Chapter Two
“Rage doesn’t seem concerned,” Penny said.
Mel had Leonardo on her lap, and she kissed his head. She loved her nephew so much.
Her sister, the author, placed their drinks on the coffee table.
“I’m just telling you what Pea told me, and whenever he gives me a warning, I always listen.” She looked at her sister to see her watching her. “What is it?”
“How are things with you and Pea?”
“Good, why? I know you don’t like him, but I do.” She’d married him because he’d offered her a life, and also he made her laugh. Humor had been out of her life for so long with their parents’ deaths. He’d helped her to live, and no one else saw that.
They just saw two people who fucked others. No one actually cared that they enjoyed each other’s company. She wasn’t about to tell her sister that he’d even told her about some of the awful fucks he’d had.
In a way, Pea was her best friend. They talked about everything together. The time they spent was always enjoyable. Even when they were sleeping with other people, if she found something funny, she’d send it to him in a text, or tell him the next time she saw him. Their marriage was different, but no less than anyone else’s.
Her sister sighed. “I just thought you could do so much better.”
“You mean the councilman who gave me a black eye?” Pea was a lot of things, but a wife beater he wasn’t. “You just see the surface of him. You don’t see what he’s really like.”
Penny rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it’s so hard to find the good in a man who sticks his dick in everything.”
“You can judge, baby sister. I don’t care.”
“Are you pregnant?” Penny asked.
This made Mel pause, and she looked back at the baby in her arms. She’d always thought she’d never have kids. “I spent over six hundred dollars in pregnancy tests.” Pea gave her an allowance, and over the past couple of years she’d saved it all up. She didn’t have extravagant tastes, or expensive ones.
Her clothes were from the mall, but they didn’t have blown-up price tags. She also didn’t need to change her wardrobe every few minutes or new season. She was a simple person at heart.
“They all said the same thing. I’m pregnant.”
“How are you feeling about that?” Penny asked, reaching over to touch her arm.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she released a breath. “I’m terrified. I can’t … I don’t think I can do this.” The tears fell down her cheeks, and she wiped them away. “You’re a natural at this. You always know what you’re doing.”
“I have Rage, and we’ve got the club. You’re not alone, Mel.”
She forced a smile to her lips. “I’m not alone.” She nodded, and lifted her nephew, handing him to Penny. Grabbing some tissues from the shelf, she wiped away her tears.
“Will you tell Sarah and Elena when you see them next? Mel, sit down and drink the juice. It’ll help. I got some salted crackers. I found they worked to settle my stomach.”
She did as her sister ordered, and leaned back. “These aren’t fake tears.” There had been a time she would bribe her sister to doing what she wanted by pretending to be upset. Looking back, she winced. She’d been a bit of a bitch.
“I know they’re real.” Penny moved and placed Leonardo in his play area. She moved back toward her and sat down, placing an arm across her shoulders. “It’s going to be okay. When are you going to tell Pea?”
This made her cry a little harder. “I don’t know. It seems so fucking hopeless right now.” She covered her mouth and looked toward Leonardo. “I’m sorry.”
Penny shrugged. “Do you really think I can control Rage’s language? It’s laughable to even think it.”
Mel smiled. “You’re happy?”
“Of course. I didn’t think I’d be happy with a biker, but it seems that an MC life suits me. I love Rage more than anything.” Penny glanced down at her lap. “You married Pea for me.”
“I married Pea for myself, Penny. Don’t for a second think you’re to blame for anything. There’s no blame. I’m happy.”
“I think it’s always going to be hard for me to think of you happy with a serial cheater.”
Mel placed a hand on her sister’s back. “It’s not cheating if you know about it. I knew about it. I even encouraged it.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want just one man. I loved the excitement of being with someone else. I was young, and I didn’t want to commit. Pea gave me just as much as I gave him. What I’d love is if we could stop discussing this. I’m not going to leave him or divorce him.” She loved him.
