by K. J. Dahlen
Peaches returned and Melora went into the library. Closing the door behind her, she thought about what the two other women had suggested. They felt the Greg and Tammy story needed a little something more huh? Well, she would see what she could do about that. In fact, she had a great idea what would happen next in their saga.
Hurrying over to the desk, she got her minicomputer out and put in her flash drive. There were seven files on the drive but each file had several subfiles in it. She clicked on the Greg and Tammy file. Three different books came up. Clicking on the blurbs file, she reviewed the short blurb for each book. Then she sat back in her chair and thought about a new plot for a moment. Then suddenly, she smiled. The most devious plot just popped into her mind.
She opened her word file and got busy. Her fingers flew over the keys as thought after thought crossed her mind. A couple of hours later, she finally came out of her stupor when she heard a knock on the door. She quickly saved everything she’d written and was simply amazed at her progress. “Come in,” she called out softly.
Cassie’s head popped through the open doorway. “How is it going in here?’
Melora grinned. “It’s going.”
“Good. I just got a call from Deke. They want you back in the clubhouse.”
Melora quickly closed up her computer and slid the flash drive into her pocket. “I’m ready to go back.” She paused and added, “Thank you for this afternoon. I needed this time away badly.”
“I don’t know what’s going on up at the clubhouse but something is about to happen,” Cassie informed her as she came into the room. “Deke’s voice had a tone in it that I didn’t like.”
“Oh, crap.” Melora sighed heavily. “Now what? What else can go wrong?”
“We’d better find out before the shit hits the fan.”
“Okay, let’s go and see what the next disaster is.” Melora packed up her computer and drew the back over her shoulder. Together, they walked back to clubhouse and into a shouting match.
Deke, Gator, Sam, Iceman and Mountain sat on one side while an unidentified man sat on the other side of the table. All six men were yelling at one another.
Melora stood there a moment and shook her head. Lifting her fingers to her mouth, she let lose a sharp ear piercing whistle that stopped all the noise as everyone in the room cringed at the sound. “Just what the bloody hell is going on here?” she asked.
All the men just glared at her.
“Woman…this is a MC, not a fraternity. You don’t disrespect us like that.” Deke growled.
“You all sound more like school boys arguing over something rather stupid than an MC.” She scolded. “And before you say it, I know you’re all big bad asses, so just quit.” She looked at the newest member at the club. “Who is he?”
Sam walked over to her and whispered, “He’s Senator Walker. He got your message and came to meet you in person.” He turned to the group standing at the table. “We were just discussing that very thing.”
The newcomer stiffened as he glared at her. “I’m told you have evidence that someone other than yourself murdered my nephew. What is this evidence? I demand to see it at once.”
Melora snorted. “You can demand all you want but until you ask me nicely, I don’t have to show you squat.”
There were multiple gasps in the room as the silence settled.
“Excuse me?” Senator Walker sneered.
“No I don’t think I will.” Melora shook her head.
“Baby, maybe you should reconsider,” Sam urged. “He’s an important guy.”
“Why?” Melora turned her head to study him. “This asshat puts his pants on one leg at a time just like we do. Why should his lack of manners do anything to me? I know I didn’t kill Baily and I know I can prove it. Why should I bow to him?”
Senator Walker scowled. “Show me the proof.”
Melora shook her head. “You may be a big man in Washington but you aren’t in Washington right now. Ask me without demanding and I will show you what happened that night. All I’m asking for is the respect you seem to demand but don’t show to others.”
Senator Paul Walker took a deep breath. His face was still flush but he exhaled loudly as he seemed to calm down and asked, “Can you prove you didn’t kill Baily?”
“Yes, I can.” Melora walked over to where he was standing and took out her phone. Bringing up the video, she played it for him.
Paul Walker frowned as the video played out. Then he looked around the room. “So Baily is really dead and has been all along?” His face had paled.
Each man there nodded. They’d all seen the video and they knew the truth.
Walker turned back to Melora. “He told me you killed Baily and he even offered to find out where the body was hidden. Now, I know I’ll never recover him. I’ll never be able to bring closure for his mother.”
“You will,” Melora stated quietly.
“How so?” Paul asked.
“Because the hogs never got near Baily’s body that night.”
Paul frowned. “But you heard what he said.”
“Yes I did, but what Whiskey doesn’t know is I moved Baily’s body before the hogs got there. Only I know where he actually is.”
“And where is that?”
Melora shook her head. “I’ll only tell you after Whiskey is dead and I no longer have this murder charge hanging over my head.”
“Is it really true Whiskey wants to run guns and drugs on the East coast and he was going to use a connection to me to do it?” Senator Walker asked.
“Yes, it’s true.”
Walker looked over at Raven and shook his head. “That man is insane if he thinks I’ll let that happen.”
Raven snorted. “He thinks he’s gonna take the club away from me as well.”
He turned to Deke and asked, “What can I do to help you guys stop him?”
“Just stay out of our way. We’ll take care of the man and his friends.”
