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He sighs, "We'll try again later and bring some guys to grab her; come on. I've already seen three people looking out of their fucking doors."
Butch snaps his head towards my mother with hate in his eyes while I get the next folder up and play it too. Gunner's face goes red while Butch is ready to throttle my mother. You can hear a bang as I fall to the floor before my mother speaks.
"Have you ever heard the expression 'snitches get stitches'? Thanks to you, Harris is sitting in jail because his name is red-flagged. I just lost my connection to my drugs, you little bitch, and now I'm wanted."
You can hear the punch echo in the room and the crunch of my nose as it breaks on the floor, making Gunner flinch. You can listen to my grunt and my sob as they hit me before my mother talks again:
"Don't disappear, you little disappointment. I have several men who want you for a night.
I end the recording with my cough before I look at my mother with a raised brow, and she swallows hard.
Both men look at my mother while she stares at me.
Fear shines through her eyes. "I told Callum you cheated; did I, mother, at the age of four? That's funny because Butch's wife offered him $100,000 for full custody of me when he had no idea I wasn't his. That's why he left because you're a whore. And yet, from the age of four until the time I could finally leave, you abused me. You told teachers I was hurting myself after I went to one for help at the grand old age of 8. You broke my wrist that night, didn'tyou, Mother? And after every other mark I had or broken bone I endured, it got ignored because of your lies." Her fear oozes from her, and she swallows hard while Gunner has to be held back by his dad, who looks ready to explode. "Let's not forget the men you'd bring around and allow them to leer at me. I had to lock myself in my room in the trailer for days when you had your druggie parties because some of them tried to touch me. I had no food or water and used my trash can as a toilet. Yet, you're trying to get sympathy from a man who couldn't be assed to claim me because his marriage was more important to him."
I see Butch flinch, but it's the truth. "Do you want to know who I saw two weeks ago, mother?" I raise a brow at her while tears fill her eyes. "The man who was supposed to bring me up—the man I thought was my father—was the one who abandoned me. You two are a match made in heaven, both druggies. Heck, before realizing who I was, he offered to pay me for a night." Both men growl while her eyes widen in shock. "This here, Mother, is my closure, just like how I got the closure from him, too. I don't want to see your face again, and I don't want you contacting me from prison. As far as I'm concerned, you died during your overdose, and I'm now an orphan. Goodbye, Beth."
Her tears fall as I turn around and leave. I can hear Butch shouting at her, but I keep walking until someone grabs my arm, and I turn to see Gunner. He gives me a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Mellie."
I can't help the smile that takes over my face. "That's what Shane calls me too; he said it suits me."
Gunner grins and nods his head. "I want to get to know my sister; what do you say?"
I tilt my head and see in his eyes how sincere he is, and I nod, making him smile wide before he takes me into a hug. I hugged him tightly before letting go. We hear a bang, and he sighs, "I better sort that out. This weekend, come to our bar in town, Untamed Fire, please. I can introduce you to Leah and Sophie."
I give him a smile and nod my head before we hear another bang from my mother's room. The deputy just shrugs, continuing to read his paper, making me tilt my head at him.
"Shit," Gunner mumbles before looking back at me. He kisses my head and quickly heads to the room. "I'll see you at the weekend, sis." I smile at his endearment. I always wanted a big brother. Shaking my head, I go back to work. I have a few patients in need of a catheter change.
I look at my watch a few hours later and sigh.
Finally, home time.
I quickly head to my locker in the staff room and grab my stuff before heading to my car. When I get to it, I see Travis leaning against his bike. He tilts his head at me as pain flashes through his eyes, but I just shake my head, ignoring him. I was about to get into my car when he grabbed my hand, pulling me towards him. I squeeze my eyes tight as my tears start to fall, causing him to slowly place his forehead against mine before rasping, "It was a mistake, Mel. I fucked up. I can't take it back, but I can promise it won't happen again. Please, Precious, I can't lose you."
I sniffle and squeeze my eyes tighter before looking at him while my tears stain my cheeks. "You lost me the minute you allowed her to touch you with her mouth."
He slowly closes his eyes as a tear falls down his cheek, and I let out a sob, causing him to hold me tighter to him. "Please, baby."
I take a deep breath, breathing in his musky scent one more time before I slowly pull out of his grip, making his arms fall down his sides as I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hands. "I can't; you broke my trust." I climb into my car, about to shut the door, when he rasps, "I won't give up, baby. You're mine, just like I'm yours. I love you."
I sobbed before rasping back, "Just not enough to stay faithful."
I close the car door and start her up before leaving the hospital parking lot, ensuring I don't look back.
He broke my trust, and that's something I don't think he can gain back again.
Chapter 17
Dagger
I'm sitting at Untamed Fire with a bottle of water in front of me. Leah has refused to serve me; something about the way I look broken and not cleaning up after my ass in her bar—her words, not mine. I look up and see she's watching me closely, and I shake my head. I swear you'd think she was older than me the way she's being a mothering hen.
I take a sip of the water, trying to forget the look of heartbreak in Mel's eyes. I know I should leave her be now; I cheated, fucked up big time, but I can't. I fucking need her like I need air; she's mine, just like I'm hers. I just need to make her realize that.
I take another sip when someone sits next to me, and I turn to see Gunner. I raise a brow at him; he looks like a fucking wreck. He nods to Leah, clearly wanting liquor, but Leah, being Leah, decides to drop him some water, too, and I snort. He frowns, then looks up at her with intensity, making her clear her throat before she shrugs, then turns around, going to another customer, all while Gunner watches after her, and I smirk. I swear we're all dropping like flies. Axel with Annie, me with Mel even if she hates me right now, Ink with Sophie, who also hates him and is adamant she's giving this other guy a go, much to my brother's frustration, then Gunner with Leah.
I shake my head before he speaks.
