Page 62 of Drown My Sorrow

Kelly stalks in and puts the basket of gemstones down on the table.

“I’m sorry about what I said earlier about your…” he waves his hand at the crystals.

“Thank you,” I say, avoiding Keagan’s eyes.

Kelly rubs his chin and makes a humming sound before seeming to come to a decision.

“I can see how hard you work here, Aspyn. But you’re not going to get a fair go, not here. You’re struggling to pay your bills. Don’t bother to argue. Your neighbours at the market told us all about it.”

My cheeks flame. Keagan explodes up, but Ezy puts his hands up between them and shouts to wait.

“I want to offer you a deal,” Kelly says over the sound of Keagan’s vicious growls.

I turn to face Kelly front on, suspicious and mildly offended. “What kind of deal?”

He glances at Gael, who shrugs, and Ezy, who doesn’t take his glare off Keagan.

Shale crosses his arms and leans on the door frame.

“The kind that benefits all of us.” Kelly licks his lips and glances at Shale this time.

Shale minutely tilts his chin.

I wonder if Kelly realises he just asked the Daane for permission.

I shift my weight, looking uneasily to Beau, who moves towards me and puts a hand on my shoulder.

“Details, Raines,” Shale snaps.

“We leave this fucking island and go back to the surfing competition. I will pay for all of you to come so you won’t be missing any work. We keep moving and travel until you find a place you’d be happy to stay in. We set you up with a house, a home, and a stall to trade your business.”

I sit up straight. The deal is a good deal, and the fact that I know I can’t turn it down makes my stomach turn.

If I don’t take this, I’ll be evicted in probably a week or so.

“Why is this competition so important?”

Kelly exhales and shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I can see lines around his eyes that tell otherwise. “It’s our retirement tour.”

“Who cares?” Beau hisses. “I’ll pay your bills, Aspyn.”

He must know he’s made a mistake as soon as it comes out of his mouth.

“You know?” I ask. “Of course, you know. Why didn’t you say anything?”

Keagan spits a curse and turns away, running his hands through his hair.

“Yes, we know, and because you have your pride, Aspyn. None of us wants to hurt you.”

Why do those words hurt me, anyway?

I look down at my lap, unable to look them in the eyes. One word blooms in my mind, obliterating all else.

Burden.

“Don’t do that!” Beau shouts. “Don’t you sit there and think that! I know what’s going through your head.”

It takes all my willpower to lift my head and look at Kelly Raines. The perfect golden surfer, the heir to Alpha Labels. The alpha that people court and drool over from one end of the Earth to the other.

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