Penny leaned back. “You’re right. I spend way too much time talking about it. If you’re happy then I will learn to be happy for you.”
“Then learn to be happy. I’m not changing.”
“We still need to talk about what you’re going to say to Pea,” Penny said. “The sickness you can cover up for only so long. Soon your stomach’s going to get bigger, and then you’re going to get tired. Your emotions are going to go haywire.”
Mel sipped at the orange juice, leaning back and eating a cracker. “I don’t know. We’ve not talked about children. Should I tell him sooner or later?” She licked her lips. “What if he asks me to get rid of it?”
Penny gasped. “You wouldn’t, would you?”
She shook her head. “I doubt he will, but this is just another element to consider, and it stresses me out. I don’t like it.” She wasn’t used to all of this doubt, and she didn’t like it, not one bit. “Let’s talk about something else.”
Changing the conversation to Penny’s latest book was a welcome distraction. She saw the excitement on her sister’s face, and that was enough for her. Leaning on her hand, she laughed as she told her about a certain character’s struggle with trying to prove he loved the heroine. Time passed way too quickly for Mel, and it wasn’t long before she was heading out. She made her way into town, and was enjoying a cup of tea when she saw Willy turn up. He was a club brother. She’d not spent much time with him.
She gave him a wave, and after he’d placed his order, he sat with her.
“How are you?” she asked. There was no sign of any of the club, and that confused her.
“It’s all good. I just wanted a ride into town. How are you?”
He rubbed the back of his head and glanced out of the window.
“I’m doing great.” She watched as he looked out of the window, and she saw him looking at some blonde woman. “Who’s that?” She didn’t recognize her.
“Who’s what?” he asked, turning back toward her.
“Willy, I’ve rarely seen you intrigued by someone before. She looks young. Who is she? She’s not from around here.” She sipped her tea, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“I don’t know. She came out of Ricky’s place.”
“Big Ricky?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think she’s his woman or something?”
“No.”
Mel looked at her; she wore a white dress and looked really virginal. “Why don’t you ask him?”
Willy shook his head. “We’ve been told to keep our distance from Big Ricky. I don’t want anything to do with him. We’re not about the mafia and shit.” He held his hands up. “We’re a fucking club, and that’s all.”
She thought about what Pea said last night, but she also saw the interest Willy had in the girl.
“If you’d like I could ask him?”
He turned back to face her.
“You’d ask him?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I? I’ve had coffee with Big Ricky. There’s nothing wrong with asking him who his little companion was.” She finished her tea, and when she went to pay, Willy stopped her.
“I’ll get it, Mel. Do you need a ride home?”
“Nah, I can walk. Thank you.”
She wanted the fresh air and she also noticed around this time Ricky liked to visit the local library. She wanted to catch him while he was in a good mood. First, she needed to have a talk with little Prudence Anderson about accepting a date with him. That way he’d be in a good mood, and willing to talk about the young woman visiting him.
This was what kept her entertained.
****
Pea sat at the table in the club. He had on a pair of glasses and was working through the latest figure that had come in from Dirty Deeds, their sex shop. The profits were up, but what was making them even more money was their online business. Each of the club members shared the workload that the club needed. He tended to do a bit of everything.
He attended the club runs, the fights, and of course the sex shop. Once he finished the calculations from the sex shop and the fighting, he made sure their bills were also paid. The sex shop was their legit business, and he got the records dealt with.
“You look really sophisticated,” a woman said, straddling a chair.
He looked up to see it was Tara. She was one of the women he used to fuck. Without saying a word to her, he looked down at the figures once again, and filed them away. Saint was needing them where he’d go through them.
Pea didn’t mind the work though. He didn’t like to have his hands empty. Work was something he craved doing.
If he wasn’t doing club runs, dealing with deliveries to the shop, or fighting, he was fixing up the place.
