by Mae Martini
Was that a challenge?
Ralphie sensed what Logan was thinking and shook his head. He looked back to the road. “I love her and I know she loves me, but the difference is I’m in love with her. I’ve been in love with her since junior high school. She loves me like a brother, and she will always love me like a brother.
“You know, I introduced her to Michael. It killed me that she hooked up with him because I know the scum that he is.”
“Why didn’t you warn her?”
“I tried, but you ever try to convince someone who thinks they’re in love, that the one they’re in love with is no good?”
Logan didn’t say anything.
“She accused me of trying to mess up her relationship because I wanted her for myself.” He paused. Logan still didn’t say anything. “She wouldn’t talk to me for months. It killed me. When she finally understood what I was trying to tell her, she came to me and apologized. But she was in too deep to just pick up and leave. When she did finally have enough nerve to leave, I was pleased she did. I also knew that I had no right to try to claim her. I could give her no better life than Michael did, except, I would never have abused her in any way.
“My resume isn’t exactly clean. The life I lead is a hard life. Not something I could put Melanie through. You know, she was the only one who came to visit me in jail the two times I was picked up. She was so angry at me when I first got involved with the mob. She tried to talk me out of this life, but she never acted like she didn’t know me. I don’t associate with anyone who isn’t a friend of mine.” He paused to look at Logan, “if you know what I mean, except for her.” Ralphie turned his attention back to the road.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
Ralphie took in a deep breath. “I need you to know that there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. If you ever hurt her-” He paused and turned his head to stare into his eyes, “-I will kill you.”
Logan just held his gaze. He wasn’t intimidated by this man. Ralphie turned his head back to the road in front of him.
“Here’s how’s it’s gonna go down. When we get to the house, I’m going in. You wait by the front door. I’ll pass her out to you.”
Logan waited for him to say more. He didn’t. “That’s it? That’s your plan?”
“That’s all you need to know. The less you and she are involved the better. You have a child custody case to win.”
Logan sighed. They did know everything.
****
Melanie did go into the bedroom, but not to pack. She needed to think. She needed to get to her purse on the couch and retrieve her cell phone. She needed to call Logan. She needed to warn him of Ralphie. Please Ralphie, don’t kill him, please. The tears rolled down her face.
After a few moments, she gathered her wits and lightly padded to the door. She slowly opened it. She looked around and didn’t see anyone so she gingerly opened the door a little wider and tiptoed out. As she made her way to the couch, Michael walked into the living room from the kitchen.
“You already packed?”
She jumped and turned to him with a guilty look on her face.
“What’s the matter, Mel?”
“Um, I…uh….I’m almost packed. I was just getting my purse.” She grabbed it and turned to walk back into the bedroom. A little hope in her heart.
That was until she felt Michael grab her by the arm. He crushed her to him.
“Did I tell you how much I missed you?”
“Yes,” she said, feeling winded from his bear hug grip on her. She looked anywhere but at his face.
He brought a hand up and gripped her chin. He turned her face to his. “Beautiful. You are so beautiful.” He bent down to kiss her lips.
Michael felt her recoil and was not pleased. He gripped her chin harder and she winced. He forced a kiss on her lips and she picked up her arms and shoved him back. He wasn’t expecting that.
That’s it. No more mister nice guy. He came at her and brought a hand up behind her back and yanked her hair.
“Oww.” She struggled to get out of his grip without success as he backed her up against the wall.
With his knee, he shoved her legs apart and pressed his thigh into her pussy. He moved his leg up and down. Then he stepped into it and she felt his arousal. She wanted to throw up.
He whispered in her ear. “Remember how you used to like it rough?”
“No, Michael. You liked it rough. You always hurt me,” she spat out but he didn’t even acknowledge her words as his hand began to roam her body.
He brought his hand up to the center of her chest and pulled her blouse apart, exposing her bra.
“Mmmm, I love your creamy, soft tits.”
Melanie was breathing heavy trying to loosen his grip on her. She managed to scream just when he squeezed a nipple.
Frankie Fose watched the whole scene in front of him. Ralphie told him to shoot if Michael hurt Melanie. Oh, geez Michael, don’t make me shoot you.
Melanie continued to struggle and scream as Michael pawed her breasts.
“Michael! Let her go.”
Michael turned around to see Frankie pointing a gun at him. He did a double take. “What the fuck, Fose? What? You want a piece of the action?” he said laughing, trying to buy time.
“Just get away from her,” Frankie said.
But Frankie procrastinated, he looked uneasy. He didn’t want to shoot him but he didn’t want to be disloyal to Ralphie.
“Easy there, Fose. Come on. Let’s all calm down here,” Michael said as he stepped a little away from Melanie then quickly, for he practiced this maneuver over and over in the mirror at home, brought his right hand to his back and whipped out his gun and shot Frankie.
Frankie went down and Melanie screamed again.
Michael turned to her and smacked her hard. She went down too.
****
They rolled to a stop a few houses away from hers and got out of the car.
