Chapter 29
Hound Dog
I knew that opening this can of worms could resolve some but not all of what had been happening. She watched me with watchful eyes, she was truly listening. Gone was the slight attitude.
“Actions have consequences,” I said. My actions always had consequences.
She scooted closer to me, not saying anything. “It’s hitting too close to home, it’s involving people outside the club.”
I didn’t know why it was getting harder to express the truth, why I couldn’t say it. But she knew. Her eyes darted for a moment, then back to me. “They threatened you with me.”
I didn’t need to confirm because I think she saw it, the way my body tensed up like I was brought back to protecting everything that I had.
“You don’t think I’d be safe?” she further asked.
I nodded. “I can’t risk losing you, not when I just found you.”
Her face dropped with sadness. “Would they actually hurt me? Even if the city is your territory, your claim?”
I wished it was simple and that people would just respect that, but it wasn’t like that. The Hogs were relentless in their attempts. We weren’t ones to harm children and women, but they wouldn’t bat an eye.
With Melody, you’d best believe they would try anything. She’d be used as a pawn against me and the club.
“They would, and they wouldn’t have any remorse,” I said bluntly.
“So going back to the Blue Sax would be,” she started, but I finished, “A bad fucking idea. You know I’d do anything for you. That’s all I want for you. But not right now.”
If I had any other ideas, I’d make it a possibility. Hell, I was just proud of her for not shying away from the chance to get back on that stage.
But what she said next had me in a state of confusion. “Could we try? I mean, just have protection around just in case? It would be like you’re just protecting your business, I just happen to be there. You know, I can be by your side,” she began to barter with me.
She was trying every which way to make a deal. I didn’t have it in me to say no or anything. It was like watching a teenager trying to convince their parents to allow them past curfew before they planned to sneak out if they said no.
She had a way to wrap herself around my finger because I couldn’t tell her “no” nor did I want to. I knew how serious the situation was, a threat against an ole lady is also a threat against the club. She didn’t wear my name yet, if I had it my way I’d tattoo her in a heartbeat. That was what my brother, Memphis, said his club did.
“Honey, I’m not sure,” I started to say but she pouted.
The little brat pouted those perfect lips that made my dick twitch under the sheets. I groaned. “Oh no, you’re not going to do that.” I gripped her chin, bringing her close to me. “Don’t forget who you belong to.”
The vixen curled her lips, “You sure about that? I know I can be very convincing. Do I need to show you again?”
“I don’t need convincing, your pussy weeps for my cock. What else you got there little songbird?” I challenged her.
“I’ll cook for you… naked.. Every night for a month.” Oh, she was really bartering here.
I chuckled. “Melody, I don’t need you to play housewife. You’re a remarkable woman with a huge caring heart. You cook because you want to. But if you were to be naked, I was already going to hide your clothes anyway.”
I let loose of her chin as she playfully shoved me. “Please, Nash .”
She spoke my name as if it was her secret too, like she was protecting me. She was appealing to a soul that had been long gone before she popped in my life. But the way she said my name breathed a little fire in me, awakening something from a deep sleep.
“Melody, you’re making it very hard to turn you down.” I inched closer to her face.
“Because you know I can do it.” She grinned, her lips grazing against mine.
“I never said you couldn’t, I just said it wasn’t safe,” I corrected her.
Her fingers caressed along my chest, and I was tempted to rip my t-shirt and cut off, but we’d be here all night, even though the idea of fucking her to sleep played in my mind.
“Then keep me safe, baby.” she cooed. “Let me try one more time, and then you can keep me safe in other ways. I’ll be a good girl.”
“Oh, you’ll be a good girl whether I say yes or no.” I growled.
It wasn’t a completely bad idea. I just didn’t trust enough people to do it.
Her enchanting hazel eyes pushed me over the edge. I closed my eyes, the words clenching my jaw. “If I say yes, you stay by my side the entire night and once you’re done singing your heart out, we leave.”
Before I could tell her more stipulations she smiled, capturing my lips in a soft, plush kiss. Her smile beamed through our kiss and the satisfaction that I made her happy was the best feeling. Even if I didn’t know what would happen next, I only hoped that she truly was ready and that B.B didn’t plant a seed that wasn’t ready to be watered and grown.
She pulled back. “Oh baby, thank you. Thank you.” She continuously kissed me in different places on my body, still expressing her gratitude.
“You’re lucky that…” I stopped myself from quickly saying in the heat of the moment, “you have me wrapped around your little finger.”
That wasn’t what I was going to say. But she didn’t need to know that. At least not at that moment.
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. Her smile was so bright that I wished it never went away.
“I can’t wait until you hear the song I want to try,” she squealed, jumping off the bed, gathering her clothes.
“Why’s that, little songbird?” I got myself off the bed, following her rushed movements.
