Chapter Twenty-One
BETH brUSHED A sweaty strand of hair off her forehead with the back of her arm.
Her gloved hands were covered in bleach and aching from hours of scrubbing the inside of her new grooming salon.
The place had sat vacant for almost a year, and before that, it had been a nail salon.
Thick dust had accumulated over the months, and at some point, someone had been squatting there, as food wrappers littered the floor.
She cleaned those up quickly with a push broom, but she’d wanted to give the entire space a proper scrub down before equipment began arriving next week.
Excitement zinged through her as she gazed around the large, empty salon.
She had big plans for the place, including setting up a small shop featuring locally sourced items. Last Saturday, she visited a farmers’ market where she met a vendor who made pet-safe shampoo and another who designed collars and harnesses.
After exchanging contact information, they planned to meet to discuss her salon hosting their items.
“Okay,” she said over the sound of Olivia Rodrigo belting out from her phone. “That’s enough for today.” She’d spent the past six hours cleaning on her hands and knees, and every part of her body ached. She needed a bath, a glass of wine, and Saint’s magic hands rubbing her, well, anywhere.
As she peeled off her purple rubber gloves, she scanned the street through the front window.
The location couldn’t be better. In the center of town, near many other shops, and only ten minutes from Saint’s house.
She’d been shocked to find the place available.
Every so often, someone would walk by and peer through the window.
Screw helped her hang a coming-soon sign with the name and slogan they’d decided on.
Hell’s Hounds Clubhouse
Handling your best friend with the best care.
It was never too early to advertise. She hoped to have a full house at their grand opening in a few months, once they had all the proper permits and renovations completed.
As she was about to turn and grab the bucket of sudsy water to dispose of it, she caught sight of a couple strolling up the sidewalk.
They were arm in arm, deep in conversation.
A pang of longing speared through her chest. What she’d give to cling to Saint that way in public, to show the world he belonged to her and how proud she was of that fact.
“Someday,” she muttered. They just had to figure out how.
She took a few steps back from the window so she could watch them walk by without making her snooping so obvious. As soon as they walked in front of her window, she froze.
The woman stood closest to her shop, but her head was turned toward the man, so Beth could see only the back of her hair. Still, Beth would know those curls.
“Melody,” she whispered, taking another step back. The last thing she needed was to be accused of spying on the woman who already hated her. She shifted her gaze to Melody’s partner.
They locked eyes.
Beth gasped.
Demo appeared to be engaged in conversation with Melody, but he stared straight at her, his fiendish smirk sending a chill down her spine.
He was back in town.
Or maybe he’d never left.
What the fuck was he doing with Melody?
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’m worried 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.”
Beth’s jaw dropped as she staggered back a step. Melody might as well have slapped her across the face with the vitriol she spewed. The words burrowed under her skin like parasites.
Daddy issues. Conniving bitch.
Did others see her the same way? Would they think that she was using Saint to rebel? That she was playing games to mess with her father? No. That was absurd.
She’d never worried about such a thing before and wouldn’t start now. It was merely Melody grasping at straws and trying to stir up drama.
“That’s not…” She shook her head. “I…” How did she respond to that?
Melody’s lips curved in a victorious smile. “Wonder what will happen if Daddy finds out what his precious princess is really like. I think he’ll be very interested to know you’ve been fucking Saint for the past month.”
She wouldn’t. Beth fought to keep her face neutral. For all she knew, Melody was fishing. No way could she know for sure Beth had been seeing Saint. Still, Beth’s stomach soured.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Melody said when Beth didn’t respond. “Stay the fuck away from me, and if I see you anywhere near my man, I’ll rip your fucking hair out.” Mel turned and strutted up the sidewalk, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she went.
Beth sagged as she let out a long breath. That did not go as planned. Not that she’d formulated a plan. She tore out of her salon without a damn thought.
“Fuck,” she whispered. Now she’d have to tell Saint and probably others in the club about Melody’s connection to Demo. She’d be banned from coming around, and as much as Beth disliked Melody, she knew how important the club was to the other woman.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
She walked back to the soon-to-be salon with a pit in her stomach.
How could she handle this in the best way?
If she told her father and he confronted Melody, would Melody spill her suspicions about Beth and Saint?
She probably wouldn’t be receptive to talking to Saint either.
Maybe Gator could talk some sense into her.
A bit of tension eased in her stomach. That could work. Gator could give it a day or two, then claim he saw Melody with Demo and had concerns about her safety. As soon as she got to the clubhouse, she’d run the idea by him.
After returning to the salon, she emptied the bucket of soapy water, took a final inventory of what still needed cleaning, and locked up.