Taming Crow (Hells Saints Motorcycle Club) (23 page)

Melissa stood on the deck of the cabin and breathed in the cool, early morning air. The family camp in the Berkshires has always been a favorite place of hers. She loved the soft rolling hills and the fragrant pines that surrounded the spring-fed lake. Now a thin mist had just begun to lift from the water to reveal her son and father out at the dock readying the bass boat for their daily excursion.

Melissa and Jett had arrived in Boston a few days earlier and the flurry of activity had not stopped since. The shopping and packing for the fishing trip had kept them all busy. The idea of Melissa joining them for a few days had been met with much enthusiasm. But it had also created the need for a few extra supplies such as bedding and towels and some girly trappings that she had insisted on despite the good-natured groans from the men in the family.

Now, as the sun was rising over the bucolic landscape, Melissa felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and give her a light squeeze. She turned to smile at her grandfather.

Her dad, Bruno, was great. Big generous heart, ready smile and a complete charmer. She loved him completely.

But her grandfather, her Papa, he
knew
things. Nothing much got past him. Melissa had always been able to talk to him about everything. Well
, almost
everything
.

Gio Pignatelli motioned his granddaughter to sit on the worn wicker love seat on the porch. He reached to the tray that held that held their morning espresso. Then he dipped the small silver spoon into the sugar several times before handing Melissa the demitasse cup.

She closed her eyes in contentment as she breathed in the strong brew.

“It’s nice to be with family, Papa. I’ve missed you.”

“And I you. It’s good you are here. I see that Jett is getting bigger and stronger every day. His health has improved?” Papa asked her.

“Yes. The move has been great for him.” She smiled and looked once again to the dock where her son was loading up his gear for the day.

“And your massage business?” Papa took a small sip of the coffee.

“It’s starting to pick up.” Melissa flushed slightly thinking of the
reason
it had picked up.

“Your father has told me about the recent change in ownership of the property you rent. This man, this
Crow Mathison
runs with a pretty rough crowd.”

Leave it to her Papa to get right to the heart of the matter.

Melissa smiled slightly. At seventy-eight years old, of course Gio Pignatelli would phrase Crow’s club affiliations in that way. And Melissa had also known the moment that her father had asked for Crow’s full name that her family would run a check on him. Although, she was fairly certain that the men who worked for the Pignatelli organization had probably tied Jules’s inquiry on her back to Crow months ago.

Now she waited for Gio to continue. There was no doubt in Melissa’s mind that her Papa would have more to say about her involvement with a member of the Hells Saints MC.

“And that fall you took…” Gio clucked and shook his head. “Not good. Where was this
Crow
then?

“It’s all getting fixed, Papa. He feels terrible about what happened. He’s brought in a crew to fix all of it.” Melissa hastened to assure him. “As a matter of fact, they are working on it right now.”

Gio bent his head to pour out another cup of espresso from the oversized stovetop coffeemaker.

“Prosper Worthington heads up the Hells Saints organization that this man of yours connects himself to. I have never met Worthington personally, but we have had some dealings with a few of his boys off and on over the years.”

Melissa held her breath.

Then her grandfather paused and shrugged before he added. “There are worse men.”

Melissa exhaled.

“We found nothing out of the ordinary on this Crow. He’s managed to stay pretty clean despite the club ties. I suppose that’s a good thing.”

“Jett likes him.” Melissa threw out quickly.

“Ahh, yes. The small tool belt. I see that the man has already gained my great-grandson’s seal of approval.” Gio looked at his granddaughter closely. “But what about his mother’s?”

Melissa shrugged and shook her head, suddenly uncomfortable.

“I’m not sure Papa,” she answered honestly.

They sat in companionable silence for a while.

“Papa? Why didn’t you tell me that Tommy had come looking for me?”

Now it was Gio’s turn to look uncomfortable.

“Enough of the past.”

How she wished for that to be true.

“He had a letter for me…” Melissa began.

“How did he find you?” Gio interrupted, surprising her with his sharp tone.

