Zach waited for them by the exit and escorted the group outside, where Copper stood near their three bikes.
“Good to go?” her father asked. One look at his face told Beth that everything wasn’t okay, and whatever reason they’d come for her and Lindsey, it wasn’t a good one.
“Yeah.”
“Okay, see you at the clubhouse. I’ll be right behind you,” Copper said. She wanted to ask him to explain what the hell happened between this morning and now, but he’d never talk club business in a public parking lot and especially not in front of Mel.
Speaking of the interloper, Melody had practically glued herself to Saint’s side. If someone didn’t unstick them soon, he’d be riding home with Melody dangling off the side of his bike.
“Hope you guys don’t need this stud back right away.” She giggled and snuggled even closer. “I might keep him busy for a while.” She winked.
Beth swallowed what felt like a mouthful of bees. How many tugs would it take to rip off Melody’s fake eyelashes? Would they come off with one yank, or would she really need to give it a few solid pulls?
Instead of giving in to that delicious urge, she merely smiled and murmured, “Try not to send him back to us with something we’ll all catch.”
The words were spoken too low for her father to hear, but Melody caught them. She gasped, and her jaw dropped. She turned to Saint, clearly waiting for him to jump to her defense, but his eyes sparkled, and he did a terrible job at concealing his smirk.
She shouldn’t take so much pleasure in getting under Melody’s skin, but after the mild ambush of a lunch, she couldn’t help but feel a little better after the cheap shot.
Score one point for the petty woman you are, Beth.
Now, if only she didn’t have to wonder what would happen when Saint got to Melody’s house.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE LAST PLACE Saint wanted to be was riding behind Melody’s Chevy Spark on the way to her house. He’d never been there and had a feeling simply watching her walk inside and waving goodbye wouldn’t satisfy her.
If he had his choice, he’d be at his house in bed with Beth, but that pipe dream wouldn’t come to fruition any time soon. At least he’d see her back at the clubhouse once he extricated himself from Melody’s clutches, although he loathed the idea of not being there when Copper filled Beth in on what went down at the laundromat.
She’d hate finding out they’d encountered the guy who hassled her on the side of the road, and she’d hate knowing he could come for her again.
Over my dead body.
If Copper wanted someone tailing Beth for the foreseeable future, he’d make damn sure he covered most of those shifts himself, even if it was typically a job for prospects or newer club members. It’d be the perfect way to stay close to her while keeping her safe and flying under the radar.
The trip to Melody’s place took about fifteen minutes. She lived in a newer townhouse development in eastern Townsend. While she drove her car into the attached garage, Saint pulled to a stop in front of the townhouse. He didn’t kill the engine, staying astride the bike to see her safely inside.
After exiting her car, Melody came straight to him, all swaying hips and sultry eyes. Maybe her tricks would haveworked in the past. She was a beautiful woman after all, but Saint’s mind was already back at the clubhouse.
With Beth.
Melody stopped a few feet from his bike, standing on her small lawn. Keys dangled from her right hand. The same hand she propped on her hip as she smiled at him. “Thanks for the escort. Maybe I can return the favor and escort you inside.” Her voice dropped to a low, seductive tone that left little ambiguity to her statement. She wanted to go inside and fuck.
“I need to get back to the clubhouse.”
She pouted. “Oh, come on. You can spare a few minutes so I can properly show you my gratitude. Promise I’ll make it worth your while.” She winked.
Saint sighed internally. He hated this shit, the hunt and the games. When he wanted to fuck, he went out, found someone willing, and made his intentions clear. Mutual physical satisfaction and nothing more. When it was over, he went home. He’d never, not once been tempted to stick around for a repeat, a morning-after conversation, or even a real date.
He knew himself that he had a bit of an obsessive personality. It served him well over the years in meeting his goals and advancing in the club. But when it came to women, that same level of energy could be intense. Most people didn’t want the kind of codependent, all-consuming possessiveness he’d give and demand. He wasn’t a dick and didn’t want to control someone, but if he ever got seriously involved with a woman, he wanted their relationship to be the type where they wove every single aspect of their lives together. The kind where they couldn’t breathe without each other, not because one person demanded or forced it, but because they both wanted and needed it.
He’d mentioned this to Makenna once, years ago. She’d laughed and told him to get therapy. By now, she’d probablyforgotten the conversation or maybe thought he’d outgrown the thoughts he’d had in his twenties, but they’d never gone away. If and when he fell for someone, it would consume him.
Unfortunately, he could feel himself inching toward those feelings when he thought of Beth. Leave it to him to finally be interested in the one woman he could not have.
“Look at me,” he said, as gently as possible. “We’ve been at this dance for a while now.”
She raised an eyebrow. “We have. So, how about we stop circling each other and head inside.”