I stood behind her, as she bent down to grab her jeans. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she teased. She popped back up, brushing up against me. She yelped. “Where you going?”
She stammered, “Back home, with you I hope.”
I shook my head. “We’re staying here for a couple days. Then once I feel that no one is coming after you, we’ll go back. You understand?”
The little temptress nodded her head and said, “Yes sir .”
“Brat.”
“Yours,” she added.
Yes, she was mine, and I was the selfish bastard that would tear and destroy anyone who would threaten me and mine.
First, I needed to make it official. Well, even more official.
After a few days of having the prospects and Shooter watch the house, I let her go back to the house, but until we could minimize the threat of the Hogs, the house would be guarded by the club and if she so much as tried to escape, I would know.
Though, I think I gave her plenty of reasons to make her stay without a fight.
But in a blink of an eye that Friday came too quickly, and I wasn’t one to break promises, especially to my little songbird.
I could see her nerves rise and fall from that morning; her hands shook while she was in the kitchen making breakfast. I had her do some deep breaths with me. For moments she was calm and then others she would go back to her downward spiral. I worried that she was pushing this too much and between being thrust into this world and wanting to make me happy, she was pushing herself.
By the time she was calmed down, thanks to a few orgasms and listening to her sing some of the other songs she was working on, her smile returned, and she started to build herself back up.
The Blue Sax was its typical rush of artists and patrons. The place more on high alert because I wasn’t fucking playing with her safety or the business.
She slid out of my truck with ease. Her long sleeve western dress made her look like a dream, like I could see her on a ranch as the sun went down cascading its golden rays on her. Her waves of auburn hair were twisted up in a loose bun. She looked delectable and made me whine inside to keep her at home.
With her guitar in hand, we pushed through the doors and she stuck to her promise that she would stay by my side. Though I didn’t go anywhere throughout the night. B.B and Otis came through and joined us for company. Their normal chirps and quips at each other made Melody comfortable.
Her body was relaxed as they kept distracting her from the pending stage performance. I was proud of her at least, she made the first step which was to sign up at the back to be added to the list.
Her friend Sadie, whom I finally met, sat near the bar. She leaned in for a hug and said, “You’re the one who made my friend a little sex maniac.”
She did not miss a beat. The guys chuckled at the comment, but clinked beer bottles when I responded, “She might surprise you, she was the one that made me speechless.”
“You naughty boy. You treat her right and she’ll love you for a long time.” She winked, before grabbing her a drink.
I had hoped her presence made my girl less nervous, but it didn’t.
I leaned over while we were waiting. “You know I’m proud of you.”
She turned with her bourbon in her hand. “What for? I haven’t even started.”
I took her hand that was placed near my upper thigh, more like gripping it with strength, and brought it to my lips, kissing her there “Because this was all you, you could have ignored B.B.”
B.B cut in, “Ouch, no one ignores me.”
“Except one person,” Otis joked.
B.B mimicked laughter before punching Otis in the shoulder. The lightness of her laughter burst out.
“I feel like I’m missing something,” Melody said.
If only she knew that our very own VP was being a love sick puppy to a woman that he claimed was playing hard to get. Our lover boy was head over heels for her.
We were interrupted by Twitty leaning down and letting me know if there were any troubles. Thankfully he had said there were no other worries, for now, but we weren’t going to take it easy just because there was a calm in the storm.
Melody’s legs bounced up and down like a rabbit thumping the ground. Her hands were tucked between her thighs. If I stuck her outside in the cold weather, she would still be sweating up a storm.
I was lucky that she hadn’t bolted to the bathroom to puke her brains out. I would have had more reasons to worry about that one.
I rested my hand on one of her bouncing knees. “Honey, you’re going to be great.” I attempted to ease her mind, but she just nodded, flashing a small, fake smile. I was going to try one more thing to calm her nerves and prevent me from getting seasick from the earthquake of her legs.
I leaned closer to her ear, keeping my voice low to where she was the only one to hear me. “My little songbird is going to make me so proud of her. She’s going to show everyone that she is a talented soul, but get jealous when they see me with you, because they’ll know that I’m yours.”
Her legs stopped.
That worked .
“Does that make you happy? Hearing such praise from me, honey?” If I couldn’t calm her nerves due to performing, then I would distract her the only way that would get her attention.
“Hound,” she started to whimper.
“Say my name again, and I just might show everyone here how you’re mine.” A bit too far, I wasn’t much of an exhibitionist, but she wasn’t going to know that.
Her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink, “You wouldn’t do that.”
“You want to find out,” I smiled.
She couldn’t answer because she was being called.
“Give it up for Melody Rae.” Our announcer bellowed her name.
All color washed away from her face. I gripped her sweaty hand. “You can do it. Just sing to me.”