep them coming.” At my skeptical look, she groans out, “Lennon, it’s no big deal. And they’re supposedly great tippers. That’s why we’re here.”
I smell what I think is cigar smoke and hear a clamor of raucous voices and laughter coming from that doorway we’re heading toward.
“Nooo!” I shriek, flailing for several terrified beats of my heart, almost as if I’ve been tossed in the ocean and don’t know how to swim. My body launches upright a moment later. My eyes fly open. Confusion swamps me.
“Lennon.” A deep voice rumbles near my ear. “Wake up. You’re dreaming, Little Gazelle. No sleep-running from the bed.”
I suck in a breath. Blink. Turn my head to one side.Bear.It’s his big, warm hand on my back, steadying me. And to the other side, Duke and Mason watch me cautiously. Nervously. The three are blurry-eyed, like they’ve been asleep for quite some time, but they’re awake now, for sure. All because I can’t control my fucking memories while I sleep. The ugliness of my past creeps, slithers, and crawls to the forefront of my brain, bringing with it shit I don’t want to remember. Twisting my fingers in the sheets, I fight to calm the frantic thrumming of my heart.
My brainclicks, clicks, clickssomething into place.
“The club. We have to go back,” I murmur in a hushed voice.
“Stella?”
I turn my head, staring into Duke’s eyes. “That hallway. In the country club. I’ve been there before.”
I’m so wigged out by my dream, I accept it when Bear tugs me back down to the mattress, but my body quakes and my head goes hazy, no matter that my guys are touching me, speaking softly to me, and surrounding me in a protective bubble where nothing could possibly do me any harm. I swallow hard. I know the truth now. That country club. It’s for sure where Juliette and I were that night everything went wrong. We worked an evening at that club. I don’t remember more than half of what transpired. I wasout.I shudder violently.
Mason peers over Duke’s shoulder, reaching a hand over to put on my hip. “Kin, this isn’t about earlier, is it?” He’s been very upset about what went down with Hunter, and I hate that he’s now having to deal with my nightmare.
My mind flashes back to the bloody mess that was Hunter’s face. I shudder again, then meet Mason’s dark eyes, hoping that what I’m about to say reassures him. “I think it’s all connected, because Hunter is part of the OGs. But it wasn’t specifically about Hunter out by the pool… or even what he did to me after the auction.” My brow furrows. “At least, I don’t think so. And definitely not you, Mase.” I take in the naked fear in his eyes.“Neveryou.”
Bear kisses the top of my head, stroking his big hand over my hair. “Lennon, maybe it would help if you told us more instead of keeping it to yourself and letting it fester. What was the dream about?”
I draw in breath and sit up, turning around to face them, then inhale again, this time unsteadily, because the closer I come to spilling my guts, the worse this feels. “The hallway in the country club where we went before. The place where I had the panic attack?” Jesus, I hope my retelling of this dream doesn’t send me headlong into another meltdown. “I—” Covering my mouth with my hands, I shake my head before I drop them. “I feel sick just talking about it.”
“We’re clearly not sleeping anymore tonight.” Duke blows out a breath, sitting up with me, gently touching my shoulder. “Come on, baby. We’ve gotta know.” Mason and Bear scoot up to lean against the headboard.
My gaze seeks out Duke’s. “I wasn’t ever supposed to tell.”
His face pales the longer I stare into his eyes. My nightmares almost always have to do with Juliette.Fuck. Fuck me.I don’t want to tell him.
“You’ll feel better if you get it out, Stella Bella. Guaranteed,” Duke murmurs.I hope he’s right.
“And even if it’s shitty and awful, we’re here. For you.” Bear frowns, worry etching itself into his features.
I nod slowly, but when I don’t immediately say anything more, Mase secures his hand around my ankle, squeezing. “I’ve always got you. All of us do.”
“O-okay. I-I was in that hallway. With Juliette. I know I was.” I bring up a shaking hand, covering my lips again as I stare wild-eyed at Duke. “I-I’m sorry. I knew from what Mase told me that I was having dreams about her, but I hadn’t realized until nowwherewe were in those dreams. I don’t know why it came to me now.” I smack the flat of my hand to my temple. “It’s all been locked up here.”
Before I can hit myself again, Duke grabs my wrist, lowering my hand. “Don’t.”
“Wait,” Bear frowns. “Do you mean you were at my dad’s poker night?”
My eyes widen in fear because this proves to me that I’m not imagining things. I whisper, “Poker?”
Groaning, Mason nods. “Yeah. Derek has run a huge poker night every Friday for as long as I can remember.”
I wince, my eyes landing on each guy in turn. “No one told me that’s what was going on inside the country club. You said you’d been summoned to talk to the OGs.”
On a heavy exhale, Bear shakes his head. “You’re right. We weren’t specific.”
Chewing on my lip, I shrug. “That’s what the rich men were doing at the place Juliette and I went. They were gambling and drinking. We were there to make money. Wait tables.” Through my explanation so far, Duke’s remained mostly silent. He’s let go of my wrist and now has a hold of the sheet, and I doubt if he realizes he’s wadding it up in his hands, squeezing so hard his knuckles are turning white. I exhale hard and reach for his hand. “Duke?”
