Chapter 26
Hound Dog
M y girl was getting along with my brothers. She matched their banter and proved to me that she wanted to be a part of this life. That she was fine around them, everything would fall into place.
I would be lying if I said that I should have done that a long time ago, to show her the side that was the other part of my life. She couldn’t be held, she wasn’t like that.
Her laughter, the way she would sometimes squint when she laughed hard, the warmth of her smile when she was listening to the guys tell her stories of our antics when we first started in the club. For a moment, I felt content, like this was where my life was going to head in the right direction.
But that moment of bliss ended when an unknown caller popped on my phone. Normally, I’d ignore it, but something in my gut told me that I couldn’t this time.
When I stood up and answered it, a deep chuckle graced the air. “Little doggie, finally answering phone calls.”
I knew that voice all too well. Saber, the president of the Hogs. I did my best not to run into him, but there were times that it couldn't be avoided. I walked quickly away from the table, far away where Melody couldn’t hear me. At least, not yet.
“Saber, I take it that you got our little gift. Sorry the bow wasn’t big enough.” I snarked.
“Funny, your little group thinks it’s cute to dump a stranger in our laps.” He tried to divert the conversation.
“Well, we figured you wanted your rat back. He got caught in one of our traps. Got a little messy with covering it up.”
Weston was out of our hair, there was rarely any second chances when someone crossed us. It was either the river or the dirt.
“It was easy, for the right price.” Saber said. He was trying something, I had no idea where he was going with it.
“What do you want, Saber? You call to tell me that you’ve seen the error in your ways?” I growled.
His venomous laughter was my response before he continued to talk, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. We have been perfect little angels. We’re not the ones that have been turning up dead druggies.”
I wanted to ride across that bridge and strangle him and burn down whatever was left. This attempt at a cat and mouse game was ridiculous.
“You’ve already seen what we do to people who cross us. Call off your men, Saber.”
“No can do, little doggie. Not when we had rule over Memphis until your little pathetic group came rolling in there.” His voice rose.
The Saint’s ruled Memphis back then and forever in the future. This was our town, our people, our kingdom. One that I wanted Melody to rule with me.
“You think one mess is going to scare us into leaving? Saber, how you do have any fucking brain cells left?” I wasn’t going to react to his outburst.
“Maybe not, but I bet you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your little bitch, now would you, Hound Dog,” Saber threatened. Before I could retort, a ping came to my phone. I looked to see a new message.
What was sent made my blood boil like a volcano ready to erupt. It was Melody kissing me, holding me; it was taken while we were there on our date. That blissful thought that we would be okay and everything was under control vanished before it could even start.
He was threatening her. It was an empty threat, but one that I wasn’t taking lightly.
“You so much as cross the state line and there will be a fucking bullet in your skull. Be careful of starting fires because they can easily be spread back to you.” I warned him.
My thoughts were spinning, sweat dripping down my back.
“I’m sorry, Hound Dog, did I strike a nerve? How about this, your club gets the fuck out of Memphis, and we won’t kill your little singer,” he said so casually.
My eyes widened. They knew more about her than suspected. I needed to keep her and the club safe. If that meant going to war, I’d be doing it in a heartbeat. She would be going with me from place to place. I wasn’t going to leave her alone. She was damn lucky I didn’t consider placing a tracker on her or in her. But if she knew or found out, there was the risk of losing her.
I shouldn’t have to risk losing her over her being killed. The second thoughts grew, the thought that maybe I couldn’t have her in this life, I was bringing danger into her life when she didn’t ask for it.
“Does this mean your darkness is my darkness?”
This was more than darkness, it was life and death. Could she thrive? Was I going to be enough for her? I could feel my mind spinning out of control, and I didn’t know if I could regain it.
“I will fucking end your club, leave it in ashes. You threaten my club, my woman and I promise you’ll ask for death when I’m through with you.” I was seething at this point, impulsively ready to fulfill my promise.
I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I hung up, taking a moment before storming back to the table. My eyes glanced at the photo that was sent, knowing that someone was here, watching us. He thought that his intimidation act would make me quit or run with my tail between my legs.
We had everything to lose, but the club had the ambition and the fight to continue to reign over our community.
I stalked back to the table, Otis had slid next to Melody, and his eyes darted to me as he quickly stood up. Melody’s soft eyes followed my lead, her once smiling face turned into a frown of sadness. “Hound, what’s wrong, baby?” Her soothing voice washed over me.
“We have to go. Looks like you’ll be seeing the clubhouse after all.” I tried to distract her from worrying but the grim look on her face told me otherwise.
“What’s going on Prez?” B.B asked, matching my energy, feeding off the anger that was still radiating around me.
“Here’s not the place. Otis, I need you to ring the board, meeting in twenty minutes,” I barked. Otis nodded his head, pulling out his phone to do so.
Melody’s soft hands gripped mine. “Baby, you’re scaring me.”
“Everything is going to be okay, you just have to listen to me,” I told her, I thought she saw my body language and agreed.
B.B gripped my shoulder, he just nodded before he and Otis took off back to the clubhouse.
There was much I needed to tell her, but not in the open. Not when eyes were watching us. “Come on.” I grabbed her hand, “I’ll explain when we get there.”
She was hesitant, I shook my head, “Honey, now is not the time for protest. I’m not opposed to slinging you over my shoulder and onto the bike.” My tone sounded demanding, with a dash of pent up anger.
She trudged along, hanging on to me once we got onto the bike. I know I scared her, but this was a welcome into the life she said yes to. I had to keep telling myself that we’d get through it, that she’d understand eventually.
The ride to the clubhouse was a blur, but I wasn’t hesitating about her safety. I pulled into the clubhouse as many eyes laid upon us. A few were whispering. The next part was going to be the brashest thing I’ve ever done, not including signing up to prospect for this chapter.
“Melody Rae is mine. You fuckers know what that means. She is one of us, and we protect our own.” Her eyes widened at the claim. I wanted a little bit more of a romantic gesture, to give her her cut with my name on it, hear her actually say yes, and my brothers cheer for me.
In the end, it was always going to be her. My ol’ lady, mine to protect and love.
Easy tiger, saying that too loud might be more dangerous.
At her blank expression, I turned her and gave her a possessive, searing hot kiss, leaning over and cradling her body. She allowed me control for that brief moment before I had to pull away and handle things the way I needed to handle that situation.
I pulled away, both of us breathless, “Melody, I need you to really listen to me right now.” She gently nodded, “I need to speak with my board, figure out a plan, and when I come back I’ll explain everything better. Please believe me when I say this was not how I thought today was going to go. But be a good girl, and stay with my cousin Waylan.” I pinned my eyes in his direction signaling for him to come over, “Relax, play some pool, watch T.V., but if anyone touches you or is disrespectful, you will let me know. Got it?”
She was speechless; my little songbird was tucking her wings back in. A part of me was crushed to see her like this, especially when she had come such a long way.
I kissed her forehead, fighting the urge to bring her with me to the meeting, but there was no place for her in the boardroom. Not when there was an itch to fight.