She reached out to touch his jacket, and he caught her wrist.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
The pout on her lip was pissing him off. What he didn’t like was the attention she was drawing toward them. “I remember when we had so much fun, Pea. I miss you so much. You know how much I love your dick.”
He shoved her hand away. “I don’t care. I’ve told you now. Pick one of the other brothers that wants you.” He moved away from the table, and went toward Saint’s office, surprised to see the brother watching him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Pea handed him the file. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“You turned her down. You don’t turn anyone down.” Saint took the file, entering his office.
Pea’s anger was only rising with every passing minute. Entering his Prez’s office, he took a seat. “I don’t fuck everything that walks. That’s not how it works.”
Saint took a seat and glanced over at him. “Rumor has it that you and Mel are planning on giving this marriage a real try.”
“Why is that such a shock to everyone?” Pea asked. Saint gave him a raised brow look. “Look, I know I’ve fucked everything that walks, but that’s no different from every brother in the club until they were ready to settle down.”
“The difference is we weren’t married during those times.”
Pea rolled his eyes. He had been judged every single moment of his marriage, and he was tired of it. If they wanted to label him the cheating prick, let them. He’d not cheated, not once had he done so since he and Mel wanted to give this thing a go.
“I’m heading home,” he said, getting up. “I think you should look into the Lorenzo family. See if they have any enemies close to home.”
“You really don’t like him being here. I’ve had a lot of people telling me you don’t like it.”
Pea folded his arms and looked at his Prez. Saint had never struck him as an idiot. He was going to be a father soon, and finally had the woman he loved. There was no way Saint would risk his family for a possible threat.
“You can’t tell me you’re not worried?”
Saint leaned back in his chair. “I’m not saying I’m not. Right now, I don’t want anyone to give anything away to him. Big Ricky is here for a reason.” Saint held his hands open. “I don’t get in his way, he doesn’t get in mine. Don’t think for a second that because we’re not doing anything to onlookers doesn’t mean we’re not aware of it.”
“You’ve not called church with this update,” Pea said.
“Consider this your update. It’s what I’m doing with everyone, Pea. I don’t want to call too much attention to this. I don’t like it, but I’m not going to make waves. Sinners’ Corner is my town, and that is how it’s going to stay.”
He stared at his Prez, waiting for the rest of it.
“I don’t think he poses a threat to us. I agree with you that there are enemies that could hurt our own. I’m not going to let that happen. I’ve got your back, and the club’s back.”
It was what he wanted to hear. “Why didn’t Rage tell me this?”
“Because I told Rage I wanted to deal with everyone. I don’t want anything to get lost in communication. Continue with your hate of him. Don’t change who you are.”
Pea nodded. “I’m heading home.”
Leaving the clubhouse, he ignored a couple of the whores who wanted his attention. It was moments like this when he really thought about his decision.
Riding the long stretch of road, he was rounding a bend when he paused. There at the bottom of the road were Mel and fucking Big Ricky laughing. Slowing his bike down, he was so fucking angry he wanted to pound the fucker.
He was aware of Big Ricky’s reputation. He hunted, tortured, and killed everyone who got in his way. From tearing out fingernails to crushing bones, this fucker had done it all, and there’s no way he was going to let Mel alone with him.
As he pulled to a stop beside them, his woman turned to look at him.
“Hey,” she said. “Are you heading home?”
“Yeah, get on.”
She looked surprised, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t having her alone with Big Ricky.
“I don’t think you should talk to a woman like that.”
“It’s fine, Ricky. It was lovely to talk to you.” She placed a hand on his arm, and then climbed on the back of his bike.
Pea glared at the fucker that he despised, and then pulled away, driving back home. The moment they were inside their home, he couldn’t help it, he slammed the door closed.
“What did I fucking tell you?” He was yelling, and he couldn’t contain it. When it came to Mel’s safety it was a big fucking deal to him.
“Why are you yelling?”
“Last night I told you to stay away from him and the next day I see you fucking laughing with him. Is this a joke to you, Mel?”
“It’s not a joke to me.”
