by K. J. Dahlen
“Could he have known you would call her?”
Melora shrugged. “I don’t think he would have. The only one who even knew we were friends was another bartender at the club I worked in. Gloria wouldn’t have told him anything.”
“Not even if he forced her too?”
Melora paled. “Maybe? I did call her after I left town. I asked her to let Izzy collect my check.”
“Who’s Izzy?”
“She’s the only friend I have in the world,” Melora admitted. “She’s the only one I’ve kept in touch with since I left Raleigh.”
Sam snapped his fingers. “I’ll bet Whiskey knows this Izzy. He’d have to in order to keep track of you all this time. Izzy has been telling him where you are every time you call.”
Melora shook her head. “Izzy wouldn’t do that.”
“Honey, she may not have had a choice. If Whiskey is desperate to find you, he would use whoever he could.”
Melora flopped down on the bed. “Damn his ornery hide.”
Sam began undressing and when he was naked, he pulled her up and around to lay next to him. “There isn’t anything more we can do tonight, so let’s get some rest. Things may not seem so desperate in the morning.”
“No it will probably be worse,” she muttered. She sat up and loosened her braid. Shaking her fingers through her hair, she groaned.
Sam was entranced by those long silken strands. “Your hair is beautiful but why do you hide it under a wig?”
“It makes people remember me,” she answered simply. “I can’t be hidden from the world if people remember me.”
“I’ve never seen anyone with hair so long or so light.” He reached out to smooth his fingers along it. “Like silk…”
“My mom told me once that a woman’s hair was her crowning glory. Her hair was down to her ass. I’ve never cut it in memory of her. It kept me connected to her even after her death.”
Sam pushed her on her back and leaned over her. He pulled her top off. His mouth touched hers…then something changed and his kiss went from warm to very hot within seconds. His hands ran up and down her sides finally settling on her breasts. He slipped her bra straps down then reached behind her and unsnapped it, throwing the bra to the floor. His hands kneaded her breasts then thumbing her nipples, Sam kissed a path to her chest. Taking one nipple into his mouth he bit down on it gently and Melora squirmed under him. Pinching the other nipple between his fingers, she whimpered. Lifting her ass off the bed, he pulled her jeans and underwear off.
She opened her legs and exposed her core.
Accepting the sexy offering, he reached down and he rammed two fingers deep inside her.
Melora moaned and raised her hips to meet his fingers. Over and over he dipped inside her. Harder and deeper he rammed them in. Melora reached out, grabbed his cock and fisted it. Each stroke with her hands brought him closer to where he wanted to be. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore and he settled between her legs. As he rammed himself inside her, they both groaned.
“Harder…” She moaned. “…I need you harder. I’m so close. Please…”
Sam ramped up and soon was lost as he stroked harder and faster. He could feel her responding and that made him ready to blow. Then it hit them both. Melora cried out and Sam stiffened as they both climaxed together. Sweat beaded Sam’s forehead and dripped down to Melora but neither of them cared. Melora closed her eyes and tears spilled down her cheeks.
Sam saw them and rolled beside her. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you? I mean I know I’m kind of rough.”
Melora shook her head. Turning, she looked at him. “No you didn’t hurt me,” she whispered. “I’m just wondering why you are the only man I’ve ever wanted to sleep with?”
Sam chuckled. “I have no fucking clue but I’m glad to hear that.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m a possessive old man. As long as we’re together, you won’t be allowed to stray. I’ll kill anyone who tries to touch you.”
“And how long will that be?”
“As long as both of us want it or until I get tired of it,” Sam admitted. “But I don’t think that’s gonna happen anytime soon.”
“I can’t promise anything as long as Whiskey is out there,” Melora warned. “I may not want to leave but may not have a choice. I won’t risk anyone else’s life.” She paused then whispered, “For some reason, I feel safe here with you and I haven’t felt that way in a long time.”
“You won’t risk your life either.” Sam’s arms wrapped around her and held her close. “You’re safe here and no one will hurt you behind these walls.”
Melora was tired of the fight and of living in fear so she didn’t object. She snuggled into Sam’s embrace and closed her eyes. “Whatever you say old man, whatever you say. Now be quiet, I’m going to sleep.”
Sam grinned as he snuggled down beside her. He kept stroking her silky hair and for the first time in his life, he was in awe of something…Someone.
~* * * *~
A few hours later, three motorcycles roared up to the main gate. Mountain and two of his men sat aboard them.
Wiley was making rounds and came up to the front gate.
“I need to talk to Deke and the girl.” Mountain barked. “I can’t wait till daylight.”
“Wait here.” Wiley told him. He turned and walked around behind the clubhouse. Fifteen minutes later Wiley came back, Deke was there as well.
Mountain was leaning up against his bike waiting. “I want to talk to the girl again.”
“It’s the middle of the night man, can’t you wait until its light out?”
Mountain shook his head. “I need to know if she’s my kid.” He waited and when Deke didn’t say anything Mountain asked, “Would you wait until daylight if your kid might be inside these walls?”
