“That is not something the 8.3.0 gang would have access to,” Jet said.
“Nope, but the Russians might,” Tony replied.
I listened to them talk but my eyes were glued to Mel. She bounced on her toes, and for the first time since she left, I smiled. She might be a little badass but the bright pink toenail polish shining showed the slightest hint to her girly girl side.
“Damn, the other chick has to have like fifteen or more pounds on Mel and a couple inches in height,” Fin said as he studied Mel’s opponent.
“What the fuck is up with her manager? He keeps cutting his eyes toward Mel,” Jet said and I took my eyes off Mel and looked closely at the man.
“Holy shit! That’s her brother-in-law,” I stood and walked closer to the screen on the wall.
“Are you sure? The DEA agent?” Ranger asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure. His hair is a little longer, but she has pictures in her house of him and her sister, Cecilia. That is him,” I said and turned toward Ranger.
“Briggs?” Ranger said.
“On it,” Briggs stood and pulled out his cell and walked out of the room. And we all looked at Ranger.
“He’ll call around, see if he can find out anything on him.”
I nodded and then took my chair just as the fight started. Both women came out throwing punches and in the room where we sat, a feather could’ve been heard hitting the floor as all eyes were on the screen. We could hear every grunt as the punches landed. Mel took one to the side but landed one square on the other chick’s chin, snapping her head back.
“Bitch is on something. That hit should have had her down if not out,” Fin spoke.
“Well, the guy I fought was stoned. Did you think the women would be any different?” Reed said. I couldn’t talk, my eyes were glued. I didn’t want to miss one thing, especially if it had to do with them trying to hurt Mel with anything, drugs or hidden weapons, since the other woman had strap-on kick boxing boots.
“Oooooh,” Jet said when Mel landed a kick to the ribs. “I’ve been on that chick’s end. You would think with Mel fighting barefoot, it wouldn’t hurt as much, but goddamn when those boney little feet hit, it sucks.”
The others around the table who worked with Mel said “No shit” at the same time. I wondered if she knew just how much the men she worked with respected her.
“Lucky bastard,” was said when Mel stepped back just enough and kicked up and out, her foot grazing the other woman’s face. I didn’t care who said it, because yeah, my girl was limber.
“Dammit, Mel is holding back,” Fin said.
“What do you mean?” I did turn away then to look at Fin.
“She’s not going full force. Mel does that with us too,” Jet said.
“Why? You boys can take it,” my dad asked what I was wondering.
“Because even though Mel has told us about some of the stuff she did while in the military. I think she has kept more from us,” Tony said.
“You accusing her of keeping shit from you? That’s low. Mel is as honest as they come.” Yeah, I would always have her back.
“That’s not what Tony meant, brother. It’s more she couldn’t tell us or anyone really. Falon, I know you boxed and messed around a little in the ring but you’ve been around it as much as any of us.” Fin pointed at the screen. “Watch her moves, really watch them. She is damn near perfection in all of them. When she does have a small flaw show, you’d almost think it was on purpose. Like the kick that grazed that chick’s face. Planned. Mel is playing this shit up.”
“Fuck, I want it over. I want her back here, safe. Not playing games with a strung out He-woman.”
Mel dropped and swept the legs out from under the chick and the woman felt to the mat. Instead of jumping on her, Mel bounced up and backed away, giving the woman a chance to get up. The woman did and she was not happy, which made me wonder.
“They give any types of records on these fighters? I know the fights are illegal but for betting purposes, it would make sense,” I asked.
“We never paid attention to those because we figured they weren’t accurate and easily tampered with,” Reese said and Mace started hitting the keys on his laptop.
“Bitch she’s fight has 5-0 winning record,” he answered a couple seconds later.
“Did you build Mel a fake record?” I asked and Reese nodded. “Well, what the fuck did you put down?”
“Umm...we listed first fight, but that she had hand-to-hand combat experience and was military trained,” Reese said sheepishly and Jet, who had trained the most with Mel burst out laughing and Reese glared at him. “It was keeping close to the truth.”