“You could have fooled me, or are you so fucking thick you couldn’t get the warning?”
Her palm struck with all of her force right across his face, slap. It was going to leave a mark. The instant she did it, he watched as she pulled back, her eyes filling with tears. She covered her mouth.
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.”
Pea stared at her. He was still angry that she’d been talking to Big Ricky. “You didn’t answer my question!”
“Please, don’t call me thick again. I know what you said. I … it wasn’t what it looked like. I noticed that Willy today had a thing for a little blonde I didn’t recognize. I’ve lived in this town all my life. I recognize everyone. He’d seen her come out of Ricky’s house, so I said I’d find out who she was.” She stared at him, and he saw tears still in her eyes. “I shouldn’t have hit you. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”
He felt like a prick for talking to her like that. He saw the guilt in her eyes as well. Mel was never normally a violent person. He’d hurt her feelings.
“Mel?”
“She’s his ward,” Mel said. Her arms were folded around her. “Big Ricky is taking care of a girl. Her name is Autumn, and she’s just lost her parents. I think it’s one of the reasons he’s here. To keep an eye on Autumn because he wouldn’t tell me anything else. Nothing about her parents. She’s a complete mystery.” Mel opened and closed her mouth before finally speaking. “You normally like that I get information for the club. With Willy’s interest, I thought it would be relevant. I didn’t want to cause a problem. I’m really sorry for hitting you.”
She walked away, and Pea’s entire body slumped.
“Mel, I’m sorry.”
Entering the kitchen, he watched as she opened the fridge and took out leftovers.
“Look, I’m sorry okay? I didn’t know why I called you thick. I just … I don’t like seeing you with him.” He moved toward her, cupping her shoulders, but she shrugged him off.
“I don’t want you to touch me.”
Pea pulled away, really fucking pissed that a simple word had hurt her. Mel had been called a lot of other names over the years, and none of them upset her. “Are you on the rag or something?”
Pea quickly ducked as she hurled a Chinese take-out container at his head. It went past him and hit the wall, spilling the contents.
“You’re a real asshole. You know that? I don’t know what all those women saw in you.”
This was not like her at all. In fact, she had never thrown anything at him or hit him. He saw she was upset as well, as she did hate violence. It was one of the things she’d disliked about the club. Pea wondered why she was so emotional of late. Rarely did the little things bother her. He’d mentioned her rag another time, and nothing. She’d often laughed with him.
Rubbing at his temples, he said, “You know what they see in me, babe.”
“Ugh!” She screamed at him. “You make me so damn angry.”
“I’m not going to apologize for that because you love me for it.” He looked down at the mess on the floor, figuring it would piss her off if he didn’t clean it, even though she’d made the mess. Still, it was the first time she’d ever slapped him, especially as she was so against violence.
She threw the tub.
You called her thick. Clean it.
Mel continued to make them some food. They were a good team most of the time. If it wasn’t for that fucker being in town, this wouldn’t be happening. He made his way toward the cleaning cupboard.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “I’m going to do it after I’ve heated up some leftovers.” Once again tears were in her eyes. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not this crazy.”
“I can take care of this. I’m hungry.”
“Are you sure? I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t stress about it at all.”
Pea began to clean away the mess, wondering if Mel was okay. Her emotions were running high, and he wondered if she was ill.
She was usually relaxed, calm, and chill. He’d make sure she went to the doctor or something.
“Tara hit on me. She told me she was missing my dick.” He went for a change of subject.
“I’m not surprised. She’s wanting a patch.”
“An old lady patch?” he asked, amazed.
“I’d warn the other brothers as well. She may go to unscrupulous means to get it.”
He finished cleaning the mess, and when he stood, she had two plates prepared.
“Friends again?” he asked, teasing her.
“Always. Please forgive me.”
“I do.” He wrapped his arm around her neck, kissing her head.
She needed to realize that he would do anything to protect her. He loved her more than anything.