Ruthless People (27 page)

“Four-thirty in the morning. I’m impressed. Ready for the blood, sweat, and tears?”
she asked.

“Yes.”

TWENTY

“Maybe this is why so many serial killers work in pairs.
It’s nice not to feel alone in a world full of victims or enemies.
It just seems natural. You and me against the world . . .”

~ Chuck Palahniuk

MELODY

I couldn’t stop shaking, me, motherfucking, Melody Giovanni, now fucking Callahan,
the girl who did not blink when she sold her first ounce of coke at sixteen in a back
alleyway. I was the girl who murdered a cartel member at seventeen because he stole
a pound of weed from us. However, here I was, and I could not stop shaking. I did
not shake. I did not bend. I did not fucking flinch at the sight of blood, drugs,
or at the sound of a fucking bullet! Yet here I was, watching as one of Cascadia’s
doctors looked over Liam, and I was bloody shaking! What the hell was wrong with me?

I was trying my best not to scream at the fool hovering over Liam, who hadn’t moved
in nine hours. If it weren’t for his chest rising and falling, I would have thought
he was . . .

This stupid doctor had five seconds to give me an update or I was going to reach up
and pull his tongue out of his ass!

“Mrs. Callahan—”

“You’re wasting words,” I hissed. “How is he?”

“He’s fine. Luckily, the bullet wasn’t lethal. In fact, I’m not sure exactly what
it was. He has two bruised ribs, but they will heal. He is on medication for the pain,
but other than that he is fine and should get back to moving around in a couple of
days,” he replied, stepping back when I moved to the edge of the bed.

Liam looked so . . . peaceful. There wasn’t a wrinkle or any discomfort in his face.
I felt the urge to run my hands through his hair. Part of me wanted to lay with him.
A big part of me wanted to lay with to him. It was like my mind knew that was the
only way the shaking would stop. However, I couldn’t. Instead, I turned around and
walked out the door. Knowing he was okay, knowing he would be fine meant that I could
do what I had been itching to do from the moment Fedel came to me.

I stepped outside, allowing my eyes to roam the yard of men who were all waiting for
the same update I had been. My gaze stopped at the fool’s, and it was like the lion
was out of the cage.

“
Neal
!” I roared, causing every man in his right fucking mind to part like the fucking
Red Sea as I walked to him. He didn’t move, he didn’t even look surprised, but in
a moment, he was going to look like he was in a hell of a lot of pain.

But I couldn’t get to him, though, Declan blocked my path and grabbed my arm.

Who did this motherfucking bitch think he was?

“Melody—”

Before he could finish, I punched him straight in the throat, kicked his back legs
so they buckled, and brought him to his knees. Grabbing his hair, I yanked it back
and pressed my knife to his neck.

“I will end you Declan Callahan, if you ever stand in my way again.” I pressed the
blade even harder against his Adam’s apple.

“You aren’t thinking clearly—”

He didn’t seem to get that I wasn’t fucking joking. Pulling the knife from his neck,
I stabbed his shoulder. His eyes widened as I backed away, allowing him to fall to
his ass before letting out a roar of pain.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Neal yelled at me, rushing toward Declan. However,
I stood in front of him.

“Yes, because if I was fucking sane right now, if I was Melody Giovanni instead of
Callahan, I would have fucking killed him for stepping in my way! But I can’t kill
Liam’s cousin and his brother in the same day,” I yelled, and he looked me over, unsure
of what to do or even say. I would help him find his tongue.

“Did you shoot Liam?” I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear him say it.

“Melody—”

“Did you fucking shoot my husband, Neal?”

“Yes.”

I felt a moment of peace before I found myself lunging at his neck. He saw it coming
and grabbed hold of my arms and lifted me as if I was a fucking newborn.

“Melody, it was an accident!” He yelled, but look at what long legs I have . . . only
to strangle him with.

I wrapped them around his neck like a python, and squeezed until he had to let my
arms go to grab hold of my legs. When he did, I flipped off him and kneed him in the
crotch. He bent down and the stupid, tall, bear-like motherfucker gasped in pain.

“You, Neal Callahan, are the accident!” My fist smashed into his face.

His head jerked, and I felt the pain in my hand, but I didn’t stop. “You, Neal Callahan,
are scum. You do not deserve my respect.” Another punch in the fucking nose.

“You do not deserve your last name.”

At that, he grabbed my fist, stopping it before spitting the blood from his mouth
and rising to his feet. He glared into my eyes, and his own were burning. “Watch yourself,
sister, or you may get hurt.”

He did his best to tower over me as if he was trying to say something with his size.

“What? Because you chew on steroids for breakfast I should be afraid of you?” I spun
into him so quickly he didn’t have time to comprehend what I was doing until it was
too late. It was one of the few things I had learned from my failed attempts at dance
lessons as a child. Let your partner lead. It was probably why I failed at it. I did
the leading. However, it worked for Neal, who was too big to stop me from spinning
into him and grabbing his gun before spinning out.

With my left finger, I pulled the fucking trigger. Sadly, it wasn’t a gun but a Taser.
However, it worked, and eighty-thousand volts sent him straight to his ass, shaking
like a fish out of water.

“A Taser? Really? What are you, a mall cop?”

I sighed, looking down at him. But the big bad wolf couldn’t speak.

Bending on one knee, I leaned in so he could see my eyes. “If you ever cause harm
to Liam again I will cut you in half and stuff you inside a locker.”

Standing back up, I turned to look over the rest of the men. Mine were all smiling,
while the rest looked proud. I guess they didn’t like their boss being shot either.

“He’s fine, just needs rest. Continue on pretending like you are not trying to kill
each other. I’ll see you all later,” I told them, and my eyes met Declan’s. He was
being held up by none other than Eric, who I was starting to dislike. Declan looked
pale and in need of a drink. He would be fine. If not, well then boo fucking hoo.

