Blazing Hot Bad Boys Boxed Set - A MC Romance Bundle (80 page)

CHAPTER THREE

“How are you doing?” Rose asks Melina as she slips into an extra chair. She had stepped over when she noticed they were finished eating and preparing to leave.

“Okay. That was hard when everyone came up to us after we first arrived. I thought I was ready for that, but I barely got through it without crying. Everyone is so nice and supportive,” Melina says, her eyes filling with tears.

“Melina, you have been part of the
Goose
forever. You’re like family.”

Melina smiles, sniffs, and wipes at her eyes. “I guess.”

Rose pats her gently on the hand before rising. “I told you. Each day it will get a little better. You’ve taken another step forward, I think, by venturing out among friends. It just takes time, Melina. But time really does heal all wounds.”

“I suppose you are right,” Melina says as she also rises and begins to unhook Kimberly from her highchair. “But that doesn’t make the wait any easier.”

“No. I suppose it doesn’t.”

***

The
Goose
closes at ten, but it is nearly midnight before Rose steps through Melina’s door. “I was beginning to wonder if you were coming home,” Melina says with a faint smile as she hands Rose a glass of wine.

“We got a large party in late.”

“Typical… but you’re here now. Feel like talking?”

“Not much to say,” Rose replies, settling into a chair, thankful to be off her feet.

“Tell me what happened.”

Rose sighs, not sure she wants to rehash it all. “Joseph stopped by and asked me out for dinner last night. I couldn’t go because that would have left the
Goose
shorthanded. But when I closed up, he was waiting. Scared the shit out of me because I didn’t see him sitting there. Anyway, he took me back to his place.”

“And?” Melina prompts when Rose doesn’t appear to want to continue.

“And we had dinner. Spaghetti. He said he made it while he waited for me to get off work.” Rose offers Melina a sad little grin. “The sauce was very good, and he gave me the recipe, but I forget it this morning. I was going to replace the sauce at the
Goose
with it. Damnit.”

“You could always ask him for it again. He would probably give it to you.”

“I’m not asking him for a
fucking
thing.”

“Okay. I’m just making a suggestion. I’ll ask him if you want. So what happened then?”

“Then? I don’t remember exactly. Somehow we got onto the subject of us, and what happened, and he told me that he loved me. That he had never stopped loving me. And that’s where I fucked up. He told me if I would tell him to go away he would, and never bother me again. I started to… but realized that I didn’t want him to go away. I wanted it to go back to the way it was between us.”

“And you two went to bed.”

“Yeah.”

“How was it?”

“Nosy!” Rose teases. “It was fantastic. It was like we had never been apart. We went twice that night, again this morning, then again, later in the shower.”

“So when did he tell you about what he does?”

“You know, you don’t seem all that surprised that he deals drugs,” Rose says in sudden realization. “Did you know?”

“Yes,” Melina says quietly, looking at the floor. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Why
not
?” Rose cries in frustration.

“I didn’t think of it. Partly because of Tim and everything going on, but another part is… well… it’s just what he does to live. It doesn’t change who he is.”

“I can’t believe you just said that! I can’t believe that you have anything to do with him since you have two small kids.” 

“Look,” Melina says, her voice firm. “I know you are hurt right now, but Joseph is the same person he has always been. I would trust my life around him. I would trust him with my children before almost anyone else.”

Rose stares at her as if she has grown another head. “Melina! He’s a
drug dealer!”

“So? Would you be upset if he was a beer distributor? Or a restaurant supplies distributor? It doesn’t change who he is. Quite frankly, if more drug dealers were like him there wouldn’t be nearly so many drug related killings and so much violence.”

Rose can’t get her head around Melina. “I can’t believe you are defending him! What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing is wrong with me. The better question is what’s wrong with you? Think about it. What changed between last night, and this morning?”

“I found how he is a fucking drug dealer, that’s what!”

“But did Joseph change in anyway? How is he different now than he was?”

“That’s not the point!” Rose objects.

“That’s
exactly
the point! Nothing changed except your perception of him. He is still the same man he was the night before.”

Rose tosses back the remainder of the wine in her glass before standing. “I’m done talking about this.”

“As you wish. But before you leave you need to think about this. What is more important to you? The man, or what he does?”

“I’m not going to be involved with a drug dealer, Melina!”

“Then I guess you have made your decision.”

“Yes I have.”

Melina nods slowly. “Okay. I just hope it isn’t one you later regret.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

“Okay,” Melina murmurs, then pauses. “I just know how much I want Tim back. I would give anything just to have one more night in his arms. To kiss him just once more,” Melina says as a single tear runs down her cheek before she wipes at in angrily.

“That’s different,” Rose says softly.

“You’re right. It is. Joseph is still here.” Melina looks at Rose a moment, then picks up the two glasses and carries them into the kitchen without another word.

Rose watches Melina go into the kitchen and set the glasses in the sink before she places both hands on the cabinet, her head falling down as her shoulders begin to shake as she sobs quietly. She feels like a heel, dumping on Melina like she has. She strides into the kitchen and pulls Melina away from the sink and turns her into her arms, holding her tight. “Melina… I’m so sorry,” she murmurs while holding her tight, her own tears falling as her heart breaks for Melina’s loss… and perhaps her own.

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