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“Let me see.” He pressed two fingers to Anastasia’s neck and cocked his head to the side. After a beat, he nodded. “This one is stronger than the rest.”
This one? Jewel’s head started spinning. She hadn’t signed up for this. Any of this. As beautiful as this guy looked, he was deranged.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
Afraid that he would choke her too, she answered. “Jewel.”
“Jewel?” He offered a tender smile. “Jewel. A precious stone.” He walked over to her, his manhood still hard and taunt. “Do you know who I am?”
She shook her head and wrung her hands together. Fear had taken a while to make an appearance, but it was raging in full force now. She felt tears pricking the back of her eyes. What was this man going to do to her?
He touched her shoulder. She yanked it away from him. His low chuckle coursed over her skin, evoking a strange yet potent mixture of desire and disgust. “I am your owner. You belong to me.”
“N-no.” Jewel had no idea who’d said those words until she saw the man blinking at her, an eyebrow arched.
Did I just say that?
Suddenly, he threw his head back and laughed. “I like you, Jewel.” He backed away from her and reached for his clothes. “Go outside and collect your payment from the bar. I’ll tell them to put in extra. You’ve pleased me very much tonight.”
Jewel stood frozen. She didn’t want his money. Didn’t want to touch anything associated with him. But this was what she’d come for. And even if he was crazy, he hadn’t put his hands on her.
She glanced at Anastasia, who still hadn’t woken. Like a coward, Jewel spun and shot out the door.
2
Present Day
Belize City, Belize
“Let’s get this pawdy started!” Champagne gushed through the air and skittered across the tiled floor. Jewel ducked out of the way before her head got doused and smirked at her excited friends.
Joana Lee Gregory shoved three champagne glasses over the counter. She was a small, slim woman with light brown skin and the most exotic eyes Jewel had ever seen.
Joana was part black and part Korean, but it was her effervescent thirst for life that made her stand out.
Jo laughed evilly as she filled the champagne glasses to the rim and handed it over to a gorgeous dark-skinned woman with long black hair.
Carrie Lockwood.
Most of their group’s crazy plans started right there in Carrie’s pretty head. She was the bar manager of Hidden Reef at night and attended business school during the day.
Tonight, Carrie wore jeans and a tight black T-shirt that said, “THIS BRIDESMAID SAW NOTHING”.
“To a new chapter!” Carrie hiked her champagne glass. “And to Joon, who’s getting the shorter end of the stick. I hope he’s prepared to have a wife who’ll spend all his money on charity cases.”
Sky Johnson—the blushing bride—shot a quick, anxious look at her before shoving Carrie away. “That’s not true.”
Jewel’s smile was tinged with sadness. Yes it is.
She was one of those charity cases.
Sky had found her struggling to sell fudge in the market and plucked her out of the tropical heat to work in Sweet Treats Café. Not only had Sky given her a job, but also a makeshift family.
Jewel would do anything for these women.
They’d saved her and they had no idea.
“Here, Jewls.” Carrie used her nickname and shoved a champagne glass filled with orange juice toward her. “I know you don’t drink, but we should still clink glasses anyway.”