Had her family gone to greater lengths than she realized to keep Tommy away from her?

“Purely accidental.” Melissa rushed to assure Gio, not wanting to be the one responsible for the well-being of the man whose job it evidently had been to keep Tommy away from her. “He had a letter for me, Papa.” Her voice strained in the quiet country setting. “From Jesse.”

“I know about the letter,
cara
mia
. Tommy asked me to give it to you.” Gio’s looked into his cup. “But I refused.”

“Why?” Melissa felt a shiver of anxiety run through her.

“You had been through enough. So much. Jesse’s death only added to the sadness he had brought you for too long. You think your father and I didn’t know? Didn’t see the unhappiness in your eyes? Didn’t know the loneliness and worry that you carried in your heart?” Her grandfather reached out and covered her cold clasped hands warming them with his own. “We saw and we knew.”

“But still, Papa, you should have told me. I needed to know that Tommy was trying to find me.” Melissa frowned.

Her grandfather took his hand away from her then and leaned back. He pulled out a thin cigarette from the silver case on the breakfast tray, tapped it three times, then lit the European tobacco with a wooden match.

“For what reason did you need to know, Melissa? So that you could relive the pain of Jesse’s passing all over again? You have suffered enough. More than enough, and I have done and will continue to do everything in my power to help end that sorrow for you. Your father and I knew that Jett’s asthma wasn’t the only reason you left us. We understood that you needed to escape those memories. What kind of Papa would I be to expose you to the very thing you had worked so hard to leave behind? You have done well. You have built a new life now. A new, wonderful life.”

“But Papa…”

“
Basta!
Enough of this talk of the past.” A small spark of anger lit his faded blue eyes. “Melissa, the past is gone. Listen to your Papa Gio and let it stay gone."

“What are you saying, Papa?” Melissa’s eyes shone bright with unshed tears. “That you don’t think I should read Jesse’s letter?”

“Read it? No my beautiful granddaughter, I don’t think you should read it.” Gio glared out into the distance. “I think you should burn it.”

A week later Melissa stood squarely in the backyard surrounded by party detritus. Nearly deflated balloons hung brightly from the branches of trees. Trails of colorful ribbons had wound through the soft blades of deep green grass. Scraps of crayon-colored wrapping paper peeked out from mounds of dried brown mulch.

Melissa would be mowing up piñata candy forever.

But it was all good. She had survived Jett’s birthday party and despite having to work around summer vacations, camp and all the rest of it, most of his friends had been able to make it. Jett had insisted that Melissa invite Rosie, too. It didn’t take much convincing, because Melissa had kept in touch with Charity through texts and phone calls. They had even managed an impromptu afternoon at the local petting zoo the last time Charity was in town.

Melissa discovered that she really liked Charity and got a big kick out of Rosie, who despite her spunkiness and somewhat bossy demeanor had turned out to be a lovely, thoughtful, well- behaved little girl.

When both Toni and Charity offered to come by early and lend a hand with the setup, Melissa had jumped at the offer.  A couple of the moms who were friends of Toni’s, but whom Melissa had just known in
a
wave at school as you drop your kid off
kind of way,
had stayed and helped too. The women were all young and friendly and fun. Melissa noticed that while she was busy hosting the games and helping Jett with his gifts that the women were all careful to include Charity in their conversations. It pleased Melissa to think that her own very small circle of friends might be finally growing.

When Jett asked to share his mini-golf gift certificate with Rosie, Charity had offered to take them after the party. Looking around at the mess that needed to be cleaned up, Melissa had readily agreed. When Rosie asked to include a pizza dinner at the local kids place, Melissa agreed to that too, but insisted on paying for the meal.

Toni stayed for a while and helped Melissa with the clean-up. She had left a few moments ago. Now Melissa poured herself a glass of lemonade, sat down and took a deep breath.

And she took that breath while looking at the play of muscle under Crow’s tight T-shirt as he hammered a nail on the last rung of the tree house ladder.

