“Who called her? Was it someone from the Sakalov family, maybe a threat to Melissa to get Jaxton back into the fold?” I ask, as a million scenarios of who it could be flood my mind.
“I don’t think so. I truly think Jax is here for her. But I do believe Melissa knows who the caller is.” Bash stands, picking up his glass and downing the last of his whiskey, setting it back down. “I’m out of here, but I’ll keep lookin’.”
“Hot date with your girl tonight? You’re in a rush to get out of here.” Sam jokes, lightening the mood, as he winks at me.
“Har har har. The two of you are fuckin’ comedians,” he grouses before storming out of the room.
We both wait for the door to shut before bursting out in laughter. We’ve all heard Arizona barking at her men that she’s ready for a baby, especially after she held Jacey in her arms. I can’t blame her. It makes me wish I had another child, one I could experience growing up, since I missed Ashlynn’s childhood. Luckily, I get to live that out through my grandson, and hopefully by the end of the weekend, I’ll have another on the way. This time a girl that looks just like her mommy.
“Why you fuckin’ with him?” I pull on a serious face as I ask Sam.
“Don’t act all mighty. You were thinkin’ the same thing. Ain’t my fault he’s got his panties twisted about it. Shit, if my woman wanted me home, fuckin’ her into oblivion to make a baby, I’d jump on it.” Sam stands and says, “I’m out of here,” before he heads to the door.
“Hey,” I call out, stopping him in his tracks. “Just give the dating app another shot tonight. Don’t think about it and go out with the first person to message you.”
He looks back over his shoulder, glaring at me. “Same could be said of you. Why are you here instead of at your woman’s house, makin’ shit, right?” With those final words, he leaves my office, shutting the door behind him, leaving me to stew in my self pity.
He’s right. I need to find out what’s going on with her and why that call upset her so much. I also need to come clean and let her know the threat she thinks is still out here isn’t. She doesn’t needto be afraid of the monster in the dark that’s lurking, waiting to pounce and take a bite out of her soul.
With my mind made up, I take one final swig from the bottle and place the lid back on it. There’s a fucking hot ass woman waiting for me to ease her ache. I plan to let her know how much she means to me and that I’m fighting for her to the end.
She’s mine now and forever; she just needs to admit it.
Chapter thirteen
Melissa
“Where the fuck have you been?” Clayton sits in the chair, eyes lasered in on me as he drinks scotch straight from the bottle.
“I went and dropped off clothes at the dry cleaners.” It’s not a complete lie. I just made a pit stop by the orphanage. I didn’t go in. I never do. It just makes me feel closer to him. He could be in there, but I’m hoping he’s not. My wish is that he’s far away from here, out of Clayton’s grasp, so he’ll never find him.
“Come here!” he orders, and my heart races. His face still looks like the boy I fell in love with, but he’s not. I learned a long time ago it was just a mask and a part he played well. All he needed was to get me out of my home and away from my father to begin tearing me down.
I hesitate, but it only infuriates him more. He stands from his chair and heads towards me, his hands fisted at his side, and I immediately turn in on myself. I know what’s coming, and if I try to run or fight, it will only be worse.
“Who were you fucking?” he growls just before a sharp, intense pain spreads across my face. Buzzing erupts in my earsas my head is thrust backward, throwing off my balance. I’m unable to catch myself, and fall to the floor.
I flinch as I feel the swoosh of air above me, already knowing he’s coming in for another strike. “I asked a fucking question, Melissa. Is this why we lost our baby, my son, because you’re too busy whoring your body out?”
I’m so disoriented I can’t even formulate a response. It’s not like he’d listen, anyway. It’s his way or the highway and there’s nowhere for me to go. I tried to run once, but it didn't end well and my parents paid the price. Something that he took great pleasure in telling me, detail by detail. He loves to point out how easily he can take everything away from me.
“I wasn’t with anyone. I went to the cleaners, Clayton.” I plead with him, but it’s falling on deaf ears. A moment later, another punch hits my head as searing pain ricochets through it.
“You’re a fucking cunt, and I don’t believe a word out of your damn mouth. All you’re good for is fucking so you can bear me a son and not a worthless daughter like you.” He weaves his hand through my hair, gripping it tightly in his fist as he jerks my body up from the floor and drags me down the hallway toward the bedroom. I’m tripping over my feet, barely able to keep up with him as I grip my head, trying to alleviate some of the pain.
He steps into the bedroom, tossing me on the bed. My mind still hasn’t caught up with what’s happening. If it had, I’d be doing everything within my power to slip past him and run out of this house, never looking back. Sure, I would probably fail, but god dammit I would try.
He snatches my arm so hard I fear he’s dislocated it as he flips me over and pushes up my dress, ripping my panties off. I can hear the clinking of his belt right before I hear the distinctsound of his zipper being undone and each tooth disengaging, knowing what he’s about to do.
“It’s time to put another baby in you,” his gruff voice announces as I feel the flesh of his mushroom head against my opening before he thrusts inside of me without any prepping. I cry out in pain, but if he were to discover I have an IUD implanted to prevent an unwanted pregnancy with him, the abuse would be worse. “That’s right cunt, take my cock.”
I shut my brain down, receding to the deepest recesses of my mind, blocking out what’s happening. It’s the only way I can survive another day.
“Mel, open up. I know you’re in there.” Earl’s deep voice drifts inside the house from the other side of the door just before the pounding starts again.
Letting out a sigh, I stand from the couch, trying to shake off the memory I was just lost in. I take hold of the handle, breathing deeply before opening the door, coming face to face with the man I’ve loved since moving to this town. The one who tossed me to the side not once, but twice, and now that another has his eye on me, he wants to worm his way back into my life.
“What do you want, Earl? I don’t feel like dealing with you tonight.” He places his hand on the door, opening it wider so that he can step past me into my home.
