Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 12.2 Old Girlfriends

The next day, Alex heard that Drake was waiting for her. He was sitting on his customary boulder at the prescribed distance, his legs crossed and the heels of his hands pressed together in front of him.

Drake smiled to see the Guardian light up upon seeing him. It happened every time now, just as he had hoped. He was glad that Alex was so transparent. Drake didn't realize that he was just as happy to see her.

"Hi, Drake. I hope you have information for me." Alex peered around him and set down her bag. "And not baskets of eggs."

Drake chuckled. "Why are you so afraid of eggs?"

Alex shook in an exaggerated shudder. "Babies are scary."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"They're so helpless and tiny and when look at you with those big eyes, you fall in love with them. You might as well rip your heart out of your chest and paint a giant bull's eye on it, you're so vulnerable."

Drake stared at her, trying to digest that. Alex was so strange and wonderful. No wonder Rile was crazy over her. She wasn't predictable. And that glow! All his anger and pain had evaporated that night. He had been joined with Rile through her and it was everything he longed for.

The cynical part of him said that this was how she manipulated the brothers. The rest of him didn't care and wanted it for himself and Rile. He shook himself out of his reverie when he realized Alex was talking to him.

"Thanks for the information. We shut down another of Flint's brothels," Alex said. "I have a question for you, though. Where do your prostitutes come from?"

Drake shrugged. "All over. I don't ask. Some have a burning need to tell me their tale of betrayal while others want to forget their past."

"Betrayal? Tell me." Alex un-slung her wineskin from her shoulder.

Alex dug two battered travel mugs out of her bag and poured wine into them. She sat across from Drake.

"Old story." Drake accepted the mug and drank. "Male promises to love female forever, has sex with her, she clutches, he leaves her, family throws her out, she has no choice but prostitution. The lucky ones come to me."

"No choice? There are plenty of Rile's old girlfriends running around," Alex said. "Did any of them end up in prostitution?" Her eyes were dark on Drake.

"Ah, now Rile was the son of Gideon, a wealthy and honorable Clan Head. Rile also has excellent taste. Nothing but the best for him. Between those girls' fathers and Gideon covering for him, none of his old girlfriends ended up in a brothel."

Alex took a sip of wine and eyed him. "But others?"

"It depends on the father, see?" Drake drained his mug. "A good father keeps his daughters. One not so, ah, fond, of his, can sell them into prostitution. I pay top dollar so I have best pick."

"I see." Alex's voice lowered dangerously.

"I also will release the female once she has paid back her purchase price and upkeep," Drake added hastily. "I'm one of the few who does so. Do drink your wine, Guardian. It is excellent."

Alex watched Drake over the rim of her mug as she sipped.

"I have the location of another child brothel," Drake said.

"Thank you." Alex refilled Drake's mug.

"Flint tried to kill me," Drake said calmly.

"What?" Alex sat straight up. "That bastard! How? I'll kill him twice over!"