Deke sighed then reached over and hit the code to unlock the gate.
Mountain threw his leg over his bike and rode up to the door of the clubhouse. His men followed,
Wiley shut the gate and locked it after they were inside.
Mountain watched as Deke walked up to the doorway. Opening it, he allowed the three men inside. Snapping on the lights Deke went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee.
When he joined the others in the main room, he sat down and motioned for them to sit. Looking at Mountain he asked, “What are you going to do if this girl is your daughter?”
“Fair question.” Mountain nodded. “All I want to know is that she’s all right and if she needs anything. I’m not here to start trouble but I do want to know her.”
“Can I ask a question?” one of Mountain’s men asked.
Deke turned and stared at him. “What do you want to know?”
“Why is this compound on lockdown?”
“Because the girl you came here to find is being hunted.”
Mountain stiffened. “By who and for what?” he sneered.
Deke sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. “Two years ago, she witnessed a murder. A member of the Ghosts of Dixie knifed a man under Raven’s protection then hid the murder. He knows she saw what he did and he’s been after her ever since.”
“Raven knows this and allows it to happen?” Mountain asked. “That doesn’t sound like Raven.”
Deke glanced over at Mountain. “You know Raven?”
Mountain nodded. “We’ve done business in the past.”
“Do you know any of his crew?”
Mountain shrugged. “Some but not all.”
“Do you know a man named Whiskey?”
Mountain and the others grunted with disgust. “Yeah, we know the bastard. Why?”
“He’s the one after the girl,” Deke informed him.
Mountain sighed heavily. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?” He rubbed his hands across the back of his neck. “Who was it Whiskey murdered?”
“Senator Walkers’ nephew Baily.”
One of the men with Mountain snorted again. “Whiskey alway
s was a stupid little shit.”
“That’s gonna kill Raven’s political connection. Why would he do that?” Mountain asked.
“I don’t think Raven ordered the hit,” Deke replied. “In fact, Baily was under his protection.”
No one said anything for a moment. Then Mountain asked, “Is there any proof? Raven isn’t gonna take some chick’s word for what happened. He’s gonna want proof.”
“Yeah, there’s proof. The girl recorded the whole thing.”
Mountain sat there a moment then smoothed his hand along his chin. “Can I see this proof?”
Deke took Melora’s phone out of his pocket and played the video for him.
Mountain didn’t say anything for a minute then reached for his own phone. He waited until someone answered then asked to speak to Raven.
While he spoke to Raven, Deke got up and went to get the coffee. When he got back, Mountain was done with his conversation.
When Deke poured the coffee, Mountain told him, “I asked Raven to come up here. He needs to see the video and handle Whiskey himself.”
“That’s just what Melora didn’t want,” Deke told him. “She didn’t want to start a war with another club.”
“This won’t start a war,” Mountain declared. “Raven needs to know the truth. He needs to know what’s going on in his own club. He had no idea what happened to Baily and he was pissed when I told him.”
“I agree with you on that point.” Deke nodded. “But I won’t turn her over to him or to you if she doesn’t want to go.”
Mountain stared at him for a long minute. “Message understood but I need to know if she’s my kid.”
Deke nodded and got to his feet. He went down the hall to his old bedroom and knocked on the door. When his dad answered, he passed along the message and went back to his table. “Sam will be out in a minute.”
“Who is he? Is that the older guy who was sitting next to the girl?” Mountain asked.
Deke nodded. “He brought her in.”
“What do you know about her?”
“She claims her name is Melora and she’s been running for two years now.” Deke shrugged. “That’s about all I know. Maybe Sam knows more but the girl doesn’t like to talk about her life.”
Sam joined them a moment later. He sat and stared at Mountain. No one said a word and when the door to the bedroom opened up again, everyone turned to stare at her.
Melora came out of the bedroom dressed but nothing covered her pale, silken hair. Her white locks flowed around her all the way to the floor. She walked out staring into Mountain’s eyes. She heard him gasp but she didn’t smile. Finally, she sat down next to Sam and reached for his hand. Staring at her father she told him, “My name is Merry Loran Shaw.”
CHAPTER SIX
Mountain took his time looked her over. Her pale hair shimmered in the light. “Are you Carla’s daughter?”
Melora nodded. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
“Why didn’t you speak up before?” Mountain wanted to know.
“You were just the man that screwed my mother twenty four years ago. I don’t owe you anything nor do I want anything from you. My mother gave me everything she had, everything I needed. You, I don’t even know. What’s more important, you don’t know me either.”
“I didn’t know you because Carla never told me you were born,” Mountain argued. “How can you hold that against me?”
“She gave you everything she had for seven days and you never came back.” Melora scoffed. “Did you know she waited for you for ten years? Did you know she never found anyone else to care about her after you left? She died still loving you.”
Mountain hung his head. When he lifted it, she could see his eyes were swimming in tears but they never fell. “The hardest thing I ever did in my entire life was to ride away from her that day. I never found another woman who could take her place in my heart, but it never occurred to me that she was waiting for me to come back for her.”