“Really? You know, never mind, the dumb bastards can figure it out for themselves when their girl gets beat,” Jet said and shook his head.
“Sonofabitch, did you see that?” Fin asked and pointed again at the screen.
“What? I didn’t see shit,” I said, eyes glued on the women.
“Bitch scratched down into her shirt like she had a fucking itch. Now see how she isn’t putting her fingers anywhere near her own body. She’s got something on them,” Fin said.
I watched Mel for any sign she had noticed the move. I couldn’t tell. Mel moved in, threw consecutive punches, then bounced back and would kick out. The other woman was adjusting to Mel’s moves easily and when she anticipated Mel’s next round, she was the one to bounce forward before Mel could and she led with the hand that had went in her shirt. If my eyes hadn’t been so focused, I would have missed the hip rotation and leg Mel threw out because she had moved so fast. But I didn’t, and when Mel’s foot landed in the middle of the chick’s stomach, the kick had knocked her into the ropes.
The ropes gave the chick the spring she needed to lunge at Mel. I cut my eyes quickly when I heard chairs move and saw some of the men had jumped to the feet as if at a real honest fight.
“Fuck, that chick is pissed,” Jet said as he moved closer to the screen as did Tony, Mace, and Reed.
Most men would be jealous, but they weren’t me, and perfect for Mel. The men were doing what they were doing because they felt as bad as I did about not being there for her. To have her back, like they knew she would have theirs.
The woman screamed, “Fuckin’ puta!” and reached for Mel.
“Did that cunt just call my woman a whore?” I asked and hadn’t expected an answer as I jumped to my feet.
Mel dodged the woman and the woman’s momentum carried her forward into the ropes on the opposite side. When the woman turned Mel’s hips swiveled and she pivoted on her feet and lifted one leg swing it around to catch the woman across her stomach, causing the woman to double over, giving Mel enough time to land on her feet directly in front of the woman.
No one in our room spoke, hell, I didn’t even hear the sounds from the vid as I watched Mel land punch after punch to the woman’s face, driving her back into the ropes. And every time the woman tried to get away, Mel shoved her back. Blood poured from the woman’s mouth and nose as the woman tried to block Mel’s blows to her face, only to have Mel adjust her blows to the woman’s middle.
Mel stopped and stepped back and I thought it was because the woman was done but when Mel did, the eeriest sneer formed on the woman’s face, made worse with her showing teeth that were coated in blood.
The woman made one last effort and moved toward Mel and I watched as Mel turned to the side, kicked out her leg, and her foot landed on the woman’s left knee, driving it back, bending it in the opposite direction.
“Damn,” was said from several in the room, including me, when the sound of bones cracking and the woman’s scream filled the room.
The woman fell to the mat and Mel moved to where Harm stood and then she looked up at the camera her voice filling the room.
“I’ll expect our money in the account immediately and the next time you assholes want to schedule me for a fight, you might want to make damn sure that the bitch can hang. Now get your asses in here so I can fuck
ing leave.” She looked back at Harm, then started removing her gloves and the screen went black.
“Well, my girl’s got game,” my dad said, bringing the rest of us out of our stupor because yeah, Mel was fucking awesome.
When I turned around to look at my dad, I saw Thad leaned up against the doorway where he must have watched from when he came back in.
“Get anything?” Ranger asked.
Thad pushed off the doorframe and said, “Nothing we didn’t know already. He is working undercover in the area and has been for a little over a year. I got some guys making calls to see if we can get the name of his handler. It will be someone local. They will get back to me as soon as they’ve got something to report.”
“Well, I going down to the gym. I want to be there when Mel comes in the door.” I walked toward the door and Thad moved so I could pass. I didn’t wait to hear anything else or even if the others were coming too. I just wanted to see Mel, in the flesh, to know for my own peace of mind that she was unharmed.
“Where are they?” I asked as I walked toward the windows looking out onto the street in front of the gym.