Ralphie put his hand on his gun but didn’t take it out.
They looked around and cautiously moved closer to the house.
When they got to the first step they heard a muffled gunshot from inside the house and then heard Melanie scream.
Ralphie took his gun out and flew up the stairs and burst through the door.
Logan was right there with him, his gun was drawn too.
Logan quickly scanned for Melanie. He saw the back of a big man kneeling on the floor next to her, a gun on the floor by his side. He noted Melanie had a hand print on her cheek and she was crying.
Her blouse was ripped, exposing her cream colored satin bra.
The idea of anyone putting their hands on Melanie enraged Logan. He scanned the room to see two other men on the floor, not moving.
Michael, upon hearing the door burst open, turned around and saw Ralphie. He started to smile but when he saw Logan behind him with a gun drawn he knew he was betrayed. He stretched to pick up his gun but he wasn’t fast enough.
Logan charged in and rammed Michael in the middle of Michael’s back just as he was picking up the gun. The gun went flying. Logan dropped his gun and was able to kick it away from them.
Melanie quickly moved out of the way as Logan brought Michael down right where she was not a moment before.
Logan threw jabs and uppercuts. Michael’s face quickly bruised but all Michael was doing was laughing. Logan knew he was so numb he wasn’t feeling anything.
Michael brought his leg up and kneed Logan in the groin.
Logan momentarily faltered and Michael seized the opportunity and was able to reverse positions. Logan was down and Michael was pummeling him.
“Michael, Stop it!” Melanie shrieked.
Michael took his eyes off of Logan to see her, and Logan, breathing heavy, shoved Michael off him.
Logan and Ralphie looked to her too. She had a wild look in her eyes as she held a gun, pointed at Michael. They all froze.
Logan silently begged her not to pull the
trigger.
“Mel, sweetheart. Hand me my gun, baby,” Michael said.
She didn’t, of course.
She saw Ralphie move toward her. “Stay where you are!” she yelled at him. He looked to Logan. She looked to Logan. She saw blood on his cheek. She was heaving and not sure what to do.
“Mel? I said hand me my gun,” Michael said, in a deadly tone.
Melanie shook her head.
“What, you gonna protect your cowboy bumpkin here?” He turned to Logan who was picking himself and his gun up off the floor while never taking his eyes off Michael. “She’s good, huh. Do you like the way she sucks cock? I taught her.” He said with a smug grin.
Logan brought his fist down to Michael’s mouth and Michael’s head snapped back, but he laughed.
“You like the way she fucks?”
“Shut up,” Melanie said.
Michael turned back to her and she saw Ralphie moving from the corner of her eye.
When she took her eyes off of Michael, he sprung up to grab the gun but Ralphie anticipated Michael’s move and strode quickly to Michael and cold-cocked him with the butt of his own gun. Michael fell to the floor. He was out.
Melanie dropped the gun and ran to Logan. She threw her arms around him and clung tight.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay,” he repeated over and over.
“Melanie, you okay?” Ralphie asked.
She turned around with a frantic look. She placed her body in front of Logan. “Please don’t kill him. Please, Ralphie.”
He looked sympathetically at her. “I was never going to kill him, Mel.”
She looked from him then to Logan who shook his head.
“No?” she asked Logan.
“No, baby.”
Then her knees gave out and Logan quickly caught her and lifted her. She sobbed into his chest as he brought her over to the couch and placed her down and sat beside her.
Ralphie walked over to her just as Frankie was moaning. They all looked at him. Yeah, there was blood on his shirt but the bullet just grazed him. He’d be okay.
They looked toward the front door as two guys walked in.
Melanie panicked and Logan quickly rose, took his gun out, and aimed.
“They’re with me,” Ralphie said.
Logan looked to him and Ralphie nodded. Logan put the gun away.
“Melanie, I gotta get out of here. I’m taking Michael with me. He won’t bother you ever again.”
“What will happen to him?”
Ralphie just shook his head. “You also need to know Robyn gave you up. He was screwing her when she called you.”
Melanie sighed. “I trusted her. Oh, God.”
“I know you did. She won’t bother you anymore, either.”
He sat down next to her and took her hand. “Mel, if you ever need me, call me. You understand?”
“Yes.”
Ralphie was just about to stand up. She grabbed him and hugged him to her. “I love you.”
“I know. I love you too. Be well, sweetheart.” He gave Logan a look and rose from the couch. “Your grandfather is in the hospital.”
Logan’s eyes grew wide. “What?”
Melanie’s jaw dropped as she looked from Ralphie to Logan.
“He’s fine. He’s got a little bump on the head. He’s a bit nosy,” Ralphie said chuckling. “I had him brought there for observation.”
Logan looked from Ralphie to Melanie.
Melanie had a hard time reading him.
“Nobody’s out there,” One of the two guys who had just walked in said.
It was already nightfall and Ralphie motioned for his men to pick up the baggage, one being Michael, the other being Vinnie, and with one last look to Melanie, he walked out the door.
Logan walked to the door.