“She once told me she loved a lifetime in that week you were together,” Melora whispered. “She tried to find you after I was born but she didn’t know anything about you.”
“Oh, she knew about me.” Mountain nodded. “She named you after my mother and her grandmother. Merry was your great-grandmothers’ name, Loran was my mother’s name. She remembered that much.”
“She remembered more than that,” Melora admitted. “She used to tell me stories about you, little things the two of you did while you were with her. The only thing she didn’t tell me was your name. She would never tell me who you were.”
“My name is Talon Morgan. My club name is Mountain because I’m so big. My family lives in Iowa. I have a father and four brothers there. My club family is from Sabine Pass, Texas. That’s where I ended up after I left her and you in Chicago. I’ve been there for twenty four years and that’s where I’ll die. It’s a good place to live and I’m hoping you’ll come back there with me.”
Melora shook her head. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“I’m in trouble with another club and if they find me, they will kill me.” Melora explained. Looking around she added, “I didn’t want to come here but Sam here didn’t give me a choice.”
Mountain turned to stare at Sam. He noted the fact of how he had moved closer to her after she sat down and they both came out of the same bedroom. He also saw Sam’s hand on her shoulder and knowing she was his daughter this bothered Mountain. “How long have you been with the old man?”
Sam stiffened at the tone of his voice.
Melora laid her hand on Sam’s. “I met him two days ago.”
“Isn’t that a little soon to be sleeping with him?” Mountain asked.
Melora sneered. “You got no say in how I live my life or who I sleep with. As far as I’m concerned you’re just a donor.”
“I’m your father.” Mountain growled as his hands tightened in fists.
Melora shook her head. “My mother may have loved you but you weren’t there for either of us. We may share the same blood but you weren’t there to be my father when I needed one and you can scream it from the tops of the mountains but it doesn’t make you my father.”
Mountain paled and stared at her. “Your mother never told me about you, how can you blame me for that?”
“You walked away from us a long time ago. Apparently, you meant more to her than she did to you.” She got to her feet. “You found me, I don’t need or want anything from you, so you’re free to go home and live your life anyway you choose.”
“I want to know you. I want to know what kind of woman you’ve become. Is that too much to ask?” Mountain seethed. “You’re my daughter.”
Melora coldly gazed at him. “No it isn’t too much to ask. I often wondered what kind of man you were too. But there is a crazy man after me and he’s looking to kill me to keep his fucking secret. I won’t put anyone’s life in danger to save my own.”
“Whiskey isn’t going to get close enough to you to hurt you,” Mountain assured her.
Melora snapped her head to glare at Deke. Turning back to her father she stated, “He won’t let you stand between him and what he wants. He’s crazy enough to think he can’t be stopped.”
“Raven will stop him.”
“Raven isn’t here and has no fucking clue what Whiskey is about!” Melora yelled.
“He’s on his way and he will know when he gets here what Whiskey has done,” Mountain assured her. “Deke showed me the video.”
Melora curled her fingers into fists. Turning toward Deke she screamed, “Are you all fucking nuts? Why don’t you take out a billboard ad? Sweet Jesus!” She hung her head for a moment then added, “You don’t know how desperate Whiskey is getting. He’s not afraid of anything anymore and that makes him dangerous. The last time I saw him he was so stoned, he didn’t even know where he was. Even the two men with him looked nervous, just being there with him.”
“How did you figure h
e was stoned?” Mountain’s man asked.
“I’ve seen stoned before. I may not use drugs but I know what a person looks like who’s under the influence. I’ve seen Whiskey enough to know what he looks like when he’s high. He’s beyond that. He’s out of control.”
“Then he’ll make a mistake and he’ll be done,” Deke stated in a cold tone. “My wife and children are here and I’ll not put their lives in danger. My brothers live here as well and I won’t put their lives or those of their families on the line either. Whiskey will not get through our defenses.”
Sam drew her back to his lap. When she settled, he wrapped his arms around her. “You have to trust us. We can keep you safe.”
Melora laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She was so tired of running, so tired of being afraid. “I need some sleep. I’m going back to bed. Are you coming?”
~* * * *~
Melora didn’t see Mountain clenching his hands into fists and that he glared at the older man.
Although, Sam did see Mountain’s reaction. He kissed her temple and said, “You go ahead. I want to talk to Deke first.”
Melora got to her feet and went back to the bedroom.
After she closed the door, Sam turned to Mountain. “What do you have to say to me?”
“Stay away from my daughter old man. She’s young enough to be your kid.” He growled.
Sam nodded. “True enough, she is. But you heard her, she doesn’t think of you as her father.”
“Dad, maybe you should give the girl some room for the moment,” Deke suggested.
“I won’t abandoned her now or ever,” Sam argued. “She needs someone on her side right now and that’s gonna be me.”
“I want the time with her to get to know me as her father. I didn’t get that chance before now but I want it,” Mountain announced firmly.
“You can have that time but I’m going to be there in her corner too, whether you want me there or not. I will not abandon her. Get used to it.” Sam got to his feet and walked the short way to the bedroom door.