“Son, it’s only been thirty minutes since the fight ended,” my dad said as he walked up and stood beside me.
I blew out my breath and watched for any sign of them. “I just want her here, Dad.”
“I know, Falon. I’m proud of the man you’ve become and you’ve chosen well in Mel.”
“When she’s around I feel tatted and tamed.” I chuckled and continued, “And the feeling is nice and it doesn’t bother me one bit.” My dad squeezed my shoulder and walked off. I heard the others talking and I could have cared less what about.
Ten more minutes passed and a pair of headlights moved down the road. When the vehicle came into view, I was out the door. Harm pulled to the curb and it hadn’t even come to complete stop before I had the door open and Mel in my arms.
“Falon?” she said as I buried my face in her neck.
“Christ, watching you. I couldn’t tell if I was more scared or more turned on. You, baby, are goddamned awesome,” I said against her neck, then kissed it.
“Aww, honey, you say the sweetest stuff.” Mel hugged me tight. “Can we go in now?”
“Fine, but we aren’t staying for you all to sit around and talk. You can do that later. I want to take you home, strip you naked, shower with you, and just hold you and enjoy the fact you are safe,” I said and walked toward the door that Fin held open.
“That sounds great. Now put me down so I can tell them everything and then we can go.”
“Can’t I hold you while you tell them?”
“Falon.”
“Fine,” I gave in and set her on her feet. Mel stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the lips and turned toward the men. When I looked over toward them my dad stood there with a big grin on his face and I grinned back.
“Tell us what happened when your brother-in-law walked in with your opponent,” Tony said.
“How you know that was my brother-in-law?” Mel asked and frowned.
“Me, baby, I saw the pictures at your house.”
“Oh, yeah, you would have seen those. Okay so only thing I know is he is working undercover. Didn’t know till he walked in where,” Mel started to explain everything, from the time she and Harm were picked up until they were dropped back at their vehicle. They drove around to make sure no one was tailing them before they headed back to the gym.
I grinned and shook my head when the guys congratulated her and told her they knew she was better than what she was showing them in the ring while training. Mel, as I was learning, didn’t seem to take compliments well, her blush was cute.
“Well, we are waiting for Thad’s men to call back on what they found out on your brother-in-law, if anything,” Ranger said.
“I might be able to shed some light on that.” Everyone turned toward the door and looked at the black man who had entered.
“Who the fuck are you?” Jet asked and moved toward him. The man stepped all the way in and let the door close.
“I’m Trey Larue. I’m Emilo Lopez’s handler,” he said and then turned to Mel. “He called from the clinic where they took the woman you fought. He was able to step away long enough to give me the info about you and said to come here.” Trey turned back to the guys and continued, “But I was already on my way here. I got a call that the FBI was calling around to find information on Emilo. First let me ask, do I need to pull my man out? Is he in danger with 8.3.0.?” Thad stepped forward.
“I’m Agent Briggs, FBI, my guys were the ones doing the calling. We don’t know. What is your man doing undercover in a gang?”
“He found out about a stepbrother only after he showed up dead and the boy had ties to the 8.3.0. The brother’s name was...” Before Trey could finish Ranger cut in.
“Juan Lopez, the first kid that showed up dead. Dammit all to hell,” Ranger said.
“So Emilo got in contact with you. How much longer is he going to be undercover with the gang?” Mel asked, stepped closer to the man, and I moved with her.
“It took him awhile to move up in the gang. They tend to have trust issues. But there has been a shift in power recently and now, I think I know why. You men had something to do with a few of 8.3.0.’s leadership being taken down?” Trey asked and raised his eyebrows in question.
“I think we might need to sit down and pound a few things out. Don’t you?” Ranger asked and Trey nodded his head. “I know you guys stay as close as possible to your men in case you need to get them out quick. Where you working out of?”
“I’m setup within the 42nd Precinct. It allows me to be in the area,” Trey answered.
