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His half of the house money was probably what Steve had used to buy the flashy sports car, she thought, eyeing it. Not a very practical purchase but then, her ex had always cared more about style than substance.
“You really do need glasses, Mels.” Steve’s annoying smirk got wider. “Look again. These payments wouldn’t be from me to you. This is fifteen hundred a month from you to me.”
“What?” Finally something had penetrated the gray envelope of fog which had surrounded her all day. She glared at her ex. “You must be joking! What makes you think I should pay you fifteen hundred dollars a month?”
“Maybe the fact that you’re making so much now.” He raised one skinny eyebrow at her. “I looked it up—the compensation for humans working aboard the Mother Ship is extremely generous. And since Mitzy and I are about to have another mouth to feed I figured…” He shrugged his narrow shoulders. “That you oughta help out.”
“You’re crazy.” Melanie tried to shove the papers back at him but he wouldn’t take them. “I don’t owe you anything, you cheating bastard!”
The nasty smirk on her ex’s face didn’t falter a bit.
“Can you blame me for cheating?” he demanded. “Just look at Mitzy here—six months pregnant and I bet she still weighs less than you, you old bitch!”
Melanie felt the old icy pain wash over her again. Steve had only hit her once, but he had been verbally abusive throughout most of their marriage. It was one reason her self-esteem was so low and she’d had to work with a therapist to try and build it up again after her divorce.
It was hard not to be affected when you had spent so many years being told you were ugly and old and fat and worthless.
But I’m not any of those things, Melanie told herself.
Yes, you are—you’re all of them! the nasty voice in her head said. The voice that sounded like Steve.
Nasty voice or not, Melanie lifted her chin.
“I don’t care what you call me, Steve, you’re not getting a single penny out of me,” she said clearly. “I don’t think it’s even legal, you asking for spousal support after our marriage is already over.”
“It is when you sign those papers.” He got up in her face, just like he used to when he shouted at her, the coffee fumes on his breath nearly making her gag. “You’re gonna sign those papers and agree to send me fifteen hundred dollars a month for the rest of your miserable life, you cunt,” he snarled, glaring at her with his weasely little eyes. “Or you’re going to be spending Christmas in the hospital—understand?”
“You—” Melanie started to say when suddenly a new voice came from behind her.
“Excuse me.” It was a deep, angry growl. “Are you threatening our female?”
“Strong?” Melanie glanced to her right and saw the Dark Twin towering there beside her.
“You heard my brother,” Clear snarled, coming up on Melanie’s left side. “No one threatens or coerces the female we love.”
“The female you love?” Steve seemed to wilt as he stared up at the two angry Kindred warriors. He was losing all of his menace and bravado now that he was facing someone bigger than him.
“You heard correctly. Melanie is under our protection,” Strong growled. He looked down at Melanie. “Is this the ex-mate you talked about? Do you want me to break his neck?”
“Wait, now! Wait a minute!” Steve gasped and actually stepped behind the shivering Mitzy. He peeked out from behind his pregnant girlfriend, staring up at Clear and Strong. “You two are crazy! I was just talking to Mels, here—that’s all.”
“’Mels’?” Clear demanded. “You don’t even have the courtesy to call her by her correct name?” He looked at Strong. “Let’s break him, Brother. He deserves nothing less after threatening and hurting our female!”
They both started forward but Melanie put a hand on both their muscular arms and said, “Wait.”
“Wait?” Strong turned to look at her, an incredulous expression on his dark features. “Why should we wait? We heard him threatening you!”
“He’s got a baby on the way.” She nodded at Mitzy’s pregnant belly, feeling another wave of sadness wash over her. “He can’t support his child if you kill him.”
“Well you won’t be supporting his child, either,” Clear said indignantly. “We heard what he was asking you, Melanie!” He glared at Steve. “What kind of male can’t even support his own offspring without resorting to threatening and intimidating a female?”
“I was with her for years!” Steve said shrilly, reaching around Mitzy to point at Melanie. “Years with that boring bitch! She owes me.”
“Then let me pay you on her behalf,” Strong growled.
With a single movement, he grabbed Steve by the back of his collar and hauled him out from behind his pregnant girlfriend. A fist the size of a Christmas ham plowed right into Steve’s nose and a low crunching sound followed by lots of howling split the night.