To Jett's unending delight and to Melissa's unending consternation, they had come home to find a surprise waiting for them. Or more expressly a surprise waiting for Jett. Because along with all the work the brothers had done to the cottage, they had also conspired to build Jett a pretty serious looking fort in the old oak. While Melissa had visions of broken legs and sprained ankles, Jett saw what every other little boy would see when looking at a tree house built just for him…a dream come true.

Who was she to argue with that? Besides Melissa had checked out the structure herself just to be sure and she found it to be as sturdy and safe as it appeared.

Crow had called Melissa the day she was due back to let her know that the repairs on the cottage were done. But he also told her that he was going to have to be gone on club business for a few days and wouldn't be home when she got back. He promised to make it back in time for Jett's birthday and he had kept that promise. Crow had arrived just a few hours ago, just in time to sing “Happy Birthday
”
to her son. Except for a quick kiss in greeting, Melissa and Crow hadn't had the chance to even say hello yet.

Crow tossed the hammer in his toolbox and walked over to her. Then he surprised her by saying, “Come on, let’s go for a ride and cool off.”

“Jett…” Melissa began.

“…is still trying to beat Rosie at mini golf. After that Charity is taking them to that build-your-own-pizza place. They’ll be gone for a few more hours. I just texted her. Told her if we weren’t back the keys under the mat and just wait for us.”

Melissa chewed her bottom lip considering.

“Go get your bathing suit on and meet me at the bike in five.” Crow got up and walked away.

Melissa struggled like she always did with anything that was the least bit spontaneous. She wiped the sweat from her brow and swatted at a fly. “I don’t know…”

“Jesus, Melissa, it’s ninety-eight degrees in the shade. What’s not to know? You got five minutes to go put on some swimming shit. You’re not out in five, I’m dragging your naked ass out for some skinny dipping.”

“Geez! You want to club me over the head, stick a bone through my nose and drag me across the lawn while you’re at it?"

“You offering?” He raised an eyebrow and stepped towards her.

Melissa let out a gasp followed by a soft laugh and headed in to get her ass in a swimsuit in five.

***

Crow sat on the edge of the surf and watched her play in the water. Frolicking. There was no other damn word for it. He had been watching her for a good half hour. He shook his head and couldn't help but grin. He had found the secluded small stretch of beach while on one of his rides and had been out to the area once or twice before by himself. He thought it would be a perfect place for Melissa to relax and cool off with a quick swim before they had
the talk
. He didn't expect to be waiting on the sand while she dove, bodysurfed and floated in the cool ocean water.

Damn that girl could swim. He honestly did not think he had seen someone enjoy the water so much in his life. He wished he had thought of this weeks ago.

And she could rock a bikini. Melissa had filled out some since he had first met her. Her body was still tight and athletic, but a little softer now. Her breasts were fuller and her ass was just a little plumper.

But best of all the hollows in her cheeks were filled in making her eyes seem bigger and brighter.

And a hell of a lot less sad.

Melissa.

So many damn layers of complicated. Just as he started to unpeel one layer, he found something deeper underneath. Sometimes he thought he would never get to the core of her. And maybe he wouldn't. He found that he liked the thought that there would always be something new to discover about her. But Crow was no fool either and he knew what lay beneath was also some pretty heavy shit
for Melissa.

All of a sudden she was beside him. Crow could feel the cool water drip off her and fall in little beads onto his heated skin. She was that close. Close enough to smell the sun and sea as it mixed with the fresh lemony scent of her. With some effort, he resisted the urge to pull her wet body under him and rip off the dripping patches of cloth clinging provocatively to her smooth body.

Crow shifted uncomfortably and thought about diving into the ocean just to calm his dick down. But instead he forced himself to look away from the sight of her hard nipples poking through the wet fabric and just begging to be tugged on between his teeth. He resisted brushing away the sand that clung to her inner thighs and pulling apart the ties that sat provocatively on her hips.

Yeah. Crow made himself resist all the very dirty thoughts he had about getting Melissa naked and writhing beneath him.

Because shit had to be asked and answered. It was time.