Senator Walker nodded. Looking at Raven again, he commented, “Let me know when he’s neutralized. I don’t want to know when or how.” He turned back to Melora. “I would like to know where Baily’s body is after this is over. He deserves a proper burial and my sister deserves closure in this matter.”
“I promise I’ll let you know.”
He turned to the room at large and announced, “Gentlemen, I’ll be leaving now. I hope to hear you have this matter in hand and I expect results soon.” He then walked to the door and left.
A few minutes later, they heard a helicopter start up and take off.
Deke turned to Melora. Then he crocked a finger in her direction.
She stepped closer.
“Don’t ever do that again. I will not tolerate disrespect in my clubhouse.”
Melora nodded. “I really didn’t show you any disrespect. At least I don’t think I did. The only disrespect I saw was from the Senator. But I am sorry if you feel I did that.”
“She’s got a valid point,” Gator spoke up. “He didn’t seem to respect us at all.”
Melora held up her hands. “Before this starts another agreement, let’s drop it. I apologize.” She turned to Sam. “That takes care of one of the problems, now we just have to stop Whiskey. Does anyone know where he is at the moment?”
“He and his boys are roaming the city looking for you,” Raven answered. “BTW thanks for putting Mr. Bigshot in his place. I was about ready to floor him myself. With my fist down his throat.” He swung his gaze over at Deke. “Of course, this is your town and I respect that, so I didn’t follow my instincts this time.” He gave Deke a grin.
Deke stared back at him with an emotionless expression.
“People like him give people like you guy’s bad names.” Melora smiled. “I know he won’t remember today but I feel better about it.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’ll forget what you did to him. He’s just happy no one but us saw it.” Iceman snickered.
Melora glanced over at Raven. “Ar
e you and me okay? I don’t want any trouble with your MC over this.”
Raven shook his head. “We’re okay. None of this was ever your fault. I know that now. Whiskey is the traitor and I plan to bring the hammer down on him myself.”
“As much as I deplore violence I can’t wait for him to get his.” Melora shuddered. “He wanted blood, but it’s gonna be his own spilled and not mine.”
“Don’t you worry about that.” Raven seethed. “He won’t live long enough to worry too much about it.”
“That’s good enough for me.” Melora gazed into his eyes as she spoke.
~* * * *~
Mountain walked over to Melora and asked, “Can we talk?”
She nodded. “I think maybe we should. Time is running out and there’s so much you and I need to talk about before it’s too late.”
Taking her elbow, he led her away from the others. Taking a seat in the far corner, he stared at her for a moment then asked, “I want to know if you’ll come back with us when we leave. Come back to Texas with us I mean. I’d like the chance to know you better and we’ve been gone long enough now.”
Melora stared at him for a long moment. “I don’t know. When this is over, I just want to get on with my life.”
Mountain looked away then glanced back at her. “But if you don’t have a job anywhere yet, what would it hurt to come and stay with me for a while?”
Melora shrugged. “I don’t yet know what I want to do. Maybe I’ll stay here, maybe I’ll move on to another place. I just don’t know.”
“Can you at least think about it?” he asked. “We’ve missed out on everything so far, I don’t want to miss out on the rest of your life.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens over the next few days.” Melora shrugged. “Who knows if either of us will live through this.”
Mountain glared. “The only one who’s going to die will be Whiskey.”
Melora laid her hand on his arm and shook her head. “No one can predict the future, not even this one.” She laughed without mirth. “I can only hope to survive the next few days but otherwise, I can’t make plans of any kind right now. I’m sorry.”
“Will you at least think about it?”
Melora nodded. “That I will do.” She got to her feet. “But right now we have to come up with a plan that ensures safety for everyone but Whiskey.” She walked back to the main table and began listening to the others talk.
Mountain watched her for a moment then got up and walked down the hall to the room he had. When he closed the door, he went to his bag and sat down on the bed. From inside the leather saddlebag he pulled out an envelope. Inside were the papers the lawyer had given him four years ago. The letter from Carla and the DNA test that claimed Melora was his daughter. He knew without the test that she was his child, yet even with this knowledge, he couldn’t get through to her.
He wanted nothing more than to know her as a person, yet she wouldn’t allow him to do that. Mountain knew he had to find a way to get through to her. He needed to find a way to understand her, so he could know what was in her heart. He wasn’t going to give up on the only thing in his life that was truly his. His daughter.
CHAPTER TEN
The afternoon melted into evening and with the night came a peace only the darkness could bring. It also brought the shadows that could hide evil but this night no evil could be found around the compound.
Sometime after midnight, when most everyone had gone to bed, only Sam, Mountain, Deke, Gator and Melora were sitting there in the great room when they heard the sound of bikes coming closer.
At first, the whine of the bikes didn’t phase Melora but as the sound got closer her head suddenly snapped up. She turned fearfully toward the front door as sweat beaded on her forehead. Getting quickly to her feet the chair, she was sitting on slid out from underneath her and she backed away.
Sam watched her action. He looked toward his son and Deke frowned.
Mountain stared at her for a moment then turned toward the sound of the bikes coming closer.