“Where are you going?” Melanie asked.
He paused and Melanie just stared at his back for a beat or two. Then he turned around. “I’m going to check on Heath.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.”
He turned back around and walked out the door.
Melanie just stood there.
Chapter 37
After stopping off to see Gabe, Melanie went straight to Logan’s. He wasn’t home yet, but she thought he’d stop by the hospital to see Gabe after he checked on Heath.
She was sitting on the couch and watching TV, not really comprehending what she was watching, when she heard him come in through the side door.
Melanie jumped up off the couch and went to him with a small smile on her face. She went to put her arms around him but he pulled back. She tilted her head in question.
“I want you to leave.”
“What?” she asked. She was stunned.
“I can’t do this anymore. I’m done.”
“Logan, what are you talking about?”
“Jesus Christ, Melanie, they were watching my kid!”
Melanie recoiled. He’d never raised his voice at her before. She didn’t know what to say. She just stood there.
“You brought this here.”
“Logan, it’s over. Ralphie is gonna take care of it. Please? I’m sor-” she started to throw her hands up and around him. He stepped back.
Again, she was stunned.
“Pack your shit and leave.”
Melanie stared him in the eye, looking for a hint of humor or something. There was nothing. She slowly nodded her head.
Without saying a word, she went into the bedroom and once she was there the tears came down. She stood there crying, not knowing what happened. Okay, she knew what happened. What went down was the scariest thing she had ever encountered. She knew it took a toll on him but she didn’t know why he was throwing her out. He knew. He knew what she was about. She was getting more and more angry with him just thinking about it. She gathered her stuff and crammed them in her gym bag. She couldn’t even close the zipper.
She left the chaps, he bought her, on his bed.
She walked out of the bedroom and saw him standing in the game room with a bottle of Jack in his hand. He was lifting it up to his mouth but paused when he saw her.
“I’m leaving, but just remember. You knew what I was about, Logan. I was up front from the beginning. I even warned you. So don’t pretend to be shocked. I’m not buying it.” She turned and walked to the side door. She turned back to him. “I guess you chose Jack.” Then she walked out and drove away.
He looked at the spot she was standing in not a moment ago. He put the bottle down on the table then started walking to his bedroom. He turned back around, picked up the bottle and then went to his bedroom.
Logan woke up to the sun shining through the window. He didn’t feel right. He had a rough night’s sleep. He turned his head to the spot where normally he would be seeing Melanie still sleeping. He brought his hands up to his face and scrubbed.
He turned his head to his night side table and saw the still full bottle of Jack. He rose out of bed and walked to the bathroom.
“Good morning,” Richie said as he walked through the office door with two cups of coffee in his hands.
Logan picked his head up from the paperwork he was going over. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you too, buddy. Here, someone needs coffee,” he said as he handed Logan a cup.
Logan took it and sighed. “Thanks, man. But, really, why are you here?”
“Aren’t we meeting with Doug and Jay in the small corral to do some riding?”
“Oh, shit. Is that this morning?”
“Yeah. What’s going on? You look like hell. You and Melanie have a fight or something?” he asked jokingly.
Logan just looked at him.
“Oh,” he said wide eyed. “Where is she? She at the house? Go to her and work it out, man. I’ll cover here.”
Logan sighed and looked all around his office then settled his eyes on Richie. “I threw her out last night.”
Richie was taking a sip of the hot coffee and s
ome of it went down the wrong pipe and he began to cough.
“Easy, there.” Logan said.
Richie nodded his head. “You threw her out?”
There was a knock on the door and Logan looked to Richie. “Shhh. Come in.”
“Hi, Logan. Oh, hey, Richie.”
They both said hello to Cody.
“Logan, have you seen Melanie today. She was supposed to meet me at the gym this morning but she never showed up.”
“No. What the fuck? Do I look like her keeper?” he snapped.
Cody was taken aback. “No, I was just asking is all. Geez.” And he turned, and as he started walking out, he said. “Oh, don’t forget. I’m leaving at two today.”
“You leave early today then don’t bother coming back.”
Cody turned back around and looked at Logan then shifted his eyes to Richie.
“That’s all right, Cody. Do what you have to do at two, today. He’ll see you back here tomorrow morning.”
Cody nodded his head at Richie, glanced at Logan and walked out of there so fast before Logan could say anything more.
Logan took in a breath and let it out slowly.
“What happened, Logan?” Richie started the conversation again.
“Some heavy shit went down last night. Her ex boyfriend showed up.”
“The gangster?”
Logan nodded and proceeded to tell him the story, all the way up to throwing her out. And, as he replayed the story, he came to terms with the fact that he had fucked up, hence the reason he had a bad night’s sleep.
“Logan, not for nothing, man, but she’s right. She was up front with you. You knew and you offered her protection.”
“I know, damn it. I know.”
“Call her.”
“I tried. She’s not answering. She’s probably still pissed at me.”
“Gee, you think?”
“I thought maybe I’d give her some more time to calm down. She was really angry with me last night.”