“Fine. Let’s sit down and I’ll get us something to drink. I’m going to need some wine for this.”
While they head over to the couch and take a seat, I make my way to the kitchen. The wine was a perfect excuse for me to get a moment to myself and take a deep breath before telling them my biggest secret.
My son.
Chapter fifteen
Melissa
Ipiddle around in the kitchen for as long as I can. But I can’t put this off any longer. It’s time to come clean to both of them. They need to know about my boy. About Harley. Is that even his name any longer? When I gave him up, one of the conditions was he was to keep the name I gave him. It was my small way of trying to stay a part of his life, even when I wasn’t. I couldn’t be, not if I wanted to keep him safe.
Now, I’ve failed to do that. If he’s found me, then he’s found his father, and that will not end well for either of us.
I pick up the wine and three glasses and head back to the living room, stopping just before I cross the threshold.
What the hell am I thinking?
I set one of the glasses down on the counter and step over to the refrigerator, opening it, letting out a sigh of relief at the four remaining bottles in the six-pack sitting on the bottom shelf, a remnant of one of the nights Ashlynn and her men came over to repair my kitchen sink. Earl doesn’t drink wine, but he does love a good Bud Light. Jax, on the other hand, is a mystery as to what he drinks.
“Mel, baby, you need some help?” Earl’s country twanged voice echoes from the living room, no doubt growing impatient.
“No, I’m coming.” I use my hip, since my hands are now full and shut the refrigerator door. Time to get this shit over with and spill the beans.
As I step into the living room, I can feel the heat of four eyes burning through me, setting me on fire. Looking up, the intensity of their stares makes my heart race and my palms sweat, making it difficult to not only concentrate, but to keep my grasp on the objects in my hands.
“Let me take some of that.” Jax jumps up, taking the glasses and bottle of wine, while I hand one of the beers to Earl and place the other one on the coffee table.
“Thank you,” my voice trembles as I speak. I’m barely able to keep my composure. How the hell am I going to tell them my whole story?
I lower myself down slowly, sitting on the edge of the couch while I pull my throw blanket into my lap, embracing it like a life preserver. Jax opens the bottle of wine and pours me a glass while Earl keeps his eyes firmly on me. There’s space between us, but he doesn’t let it stay there long before he’s sliding over closer to me, his legs brushing against mine as Jax takes the seat in the recliner facing us after handing me the drink he poured.
“Okay, Mels, it’s time to tell us what’s wrong so we can help you fix it. Who was that on the phone?” Jax purses his lips as he picks up the bottle of beer from the coffee table, twists off the top, and takes a sip.
“To tell you that, I’d have to tell you about my past. Earl knows most of it as he and the Hellions helped me when I moved here.” I shift my gaze toward Earl, admitting to him for the first time that he doesn’t know everything. “But I didn’t tell you everything. I couldn’t.”
“Mel—” I place my finger over Earl’s lips. I can’t let him speak, not yet. If I do, I’ll lose all courage to tell him everything else.
“No, I need both of you to let me finish saying what I need to, then you can talk.”
“Fine, but we’re going to talk about the three of us as well. It’s time we admit neither the biker pussy nor myself are going to give you up, so it looks like we’re Memphis’ new poly couple.”
“For once, I agree with the powder puff queen,” Earl snipes back snarkily, earning an eye roll from Jax. God help me, but I don’t know if the two of them will ever learn to act civilly with each other.
“I came here to Memphis to escape an abusive marriage. When I got here, I had nothing and was living on the streets. Earl found me and him and the Hellions helped me. They gave me the money to buy the diner and get it started. A new life and home.” I look at Earl, placing my free hand on his knee, squeezing gently before taking a sip of my wine.
“I remember findin’ you that day, listenin’ to you spill your guts to me as the tears streamed down your beautiful face. You didn’t treat me like a dirty biker like most of the people in this town. It was at that moment I knew I had to help you and I plead your case to my bastard father.” Earl lowers his eyes and I know he hates that he went to his father for him to be able to help me. But if he hadn't, there’s no telling where I would've been now.
“I’ve heard tales of your father, Earl. He was a fucking dick,” Jax chimes in.
“That’s one thing we can agree on, burger flipper.” Jax shakes his head but doesn’t come back with a childish name for him. Maybe he’s not wanting to cause strife or perhaps he’s learning what I’m suspecting, that Earl's unfavorable nicknames are more a way of bonding with him than picking on him.
“I met my husband when I was in high school and fell madly in love with him. He was a few years older, but Father likedhim. Clayton held such charisma that he could make an atheist believe in God. He charmed my father, who gave him his blessing to marry me.”
I pause, taking a deep breath. Lifting my glass to my lips, I empty it in one large gulp. I pick up the bottle and refill it before continuing. I contemplate for a moment whether I should empty the glass again or just take a swallow before the latter wins over.
“It wasn’t until we went away to college that Clayton’s true nature came out. No matter what I did, I couldn’t make him happy. But somehow he always convinced me it was because of something lacking in me. He began to alienate me from my friends, keeping tabs on everything I did, even controlling how I dressed.” I pick at the tiny fringe on the end of the blanket, not wanting to look at them to see the pity in their eyes. I’ve done so well standing up for myself since coming here. I hate that just thinking of Clayton turns me back into that fragile young woman I used to be.
“About eight months into our engagement, I decided I had enough and called my father, telling him I wanted to end my relationship with Clayton and come home. He tried to convince me to give him a chance until I told him how he was treating me. I thought it would end there, and I began packing my bags to go home. I didn’t care about college. I was going to give it up if it meant getting away from Clayton.”