Gator and Deke stomped toward the door while Sam went to Melora and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
Mountain stood in front of them with his weapon in his hand ready for anything.
Then the sounds of the bikes stopped outside the main gate. The noise dimmed for a moment as the trio sitting on the massive bikes sat there staring into the compound.
Deke and Gator stood in the open doorway and with the lights from the clubhouse behind them, they seemed more like shadows than the imposing men they both were.
Whiskey, Micah and Lightning revved their engines but came no closer. Only the locked gate kept them away. One by one, the men making rounds inside the gates came into view. The bikers could see the rifles in their hands and no one on the other side of the fence made a move toward their own weapons. Instead, they twisted their throttles on their handlebars to make the engines rev louder.
After a few minutes, Whiskey gave them a salute and they turned their bikes and roared off into the darkness.
Deke and Gator watched as the night swallowed them, then turned and went back inside.
Deke grabbed the bottle of Black Velvet on the table and poured a drink. Slamming it back, he brought his cold gaze up to Melora. “I think he knows where you are.”
Melora turned her face into Sam’s chest. His arms tightened around her but it didn’t seem to help. The cold wrapping itself around her, holding onto her soul became deeper and she couldn’t seem to stop it. She couldn’t stop herself from shivering either. “Oh God, he’s going to kill me, I can feel it,” she whimpered against Sam’s throat.
“No baby, he won’t even get close to you,” Sam whispered into her hair.
“You can’t say that. He found me again.”
“Well, you did tell him where you were,” Mountain reminded her.
Melora shook her head. “No I told him I was in Troy, not where I was staying. I never mentioned I was here in the clubhouse.”
“She’s got a point.” Deke noted as he lifted his head. “How did they know where she was? Troy is a good sized city and they haven’t been here long enough to search the whole city. They didn’t have time to figure out she was here.”
“So how did they pinpoint her location so quickly?” Mountain asked.
No one could give him an answer.
“I think we should try and get some sleep. We can figure out whatever is going on in the morning,” Sam suggested.
“Sounds like a plan.” Deke sighed. “We all need to sleep to be on top of our game tomorrow.”
Mountain turned and went down the hall to his room without saying a word.
Sam led Melora to the room they shared. Once he closed the door he said, “I think you need to forgive him.”
Melora sat down on the bed and looked at him. “Forgive who?”
“Your dad.” Sam nodded. “He just wants the chance to know you.”
“Yeah, well I’ve got other things to worry about right now. He can wait.”
Sam knelt in front of her. “Honey, I know your life is a mess right now but here’s the thing…that man is a part of you, he’ll always be a part of you. He wants to get to know you since he never got the chance before. He’ll do whatever he has to in order for that to happen. I know how he feels baby, I didn’t know about Deke until he was twelve. I felt lost when he came to live with me and I made some pretty big mistakes in his regard. But I got a second chance and I’m still here. I know what you’re going through is scary but you need to know you aren’t alone in this situation. It isn’t just you against the whole world any more. You got a lot of people behind you now and you’ve got the truth as well.” He paused then ran his fingers through his hair. “I have no idea why we’re together but we are. I think you need to let your dad in too. At least give him a chance.”
Melora placed her hand against his cheek. “When we hooked up, I wasn’t looking for a father figure. I needed more than that. I
needed you. You weren’t about that, okay?” Shrugging she continued, “You can’t miss what you never had. Mountain wasn’t there for me and my mom and that’s okay. It was his choice to ride way. Who knows if he would have been there for us even if he had known about me? When this is over, I’ll make the time to know him but he has to make a choice as well. He has to let the past be and accept me, as I am today, not look at me as a child. I’m a full grown woman now.”
Sam chuckled. “I think we’ve got that established. You most certainly are full grown and I love your body.”
“Then come use me, make me forget at least for a little while that there’s someone out there that wants to kill me.” Melora whispered as her lips touched his.
Sam groaned and surged forward carrying her backwards. He lifted her and set her down in the middle of the bed. Reaching up, he removed her wig, allowing her silken strands to fall over her shoulders. He gazed intently at her halo of hair as he took a satiny strand and rubbed it between his fingers. “My silk girl,” he whispered hoarsely.
Melora grinned. “Woman,” she reminded him.
He chuckled again. “Nah, I like silk girl better.”
She stared into his eyes. “Why do they call you Bones?” she asked as she raised his t-shirt sleeve and smoothed a finger over his skull tattoo.
Sam raised a brow and shrugged. “Over the years, I’ve crushed a lot of them.”
Melora tilted her head in confusion. “A lot of what?”
He laughed. “Bones, silk woman…bones.” Then he crushed her lips with his. His hands then literally ripped her clothes off. When her shirt and bra were gone, his mouth closed over her nipple. His teeth bit down and he suckled it deep into his mouth.
Melora whimpered.
The only thing between him and her core was the tiny triangle of her silk underwear covering her mound. His mouth slid down along her body until he was right where he wanted to be. He pulled her panties to the side and spread her folds using his tongue to lap at her.