Page 81 of Misguided

“But …?”

“But then we get back here, and I mean, I like Dagne, but we get here and he’s all about her.”

I smile, even though she can’t see it. “And you feel like he doesn’t need you anymore.”

“It’s stupid right?”

“No.”

I get what she’s saying. She invested time and care into finding that sad son of a bitch, and now that he’s all wrapped up in his girl he seems to have forgotten about the sister who he took the heat for. She’s suddenly tossed back to being that thing everyone forgot about out in the woods, the ghost.

“I guess you gotta look at the positives, babe.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“Like, he’s happy with her. You saw how much he livened up the minute we got here.”

“I know.” Mel nestles her head closer, leaning against me. “I guess I was jealous because I wasn’t good enough to make him happy, you know? Like, he’s my brother, and we should be able to get what we need from each other when we’re down.”

“You ain’t kids anymore, Mel.”

“Nope. We ain’t.”

“You can’t fix him by playin’ games and watching movies anymore. He needs more.” Like I need more. From her.

“Guess there’s no reason to stick around now, huh?”

My next breath doesn’t come all that well. “What you sayin’?” Is she fixing to run away again? I thought she was past all that shit.

“I mean,” she says with a taunting tone, “perhaps now is a good time to do that spot of hunting you’re keen on.”

“You mean that?” If she thinks sitting under the stars out here is calming, just wait until I get her to my usual spot.

Mel twists against me, her cheek still pressed against my arm, but those warm eyes staring up at me as she smiles softly. “I mean it, Dog. I want to spend more time with you.” She pushes up slightly, offering her lips.

I take what she gives, soft and slow, honest and raw.

She pulls back and bumps her nose to mine. “You make me feel more at home than I ever will at the club.”

“You don’t mean that.”

She nods, turning her face away again as she sighs. “I do. I belong here, sure, but nothing calms me, makes me feel at peace, like you do.”

I don’t know what to say, so I just kiss her temple and let the content silence speak for itself. She does the same to me, calms the need to act out. When I’m with her, the shit with my old man and brother is so damn far from my mind that when it does pop up again it takes me by surprise. I’m no longer here simply to prove a point—I’m here because there is a point.

“You still want to come with me when I go get my gear?” I ask.

“Of course.” She runs a lazy hand up my leg. “Why?”

“Things aren’t all that great at home,” I explain. “I can’t say how me turnin’ up will go.”

“Can’t be any worse than the stuff we deal with here, Dog.”

She’s right, although it puts the issues with my family into perspective. I was so damn sure that I didn’t care anymore, that I didn’t have an ounce of empathy left within me for my father. But if a petty argument can get to me on this level, and yet hearing that the Fort Worth brothers took the life of an agent who overstepped his boundaries doesn’t, then shit, I must still feel something for the asshole.

I slide out from underneath Mel and stand, offering my hand. “Come to bed, woman. We’ve got a big day ahead of us and you’ll need your sleep. “

“I’m not that tired, to be honest.” She slips her hand in mine and stands before I yank her against me.

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