THIRTY-NINE

Dog

Mel tucks herself into my front as we ride the elevator to the first floor. So maybe I was bullshitting when I said I needed her there to keep me levelheaded. No harm done. She did exactly what I hoped she would and used her natural ability to relate to people to get Lorelle to open up.

When Rollan said she tried to kill herself, it seemed harsh to start with. I mean, fuck, I know Derek’s a class-A asshole, but damn … that bad? The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

And sure enough, just like King suggested, paying her a visit brought the truth out. Yet another cover-up by my goddamn father and brother.

The elevator chimes to signal we’ve reached the bottom, and the doors start to slide open. I place a kiss on Mel’s head and then guide her away from me so she can step out first. With my head still bent to hers, I don’t even notice the danger until it’s too late.

Derek knocks Mel over in his haste to step into the elevator, pushing me against the back wall. An older couple backpedals out into the foyer as the doors slide shut again on our impromptu tussle.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Derek asks, hand fisted in my shirt at my throat.

“Seeing how my sister-in-law is feelin’.” I shove him off me, pissed that he’s steamrolled Mel in his rage.

She rights herself and lifts a hand to let me know she’s okay.

“Since when have you given a shit about her?”

“Since your fuckin’ behavior dragged me back into this goddamn family,” I holler. My voice rebounds off the wall of the small space, seeming louder than it is. “Seems no matter how hard I try to get away, you fuckers manage to reel me back in.”

Derek’s nostrils flare as he stares me down. Mel backs up against the opposite wall of the elevator and strangely hits the button for the doors to close when they start to reopen.

“What did she tell you?”

I smirk, knowing I’ve got the asshole now. “About what? Your gambling addiction, the assault you tried to cover up, or the fact you were skimmin’ from the company to pay for your gambling?”

“I never assaulted her,” he snarls, interestingly choosing the lesser of the three evils to argue.

“The cut on her arm might say otherwise.”

“She did that herself.”

“Dad goin’ to back up that bullshit if I ask him?”

Derek cocks his head to the side, probably thinking he’s in the clear since Rollan is as crooked as he is.

“Dad even sick?” I ask. “Or was that all a bunch of bullshit to get a scapegoat on the payroll?”

His pupils dilate, the rose in his cheeks rising. I’ve nailed it; he wanted me employed by Leidend so he could pin his theft on me.

“Some fuckin’ brother you are, huh, Derek?”

“What’s your life worth anyway,” he sneers. “A fucking low-life biker, or the CFO of a top five company? I know who’d be missed least.”

Mel shoves her hands behind her back, bumping the “close” button again with her elbow. She flicks her gaze at Derek’s back, urging me to stop watching her. Odd.

“I’ve got a video call with your lawyers in three hours.”

Derek frowns, fisting one hand inside the other. “Why?”

“They need a character reference, someone to say you never gave any signs that would indicate you stole from Leidend Industries. Somebody to say you’re a straight up good guy.” I suck a breath in between my teeth. “Don’t know if I can do that, you know.”

“You fucking do it,” Derek grinds out, thrusting a finger in my chest. “You fucking do it, or not only will I ruin the life of that bitch upstairs, I’ll ruin yours too.”

“Did you really think you could get away with it?”

He chuckles. “Brother, I did for the last seven years.”

I shake my head, disgusted that we share the same blood. “You deserve every year of jail you get.”

He glances over his shoulder at Mel, as though finally realizing the doors keep shifting. “You’re so naïve, Koen. Doesn’t matter what I did, the company has enough money to buy out even the toughest jury. I’ll never hang for it.”

Interestingly, Mel lets the doors slide open this time. She steps out, and I follow, over this bullshit conversation with Derek.

“I see you here again, you better watch your back.”

“Bite me, fuckhead,” I spit back as I turn and take two steps backward.

The elevator doors close, and the numbers count their way up to Lorelle’s floor.

I turn and reach for Mel, running my hands over her face, her shoulders. “You okay?”

She nods, a small smirk tugging at her plump lips. Slowly, she lifts her hands from behind her back, showing the recording screen on her phone. The ticker at the bottom shows a little over five minutes.

“You caught all that?” I ask.

She nods, looking up at me from under her lashes. “Thought we could double back on that blackmail of his.”

I laugh, taking her head in my hands and plastering a kiss to her lips. This woman—she never ceases to amaze me. “Fuckin’ love you, woman.”

“Love you too. Now let’s get you ready for that video call.”

***

I disconnect from the Skype call with clammy hands, pushing my phone along the table. King let me use the meeting room for the interview under one condition: I stop lying about who I am. He said I don’t have to come clean, but if anyone wants to know my real name, I tell them and trust that it won’t affect how people see me.

Baby steps, I suppose.

Mel greets me with a smile as I step out into the common room. “How did it go?”

“Easier than I thought.”

She pushes out of her seat on one of the sofas and walks toward me. “What did you tell them?”

“The truth.” They asked if Derek could be trusted, and I said no. “Didn’t elaborate on anything they didn’t directly ask about, but I gave them enough to want to dig a little deeper.”

“How do you know they won’t just sweep it under the carpet, though?” Her hands find my cut as she rests them against my chest. “It was his lawyer you spoke to.”

“Yes,” I say, lifting a finger. “But the prosecution was present, too.”

She smiles, pushing up on tiptoes to place a kiss on my lips. “You’re a good man, Dog.”

“I try.” Especially now I have her, my reason to.

“What about Lorelle?”

“What about her?”

Mel huffs out her nose, pressing her lips together. “You saw how miserable she was.”

“Not my problem.”

She slams a hard fist against my chest. “Hey.”

I roll my eyes and sigh. “Fine. I can have a word with King. You still got that recordin’?”

“Of course.”

“Good.” I set my hands on her ass and hoist her high. “Can we forget about it for a while now?”

“I guess.” Her arms wrap around my shoulders. “We need to talk about your transfer to Fort Worth, anyway.” She smirks.

“My what?” I smile.

“Come on.” Mel dots a kiss to my nose. “My room there is bigger, plus you want to get away from all this, so what better way to do it?”

“What’s the huntin’ like down there?” I tease.

“I’m sure it’s fine.” Her eyes search mine, the hope clear. “What do you say?”

I know what I want to say. But … “I think we should talk to your brother first, don’t you?”

She flops her head dramatically against my shoulder. “Why?”

“It’s his place, babe.” I start walking us toward the stairs. “Only polite to ask before I turn up with a bag in hand.”

“Fine.” She pulls back to look me in the eye as I set her down. “But let’s wait a few days, huh? I want to spend some time with my man before we go starting more fires.”

I give her a swift smack to the ass. “Fine by me, babe. Now go get your naked ass in my bed so I can spend some time with it, too.”

Mel giggles, taking off up the stairs two at a time so I can’t catch her. To look at her now, you wouldn’t think a few weeks back I was scooping her up off the floor in this very spot, wondering if she’d ever find her old self again.

But as she looks back over her shoulder, swinging herself into my room with one hand, I know without a doubt she not only found her old self, but she improved it with a bit of the new Mel, carved from her time alone.

She’s nothing short of amazing and everything I ever needed.

She’s mine.

I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of saying that.

Mine.