Claiming Crusher (Savage Brothers MC #4)(68)

Gun told me about Melly, I know how it must haunt you, but everyone has a road to follow in this life. You can’t be responsible for all the wrong turns others take. It’s enough you made me grateful for my wrong turns because I got to love you, if only for a little while.

Be happy, Cowboy.

Love,

Your Hellcat.

Melly…My mind goes back to when I told Dani goodbye.

“I’ll be fine. You just be waiting when I get back. I love you, Melly.”

Fuck! I called her Melly! Why? I don’t think of her as Melly. I never have. Melly was from a different time. Melly was a time when I was a boy trying to be a man. It was puppy love and nothing like what I feel for Dani. Was it because of the danger? Or because I knew Dani was thinking of leaving? I can’t be sure and I’m not even sure it matters now. I caused her to leave. Tears sting my eyes as I bring her letter up to my face and breathe in the scent of her from it. When I think of my woman out there alone with a maniac I set on her heels after her, my heart stops. When I imagine how she must have felt to be called another woman’s name…

Fuck. I let the tears fall. There’s no shame in them. I did this. I caused this. Now I just have to figure out some f*cking way to fix it all.





Chapter 33




Michael


I sit back against the leather in my limo watching the small screen before me as Melinda comes out of the Savage Clubhouse. She’s got a travel bag over her shoulder and holding a jacket in one hand. I suppose she really does think she’s getting away from me. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid women are. Does she really think I’m about to let her get away?

I knew having those stupid hillbillies fire on her friends, would cause her to run. If there is one thing I can always count on with Melinda it’s that she always sacrifices for the people she cares about. It’s how I got her to say I do, after all. She would have never agreed to it even after trapping her, if I hadn’t threatened her precious Nicole. I’ll get them both this time though. I’ve decided it’s time I play with Nicole’s life much like she has played with mine. We’ll see how she likes it. I never did like the bitch, but she’ll be fun to torture in front of Melinda.

I watch as Melinda gets into the ugliest car I’ve ever seen in my life. With all the money she stole from me you would think the least she would do is drive something decent. That is her problem though, she is short-sighted. She never sees the bigger picture. To this day she still believes her father was broke, and I saved him. She has no idea his money was what I needed to stay solvent. It’s also the reason Melinda must die in Kentucky. I am getting married soon and my new intended comes complete with political reach and bank accounts that will do quite nicely. It’s a good thing too, because the woman is so horribly homely. Of course that’s good in one way. I can do anything I want with her and she’s just thankful.

I watch until Melinda pulls out of the compound, and then I turn off the screen. Donald had men splice into the camera feed at the compound so I can monitor things. Melinda, who apparently now prefers to be called Dani, is much too stupid to realize that Donald will be tailing her every move. Too bad time is short, if not I would let her run for a day. It’d be so fun to let her think she got away, only to watch the hope drain from her eyes when she realizes she hasn’t.

I pick up a discarded manila folder Donald handed me earlier. In it are all the bios of the members of the Savage Brother’s MC as well as their allies and women. I thumb through it till I find a picture of Melinda—now apparently known as Dani Smith. Not much in there other than her best friend Nicole Wentworth. She grew up in the small town of Blade, Kentucky apparently. Ironic since I shall kill her with a blade. She strips for a living and has a lousy credit rating. It’s such a far cry from the person she was born as, the person I married…I could almost applaud at how deep she went undercover. She’s wasted too much of my time though. I need to wrap this up and head back to New York and pretend to be the happy, doting fiancé of one Miss Rebecca Barters, heir to Barters Industries and Holdings, which includes the billion dollar coffee product shipped straight out of Columbia. I have plans for that business.

I pick up Melinda’s picture and frown. She really is quite beautiful. I must ruin that before I am finished with her too. I pick up a letter opener off the small console in front of my seat. I use it to stab the picture and pin it to the seat beside me. The sharp file stabs through the picture and coincidentally right between the eyes of Melinda’s likeness.

I pick up my cell with a cold smile, already anticipating my revenge.

“Donald, intercept my runaway wife before she can leave the city. Bring her to the building we’ve purchased. I shall deal with her further from there.”

“Excellent. I shall see you soon. I’m about to board my plane.”

I hang up my cell, sticking it in my pocket and slide out of my limo, leaving Melinda’s picture behind me. This will be the last time I chase after that f*cking bitch. In fact this will be the last time anyone chases after her.

That thought cheers me as I board my private jet headed for some Podunk town in Kentucky.





Chapter 34




Crusher


I’ve torn the place apart looking for Dani. She’s gone. My heart hurts and I’m running around like a crazy man. I’ve asked everyone I can find if they’ve seen her. It’s driving me crazy. I know she’s not been real popular at the club, but Jesus Christ! We’ve just been fired at in our own territory! We’re on lockdown here! I’m pissed, no I’m beyond f*cking pissed.