“I’ll send for the doctor,” I said in a mocking tone, then walked past them and into
the cabin.

The doctor looked at me, unsure of what to do or where to go.

“Fedel will handle your payment after you look over Neal and Declan,” I told him,
taking off my boots. My hand was sore, but I would deal with that later.

He must have noticed because he stepped forward, but I glared at him. There was only
one doctor I trusted, and it wasn’t him. Getting the message, he left quickly, leaving
me alone with the handsome, sleeping asshole who was my husband. Once again, I found
myself staring at him. He looked beautiful, and I gave in to my need, allowing my
good hand to run through his hair. When he let out a small moan, I stopped. Even in
his sleep he was a horn dog. He was definitely all right.

Smiling to myself like an idiot, I stripped down as I walked toward the bathroom,
grabbing myself a bottle of brandy as I did.

Turning on the shower, I waited until the water was hot, which would take a moment.
It was one of the downsides with camp. Drinking from the bottle, I allowed myself
a second to stare in the mirror. Most people hated to look at themselves. They always
found a flaw within the person they looked at.

However, I never had that problem. I knew I was attractive, and I knew I was smart.
I wasn’t looking hard enough, though, not until Liam shoved a metaphorical mirror
so close to my face that my nose was touching the glass. It was only then I truly
saw that, in many ways, he was right. I was alone, and I was lonely. I had always
accepted that, and I made sure never to think about it. It wasn’t until we were in
the forest that I actually understood. Losing Orlando hurt underneath everything,
even when I saw that coming. Liam though . . . that bullet, I didn’t see it coming,
and in a moment, he could have been gone.

No one to fight, laugh, or rule with. I frowned to myself, taking another sip of the
brandy before placing it on the counter. It also meant no one to sleep next to and
no one to talk to. I could speak to others. However, I could only talk to Liam, because
somehow he . . . I didn’t know. I could just talk with him, and in a second, stupid
fucking Neal almost took him away. “Where is the brandy?”

I jumped at the sound of his voice. The mirror was so foggy I hadn’t even noticed
when he walked in.

Turning to him, my eyes went straight to the bandage that was wrapped over his shoulder
and around his waist. When I did glance up, he was looking me over as if I was water
and he was a man in the desert.

I hadn’t realized until then that I was standing completely naked while he stood in
pajama pants.

“Li—”

His lips were on mine, before I could get the words out. My hand went to his hair,
kissing him just as hard as he was kissing me. He tasted like honey, and I didn’t
want to let go of him. But I had to.

Breaking away, I took a deep breath, preparing to speak when his lips went to my neck.

“Liam we need to—”

He gripped my nipple, and I felt a moan ripple out of my throat. When his tongue began
to trail down from my neck toward my breasts, I began pulling on this hair.

“Jesus! Fuck, Liam! Stop!” I yelled, and he froze, slowly ripping himself from me
to look down at me. In his eyes I saw confusion, frustration . . . and hurt.

Letting me go completely, he took a step back, shaking his head. “Sorry. I just came
in search of the brandy.”

He frowned, reaching around me, but I grabbed it first.

“You shouldn’t mix alcohol and pain killers,” I said quickly. He glared at me before
spotting my hands. I wasn’t sure why I only then noticed the dry blood that was still
on them . . . Neal’s blood, maybe a little of Declan’s as well.

Don’t ask, Liam.

“What the fuck happened to your hand?”

Damn it, just listen to me once.

“Neal was the one who shot you,” I replied, waiting to see how he would react, but
he didn’t look surprised.

“That doesn’t explain your hand.”

“I said your idiot brother shot you, and all you care about is my hand?” He should
be out there kicking his brother’s ass.

“Yes, because you’re my wife.” He sighed. “I will deal with Neal when I’m not on drugs.”

Turning away from him, I took off my ring to wash my hands. “I handled it.”

“You killed Neal?” he whispered, stepping up right behind me. Warmth radiated off
him like waves. I felt myself leaning into him, closing my eyes, and relaxing as I
rested my head on his chest. That is, until I remembered he had a bullet wound and
stood straighter.

“No, I didn’t.” I should have. “I tasered him after beating into his face and stabbing
Declan.”

I prepared myself for his bitching, but when I turned to him, he was smiling. He must
have been on some really good drugs.

“Let me get this straight. You stabbed Declan. And attacked and tasered Neal while
I was out?” he asked, and I nodded. He was going to find out anyway.

“You show affection in the oddest ways,” he said, kissing my forehead and grabbing
the brandy.

But once again, I took it from him, placing it on the counter again. “Not with pills.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Give me the bottle, Melody.” He groaned, reaching for
it.

But I poked his wound, causing him to hiss and flinch back. “No, means no, Liam.”

“This is the worst thing you’ve ever done to me.” He frowned like a six-year-old boy.

“I shot you, stabbed your brother, tasered your cousin, and almost cracked open your
ex-girlfriend’s skull—”

“My ex-girlfriend?”

“Shit. I didn’t mean to say that.” I bit my lip. “Natasha and I met in the bathroom
at church. She said some things, and I put her head through the glass. So, no, withholding
brandy isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever done to you.”

Once again, his lips found mine, but only for a second before he broke away.

“In my eyes it is,” he whispered. “I have two pleasures in this world. One is you,
Melody Callahan, and the second brandy. Withholding them both is just plain cruel
and borderline inhumane.”

And just like that, something clicked in my mind. Here I was standing naked in front
of him, not only in body, but with my “sins” as well, and he didn’t care. He saw the
deepest and dirtiest parts of my soul and mind but didn’t care. In fact, he wanted
to stay in the darkness with me. Just him, me, and the fucking brandy.