Moonstone: Gems of Wolfe Island One

“I’m a married man.” Pollack holds up his left hand, displaying a gawdy thick gold band. “I just thought this woman was a friend of my daughter’s. I can see now I’m mistaken.”

Yeah, right. And I’ve got some frozen tundra in Siberia I want to sell you, too. He’s lying. I can spot a liar a mile away. Something that came in handy in my former life.

“Keep your distance from now on,” Lydeck says to Pollack. “And you”—he turns to me, —keep your hands to yourself.”

“Of course, Officer.”

Right. Mess with Katelyn and I’ll come after you every time.

This guy is bad news. I feel it. And I know a bad guy.

I used to be one.

17

Katelyn

I stand, numb.

I can’t look into Ice Man’s eyes. I can’t go back to that place.

I don’t mean the island. I mean the place. The place inside myself. The place where I’m no one.

“You mean so much to these gentlemen,” Diamond says. “I realize they mistreat you, but you provide something for them. Because of you, they don’t mistreat the other women in their lives.”

Diamond’s canned speech. How many times have I heard it now?

See, Diamond, we don’t care that they’re not hurting others. We care that they’re hurting us.

Diamond doesn’t believe her words either. They’re rehearsed. It’s like a teleprompter is playing in her head.

“Moonstone?” she says. “Do you have a question?”

“No.”

“You were shaking your head.”

“I just need an appointment,” I say. “To talk to you in private.”

“Of course. We’re done here. Come with me.”

I follow Diamond to her office. It’s not an office so much as a sitting room that’s attached to her bedroom in the dorm.

The dorm. That’s what our housing unit is called. We each have our own separate room, but the men don’t come here. It’s off limits and heavily guarded.

Basically, we’re off the clock while we’re here. And if the men don’t pay, they don’t play.

“What’s bothering you, Moonstone?”

“Your words.”

“Which ones?”

“You know which ones. Diamond, you don’t really believe the trash you spew, do you?”

She sighs. “No, I don’t. But that’s between you and me, Moonstone.”

“It’s Katelyn. You know my fucking name.”

“It’s not. Not anymore. I’m supposed to punish you for using your former name. But I’m not going to.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to let you in on a little secret,” she says. “I don’t like this any more than you do. I hate it. Abhor it. If I had it my way, I’d let every last one of you go.”

“Why don’t you?”

“I have no choice.”

“You do. There’s always a choice, Diamond.”

She sighs. Pauses. Sighs again. “I have someone else I have to think about. You won’t understand.”

“You’re damned right I won’t.” I huff and walk out the door.

I was strong and feisty when I first showed up at the island. My shoulders had healed, and I wanted to fight.

They gradually broke the fight out of me, and I never questioned Diamond again.

I became Moonstone.

I hardly recalled Katelyn.

She no longer existed.

I decided I wanted to live, but it wasn’t until the center that I truly found my strength again.

“Keep your distance from now on. And you, keep your hands to yourself.” From the officer.

Luke isn’t being arrested. I’m glad.

Neither is Ice Man. Not so glad on that part.

Granted, he didn’t touch me.

But I felt unsafe.

Unsafe in his presence. Unsafe because he was near. And then he came out of the restaurant to find me again. Luckily Luke found him first.

“Next time either of you crosses my radar,” the officer says, “you’ll be arrested. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.” Ice Man holds out his hand. “Thank you for your service.”

I want to puke. Seriously puke. My stomach is cramping, and I force myself not to bend over. I breathe through the cramping.

Doesn’t help.

“Ma’am,” Ice Man says to me, “please accept my apologies. I never meant to frighten you. You bear a striking resemblance to a friend of my daughter’s.”

“Bullshit,” I grit out.

Good. Good job, Katelyn. You worked through the nausea, the cramping, the raw fear. Show him you won’t be intimidated.

Except now I think I might faint dead away.

“I’m sorry,” he says again.

“Fuck off.” This from Luke.

Officer Lydeck rolls his eyes. “Get the hell out of here. All of you.”

Luke and I haven’t had dinner yet, but I can’t eat anyway with my stomach doing twists and turns. Ice Man walks away but then looks over his shoulder and meets my gaze.

His eyes speak volumes.

I’ll be back for you, they say. I’ll be back for you.

I lean against the building once more.

Officer Lydeck still stands next to Luke. “Now that he’s gone,” Lydeck says to me, “I’d like to hear more.”

“There’s no more.” I gaze at the ground. At my shoes. At a piece of pinkish gum ground into the sidewalk.

“I’d like to hear more too, Katelyn,” Luke says. “You know him, don’t you?”

I shake my head.