Did he know who she was? Was she a friend of the club? That she had a huge thing for Saint? Could that be why he’d sought her out, or was it all a huge coincidence? Melody probably had no idea the danger she was in, being caught in the middle between the MC and the dealers.
Demo pushed Melody’s back against the front window of the salon and kissed her.
Beth stood frozen, unable to move, as though doing so would make everything worse. He kept making out with Melody, but his eyes stayed open and on Beth the entire time. Her stomach swooped as a cold sweat broke out along her forehead.
This was bad.
Really-fucking-bad.
After a few moments, Demo ended the kiss. They spoke for a second, then separated. Demo walked back the way they’d come, while Melody continued up the street, though a little less steady than before, like a woman who’d been kissed well and good.
“Shit,” Beth muttered. “What do I do? What do I do?”
She crept toward the door and pulled it open as quietly as possible. As she poked her head out an inch, she caught sight of Demo turning down the nearest side street, out of sight. She whipped her head around the other way, where Melody continued walking, maybe floating, up the sidewalk.
Without giving herself time to think, Beth rushed out the door and jogged up the street. “Mel,” she called as she got closer. “Melody, wait up! Oh fuck.” She tripped over an uneven crack in the road and stumbled. She windmilled her arms as she kept moving forward, trying not to hit the ground.
She plowed into Melody, catching her to stabilize herself.
“What the fuck, Beth?” Melody shook her off and stepped away with an expression of disbelief.
“Sorry.” Beth panted and raised her hands. “I tripped.” Her chest heaved, and her heart galloped like a greyhound as she tried to catch her breath. “I need to work out more.”
“What do you want?” Melody stepped back, putting distance between them as she crossed her arms. She looked beautiful as usual in a short, fitted athletic dress that clung to her every curve.
“Um…”Maybe she should have thought this through.
“If you’re here to yell at me about Saint, you can save it. Nothing fucking happened. He was the perfect little Saint when he dropped me off at my house, and I haven’t talked to him since.”
“No.” Beth waved away the statement. “That’s not… shit, this is kinda awkward. Um, okay, that guy you were just with? That was Demo, right?”
Melody gasped. “Are you fucking spying on me?”
“What?” Her eyes bugged. “No. No, definitely not. You walked past my… I mean, I leased…” She shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. I’m not spying, I just happened to see you with that guy.”
“And? What, you want him too?”
“No.No.” This was not going well. “That’s not what I’m saying. Melody, he’s not a good guy. I don’t know what he’s told you about himself, but he’s dangerous.”
“Oh, come on. Seriously? You do know who your father is, right? And the guy you’re fucking? You know his role in the club, right?” She laughed, a nasty sound of suspicion.
“What? I’m not…” Beth blinked and jerked back as though slapped. Then she took a cleansing breath.
Melody didn’t know anything about her and Saint. She was trying to get under Beth’s skin. That’s all. “None of that is the point. That guy is causing a lot of trouble for the club. Mel, I’mworried he sought you out on purpose. I’m worried you’re not safe.”
“Wow, you really are a piece of work. What’s the matter? Is Saint not interested in you, so you’re gonna go after another man I want? Princess Beth can’t be happy unless all the men want her?”
“What? No, that’s absurd. I’m literally telling you I’m worried for your safety.”
“It’s pathetic, really.”
Beth threw her hands in the air and huffed in exasperation. “Will you just listen to me? I’m trying to help you.”
“Fuck you. I don’t need your help.” Melody lunged closer, practically snarling.
For a moment, Beth wondered if she was about to get into her first physical fight right there on the sidewalk in the middle of town.
“Don’t mess with me, Beth. I know everyone in the club thinks the sun shines out of your ass, but not me. I’m on to you. You’re nothing but a conniving bitch with daddy issues who wants to fuck as many men as you can under his nose.”
