Page 26 of Savage Hunter

“He is in the middle of an impossible situation.”

Ghost is Ares’ cousin who came over from Russia after leaving the Bratva. I thought it was a blood in and blood out kind of criminal organization. Come to find out, it is. The only reason Ghost joined the Savages was to spy on Ares for their family. It’s a long story that ends with Ghost betraying Ares. In his defense, Ghost only did it because the Bratva kidnapped his little girl. It’s the quickest way to control anyone and the Bratva are ruthless, greedy bastards who want Ares dead.

I take a sip of my coffee, pinning my eyes to the enormous bow on the top of her head and the matching ones on her enormous bunny slippers. Time to change the topic.

“Are those new?” The rest of her maternity outfit matches the bunny theme—tiny cottontails scatter over a pink silk top with matching pink shorts that both hug her baby bump. She looks like a cute, walking Easter ad.

Nova grunts and runs a hand over her belly. It must be torture to wear so much pink for a goth girl at heart like her. “A gift from Polaris. She says I should enjoy the delights of girly stuff and leave my leather boots off until after the baby is born. I can’t wait until one of those men at her side knocks her up. I get to return the favor.” Wickedness flashes in Nova’s blue eyes and I laugh.

“I’ll help you pack this up and send it back to her the day it happens. I didn’t think you actually plucked down money for that.” I offer her a genuine smile.

Polaris is Nova’s younger sister. My mother has spent the last months working hard to fill the Society’s coffers with profits from trafficking anyone who fits her needs or will turn a profit. A few months after my mother betrayed me to the Society, both Nova and Polaris suffered the same fate as I did. To fulfill my mother’s demand, my friend and her sister were kidnapped off the street and betrayed by people they considered friends. All for a large pay day. It’s disgusting what people will do for money. The vile men who took them are dead now, thanks to the Savages, but the damage to my friend’s lives continues.

I understand their suffering all too well. It took me a while to understand I was a mere means to an end. It took even longer for me to stop falling into the bottomless hole in my chest. It is slowly filling up with the love of my new family, but the gap is still there. This morning proves that to me over and over.

And that is a truth that eats at me day and night. I owe them everything and yet, I’ve held so much back. Only I know who is behind the Society. I’m not about to let that information ruin what I have going here. When I leave the Savage compound and carve out a life for myself I want to know I’m leaving as a friend. Doing my best not to draw attention, I raise my hand and rub at the stab of pain in my heart.I can’t lose these people.

“Anyway, this bunny has come to ask for a favor, if you don’t mind.”

“Name it.”

As shitty as it sounds, I am as grateful as I am remorseful that my friend’s heartache also led to my rescue. If it hadn’t happened, no one would have found me.

But those six months at the mercy of the Society…

NO!I can’t think about that. I wrap my icy fingers around my warm coffee mug and focus on being alive, free and grateful I’m not on my knees for a stranger.

So if Nova needs a favor, I’ll deliver on a thousand of them.

“We have a new member of the Savages coming in. He’s been on the road with the crew for a while now.”

“Hunting for Rage?”

“Yeah, he’s actually on loan from Chicago. He’s an honorary member? I don’t know how it all works, honestly but he’s been a big help and Ares gave him a cut of his own so I guess that makes him family.”

I have a million questions starting with his name but it doesn’t look like Nova is up for a round of twenty questions so I settle on the most important.

“What’s the favor?”

“Well, I might have already told Ares to send him your way when they come back. Sorry for not asking beforehand, but Fergie is a bit too brisk, Kendra will try to screw him on the pool table and Piper…”

I wrap my arms around Nova and she sighs. “Think nothing of it. Do you know when he’s coming?”

“Not a clue, but I couldn’t think of anyone sweeter to show him the compound, getting him familiar with Doc’s old place, where he’ll be staying, and making him feel at home while he’s here. Do you mind?”

“I’m happy to help. Think of it like paying it forward and I enjoy meeting new people. It should be fun.”

Nova takes in my bed head and I can feel her analyzing the dark circles under my eyes. Something she and the other ladies of the crew have done a lot lately.

“Are you getting enough sleep, Avery?” Nova brushes a few falling strands of hair from my eyes, a picture of worry on her face. “Anything you need to talk about?”

“I’m good.” I hide my sadness in the coffee mug as I take a deep swallow.

No one will ever know the extent of my horrors, my real name or the person I killed off inside me to be this new version of myself. And that is okay. I’m safe here and the past is dead. As is the love I had—have, my heart screams at my brain—for Wolfe.

It’s all gone now, and it’s just the truth I have to learn how to live with in silence.

Harmonia is dead. I’m Avery now. Club girl, regular blonde-haired, blue-eyed chic with no ties holding her back. And no one is around to spill my secrets.

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