“Let’s go up and talk in the office. We will bring you up to par in what we are up against. I’m kinda thinking we are finding pieces of the puzzle. If we can find them all, we might just get this shit settled,” Tony said and the other agreed.
I did not want to spend hours going over shit I already heard and knew, and when Mel bent from side to side and rubbed her neck, that sealed it.
“Hey, does Mel need to stay. I want to take her home. She’s sore and needs to shower and wash that chick’s blood off her,” I said.
“Falon, I can shower here,” Mel said.
“No, you can be filled in later. Let me have this, okay?” I looked at her and her eyes softened.
“Do you guys mind?” she turned back and asked.
“Nah, go, Mel. You have done more than enough today,” Tony said and grinned.
“Thanks, Tony,” Mel said and grabbed the bag Harm had carried in and set down. Then she looked up at me. “Take me home and take care of me, honey.”
I didn’t even look to see if all the guys still stood there or had headed upstairs, nor did we say goodbye. I just bent down, swooped Mel up in my arms, and headed out the door to do exactly what she asked me too.
Chapter Nineteen
Mel
Olivia’s and Reilly’s bedroom was full with women, mothers, and aunts. I tried to get Cecilia to come but Luis was running a fever, and since she wasn’t positive it was his teeth, she wouldn’t come. I sat on a loveseat by the window and watched as Olivia, her sister, Milana, and Ms. Maddie helped Brooklyn and Zoey get ready on one side of the room. On the other, Sonia and her sister, Serena, helped Bob.
“Girl, I’m so glad I wasn’t included in this, high-five for no bun in the oven or one out of the toaster,” Petal said and plopped down beside me and raised her hand. I slapped mine with hers and chuckled.
“What are you two so happy about?” Britt walked over and waved her hand at us to make room for her. Petal and I scooted and she wiggled her tiny ass in between us.
“How happy we are not to be involved in this,” I said and waved toward the group across the room.
“No shit,” Britt sighed. “I’m just getting my office set up over the gym, Angelique, Josh, and I just moved our stuff into the house. And Brant moved his in next door. I’ll tell ya, being a
round this family though, is like being on the set of a TV comedy.”
“Or drama,” Angelique said as she, Maria, and her cousin, Fiona, walked over.
“Angelique, I’m so happy you are going to work at the shop. Now I won’t be the only woman there with those men. I swear, the testosterone levels when they are all there have to be above normal. Estrogen rules and maybe we can balance some of it out,” Petal said.
“Don’t even talk about testosterone till you walk in my shoes. I’m the youngest and only female with four brothers and four male cousins. No one knows my pain,” Fiona said and frowned. “But shit, coming here for the triple ‘w’ has given me some ideas on how to even the odds with the parents.” Fiona grinned and good God the smile was evil and it looked like the smile Falon did right before he did something outrageous. Sadly, I wasn’t far off and Maria confirmed it.
“What have you done or going to do?” Maria looked at her cousin. “And it better not draw focus to me because Ranger and I will get married when we are damn ready. Not because Sonia Roark deems it,” Maria said and crossed her arms over her chest. We all burst out laughing.
“What are you bitches ranting about over here?” Mia said as she walked in the room and joined us.
“How we got a pass on the wedding sentence. You know you are going to catch shit when they turn their focus on you, right. Baby girl, only girl in the O’Malley house here anyway,” Petal said and winked at Fiona. Mia looked at Petal and over her shoulder at the moms helping the other women and then back to us.
“Why do you say that? Have they said something about me?” We all looked at Mia.
“Paranoid much?” I asked and chuckled when she glared.
“Mia, you know you are getting the same speech from your dad as I got from my dad when I walked in. ‘A man who has daughters always remembers the day he walks her down the aisle, because it is the moment he becomes the second man in her life instead of the first that she loves’. Blah, blah, blah. Those men are worse than any mothers with guilt trips,” Maria said and we all laughed except for Mia.
Tatted and Tamed (KO Ink Book 5) Page 13